MSDS Admission Requirements

Students can be admitted in either classified or conditionally classified standing. GRE is optional for the MS in Data Science program. It is not a requirement. However, if you do submit the scores, they will be used to compare and rank the applicants.

To enter this program with classified standing, a student must have passed the following prerequisites courses (with a C- or better OR the listed required grade below):

• Three semesters college-level calculus courses - differential calculus (e.g., MATH 30 at SJSU), integral calculus (e.g., MATH 31 at SJSU), and a multivariable caluculus course (e.g., MATH 32 at SJSU), with a grade of B or better on the multivariable calculus course.
• A linear algebra course (e.g., MATH 39 at SJSU), with a grade of B or better.
• A discrete math course (e.g., MATH 42 or CS 42 at SJSU).
• An upper-division calculus-based statistics course (e.g., MATH 161A at SJSU), with a grade of B or better.
• A probability theory course (e.g., MATH 163 at SJSU), with a grade of C or better.
• Two CS introductory courses on programming and data structures (e.g., CS 46A and CS 46B at SJSU).
• An upper division data structures and algorithms course (e.g., CS 146 at SJSU), with a grade of B or better.
• An advanced course in object-oriented programming (e.g., CS 151 or CMPE 135 at SJSU) or two semesters of statistical programming coursework, (e.g., MATH 167R and MATH 167PS at SJSU).

Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must submit TOEFL scores. Minimum TOEFL scores acceptable for admission are 575 (Paper-based), 240 (Computer-based), or 100 (Internet-based).