Data Science Certificate

Affiliation: The School of Science and Mathematics (Curriculum) and the Institute for Academic Outreach (Logistics and Partnerships)

Certificate Offered: Data Science Certificate

DATA SCIENCE CERTIFICATE

The Department of Computer Science at Truman State University offers a 15-credit hour graduate certificate in Data Science. Earning a Data Science Certificate prepares participants with the ability to manage, analyze, and draw conclusions from large amounts of data to apply it to numerous fields in science, business, government, engineering, and health care, among other disciplines.

This program is intended for people who have a foundational understanding of computer science and computer programming or who have the requisite employment experience and an undergraduate degree to demonstrate adequate preparedness for this advanced curriculum.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for admission, students must meet the following requirements:

• Students must complete an application for Graduate Studies as a Graduate Certificate Student.
• Students must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited post-secondary institution (or its international equivalent).
• Students must have at least a 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or demonstrate sufficient professional experience to prepare them for the proposed field of study.
• Applicants are encouraged to submit a copy of undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts to demonstrate sufficient preparation at the time of application. Students may not enroll beyond their second course without providing an official transcript.
• Assessment and enforcement of student qualifications shall be at the discretion of the Graduate Dean or his/her designate.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

• Students must complete all requirements of the certificate, including all required courses and competency assessments.
• Students must earn at least a 3.0 GPA (a mark of “Competency” or higher) for all courses in the certificate program to receive the certificate. Courses in other certificates or other Truman degree programs do not count toward this calculation.
• Grades lower than an A (Mastery) or a B (Competency) are considered to be non-passing grades. Students may retake assessments in a course for up to a year after the start of the course (as defined in the course syllabus). Students failing to achieve at least a grade of B (Competency), by the designated end period will receive a grade of F in the course.
• Students must achieve competency in all of the courses in the certificate within six years of the date of admission or matriculation in the first course, whichever comes later. Students may petition the Graduate Dean for a leave of absence, or an extension, should extenuating circumstances warrant.

CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT

Students currently enrolled in a Truman graduate degree program may simultaneously participate in a graduate certificate program provided they receive approval from both the graduate program advisor (or Department Chair, as applicable) and the administrator in charge of the certificate program.

ASSISTANTSHIPS

Students seeking a graduate certificate are not eligible for assistantships unless they are concurrently enrolled in a Master’s Degree program that grants them.