University of North Texas 
Why Choose UNT’s M.S. in Data Science?
- Master’s in data science program ranked 5th in the nation by Fortune magazine
- Our research labs and research centers are vehicles of transformative research and education in the data sciences for faculty and students to focus on real-world hands-on projects funded by NSF, industry and federal agencies. UNT College of Information research labs include the Data Innovation Lab, Intelligent Information Access Lab, Data Visualization and Extreme Reality Lab, Visual Thinking Lab, Secure, Reliable, and Intelligent Systems Lab, and the Security and COgnitive REcommender Systems Laboratory.
- Faculty are widely published in leading international journals and provide leadership within professional organizations.
- A dedicated career coach helps students prepare for the job market.
Program Overview
The Master of Science in Data Science (MS-DS) program at the University of North Texas (UNT) is designed to address the
current market needs for highly skilled data science and data analytics professionals.
The program is designed to help graduates gain skills and experience in designing,
implementing, and transforming data sets into actionable knowledge. It provides students
with the skills and knowledge needed to develop competencies in managing data science
and analytics projects and working with data analytics tools and technologies. The
program is aimed at helping to educate a new generation of information professionals
capable of taking the leadership role by connecting the dots and using data to support
strategic initiatives within the organization.
Courses available in Denton, Frisco, and Online.
The program focuses on relevant areas:
- Statistical analysis
- Natural language processing
- Computational linguistics
- Information retrieval
- Information visualization
- Social network analysis
- Text analytics and data mining
As a student in the Data Science program you'll have the flexibility to choose from a range of courses that are meant to challenge and prepare you for your career in data science. The program in Denton, Texas offers students the flexibility to select a combination of face-to-face, online and blended courses. The program is also offered completely online.
The degree requires a minimum of 36 credit hours for a total of 12 courses. Students will take 3 core courses that will help provide a foundation for data science and data analytics, 5 courses of guided electives which focus on advanced topics in data science and analytics and 3 general electives. A 3 credit hour practicum/internship or a research project is also required to help put what you have learned into practice.
The Data Science program can be completed 100% online. The program can also be completed onsite in Denton, TX with opportunity to choose from classes offered in-person, in a hybrid format, or completely online. With guidance from an advisor, students will be able to select from classes to suit their interests and career focus.
The Data Science degree at UNT helps prepare students to be among the best in a field that continues to grow, with job opportunities that span many industries. Learn from our expert faculty who have a range of experience in data science and other related fields, who are conducting innovative research, and continue to be knowledgeable about the technology and tools necessary to be a successful data scientist.
The many resources available to you as a UNT student will only help to enhance your experience. Collaborate with other students on projects and share ideas by joining the UNT Data Science Student Organization. Network and gain insight into data science related careers through events such as Data Science Day.
Research labs and centers on campus provide the resources necessary to conduct in-depth study in your field. These include the UNT College of Information's Data Innovation Lab, the Intelligent Information Access Lab, the Data Visualization and Extreme Reality Lab, the Visual Thinking Lab, and others.
The Department of Information Science is a member of key organizations and consortiums that provide unique research opportunities for our students. We are a member of the prestigious iSchools organization, a consortium of Information Schools dedicated to advancing the information field.
Dr. Sharad Sharma, Professor in The Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science, brings visionary leadership and cutting-edge research to UNT’s Data Science programs. Now serving as Associate Dean of Research for the College of Information, Dr. Sharma directs both the Data Visualization and Extreme Reality (DVXR) Lab and the Data Science & Industry Innovation (DSII) Center. His work spans data visualization, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, and human-computer interaction. He currently serves as a PI/Co-PI on 4 NSF active grants.
A highly awarded researcher and mentor, Dr. Sharma has acquired several research grants
from various funding agencies including the DoD, NSF, DHS, and ARL, and has received
multiple honors and awards for outstanding research and mentorship. He is an expert
in modeling and simulation of human behavior for emergency response and decision making
with focus on multi-agent systems (MAS), multi-user virtual reality (MUVR), and mobile
augmented reality applications (MARA). He is interested in merging Data Science and
Virtual Reality for Advanced Visualization. His forward-thinking approach continues
to drive innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and academic excellence—making
him a cornerstone of UNT’s growing data science community.
