Data science is poised to play a vital role in research and innovation in the 21st century. Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Youtube are just some prominent examples which highlight the increasing impact of data science in our day-to-day life. The singularity which will facilitate the transition of our modern society to a science fiction-esque one is on the cusp of being realized due to the so-called data revolution, especially in the field of engineering.
Engineering Data Science is a broad field that encompasses predictive modeling and data-driven design of engineering systems. Applications range from health sciences and environmental sciences, to materials science, manufacturing, autonomous cars, image processing, and cybersecurity.
The demand for graduates with a data science background is already high and is growing rapidly across a wide range of industries worldwide. Houston, being the energy capital of the world as well as the home of a thriving healthcare industry, is also seeing a persistent demand for a workforce well-trained in data science. To provide state-of-the-art training for a data-centric workforce, the Cullen College of Engineering offers a Master of Science in Engineering Data Science.
Program
The Master of Science in Engineering Data Science at the University of Houston is a 10 course graduate curriculum program with both non-thesis and thesis options.
A four-year bachelor's degree in engineering or engineering related fields, or computer science and data science and statistics is required in order to apply for the Engineering Data Science program.
The degree plan consists of courses in three primary categories. These courses may be available online and face-to-face in a classroom setting (A full online M.S. in Engineering Data Science is not available at this moment).
The Master of Science in Engineering Data Science is a Science, Technology, Engineering ,and Mathematics (STEM) degree. There is a STEM OPT extension which is a 24-month period of temporary training for F-1 visa students in an approved STEM field. Please visit this link for more information.
Application
For information on admission requirements and application process please click here.
| Application Deadlines | International | Domestic |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | March 15 (*Priority) May 15 (Regular) |
March 15 (*Priority) May 15 (Regular) |
| Spring Semester | September 15 | September 15 |
*** This program does not offer summer intake ***
Degree Plan
(30 Credit Hours Requirement)
MS in Engineering Data Science program requires 30 credit hours (10 courses). We offer both thesis and non-thesis options.
Core Courses
9 Credit Hours/ 3 courses
(for both thesis and non-thesis options)
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDS 6333 | Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| EDS 6340 | Introduction to Data Science | 3 |
| EDS 6342 | Introduction to Machine Learning | 3 |
Note: Students in their first semester of the degree should enroll in these three core courses.
Prescribed Elective Courses
9 Credit Hours/ any 3 courses of the following
(for both thesis and non-thesis options)
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| INDE 7397 or PETR 6397 |
Big Data and Analytics or Big Data Analytics |
3 |
| ECE 6364 | Digital Image Processing | 3 |
| ECE 6397 | Signal Processing and Networking for Big Data Applications | 3 |
| EDS 6344 | AI for Engineers | 3 |
| EDS 6346 | Data Mining for Engineers | 3 |
| EDS 6348 | Introduction to Cloud Computing | 3 |
| ECE 6342 | Digital Signal Processing | 3 |
| INDE 7397 | Engineering Analytics | 3 |
| INDE 6372 | Advanced Linear Optimization | 3 |
| EDS 6397 | Information Visualization | 3 |
Elective Courses
Non-thesis option: 12 credit hours / any 4 courses of the following
Thesis option: 3 credit hours / any 1 course of the following
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOE 6305 | Brain Machine Interfacing | 3 |
| BIOE 6306 | Advanced Artificial Neural Networks | 3 |
| BIOE 6309 | Neural Interfaces | 3 |
| BIOE 6340 | Quantitative Systems Biology & Disease | 3 |
| BIOE 6342 | Biomedical Signal Processing | 3 |
| BIOE 6346 | Advanced Medical Imaging | 3 |
| BIOE 6347 | Introduction to Optical Sensing and Biophotonics | 3 |
| BIOE 6345 | Biomedical Informatics | 3 |
| BZAN 6354 | Database Management for Business Analytics | 3 |
| CIVE 6393 | Geostatistics | 3 |
| CIVE 6380 | Introduction to Geomatics/Geosensing | 3 |
| CIVE 6382 | Lidar Systems and Applications | 3 |
| CIS 6397 | Python for Data Analytics | 3 |
| CHEE 6367 | Advanced Proc Control | 3 |
| ECE 6376 | Digital Pattern Recognition | 3 |
| ECE 6397 | Sparse Representations in Signal Processing | 3 |
| ECE 6337 | Stochastic Processes in Signal Processing and Data Science | 3 |
| ECE 6378 | Power System Analysis | 3 |
| ECE 6342 | Digital Signal Processing | 3 |
| ECE 6333 | Signal Detection and Estimation Theory | 3 |
| ECE 6315 | Neural Computation | 3 |
| ECE 6397 | GPU Programming | 3 |
| ECE 6397 | High Performance Computing | 3 |
| ECE 6325 | State-Space Control Systems | 3 |
| INDE 6370 | Operation Research-Digital Simulation | 3 |
| INDE 6336 | Reliability Engineering | 3 |
| INDE 7340 | Integer Programming | 3 |
| INDE 7342 | Nonlinear Optimization | 3 |
| INDE 6363 | Statistical Process Control | 3 |
| IEEM 6360 | Data Analytics for Engineering Managers | 3 |
| MECE 6379 | Computer Methods in Mechanical Design | 3 |
| MECE 6397 | Data Analysis Methods | 3 |
Courses For Thesis Option
(9 Credit Hours: research / thesis work)
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDS 6398 | Research Credit Hours | 3 |
| EDS 6399 | Thesis Credit Hours | 3 |
| ECE 7399 | Thesis Credit Hours | 3 |
Note:
The research/thesis credit hours for the thesis option may be taken over two or three semesters. The thesis examination committee must be approved by the Program Director prior to the defense date. The committee must consist of at least three tenure-track faculty members with at least two committee members from within the College of Engineering.
To learn more about the thesis option or if you have a MS advisor and wish to add the thesis option to your degree plan, please contact the academic advisor at egrhpc [at] uh.edu (egrhpc[at]uh[dot]edu).
Academic Requirements
Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to graduate with a MS degree in Engineering Data Science.
Each student should assume responsibility for being familiar with the academic program requirements as stated in the current catalogs of the college, university and this website.
- For further information on academic requirements, please review the UH Graduate Catalog
- For further information student rules and regulations, please review the UH Student Handbook
Note: Students must receive a grade of C- and above to pass a course. If a student receives a grade of D+ or below, that course will not be counted towards the completion of the degree plan. However, the grade will always be counted in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.
TUITION AND COST
The MS in Engineering Data Science is a 30 credit hours (10 courses) program. Students with full-time enrollment typically complete the program in a year and a half to two years. Here is the link to the Graduate Tuition Calculator which will give you an estimate of the costs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you have questions, please look at our extensive list of FAQs. If your question is not included here, please contact us at egrhpc [at] uh.edu (egrhpc[at]uh[dot]edu)
What is the status of my application? When will I hear about the decision?
All the applications will be reviewed close to the application deadline. You will be informed about the decision around that time.
Can I receive an application fee waiver?
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer the application fee waiver for MS students at this time. However, we do offer a competitive Dean’s scholarship of $1,000 to qualified students for the first year. If you are awarded with this scholarship, you become eligible to pay the in-state tuition which is a huge saving.
This scholarship may be renewable if your CGPA is 3.75 or higher after your first academic year’s study.
Please visit this link for more information.
How long does it take to complete the degree program?
The MS in Engineering Data Science is a 30 credit hours (10 courses) program. Full time enrolled students typically complete the program in a year and a half to two years.
What is full-time enrollment?
Students will need to enroll in a minimum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) for full-time enrollment. Students will need to maintain full-time enrollment if they are an international student on a visa AND/OR they are a recipient of a scholarship.
Are there resources for Internships and Jobs?
We have the Engineering Career Center which hosts career fairs every semester for Engineering students as well as for graduates after six months after graduation. You can view the website for more information about employers and partners of the Career Center.
How can I transfer to the Engineering Data Science program?
If you are already enrolled in another program at UH, at the end of this semester, you can petition to change from your current program to Engineering Data Science. Your petition will have to be approved by both programs (current program stating you are in good standing and Engineering Data Science stating you are admissible). Transfer is not guaranteed. The petition will be reviewed and the decision will be based on the grades and courses taken in the current program and your application package when applying to UH.
Petition: Graduate Student General Petition
What is the status of my I-20?
The I-20 is being processed at our Graduate School. If they have questions or need any additional documents, they will contact you directly via email. Once I-20 is complete, you can view it and print it out for your visa interview at ApplyWeb under your account.
Should you need to contact Graduate School, the email address is as follows: gradschool [at] uh.edu (gradschool[at]uh[dot]edu)
Please always include your full name and PSID# in your emails.
Please be advised that Graduate School is in charge of I-20s for all the international students of UH which may take some time to complete. Thank you in advance for your patience.
I was offered admission but with no scholarship. When will I get the scholarship?
The Dean’s scholarship is very competitive.
A student may be eligible for scholarship in their second year (or third semester), if the student maintains a GPA of 3.75 or above and based on availability of scholarship funds. If you do receive the scholarship as described above, in that semester you will be eligible for in-state tuition.
How can I get TA/RA assistantships?
Typically, we do not offer assistantships to MS students. The teaching/research assistantships are available to PhD students only. If you are interested in student employment, please visit the University Career Services website. You will be able to find out the types of employment that is available as well as eligibility.
I have a PDV hold on my account. How can I remove it to enroll in classes?
According to our Graduate School’s policy, you need to submit your official transcripts/marksheets and the degree certificate to UH Graduate School in a sealed envelope with the university stamp, via a carrier such as the postal service or DHL or FedEx, etc. Otherwise, Prior Degree Verification (PDV) Hold will not be removed. You may bring those officials with you and hand deliver them to the Graduate School Office upon your arrival but you will not be able to register for courses in advance.
If you wish to temporarily remove the PDV Hold, a petition must be filed with Graduate School with an official letter from your university indicating the reasons why you cannot get your official documents in time.
Petition: Graduate Student General Petition
I am transferring from another institution in the US. Can I transfer credits for some courses I have already taken?
As per engineering graduate program policies, we can transfer up to 6 credit hours or 2 courses. Please send us a list of courses that you took at your previous institution and the grades you received for each course. Based on the course content and equivalency with courses in our engineering data science degree plan, we will make a decision about whether the course can be transferred or not. Once a course has been approved, to complete the credit transfer, you need to submit a petition.
Petition: Graduate Student General Petition
Do I have to take the TOEFL?
If you are an international student and English is not your native language, you also need to submit proof of English proficiency such as TOEFL or IELTS or Duolingo test result. You can upload the unofficial test result for evaluation first and ask the testing center to send the official test result to UH electronically.
English Language Proficiency Requirement
Is GRE required?
GRE is optional for Fall 2023.
How long should my essay be?
There is no limitation for essays. It can be just as much as you need to describe your background, interest, experience, and relevant information. Typically it is 1.5-2 pages.