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U Illinois Launches MOOC-Based Master's in Data Science

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is offering an online Master of Computer Science in Data Science (MCS-DS) degree through the Coursera massive open online course (MOOC) platform.

The MCS-DS degree is designed to build expertise in data visualization, machine learning, data mining and cloud computing to prepare students for careers as data scientists, one of the most sought-after and highest paid professions in the United States, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Full tuition for the program costs $19,200 for 32 credit hours, and students can complete the program in as little as one year or over a longer period depending on work and family obligations. For increased flexibility, the program is designed to be stackable, so students can take individual courses, several courses for a Coursera Certificate, or the complete master's degree program.

The courses and their accompanying lessons, activities and projects are open to anybody who registers on the Coursera site. "In order to earn the University of Illinois degree, learners who are accepted into the program will also be expected to complete additional course assessments with access to guidance, feedback and support from Illinois faculty and staff," stated a news release.

The program is now open for admissions. The application deadline for the first cohort of the degree program is June 15, 2016, with classes beginning on August 22, 2016. The first cohort will admit 150 students, with larger cohorts to be admitted in the following months.

Further information about the program can be found on the University of Illinois site.

About the Author

Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].

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