MOOCs
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 leilameyer@gmail.com.