The Master of Data Analytics program requires 10 courses, 30 credits total — six core courses, three electives, and one capstone course. The capstone course builds upon the theories, technology, and skills learned in previous coursework. Students' recent capstone projects include:
- Creating an analytical pipeline to predict Alzheimer's disease
- Analyzing character networks and relationships in literature
- Predicting high-risk borrowers
- Identifying and deleting duplicate questions on websites with user-generated content
Students must successfully complete the SARI (Scholarship and Research Integrity) requirement of the Penn State degree in order to graduate.
Two Program Options
The Base Program focuses on the fundamentals of data analysis and database design, including predictive analytics, data visualization, and data-driven decision-making.
- Define analytics problems, identify data sources, determine analytics methodologies, and design and deploy analytics systems at scale.
- Communicate findings to stakeholders using analytical and data visualization tools.
- Manage data using big data tools, including R, Python and its libraries, Tableau, SQL and NoSQL databases, Hadoop, and the Apache suite.
- Harness large data sets to make informed decisions to support business goals.
The Big Data Systems Option includes most of the same coursework as the Base Program but focuses on data engineering and large-scale databases for real-time analysis.
- Use data analysis and data visualization to solve business problems.
- Design and implement large-scale databases to manage and analyze big data sets.
- Select and implement new data processing technologies.
- Review data collection tools and apply data mining techniques to detect errors and ensure data quality and reliability in big data sets.
Course Offerings
Penn State’s Schedule of Courses lists course availability. Although the course numbers, times, and availability on the University registrar’s schedule of courses are correct, your educational record may require the listed prerequisites (or not).
If you have any questions, please contact the division at [email protected].
Spring 2025 Engineering Course Schedule
Summer 2025 courses
Students interested in enrolling in online World Campus classes in the summer 2025 semester should discuss course options with their faculty advisor. With advisor approval, Great Valley students may request enrollment in online classes via [email protected].