Master of Data Science (MDS)
Canadian Immigration Updates
Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details
Overview
The UBC Master of Data Science (MDS) is a 10-month professional degree program. The MDS program was developed by the combined expertise of the UBC departments of Computer Science and Statistics to help meet a growing need for data scientists by producing skilled professionals who can turn data into knowledge.
Everything we do generates data and every new technology used to capture this data brings with it even more opportunities to extract knowledge, to learn, to grow, and to create change.
Data science is the process of extracting value from that data through reproducible and auditable processes.
Utilizing descriptive and prescriptive techniques, students extract and analyze data from both unstructured and structured forms and then communicate the findings of those analyses in ways to enable organizations to make informed decisions based on data
What makes the program unique?
The 10-month, cohort based MDS program provides practical, real-world-applicable experience via integrating real-world data sets across the curriculum. As well, the MDS program ends with a capstone project allowing students to apply their newly acquired knowledge, while working alongside other students to address a question facing a capstone partner’s organization.
In addition, courses are taught by a core team of faculty dedicated to teaching MDS full-time and providing support to students throughout the program.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $114.00 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $11,716.57 | $18,244.19 |
| Program Fee | $35,149.71 | $54,732.57 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | Not applicable | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $1,116.60 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living | Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies. | |
| Deposit to accept offer (if admitted) | ||
| Deposit requirement | $3000.00 | $3000.00 |
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Financial Support
Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options.
Program Funding Packages
There are several funding opportunities including bursaries (for domestic students who qualify for government student loans) and scholarships (for domestic and international students). Please see the program page for details.
Employer support
Organizations may provide their employees with tuition benefits as part of an employment package to support lifelong learning of their workforce.
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
Professional / course-based programs usually do not provide merit-based funding. Some programs may offer bursaries.
Financial aid (need-based funding)
Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.
All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.
Foreign government scholarships
Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.
Working while studying
The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.
International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.
A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.
Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals
Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.
Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.
Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.
Cost Estimator
Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
Career Options
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Master of Data Science (MDS). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
ENROLMENT DATA
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 1304 | 1246 | 2002 | 1389 | 1175 |
| Offers | 253 | 176 | 212 | 220 | 162 |
| New Registrations | 88 | 81 | 115 | 96 | 93 |
| Total Enrolment | 93 | 82 | 117 | 96 | 96 |
Completion Rates & Times
Disclaimer
Further Information
Specialization
Data Science is an interdisciplinary field about processes and systems to extract knowledge or insights from data in various forms.
Program Website
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
Program Enquiries
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form.
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