UCLA’S NEW MASTER OF APPLIED STATISTICS & DATA SCIENCE PROGRAM

We are pleased to congratulate our 7th graduating class of the MASDS program! This Fall 2024, we are happy to welcome our ninth cohort to UCLA. The Master of Applied Statistics (MAS) program was created in the Fall of 2016 in response to the increasingly high demand from students seeking a master’s degree in data science and quantitative analytics. The program evolved from MAS to Master of Applied Statistics & Data Science (MASDS) in Spring 2023 to accurately reflect the program and department’s mission to develop data scientists.

The Master of Applied Statistics & Data Science (MASDS) program was created in response to the rapid rise in demand for data-centric skills in the Los Angeles area. Recent changes in the economy and the growing reliance of businesses and government agencies on data have created an increased demand for workers who can manage data and produce informative visualizations of data, and are guided by fundamental statistical principles. The MASDS will help meet this need by providing working professionals the means to obtain a first-rate postgraduate-level education in applied statistics and quantitative analytics. The MASDS is designed for working professionals, and as a result, courses will be offered in the evening to allow timely completion of the program. In addition the program is perfect for those who wish to transition to a more quantitatively focused career. All classes will be taught by regular departmental faculty. The degree will require a thesis project that will involve working closely with an industry partner and a faculty member to solve a real scientific or business problem. This will often be in the field where the student is working, thus deepening their understanding of it. The Department has various business, industry and government partners to provide internships, thesis topics, support for their employees, and job prospects for graduating students.