Overview

You don’t need a background in technology to have a future in it. Technology thrives on new, diverse, and unexpected ideas—it needs new perspectives. Our Align program lets you earn a master’s degree in data science no matter what field your bachelor’s degree is from.

The Data Science - Align curriculum at Northeastern University is specifically designed for incoming students without any prior programming experience. You’ll begin with two bridge semesters that help you transition into the study of data science. You’ll have access to a network of enhanced academic support, including advising, teaching assistants, and tutoring, as well as an Align-specific career prep seminar designed to help you transition from your current field into the world of tech.

Career outlook

Nearly every industry needs people with data science skills.

In the last year, there were roughly 25,000 job postings in the U.S. seeking data scientists. Of these, 48% required or preferred candidates with a master’s degree, and 60% required or preferred candidates with a graduate degree (master’s or doctoral).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the demand for data science skills will drive a 28% rise in employment in the field through 2026.

Our graduates have gone on to a range of exciting careers across every industry, including Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Quantitative Researcher, Machine Learning Engineer, and Natural Language Processing/OCR engineer.

This program is visa-eligible at Northeastern University campuses in the United States and Canada.

Disclaimer: Visa eligibility may vary by location and individual circumstances. Applicants are responsible for verifying the most up-to-date visa regulations with the relevant visa or immigration agency before applying.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Discrete Structures

Algorithms

Supervised Machine Learning and Learning Theory

Unsupervised Machine Learning and Data Mining

Reinforcement Learning and Sequential Decision Making

Database Management Systems

Pattern Recognition and Computer Vision

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 30 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-09 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-30 00:00:00 , National
- Apply before 2026-05-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-01-07 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00 , National
- Apply before 2026-11-01 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

40 SCH

40–48 total semester hours required

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Boston, United States
San Jose, United States
Portland, United States

Disciplines

Data Science & Big Data View 461 other Masters in Data Science & Big Data in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Online application
Unofficial undergraduate/graduate transcripts (official transcripts from all colleges/universities may be submitted upon admission)
Two out of three essay prompts
Recent professional resumé listing detailed position responsibilities
Three confidential letters of recommendation
General GPA minimums: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, 8.0 on a 10.0 scale, or 80 on a 100 scale
Recommended TOEFL (90 minimum) or IELTS (6.5 minimum) examination scores (international students only)

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

30000 USD / year

≈ 30000 USD / year
Out-of-State

30000 USD / year

≈ 30000 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

30000 USD / year

≈ 30000 USD / year

Additional Details

$75,000 - $90,000

Living costs

Boston

United States

1560 - 3239 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

MPOWER Financing No cosigner. No collateral. No hidden fees.

Check your Eligibility

Get the funding you need to study in the U.S. or Canada - with a process that's fast, simple, and built for international students.

Flexible loans from US$2,001 to US$100,000
Fixed interest rates -- no inflation surprises
No upfront fees or prepayment penalties
Accepted at 500+ universities across the U.S. & Canada
100% online application -- instant conditional offer
Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Data Science - Align.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Career outlook

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

Boston

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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