Master of Science in Applied Data Science - USC Viterbi | Prospective Students
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Master of Science in Applied Data Science
Master of Science in Applied Data Science
Application Deadlines
SPRING:
Extended to:
October 1
FALL:
Scholarship Consideration Deadline:
December 15
Final Deadline:
January 15
USC GRADUATE APPLICATION
Program Overview
Application Criteria
Tuition & Fees
Meet Our Students
Career Outcomes
DEN@Viterbi - Online Delivery
Request Information
The objective of the USC Viterbi Master of Science in Applied Data Science is to train students with a range of backgrounds to be skilled data scientists.
This program allows strong students trained in either computer science or other engineering or scientific disciplines (or even social science disciplines with a demonstrated aptitude for math and science) to get the training to pursue a career in applied data science.
Students completing this degree will have learned the skills required to work as a data scientist, including a basic understanding of data science techniques, the ability to write data science programs in Python, knowledge and experience in working with both databases and big data infrastructure, skills in applying machine learning and data mining techniques, and knowledge of how to apply these skills to real-world problems.
Our students are immersed in the overall field of data analytics, the role of the analyst and/or data scientist, and the domains where informatics skills can be applied to critical organization missions. They understand how data management, data visualization, data mining, and artificial intelligence techniques (specifically machine learning) are critical to the analysis process and how these can be applied to real-world challenges.
The program features the application of knowledge and skill in hands-on type experiences, with the goal of having students leave the program having “lived in the data.” Through an extensive elective track and our unique professional practicum, students find the specializations that will help them better prepare themselves for the area(s) of analytics in which they hope to contribute.
International Students:
This program is
eligible for the OPT STEM extension.
This program requires completion of 32 units of coursework
Thesis option not available. Directed Research (research without thesis) may be requested after completing first semester
USC Catalogue
USC Schedule of Classes
APPLICATION DEADLINES
SEMESTER
DEADLINE
Spring
September 1 (extended to October 1)
Fall
December 15 (Scholarship consideration)
January 15 (Final deadline)
Visit our
Ready to Apply
page for more information
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applicants to the Master of Science program in
Applied Data Science
must have a bachelor’s degree or be in the process of completing a bachelor's degree. Most applicants have degrees in engineering or closely related fields, such as Computer Science, Economics, Hard Science, and Mathematics.
Applicants without a bachelor's degree in a directly related field may still be considered if they have completed and demonstrated strong proficiency in the following coursework (
or
equivalent
):
Math
This is not an exhaustive list. Applications are reviewed holistically; simply taking these courses does not guarantee admission.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
The following materials are required to be included with your online application:
Transcripts
Resume/CV
Personal Statement
Letter of Recommendation (2 highly recommended)
NOTE:
The GRE is
not required
for 2026 applications.
The following link will take you to an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students, including payment information. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition
TUITION AND FEES OVERVIEW
Use the link below to download the
Cost of Attendance
to see a summary of tuition and fees by semester. The document is a typical example and the number of courses, and time to complete the program, will vary by student.
Estimated Cost of Attendance - 32 Unit Program
What were the main reasons you chose to pursue this graduate program at USC?
I was fascinated with Data Science and found the USC program very compelling to its interdisciplinary coursework that provides a breadth of knowledge.
Tell us about an exciting and unforgettable experience from your two years at USC.
I cannot forget the joy I felt when I succeeded as a team member in finishing a project that helped calculate car carbon dioxide emissions; it reflected the experience and knowledge I acquired through studying at USC. Moreover, participating for the first time in AthenaHacks that the USC hosting in 2022.
What are some personal achievements or experiences you'd like to share?
I have worked on "Evaluating Alzheimer's Patients' Assistance Systems in HCI Domain," which was published in the International Journal of Advance Research, Ideas, and Innovations in Technology. In addition, being a member of the Women in Computing organization at USC, I gained valuable knowledge related to technology, and I had the chance to attend a couple of tech talks and workshops.
Which organizations/activities have you been involved with outside the classroom?
I am currently leading a Saudi Students Association at USC, sponsored by the Saudi Arabia Embassy (SACM).
What were the main reasons you chose to pursue this graduate program at USC?
Coming on a Fulbright Scholarship, initially, USC wasn’t in my plan but was suggested by my scholarship advisors. After doing my research, it became my preferred choice among the four US colleges I applied to. Viterbi’s reputation as an incredible engineering school, attended by such world-renowned names such as Neil Armstrong and its namesake, Andrew Viterbi, left me in awe. Moreover, its presence in Los Angeles was an added bonus and it felt like a moment straight out of a movie when I got the offer.
Tell us about an exciting and unforgettable experience from your two years at USC.
One of the most rewarding experiences studying here is the “Trojan” camaraderie. One example of it is as long as I wear the Trojan shirt or Trojan symbol, I can go anywhere in the US and I’ll find a fellow Trojan waving me the two-fingered salute. I was once cycling in Santa Monica, oblivious to this unspoken tradition, and a girl carrying a surfboard waved the V sign and yelled Trojans. Took me a while to get that she was gesturing to me before I yelled back. A similar experience happened to me while hiking at the Grand Canyon. Now, I’m the one who’s doing the yelling first.
What are some personal achievements or experiences you’d like to share?
I never went outside my home country before coming to USC. And living here, alone, away from my family and friends, it was a learning experience and a big personal achievement of mine to make it in a completely new environment and make new friends. USC and the environment it offers around campus has been instrumental in helping me with that.
Which organizations/activities have you been involved with outside of the classroom?
I worked on a research project as a part of Graduates Rising in Information and Data Science (GRIDS), which allows you to work on projects with Professors. I found it really rewarding and loved the experience. Following up with that, I decided to join my GRIDS Professor’s research team in a professional capacity as a Graduate Research Assistant, working on some cutting-edge research project. It was not only a challenging experience, but it has also helped me a lot in finding me a job after graduating.
What advice would you give future Viterbi students?
After every semester, I decide I’ll work every day to finish my work early and cycle on the weekends, or go for hikes, or go exploring. And then the semester starts and I get engrossed in completing assignments, meeting deadlines. Don’t be like me. Enjoy!
2025 First Destinations Survey - Outcomes*
Top Employers*
Amazon •  Meta  •  TWG Global Holdings LLC  •  University of Southern California
Alumni Employment - 2025*
Companies & Job Titles (multiple positions may be listed)
Average Reported Salary: $108,961
Acrivon Therapeutics - Data Scientist Contract
Alignerr - Data Science Engineer
Alphonso Inc. - Jr. Business Data Analyst
Amazon - Business Intelligence Engineer / Software Developer Engineer / Software Development Engineer / Software Engineer
American Airlines - Revenue Management Operations Research Analyst
American Chemical Society - None Listed
American Express - None Listed
American Technology Consulting, LLC - Business Analyst
Apple - Data Analyst Intern
Autodesk - Machine Learning Intern
Averlon, Inc. - Software Engineer Intern
Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited - Senior Data Scientist
Bitus Labs - Data Engineer
The Boeing Company - Procurement Analyst
BorderX - Machine Learning Engineer
Bytedance - Software Development Engineer in Test
California Surveying & Drafting Supply - Customer Service Representative
Capital Markets Authority - Surveillance Operations
Capital One - Data Scientist / Senior Associate Data Scientist
CFG Trucking Inc. - Data Analyst
Chang An Trucking Inc. - Data Analyst
Circadia Health - AI Engineer
Cloud9 Esports Inc. - Data Scientist
Cognitiv Corp. - Machine Learning Engineer
Cyclotron - Cyber Security Engineer
Daily Goodness Inc. - Data Analyst
Danta Technologies - Data Scientist
Databricks - Data Scientist
DatCarApp, LLC - Data Scientist
DDC Electric Supply, Inc. - Data Analyst
Deleg8 - Data Scientist
Deloitte - Analyst / Audit & Assurance Analytics Specialist Assistant
DISH Network Corporation - Data Scientist I
Dragin Technologies LLC - Software Developer (AI/ML)
Duolingo - Data Scientist
Game Economy Developer / Research Assistant / Software Developer / Software Engineer / Software Engineer Intern / Systems Integration Analyst
EchoLab - AI Product Manager
Ecotron Corp. - Project Engineer Intern
Evite - Data Scientist
Excelsior School - Chemistry Teacher
Experian - Software Engineer
EY - Staff Accountant
Fanyu You - Data Scientist
Ford Motor Company - AI Specialist / Analytics Scientist
Forma Cloud - Software Development Engineer
Fortinet - Software Development QA Engineer
Geico - Data Scientist I
Georgia Dept. of Economic Development (Georgia Center of Innovation) - Data Scientist
Georgia Dept. of Economic Development (Georgia Center of Innovation, Model Earth) - Data Scientist
Gingeo Inc. - Data Scientist
GOFO Express - Customer Service Assistant
Good Kids Education - Education Data Analyst
Google - Software Engineer
Gruve Inc. - Software Developer
Halcon - Engineer I
Handshake - Analyst
Happy Distro - Sales Account Analyst
Hibiscus Health Inc. - AI/ML Engineer
Hong Tong Tong Inc. - Data Analyst Intern
HP Inc. - Data Scientist
HSBC - IT
Huaqin Technology - Product Manager
Huatai Securities Co., Ltd. - Financial Software Engineer
Icertis - Data Science Intern
ICO Dental Group - Analyst Intern
IDX Exchange LLC - Data Science Intern
Instance Creator LLC - AI Engineer
IPG Mediabrands - Analyst, Growth Analytics
Iris Pictures LLC - Data Analyst
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. - Associate Strategic Analytics
Jammy, Inc. - Product Intern
Junhyuk Jang - Chief Technology Officer
Keck Medicine of USC - None Listed
Kyeongrim Song - Chief Executive Officer
L3Harris Technologies - AI Developer
LBNB Inc. - Software Engineer
Leaniar LLC - Data Scientist
Lennar Corporation - Developer
Lingolet, Inc. - Data Scientist
Lobel Financial Corp. - Risk Analyst
Los Angeles Capital Management - Research Analyst
Lovesetmatch - App Developer
Lynol Cooling Systems Inc. - Purchasing Data Assistant
M4A Foundation - Software Development Engineer
Mercor - Audio Model Trainer
Meta - Data Engineer / Production Engineer
Meta Platforms, Inc. - Software Development Engineer
MetroPlusHealth - None Listed
NASA (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) - Data Scientist
NebulaWeb Studios - Software Developer
New York Life Insurance - Developer Engineer
Northern Lights Post Inc. - Machine Learning Engineer
OKBL USA Technology Inc. - Software Engineer
Oracle - Member of Technical Staff (Software Engineer)
PacLights - Data Analyst Intern
Pallas Security - Software Engineer
Palmdale Water District - Management Analyst
PepsiCo - Supply Chain Associate
Persistent Systems - Machine Learning Engineer
Pilot Technologies LLC - Data Engineer Intern
Precedent LLC - Senior Data Scientist
QTG Capital Management - None Listed
Quinstreet - Data Analyst
RadicalX - Artificial Intelligence Engineer Intern
Real See U.S. - Project Manager
Reality LLC - Product Manager
RND4IMPACT Inc. - Data Analyst
Robert Half - Data Processing Associate
RTX - Principal Senior Software Engineer
SageSurfer - AI Engineer/Data Scientist
SeeM Inc. - Backend Software Engineer
ServiceNow - Software Quality Engineer
SHEIN Technology LLC - Associate Database Engineer I
Shepherd Ventures - Data Analyst
Sight Photography Studio - Web Developer
Simplain Software Solutions, LLC - Machine Learning Engineer
Software Concepts LLC - Data Analyst Intern
Sole Solutions, Inc. - Accounting
Solomon AI and 3D Vision - Technical Project Manager
Stealth Startup - Founder / Founding Team Member
StepStone Group LP - Analyst
Stripe, Inc. - Software Engineer
Subtle Medical - Machine Learning Engineer
Suika Standard LLC - Marketing Data Analyst
Syncratik LLC - Full Stack Web Developer Intern
Systena America Inc. - Principal Engineer
TechData Service Company LLC - Statistical Programmer
TheMathCompany - Senior Associate (Customer Success)
TikTok - Backend Software Engineer / Machine Learning Engineer
Tip Top Technologies - Senior Software Engineer
Traini Inc. - Data Scientist Intern / Machine Learning Engineer Intern
Trivium Packaging - Data Analyst
TWG Global Holdings LLC - AI Engineer / AI Science Developer  / Jr. Associate (AI Data Science)
UCG Solutions LLC - Solutions Consultant
Uncountable - Implementations Manager
UNIS - Junior Business Analyst
United Overseas Bank (China) Limited - Analyst
University of Southern California - Computer Science & Coding Instructor & Curriculum Developer / Data Scientist / Database Analyst I / Research Assistant /
Research Scientist (Staff)
University of Southern California (Cyber-Physical System Design Lab) - Researcher
Uniy Tech LLC - Software Engineer Intern
US Elogistics Service Corp. - Management Trainee
UST Global Inc. - Developer III (Software  Engineering)
VaPetro Technology LLC - Field Engineer
Vidflow Studios LLC - Data Engineer
VR IT Resources LLC - Data Engineer
Walmart - Data Scientist
WH Technologies LLC - Software Engineer Intern
Winston Lab of Social Science and Innovation - Intern
xFabric Security Inc. - Software Engineer
Y&K Agency Inc - Allstate Insurance - Data Analyst Intern
Yanbing Chen - Software Engineer
Previous Year (2024)
A Mindful Entity LLC - Web Development and Social Media
A Round Entertainment - Data Science Intern
AEG - Strategy and Analytics Analyst
AI ECD, Inc. - Data Scientist
Aisera - Software Engineer AI/ML
Amazon - Software Development Engineer
America Tokin Enterprises, Inc. - Data Analyst
Amphenol Corporation - Web Developer
Antra, Inc. - Java Developer
Apple - Wireless Bluetooth QA Engineer
Applied Materials, Inc. - Business Analyst II
Aspect Health - AI Engineer
Bank of America - Software Engineer
Bank of Thailand - Analyst
BeaconCrystal LLC - Data Analyst Intern
Boeing - Data Scientist
C.U.2, Inc. - Data Analyst
Caminotek LLC - Data Scientist
Cequence Security, Inc. - Engineering Intern
Chevron Corporation - Data Scientist
Children's Hospital Los Angeles - Associate Research Specialist / Research Specialist
The Commons XR - Data Analytics & Visualization Intern
ContractPower - Software Engineer Intern
CVS Health - Data Engineer
DataCraft Analytics LLC - Data Analyst
Deloitte - Applied AI Analyst / Data Science Intern / Data Scientist
Discover Financial Services - Senior Data Science Analyst
Early Warning - Data Scientist
eBay, Inc. - Software Engineer
e-fashion, Inc. - Data Analyst
Electronic Arts - Software Engineer
Energy Solutions - Energy Efficiency Associate
Experian - Data Scientist
General Motors - Software Engineer
Genpact - Senior Process Assoicate
High Mark Heath - Data Scientist
Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance - Risk Analyst
IBM - AI Engineer
IDX Exchange - Data Scientist
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. - Software Engineer
Jefferies - Associate Data Scientist
Los Angeles County Museum of Art - Strategic Analyst
Lennar Corporation - Business Analyst I
LIDDWEB LLC - Data Scientist
Linkswell Automotive, Inc. - Data Analyst
Live Nation Entertainment - Marketing Data Science Intern
MBO Partners - Business Professional, Industry Subject  Matter Expert
Meituan - Machine Learning Engineer
Moody – Software Development Engineer
New York Yankees - Quantitative Associate
nHorizon Corp. - Data Analyst
Nike, Inc. - Data Scientist
Northrop Grumman - Data Scientist
Optum - Senior Data Analyst/Developer
Outlier - AI Trainer for Data Scientists
Outward, Inc. - Generative AI Research Intern
Plymouth Rock Assurance - Product Analyst
Princeton NuEnergy - Marketing Research & Data Analyst
Princeton University - Data Engineer
Q Analysts - Graduate Engineer
RadicalX - Artificial Intelligence Engineering Intern
ServiceNow - Technical Program Manager
Sneakpeek Platforms, Inc.  - CTO
Spine AI US, Inc. - AI Scientist
Tata Consultancy Services Limited - Python Developer
TCG Digital - Data Analyst
United Airlines - Associate-II Data Scientist
UniUni Logistics, Inc. - Strategy and Business Analyst
University of Southern California - Data Analyst / Data Engineer / Data Science Researcher (Resource Employee) / Data Scientist Intern / Director of Professional Development & Special Events / Director, Data Insights & Analytics / IT Systems Engineer (Independent Contractor) / Research Assistant / Research Intern / Resource Employee / Senior Financial Analyst
USC Keck School of Medicine - Programmer Analyst II
Vergence Solutions - Data Engineer
Verisk - Data Scientist
Veritiv - Data Scientist
VisionaryAI, LLC - Data Scientist Intern
Wayfair - Marketing Analyst
Xiamen Bozi Entertainment Technology Co. - Data Analyst
Yuliangsheng - Software Development Engineer
Internships (2025)**
Total No. of Internships: 78
Acara Solutions, Inc.; Affinity Solution; AllyIn.ai; Amazon.com Inc.; Autodesk; Bytedance; Cadence; CAI Cambium Assessment, Inc.; Capital Group; CareYield; CBRE; CDK Global, Inc.; Charles Rivers Associates; Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group Inc.; Data Direct Networks; DEKA – Research & Development Corp.; Demerzel Inc.; Federal Express Corporation; Finch Analytics LLC; Flexera; Fluz; Foyer Tech Inc.; Georgia Institute of Technology; Global AI Corporation; Goldman Sachs; Google; Gruve, Inc.; HELIOS & Partners; HELIOS Worldwide; Humana; IDX Exchange LLC; International SOS; Intuit Inc.; Johnson & Johnson; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.; Keck Medicine of USC, AI Center at USC Urology; Leaniar LLC; Legendary Entertainment; Los Angeles Capital Management; Marketshare; Maryruth's MRO; Mercor.io; Meta; Microsoft; Nordstrom, Inc.; Northern Lights Post Inc.; NVIDIA Corporation; PCCI; Pet Pages; QuinStreet Inc.; Santec Global Corporation; Scale AI; SiriusXM Radio LLC; Southern California Edison; TipTop Technologies; Tripalink Corp.; TWG Global Holdings, LLC; Tymo Beauty Inc.; University Enterprises, Inc.; Virtusa; Zap Energy
Internships (Summer 2023)
Adobe Inc.
ADP
Amazon
AMD
Ameriprise Financial
Amphenol
Apollo Auto Inc
.;
Ares Operations LLC
Ark Biotech
; B
ank of
hina,
ew
ork
ranch
Blue Systems
B-TRNSFRMD Consulting LLC
Capital One
Centene Management Company LLC
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
CVS Health
Deloitte
Dish Network
E. & J. Gallo Winery
Earnest
eBay
Electric Power Research Institute
Eli Lilly and Company
Equinor
Esri
EXL Services
Galileo Financial Technologies
Genpact
House of Hits
InnoSource
and Nationwide
Intel Corporation
Intellipro
Group Inc
.;
KIPP DC
Lightsource
Consulting
Morgan Stanley
Mother Tongue Media LLC
Nationwide
Nitto BioPharma Inc.
etrochina
PingCAP
(US), Inc.
Pitney Bowes
Precision Drilling
Renesas Electronics America Inc
.;
Roblox; Sabre Corporation;
SSi
People;
Stellantis
; Strategy Asset Managers LLC
Symetra Life Insurance Company
TAPBLAZE
Tata Consultancy Services Limited
TikTok Inc.
University of Houston
Verisk Analytics
Veritiv Operating Company
Wayfair
* Information is based on a voluntary survey and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive view of the 2025 graduating class.
** Internship data is from CPT internships done by our international student population.
This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online.
If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student.
Learn More About DEN@Viterbi
Detailed Program Curriculum and Requirements
Schedule of Classes
DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS
The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.
Core Courses
All Courses Required - 12 units total.
DSCI 551 |
Foundations of Data Management
(4 units)
DSCI 552 |
Machine Learning for Data Science
(4 units)
DSCI 553 |
Foundations and Applications of Data Mining
(4 units)
Electives
5 Courses Required - 20 Units total.
DSCI 510 | Principles of Programming for Data Science
(4 units)
DSCI 549 | Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science
(4 units)
DSCI 550 | Data Science at Scale
(4 units)
CSCI 561 | Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (Units 4)
CSCI 567 | Machine Learning (Units 4)
CSCI 570 | Analysis of Algorithms (4 units)
CSCI 571 | Web Technologies (4 units)
CSCI 572 | Information Retrieval and Web Search Engines (4 units)
CSCI 585 | Database Systems (4 units)
Additional Notes
Students with limited or no training in computer science should take DSCI 549, DSCI 510, and DSCI 550 before taking any other classes.
DSCI 550 should be taken prior to or in parallel with DSCI 551 and prior to taking DSCI 552 and DSCI 553
Please complete the following form for more information.
Spotlight Series
Published on February 22nd, 2018
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Doctoral (PhD)
Academic Disciplines
Application Information & Steps
Faculty/ Research Topic Search
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
Executive Education
All Degree Options
Funding and Support
DEN@Viterbi
The DEN@Viterbi Experience
Getting Started
Online DEN@Viterbi Offerings
Rankings and Awards
Newly Admitted
Next Steps for Newly Admitted Master’s Students
Next Steps for Newly Admitted Doctoral Students
Events
Online
Alternatives to Visiting Campus
On Campus
Near You
Partners
Become a Partner
Certificate Options
U.S. Active Duty Military & Veterans
The Boeing Company
General Motors – Technical Education Program
Kuwait Oil Company
Raytheon Technologies
Saudi Aramco