SDSU’s Data Science Post-Baccalaureate Certificate program is designed for data science professionals who want to acquire the advanced skills needed for a career transition or a graduate-level data science degree program. This post-baccalaureate program consists of four fully-online graduate-level courses that focus on a range of data science topics, including mathematical statistics, database management, machine learning, advanced analytics, and more. You’ll also learn how to use multiple various computer software packages throughout the courses.
Applications Now Open!
Fall 2023: Oct. 1, 2022 - July 1, 2023
Prepare for a data-driven career in a rapidly-growing field by earning your Advanced Certificate in Data Science from SDSU Global Campus.
About the program
SDSU’s Advanced Certificate in Data Science program is designed for data science professionals who want to acquire the advanced skills needed for a career transition or a graduate-level data science degree program. This graduate program consists of four fully-online graduate-level courses that focus on a range of data science topics, including mathematical statistics, database management, machine learning, advanced analytics, and more. You’ll also learn how to use various computer software packages throughout the courses.
Total Estimated Cost$841 Total Cost/Unit
Completion Time
Course FormatThe program is fully online, which makes it ideal for working professionals and busy students who want to further their career without putting their professional life on hold. You’ll learn alongside data science professionals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives — which means that you’re joining a vibrant academic community where you can form meaningful professional connections and network across a range of career fields and organizations.
Whether your goal is career development or a graduate degree, earning your Advanced Certificate in Data Science from San Diego State University will help you get there.
Is This Program Right for Me?
The rapid rise of Big Data and the data economy has created a job market for data scientists that’s projected to grow by nearly 20% over the next decade. San Diego State University has designed this graduate-level program to meet the growing demand for highly-educated data science professionals. The intensive online curriculum will give you the competitive edge you need to stand out in a rapidly-growing, highly-lucrative job market.
Data scientists can find employment with businesses and organizations throughout the private sector. Data science professionals help to compile datasets, conduct research and analyze data, and distill information that help businesses develop a deeper understanding of consumer and market trends. In the public sector, data scientists work with local, state, and federal government agencies to analyze data that will inform and influence policy-making decisions, including public health policies, budgets, climate science, and more.
This graduate-level data science program is made for working professionals and busy students who hold a bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field, as well as undergraduate students who have completed some upper division coursework in quantitative and/or upper division math and statistics.
The entire curriculum consists of graduate-level courses taught by expert SDSU faculty and lecturers, which means that you’ll be well-prepared for graduate studies in data science.
What can I learn?
SDSU’s Advanced Certificate in Data Science program has an industry-relevant curriculum that will prepare you for graduate school and career opportunities. You’ll develop graduate-level skills that will help you stand out in a crowded job market by focusing on statistical modeling, data management, machine learning, and data analysis. You’ll also focus on using different software packages — for example, you’ll use SAS SQL for database management, fit generalized linear and nonlinear models using R, and apply machine learning methods using R or Python.
Online course topics include:
- Probability concepts and models
- Sampling distributions
- Fitting probability distributions
- Properties of statistical estimators and inferences
- SQL
- Data visualization
- Regression analyses
- Nonlinear models
- Support vector machines
- Neural nets
- Data display/analysis using software packages such as SAS, R, and Python
- Time series
- Spatial models
Career Outcomes
Labor Analysis
Data Scientist — Nationwide
Job Postings
Last 12 months
39,539
Projected Growth
Over 10 years
+19%
Salary Range
Average
$84,000-$142,000
Source: BLS & Burning Glass Technologies, 2020
Job Postings
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Finance and Insurance
Manufacturing
Information
CATEORY_TITLE
Top Employers
- IBM
- Amazon
- Humana
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.
- Deloitte
- Capital One
- Microsoft Corporation
- Johnson & Johnson
With the rapid growth of data- and knowledge-driven economies across the globe, the employment outlook for data scientists is bright. Across the nation, there were nearly 40,000 job postings seeking data scientists in 2020. Those numbers are expected to grow by 19% over the next decade — 22% in California alone.
Salaries for data science professionals can be significant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for data scientists is currently $119,000. For those with a bachelor’s degree, the average annual salary is $116,000; for data scientists with a master’s degree, the average annual salary is $123,000 per year. Data scientists with more than 6 years of experience can expect to earn an average annual salary of $127,000 per year; those with more than 9 years of experience earn an average salary of more than $130,000 per year.
Why Should You Choose Us?
Accessibility
All courses are 100% online and accessible from anywhere in the world. In just 10 months, you can earn a graduate-level certificate that will help you boost your résumé, prepare for graduate school, and help you become a stronger data science professional.
Timely Course Topics
As more industries join the Big Data Revolution, the field of data science continues to evolve to meet the challenges of a rapidly-growing industry. With the help of our highly-experienced faculty, we’ve developed timely online courses that focus on building the in-demand skills that employers are looking for.
Reputation
San Diego State University has a reputation for excellence in the academic world. As a top-100 public university, we’re proud of the achievements of our nearly 400,000+ alumni, who have helped us become recognized as the school with the No. 1 Graduate Rate Performance in the country, based on the U.S. News & World Report’s most recent college rankings.