Rice University

How this program compares

Benchmark this program against our national recognition pages and use the key guides below to evaluate ROI, admissions difficulty, and outcomes.

Admission Snapshot

Typical admitted student: A bachelor's degree in a quantitative field such as computer science, statistics, mathematics, or engineering is required, along with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and programming experience in Python or R. Relevant work experience or coursework in statistics and linear algebra is preferred.

About This Program

An interdisciplinary graduate program providing a thorough understanding of the computational and statistical foundations required for a career in data science.

Career Outcomes

Position as Machine Learning Engineer in Cross-Industry AI with machine learning expertise

• 1. Machine Learning Engineer
• 2. Data Scientist
• 3. AI Research Scientist
• 4. Predictive Analytics Specialist

What You'll Learn

• Build and evaluate machine learning models for predictive analytics and pattern recognition.
• Apply deep learning techniques to complex datasets including images and sequences.
• Perform data mining and preprocessing for scalable machine learning pipelines.
• Develop real-world data science projects integrating machine learning with domain applications.

Curriculum Highlights

The curriculum features a rigorous blend of courses in big data, visualization, and programming, culminating in a real-world data science capstone project.

Top Employers

Top employers include tech giants like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and data-driven firms in finance, healthcare, and consulting.

Admissions

A bachelor's degree in a quantitative field such as computer science, statistics, mathematics, or engineering is required, along with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and programming experience in Python or R. Relevant work experience or coursework in statistics and linear algebra is preferred.

Application Materials

• Statement of Purpose: Required
• Letters of Recommendation: 2–3
• Resume: Required
• Transcripts: Official transcripts required

Academic Requirements

• Degree Required: Bachelor's degree
• GRE/GMAT: Not Required
• TOEFL/IELTS: Required for international students (TOEFL 90+ / IELTS 7.0+)