MS in Public Health Data Science at Boston University

Programme overview

A 34-unit MS that builds quantitative methods skills for making data-driven recommendations to improve public health research and interventions, applied to a health focus area of the student's choice.

Faculty: School of Public Health | Study mode: full-time | Location: Boston, MA, United States

What you will study

Core: Guided Epidemiologic Study, Foundations of Public Health, Essentials of Population Health Research, Accelerated Training in Statistical Computing, Research Skills and Dissemination Seminars. Quantitative methods (8-12 units, e.g. machine learning, categorical data analysis, Bayesian modeling), computing (6-8 units, e.g. NLP, AI, SAS and R), electives (2-8 units) and a 400-hour Mentored Research Experience.

Career pathways

Hands-on careers in health data analytics, or further study in quantitative and applied public health fields.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

School of Public Health (general): transcripts; proof of English proficiency for international applicants; three letters of recommendation requested; statement of purpose or short-answer questions; CV or resume; application fee via SOPHAS; standardized test scores required by some programmes. MS applications reviewed on a rolling basis for fall and spring.

Requirements published at faculty level.

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences master's programmes admit for Fall 2027; Spring 2027 entry is offered for selected programmes (Economics MS programmes, History of Art & Architecture MA, Preservation Studies MA, Online MS in Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence).

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Fall 2027 master's deadlines are mostly priority January 15 and final March 15 (African American & Black Diaspora Studies priority February 15, final March 15; Preservation Studies February 15; Sociology and History of Art & Architecture January 15). Spring 2027 deadlines for selected programmes are priority October 15 and final November 15. Applications are submitted through the online application; the GRE is required only for the Economics MS/MA programmes and the MS in Psychological & Brain Sciences.

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