Overview

Western’s Master of Data Analytics (MDA) program is a one-year, full-time, interdisciplinary, professional science master’s program. It is designed to produce high-skilled professionals ready to pursue an analytics-focused career. Students are taught by faculty experts from the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences. MDA students take a deep dive into advanced data science and analytics that is complimented by graduate-level business and communications courses. This rigorous curriculum develops technically savvy professionals with advanced technical analytics knowledge and impressive ability to communicate meaning and insights up the chain.

Students start the program in September and complete two terms of coursework over the fall and winter academic terms, followed by a required 4-month (500-hour) co-op term in the third and final term from May-August of each year.

The placement of the co-op in the final term of the program enables students to enter into 4-month co-op work terms, extended contracts, or full-time roles. The MDA program is a registered co-op program making our students eligible for the Ontario Cooperative Education Tax Credit for the first 4-months of employment from May-August each year, after which they will graduate and can continue employment as new grads.

Benefits to Employers

  • Gain access to innovative, motivated students who have both advanced technical knowledge in data analytics and an understanding of business concepts and ethics, communications, and finance.
  • The placement of the Experiential Learning Term in at the end of the program allows employers to hire students for 4-month co-op terms, extended contracts, or full-time roles. Students will use the first 500 hours of their employment to satisfy the co-op requirement, after which they can continue their employment as new graduates!
  • Opportunity to build a talent “pipeline” to provide on-going support to business projects while supporting Western and the Faculty of Science in developing industry-ready graduates who will be able to meet a growing need for data analytics expertise within your organization.
  • The Master of Data Analytics (MDA) is a recognized co-operative education program with the Ministry of Colleges & Universities and enables an employer to be eligible for the Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit that can reimburse an employer up to $3,000 of the costs incurred as a result of hiring an MDA student for the first 4 months of their position.