Same school, new name. The School of Informatics and Computing is changing its name effective January 11, 2023. Learn more about the name change

Ph.D. minor in Applied Data Science

Data science is pervasive

The Ph.D. minor in Applied Data Science offers doctoral students in other disciplines the opportunity to learn data science approaches and apply them to problems in their major. Data science is now applied to every field. Data science concepts and approaches are required of researchers who collect, curate, manage, analyze, and visualize the big data found in massive, complex, diverse, and distributed repositories.

Our nation’s research enterprise is positioned for gains from the accelerated growth in the generation of digitally born data, and advances in security, privacy, and ethics will be paramount to realizing these gains. The gains are furthered by the potential to link scholarly publications with the data on which the research is based and uniquely identify each dataset for discovery through a web of linked data. The economic potential of research can be realized more fully and quickly when the research can be replicated, and when data can be shared broadly and used and reused in science and policymaking.
Degree requirements

Labor market need

As we generate and collect more and more data, there’s an increasing demand for data scientists. Businesses and other organizations need professionals with deep analytical skills and the knowledge to make decisions effectively using big data insights.

For students in this minor, the outlook is bright. In June 2020, job aggregator glassdoor.com listed average base pay nationally for a data scientist at $113,309 a year.

In Indianapolis, data science is part of the growing local industry in information technology. This minor leverages on collaborative opportunities at IUPUI and in Indianapolis that are unique in the state.

Getting started

To be admitted to the Ph.D. Minor, the applicant must be currently enrolled at IUPUI or IU, Bloomington in a doctoral program other than Data Science. The student must also be in good academic standing and possess knowledge and skills in calculus, linear algebra, and programming.

Application Deadline

  • Fall Admission: August 1
  • Spring Admission: December 1

Application Procedure

If you would like to apply to the Ph.D. minor, please submit an application package (PDF) via email to the Graduate Program Coordinator at soicapps@iupui.edu. It must contain

  • University student ID
  • A one-page statement explaining the student’s (1) preparation for the Ph.D. minor and (2) how the minor contributes to the student’s doctoral research and (3) career goals
  • A resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
  • Transcripts highlighting courses in calculus, linear algebra, and programming
  • Approval from the student’s primary advisor

Accepted students will be notified promptly.