SUNY Buffalo State University offers a Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics, a Professional Science Master’s affiliated program coordinated from the Mathematics Department.
The 30-credit program is taught on the Buffalo campus, mostly in the evening. One machine learning course is required, a second is available as an elective, and every student completes an internship or team project. The university does not offer a master’s degree in machine learning, artificial intelligence, or computer science.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Facts
| Degree | MS in Data Science and Analytics |
| Program Type | Professional Science Master’s (PSM) affiliated program |
| Department | Mathematics Department (program coordinator) |
| Location | Buffalo, New York |
| Format | On campus, evening classes |
| Credits | 30 |
| Culminating Experience | Internship and team project (DSA 688) |
| Minimum GPA | 2.5 |
| GRE | Not required |
| Tuition | $471 per credit for New York residents (2026–27) |
| Start Terms | Fall, spring, or summer |
| Typical Length | About 15 months full time |
| STEM Designated | Yes |
Official MS in Data Science and Analytics page
Curriculum
The degree is an applied data science program. Machine learning is one part of a curriculum that also covers statistics, programming, databases, data visualization, and professional skills. Students who want this degree for machine learning should plan to add the machine learning elective to the required course.
Students complete 30 graduate credits, or 10 courses, consisting of:
- 18 credits of required courses, including one statistics course and one professional skills course
- 12 credits of electives, chosen with an advisor
Required Courses
- CIS 512 – Introduction to Data Science and Analytics
- CIS 600 – Machine Learning for Data Science
- MAT 616 – Elements of Mathematics, Programming and Computer Science for Data Science
- MAT 646 – Introduction to Statistics for Data Science
- DSA 688 – Experiential Learning in Data Science and Analytics
- PSM 601 – Project Management for Math and Science Professionals or PSM 602 – Communication Strategies for Math and Science Professionals
CIS 600 covers supervised and unsupervised learning, algorithm implementation, and interpretation of results. The program’s course descriptions page notes that this course is offered through SUNY Fredonia and that students must cross register for it, so applicants should ask the program coordinator how and when it is delivered.
The university program page also lists BIO 670 – Advanced Biostatistical Analysis as an alternative statistics course and DSA 650 as an alternative professional skills course.
Electives
Students select four courses. The program’s lists include:
- DSA 501 – Data Oriented Computing and Analytics
- DSA 587 – Topics in Data Science and Analytics
- DSA 601 – Machine Learning Models in Python
- DSA 610 – Databases and the Data Science Information Life Cycle
- DSA 650 – Data Strategy and Governance
- DSA 652 – Applied Time Series Analysis in Banking Risk Management
- GEG 584 – Geospatial Programming
- GEG 585 – Interactive and Web-Based Mapping
- HEA 730 – Data Visualization and Storytelling
- COM 547 – Data Analytics for Strategic Communication
- BIO 587 – Bioinformatics
DSA 601 is the main machine learning elective. It covers k-nearest neighbor, linear models, naive Bayes, decision trees, random forests, and neural networks in Python. The DSA 587 topics course ran as Data Science with AI in spring 2026 and fall 2026. Other courses can be approved through advisement, and not every elective is offered each year.
The program does not list separate courses in deep learning, natural language processing, or computer vision.
Internship and Team Project
In DSA 688, students complete an internship and a team project that apply their skills to problems from industry partners. Enrollment requires a 3.0 graduate GPA and instructor permission. The program does not describe a thesis option.
Cost and Tuition
SUNY Buffalo State University is a public university and charges different graduate tuition for New York residents and nonresidents.
For fall 2026 and spring 2027, the Student Accounts Office lists these graduate rates:
| Category | New York Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition per credit (1 to 11 credits) | $471 | $991 |
| Tuition per semester (12 or more credits) | $5,655 | $11,895 |
| Mandatory fees per credit (1 to 11 credits) | $37.10 | $37.10 |
| Mandatory fees per semester (12 or more credits) | $449 | $449 |
At 30 credits billed by the credit, tuition comes to about $14,130 for a New York resident and about $29,730 for a nonresident, before fees. Mandatory fees add about $1,113 over 30 credits at the per-credit rate.
Students who take three courses per semester, the pace the program describes as full time, are billed at the per-credit rate. Summer courses use the same per-credit rates. Rates can change each year, so students should confirm current costs with the Student Accounts Office.
View SUNY Buffalo State University graduate tuition and fees
Admission Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. The program is open to students from any undergraduate major.
Admission requires a minimum cumulative 2.5 undergraduate GPA on a 4.0 scale.
The program lists these prerequisites:
- introductory statistics
- introductory computer programming
- introductory calculus (recommended)
Applicants who are missing a prerequisite may be admitted as pre-majors and are asked to contact the program.
Application Materials
Applicants submit:
- online graduate application and $65 application fee
- official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- statement of intent of two to three pages
- proof of English proficiency when required
The GRE is not required. After a completed application is received, the program schedules an interview with the coordinator or a faculty member. International applicants with a bachelor’s degree from outside the United States also submit a course-by-course credential evaluation.
Application Deadlines
The Graduate School reviews applications to this program on a rolling basis, and students can start in fall, spring, or summer.
The program’s application page and the Graduate School’s international page list these dates:
| Entry Term | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | July 1 |
| Spring | December 1 |
| Summer | April 1 |
These are firm deadlines for international applicants who need a student visa. Domestic applicants should confirm timing with Graduate Admissions.
Program Format
The program is taught in person on the Buffalo campus, with classes scheduled in the evening for students who work full time. Class sizes are small.
Recent course schedules show that a few sections run in online, hybrid, or HyFlex formats, but the degree is not offered as an online program.
Full-time students who take three courses per semester typically finish in about 15 months, which is three semesters and one summer. Part-time students move at their own pace.
The degree is STEM designated, which allows eligible international students to apply for the STEM OPT extension. The university’s separate Multidisciplinary Studies master’s with a Data Science and Analytics track shares the same core but does not carry that designation.
SUNY Buffalo State University undergraduates can also reach the degree through a 4+1 pathway.
Who Is This Program Best For?
SUNY Buffalo State University’s MS in Data Science and Analytics is a practical option for students who want an applied, in-person data science degree in Buffalo at public university tuition.
It may be especially appealing to students interested in:
- applied machine learning in Python
- statistics and data analysis for business and public sector problems
- databases, data governance, and data visualization
- geospatial programming and web mapping
- a required internship or team project with local employers
- evening classes, no GRE, and entry from any undergraduate major
The degree is a data science program first. It requires one machine learning course, which is delivered through SUNY Fredonia by cross-registration, and it has no dedicated courses in deep learning, natural language processing, or computer vision. Students who want a degree built around machine learning or AI, a computer science core, a thesis, or online study may want to compare other New York schools.
Official SUNY Buffalo State University Program Links
- MS in Data Science and Analytics program page
- Data Science and Analytics program site
- Curriculum
- Course descriptions
- How to apply
- Graduate admissions
- Graduate tuition and fees
Related Machine Learning Programs in New York
Students can also compare SUNY Buffalo State University with other master’s programs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields offered in New York.
- Binghamton University – Binghamton
- City College of New York – New York
- Clarkson University – Potsdam
- Columbia University – New York
- Cornell University – Ithaca
- Fordham University – New York
- Hofstra University – Hempstead
- Long Island University – Brooklyn
- Manhattanville University – Purchase
- Marist University – Poughkeepsie
- Mercy University – Dobbs Ferry
- New York University – New York
- Pace University – New York
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – Troy
- Rochester Institute of Technology – Rochester
- St. John’s University – Queens
- Stony Brook University – Stony Brook
- SUNY New Paltz – New Paltz
- SUNY Oswego – Syracuse
- SUNY Polytechnic Institute – Utica
- Syracuse University – Syracuse
- University at Albany – Albany
- University at Buffalo – Buffalo
- University of Rochester – Rochester
- Utica University – Utica
- Yeshiva University – New York