The City College of New York offers a Master of Science in Data Science and Engineering through the Grove School of Engineering. City College is part of the City University of New York (CUNY).
The 30-credit program is taught on the City College campus in Manhattan, with classes late in the day or in the evening. Applied Machine Learning and Data Mining is one of six required core courses. Deep learning, artificial intelligence, computer vision, and other machine learning topics are electives, and students finish with a capstone project or thesis.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Facts
| Degree | MS in Data Science and Engineering |
| School | The Grove School of Engineering |
| Location | New York, New York |
| Format | On campus, late-day and evening classes |
| Credits | 30 |
| Culminating Experience | Capstone project (3 credits) or thesis (6 credits) |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| GRE | Optional |
| Entry Term | Fall only |
| Application Deadline | May 22 |
| Typical Length | Two years; about 1.5 years with summer courses |
| STEM OPT | Eligible, according to the program |
Official MS in Data Science and Engineering page
Curriculum
City College does not offer a standalone master’s degree in machine learning or artificial intelligence. The Data Science and Engineering program, administered by the Department of Computer Science, is the degree at the college that requires a machine learning course of every student. It is aimed at students with a background in science, engineering, or mathematics who want to apply data science methods to another field.
Students complete 30 graduate credits consisting of:
- 18 credits of required core courses
- 3 to 6 credits of supervised capstone project or thesis
- 6 to 9 credits of electives
Students need a cumulative 3.0 GPA to graduate. The program does not waive core courses or accept transfer credit for them.
Required Core Courses
- DSE I1020 – Introduction to Data Science
- DSE I1030 – Applied Statistics
- DSE I2100 – Applied Machine Learning and Data Mining
- DSE I2400 – Data Engineering: Infrastructure and Applications
- DSE I2450 – Big Data and Scalable Computation
- DSE I2700 – Visual Analytics
On the program’s sample schedule, students take Introduction to Data Science, Applied Statistics, and Visual Analytics in the first fall semester and the other three core courses in the first spring.
Machine Learning and AI Electives
The published elective list includes these courses:
- CSc I1500 – Artificial Intelligence
- CSc I1600 – Neural Language Processing
- CSc I1900 – Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning
- CSc I1910 – Deep Neural Networks
- CSc I4490 – Adversarial AI
- CSc I6710 – Computer Vision
- DSE G2200 – Machine Learning for Finance and Trading
- EE I2200 – Image Processing
- EE G6530 – Biologically Inspired Computation for Engineering Problems
These are electives rather than core courses, and the degree has room for only two or three electives in total.
Other Electives
The list also covers computing, security, and application domains, including:
- CSc I0220 – Secure Cloud Computing
- CSc I0600 – Fundamental Algorithms
- CSc IA804 – Massively Data Parallel Programming on GPUs
- CSc I1000 – Database Systems I
- CSc I1301 – Privacy for Data Scientist
- CSc I4900 – Computer Security
- EAS B9035 – Introduction to GIS
- EE I5500 – Introduction to Mobile Robotics
- BME I5000 – Medical Imaging and Image Processing
- BME I5100 – Biomedical Signal Processing
Further electives come from economics, chemical engineering, civil engineering, and biology. The program asks students to choose electives that support the domain of their capstone work, and courses from other areas are reviewed on request.
Capstone Project or Thesis
Every student completes one of two supervised options:
- DSE I9800 – Capstone Project (3 credits)
- DSE I9900 – Capstone Thesis (6 credits)
A program co-director helps match students with a mentor at the end of the first year, and students may also find a mentor on their own. Mentors come from across the Grove School and the wider university.
Cost and Tuition
City College is a public college, and tuition is set by the CUNY Board of Trustees. New York State residents enrolled in fewer than 12 credits pay by the credit, residents enrolled in 12 or more credits pay a flat semester rate, and nonresidents pay by the credit at any load.
For fall 2026 and spring 2027, the Bursar lists two master’s schedules that are relevant to Grove School students:
| Schedule | Resident, per Credit (under 12 credits) | Resident, per Semester (12 or more credits) | Nonresident, per Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree programs (general master’s rate) | $470 | $5,545 | $855 |
| Masters in Architecture and Engineering | $550 | $6,485 | $945 |
The Bursar’s listing does not name the MS in Data Science and Engineering under either schedule. CUNY’s graduate tuition page places Master of Science degrees in the general master’s category and the Master of Engineering degree in the higher one, so applicants should confirm their rate with the Bursar before enrolling.
At 30 credits billed by the credit, tuition comes to about $14,100 for a New York resident and about $25,650 for a nonresident at the general master’s rate, or about $16,500 and $28,350 at the engineering rate, before fees. The sample schedule has nine credits per semester in the first year, which is below the 12-credit flat-rate threshold.
All students also pay per-semester fees: a $14.50 graduate student activity fee, a technology fee of $125 for full-time or $62.50 for part-time students, a $15 consolidated fee, and a $1.45 student senate fee. International students on F-1 or J-1 visas pay the nonresident rate. Rates can change without notice.
View City College tuition and fees
Admission Requirements
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field. Applicants without a STEM degree may be considered if they have completed the required computer science, mathematics, and statistics courses and have relevant work experience, and they are asked to contact the program first.
The program requires a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Applicants must have completed coursework in:
- calculus, two semesters (three preferred)
- linear algebra
- probability and statistics, one semester (two preferred)
- programming
These courses must appear on a college transcript. Online certificates count only if they carry college credit. The program does not accept non-degree students.
Application Materials
Applicants submit:
- online graduate application and $75 application fee
- transcripts from every institution attended
- personal statement
- two letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency when required
The GRE is optional. The program notes that strong quantitative scores can help applicants whose older math grades are low. Unofficial transcripts are accepted for review, and official transcripts are required before enrollment.
Applicants who need to show English proficiency must score at least 73 on the TOEFL iBT, 6.5 on the IELTS, 49 on the PTE, or 95 on the Duolingo English Test. The program says letters, personal statements, and research and work experience carry the most weight in its review.
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | May 22 |
| Spring | No spring admission |
The program page gives May 22 for fall 2027 applications. The Graduate Admissions deadline table lists May 21 for this program, so applicants should confirm the date and aim to submit early. Faculty review begins after the deadline and usually takes a few weeks.
Program Format
The program is taught on campus at City College, at 160 Convent Avenue in Manhattan. Courses are offered late in the day or in the evening and typically require attendance Tuesday through Thursday. City College does not describe an online or hybrid version of the degree.
The program is designed to take two years. Students can finish in about 1.5 years by taking summer courses. New students start in the fall only.
The program states that it is eligible for the STEM OPT extension for international students. Students must keep a cumulative 3.0 GPA, and those who fall below it are placed on probation for the following semester.
Who Is This Program Best For?
City College’s MS in Data Science and Engineering is a good fit for STEM graduates who want an applied data science degree with a fixed core, taught in person in New York City at public tuition rates.
It may be especially appealing to students interested in:
- applied machine learning and data mining
- data engineering and big data computation
- visual analytics and applied statistics
- applying data science to engineering, science, finance, or biomedical problems
- a mentored capstone project or thesis
- evening classes that can fit around a flexible job
The degree is a data science program first. Only one required course covers machine learning, and deep learning, computer vision, and artificial intelligence are electives in a plan with room for two or three. The program is not offered online, admits students only in the fall, and expects calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and programming before entry. Students who want a degree built mainly around machine learning or AI, an online format, or spring entry may want to compare other New York schools.
Official The City College of New York Program Links
- MS in Data Science and Engineering program page
- Curriculum
- Frequently asked questions
- Graduate catalog entry
- Graduate application requirements
- Graduate programs and deadlines
- Tuition and fees
Related Machine Learning Programs in New York
Students can also compare City College of New York with other master’s programs in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields offered in New York.
- Binghamton University – Binghamton
- 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 Buffalo State University – Buffalo
- 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