Certificate in Data Science

Online Certificate in Data Science

Gain the practical data science skills needed to address real-world problems using machine learning.

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Georgetown’s Online Certificate in Data Science prepares you with the technical and analytical skills required to collect, clean, model, and present data. As a student, you’ll use the Python programming language and industry-standard tools to help create and present data analytics, machine learning models, and visualizations. Throughout the program, you’ll also hone your communications skills and learn strategies for effective data presentation.

Led by academics and professionals within the data science community, our program incorporates hands-on coursework as well as group work focused on real-world data science projects. By the time you complete the program, you’ll have the well-rounded expertise that enables you to tell powerful stories with data and create an impact on organizational decisions.

  • Ideal for
    Entry & mid-level professionals

  • Duration
    4 months

  • Tuition
    $7,496

  • Format
    Online

  • Enrollment
    Weekly evening Zoom session

  • Semester of Entry
    Fall, spring, summer

Upon successful completion of the certificate, you’ll be able to:

  • Apply the data science pipeline to analytical workflows
  • Express effective programming practices for analytics
  • Utilize and query relational and NoSQL databases
  • Ingest and wrangle data for deeper insights
  • Conduct statistical hypothesis testing and analysis
  • Create predictive models that learn from data
  • Interpret and iteratively improve models

XBUS-490 Python Basics for Data Analysis is a free optional course for all accepted and registered Data Science students.

Georgetown is a proud partner of District Data Labs, a data science research institute, data product incubator, and open source collaborative founded by two of our faculty members.

Curriculum & Schedule

You must successfully complete all eight modules of Data Science (XBUS-750) for a total of 10.80 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which is equivalent to 108.0 contact hours. The program must be completed in sequence as a cohort. 

  • Foundations of Data Analytics & Data Science  
  • Software Engineering for Data  
  • Data Sources & Storage  
  • Data Ingestion & Wrangling  
  • Data Analysis I: Statistics  
  • Data Analysis II: Machine Learning  
  • Visual Analytics  
  • Applied Data Science  

What is Self-Directed Learning Plus?
Self-Directed Learning Plus (SDL+) courses are learning experiences designed by Georgetown University instructional designers to maximize flexibility for your weekly learning schedule, while also providing opportunities for real-time engagement and networking with our faculty and other professional learners.

There is a required Zoom class session each week. Professional learners who cannot attend the class session will have the opportunity to satisfy the course requirement by making arrangements with the instructor, watching the recorded video, or responding to discussion questions. In order to maintain flexibility, the dates/time of the weekly Zoom lesson will be confirmed at the start of the course and will depend upon the location of the professional learners in that cohort.

Each course module will have assignment and assessment deadlines to support students in progressing in a timely manner to the successful completion of the certificate

Course Schedule

Course Name Semester and Section
Required Courses  Summer 2024
Data Science
XBUS-750-301 | Status: Open
Online

Jul 29 to Dec 21, 2024
Summer 2024
Optional Courses  Summer 2024
Python Basics for Data Analysis
XBUS-490-201 | Status: Open
Online

Jul 20 to Jul 27, 2024
Summer 2024
Elective Courses  Spring 2024
Professional Internships
XBUS-995-201 | Status: Open
Online

Apr 8 to May 10, 2024
Spring 2024

Faculty


Benjamin Bengfort

Driven by a desire to build large systems with a large number of users that have a big impact, Benjamin focuses on products and services that can learn from real-time ...
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Rebecca Bilbro

Dr. Rebecca Bilbro is a data scientist, Python and Go programmer, teacher, speaker, and OReilly author. As co-founder and CTO of Rotational Labs, an intelligent distributed systems company, she specializes in ...
Read more

Samuel Goodgame

There is no biography available for Samuel Goodgame.

Allen Leis

Allen is an adjunct faculty at Georgetown University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Computer Science at the University of Maryland at College Park with an emphasis on ...
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Prima Roman

There is no biography available for Prima Roman.

Bledar Zenuni

There is no biography available for Bledar Zenuni.

How to Apply

Spring Cohort

Application Opens—Jun 11

  • Deadline—Jan 20

Summer Cohort

Application Opens—Sep 1

  • Deadline—Feb 15

Fall Cohort

Application Opens—Jan 1

  • Deadline—Aug 5

Program Prerequisites

  • Completion of at least two college-level math courses 
  • Familiarity with Python, a general-purpose programming language used for data analysis
  • A computer with video capability for class meetings and coursework

Computer Programming Prerequisites

  • Students who have limited or no programming experience are strongly encouraged to gain basic skills in Python prior to enrolling in the program. Python Basics for Data Analysis (XBUS-490) is a free introductory course offered to all accepted Data Science students.

Computing Requirements

Students will be expected to use a personal laptop to complete analytics and programming workshops and a Capstone project. Students should have administrative access and be able to install required course software and libraries. We recommend the following minimum computing requirements:

  • A laptop with at least a dual-core 1.8 GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, and 20 GB free hard disk space (e.g. a laptop purchased in the past two years).
  • A modern operating system: Windows 10 or newer (updated to the latest semi-annual channel version), OS X 10.15 Catalina or newer, or Ubuntu 20.04 or newer (or an equivalent Linux distribution). OS X and Linux are strongly encouraged.
  • Administrator access on your system to install new software.
  • Python 3.8 (or later) or Anaconda 2020.07 (or later) installed on your system.
  • A command prompt available (Powershell on Windows, Terminal on OS X or Linux).

Please note that computing requirements and software dependencies may change. Students should check the course syllabus for the latest updates to the computing requirements.

Please review the refund policies in our Student Handbook before completing your registration.

Degree Requirement

You must hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent in order to enroll in our certificate programs. For each cohort, an application review committee offers admission to a diverse group of students to enrich the classroom experience.

Tips for the Online Application

  • Our online application securely stores your information and saves your progress so you can update and complete your information at your convenience
  • Click the “SAVE” button at each stage of the application process to ensure that your work and documents are uploaded

International Students

International students who enter the U.S. on a valid visa are eligible to enroll in certificate courses. However, Georgetown University cannot sponsor student visas for noncredit professional certificate programs.

A TOEFL examination is not required for non-native speakers of English but students are expected to read, write, and comprehend English at the graduate level to fully participate in and gain from the program.

Students from most countries may register for our online certificate programs, however, due to international laws, residents of certain countries are prohibited from registering.

Tuition & Funding

Tuition

Tuition varies by course. Total program tuition for all 8 courses is $7,496. Most course materials are included.

Funding

Noncredit professional certificates do not qualify for federal financial aid, scholarships, grants, or needs-based aid. However, several finance and funding options do exist, as listed below.

Employer Education and Training Budgets

Some employers offer funding for employee education or professional development. If an employer guarantees payment for employee education and training, Georgetown will accept an Intent to Pay form. If you are using employer sponsorship or training authorizations, you must submit an Intent to Pay form with your registration.

If your employer will pay for your tuition, select “Third-Party Billing” as your method of payment when you register for courses online. Please submit an Intent to Pay form indicating that your employer or another third party should be billed for tuition. Invoices will not be generated without this form on file.

Federal Agency Training Funds*
  • According to the Federal Employees Almanac 2014, federal agencies may:
    • Pay training and education expenses from appropriated funds or other available funds for training needed to support program functions
    • Reimburse employees for all or part of the costs of training or education
    • Share training and education costs with employees
    • Pay travel expenses for employees assigned to training
    • Adjust an employee's normal work schedule for educational purposes not related to official duties

Georgetown accepts Standard Form-182 (SF-182) for training authorizations from the federal government.

*Federal employees should ask the appropriate budget officer about training budgets available.

Georgetown Employee TAP Benefits

Eligible Georgetown employees may use their Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) benefits to fund 90% of the certificate program tuition—employees will be invoiced for the remaining 10% of tuition and must pay any other charges associated with their certificate program. Employees using TAP benefits may work directly with the HR Benefits Office to ensure payment prior to the start of any course. This payment option is only valid if registration occurs at least 10–14 business days prior to the start date of the first course. Any fees incurred due to course withdrawal are the student’s responsibility and are not funded by Georgetown University TAP. For questions regarding TAP benefits, please contact the HR/Benefits Office at tapbenefits@georgetown.edu or (202) 687-2500.

GoArmyEd.com for Active Duty, National Guard,
Army Reserve Soldiers, and Army Civilians

SCS is registered with GoArmyEd.com to accept SF-182 training authorization forms. GoArmyEd.com is the virtual gateway for all eligible active duty, National Guard, and Army Reserve soldiers to request Tuition Assistance (TA) online. GoArmyEd.com is also the virtual gateway for Army Civilians to apply for their Civilian education, training, and leadership development events.

Interest-Free Payment Plan

The professional certificate programs offer an interest-free payment plan for certificate programs that are more than one month in duration and for which the total tuition is greater than or equal to $4,000. The payment plan is structured in the following manner:

  • Payment #1: A down payment of 25% of the total tuition balance must be paid online (within 72 hours after you register and select Payment Plan) via the Noncredit Student Portal. Please submit your down payment as soon as possible.
  • Payments #2, #3, and #4: Your remaining balance will be due in three (3) equal monthly installments beginning 30 calendar days after your down payment is processed. Your monthly payments must be paid via credit card in the Noncredit Student Portal. You will be able to access each invoice and payment due date in your student account.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Automatic Payment Service is not available. You must make each subsequent payment via the Noncredit Student Portal.

Military Benefits/GI Bill®

A number of tuition benefits are available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and under various parts of the GI Bill®. Please visit the Resources for Military Students page for additional information and instructions.

Private Education Loans

Some students choose to finance certificate programs with private education loans. Students are responsible for contacting lenders directly to find out if a noncredit professional certificate program is eligible for a loan. While Georgetown University will not recommend specific lenders, it will certify loans for eligible programs from approved lenders.

For eligible noncredit professional certificate programs, Georgetown University will certify loan amounts up to the full cost of tuition for the program. Tuition does not cover books, travel, or living expenses. Please see individual program pages for tuition rates.

Georgetown University has a unique campus code for Sallie Mae. Our Sallie Mae branch code is 001445-99.

You must be approved for a loan before registering for courses. Follow these steps to pursue a loan option:

  1. Check the list of lenders that have offered private education loans in the past to Georgetown University students.
  2. Contact the lender and confirm your program is eligible for a private education loan.
  3. Obtain the necessary paperwork and apply for the loan.
  4. Georgetown will certify loan amounts based on the information below. Please note that our branch code is 001445-99.
  5. If approved, register for courses:
    • Payment sent to Georgetown: Select “Third-Party Payment” at the time of registration if the lender is sending funds directly to Georgetown.
    • Enter the information about the lender and then contact Noncredit Student Accounts at noncreditaccounts@georgetown.edu.

Note: It is your responsibility to contact Georgetown University Noncredit Student Accounts at noncreditaccounts@georgetown.edu to ensure that your loan is processed.

Tuition Discounts

Only one tuition discount may be applied at the time of registration. Tuition discounts cannot be combined. Tuition discounts are not applied retroactively. Please contact pdcprograms@georgetown.edu with any questions.

GU Alumni 30% Discount

Georgetown University alumni and SCS certificate completers are eligible to receive a 30% tuition discount for many certificates offered within SCS’s Professional Development & Certificates (PDC) portfolio. When registering for an eligible certificate through the SCS website, you will see the "30% Georgetown Alumni Discount" as an option. The Enrollment Team will then verify your eligibility status as a Georgetown University alumnus or certificate completer.

Organization (5+ Employees) 20% Discount

Georgetown SCS offers a 20% discount for eligible certificates to organizations that register 5 or more employees for the same certificate cohort at the same time. Eligible organizations include government agencies, nonprofit agencies, and for-profit businesses. Please contact pdcprograms@georgetown.edu for steps and procedures to ensure your group has access to the discount.

Boeing 10% Discount

Employees of Boeing receive a 10% tuition discount on select programs and courses

EdAssist 10% Discount

Employees of companies that belong to the EdAssist education network may receive a 10% tuition discount on select programs and courses. Contact EdAssist directly to find out if you qualify.

OPM Federal Scholarship Alliance 10% Discount

Eligible federal employees across the country receive a 10% scholarship applied to the current tuition rate for all SCS degree programs and professional certificate programs each academic semester. Please contact pdcprograms@georgetown.edu for steps to be added to this discount group.

Contact Us

Still Have Questions?

Certificate Admissions and Enrollment
Email: pdcprograms@georgetown.edu
Phone: (202) 687-7000

Student Accounts
Email: noncreditaccounts@georgetown.edu
Phone: (202) 687-7696

Certifying Military Benefits
Email: pdcvabenefits@georgetown.edu
Phone: (202) 784-7321

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