Category Archives: General

What are the differences between Regular Session and Special Session?

The MS in Data Analytics program is offered through two different sessions: Regular Session and Special Session.

Regular Session is state-supported and state-subsidized. The cap on the number of Regular Session students who are accepted to the program each semester is related to the amount of money received from the state. In addition to the state tuition fees (based on the number of enrolled units), non-California resident surcharge fees (currently $396 per unit) might be applicable. Regular Session students pay campus mandatory fees and are eligible to take advantage of San José State University student services, such as Santa Clara County transit services, student body organizations, student health care, and recreational facilities. Enrollment in Regular Session affords California residents other financial support options such as CSU or CalVet fee waiver.

Special Session is completely funded from student tuition, and it does not receive any financial support from the State of California. Special Session tuition is assessed as a per unit fee. Students can opt to pay the same student fees as Regular Session students if they wish to access student services, such as Santa Clara County transit services, student body organizations, health care, and recreational facilities.

Regular Session and Special Session students must meet the same graduation requirements (e.g., same required courses, same number of elective units, same total number of units to graduate), and they will receive the exact same diploma when they graduate. The classes of both MSDA sessions are taught by the same instructor pool at the same location.

If you need assistance in deciding between the two sessions, please contact ms-data-analytics@sjsu.edu.

Who teaches the MSDA courses?

SJSU professors and industry experts teach the MSDA courses.  Professors are recruited from current instructor pools from five of SJSU’s colleges: the College of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Professional and Global Education, the College of Health and Human Sciences, and the College of Science.

 

What academic backgrounds do MSDA students have?

MSDA is designated as a STEM program.  Its students have earned their B.S., M.S., and/or Ph.D. degrees in computer science, engineering as well as natural, health and other sciences from Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Georgia Tech, Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Washington, California State University (East Bay, San Bernardino, San Jose), University of California (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara), Indian Institute of Technology, National Taiwan University, State University of Campinas (Brazil), Tsinghua University (China), University of British Columbia (Canada), as well as other U.S. and international universities.