All program and registration policies are published in the Handbook. Please note: the handbook is updated regularly and these policies and procedures are subject to change.

Bridge to Statistics Course:
Student Support is excited to announce the launch of the Bridge to Statistics course that is now available to you in 2DS. This course is designed to help refresh, reinforce and review the statistical knowledge needed for statistics in the DataScience@SMU program. There are no live sessions as this course is 100 percent self-paced.

Students highly recommend the resources found in the Bridge to Statistics course and have named it key to their success in their statistics courses throughout the program. We encourage you to take advantage of this course and of the opportunity to post questions on the course wall.

Programming Bridge Course:
While not required for students to complete, this self-paced bridge course is highly recommended, as it provides additional programming resources for RStudio, Python, and SAS. Many of these skills are required for Doing Data Science coursework. There are no live sessions as this course is 100 percent self-paced.

For those of you with limited programming experience, such as Python, please review the following resources in preparation for your first term and continuous use throughout the program., which will create a foundation for the remainder of the program.

Proactively plan your next career transition or job promotion by partnering with Career Services. The career team looks to engage you with high-level services to help you achieve your professional goals.

As a DataScience@SMU student, you have access to a variety of coaching and career support services, including:

To learn more about Career Services, including the 2DS Career Hub (a self-directed course filled with professional development modules and downloadable materials), follow these steps:

As a DataScience@SMU student, you have the opportunity to connect with tenured students and alumni. Student ambassadors are available to clarify expectations for future courses (time commitment, number of assignments, structure of course, etc.), talk about their experience as a DataScience@SMU student and answer any questions you may have.

How to Become a Student Ambassador:

The student ambassador selection process begins towards the end of every term. Once the ambassador application is open, you will receive an email from Student Support with the link to apply. You will need to complete the following steps to become an ambassador:

Students who have successfully completed all requirements for the MSDS degree are eligible for graduation. If you believe you have completed all required course work, please reach out to your student support advisor. After confirming your eligibility, you must apply for graduation through my.SMU by the deadlines listed below, even if you do not plan to participate in the commencement ceremony. You will find the form under Self Service → Degree Progress/Graduation → Apply for Graduation. You must apply for graduation by the following dates:

Any graduating student of the DataScience@SMU program is invited to attend the on-campus graduation ceremony, which is generally held in May (for spring graduates) and December (for summer and fall graduates). After confirming your eligibility with your student support advisor and submitting your application for graduation, you will begin to receive communication about next steps, including ordering your graduation regalia. You will receive more details from Student Affairs, but you can find more graduation information on the SMU Graduation site.