DSE Graduate Certificate Curriculum

Data Science and Engineering Graduate Certificate Curriculum

The Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Engineering (GCDSE) consists of 15 credits. Students in consultation with their adviser should not select courses that are duplicative of courses that may have been taken in the student’s undergraduate degree program.  If a previously taken course is duplicative of an elective course in one of the five core theme areas, simply select another course in that area or another theme core area so that the total is still 9 course credits in three of the five Core Theme Areas.

Although copied below, the official graduate certificate requirements may be found in the Graduate Catalog (select current year catalog and then Graduate Programs, Certificates and Specializations > Data Science and Engineering (Certificate)). The GCDSE is offered wholly on-campus as well as entirely online.

T​he candidate must complete 15 credits consisting of:

(a) Required Course​: DSE 510 Practicum in Data Science and Engineering (3cr),

(b) 9 course credits from at least three of the five Theme Areas

(c) 3 further course credits from within the Foundation Courses, Theme Areas, or Domain Specializations

Advising Notes

(1) Online Curricula – For courses that may be completed entirely online, see the sample DSE Online Model Curriculum

(2) Course Waivers (DRAFT) – If some foundation courses are duplicative of courses that may have been taken in the student’s undergraduate degree program, those courses need not be repeated. However, a course waiver form must be submitted for at least two foundation courses. If a course is waived for a course in a Core Theme area, up to three credits are satisfied in that area and an additional approved course outside of the Core Theme areas may therefore be chosen.

(3) Course Waivers for Foundation Courses (DRAFT) – Students are expected to take at least two out the three Foundation Courses unless they have waivers for at least two of those courses. Additionally, students must take or waive any specific foundation course that is required as a specific prerequisite for any course included on the students five-course program of study. Previous coursework within the University of Maine System that automatically supplies a waiver for each of the three foundation course areas is as follows:

Statistics: STS232, STS332, STS434, ECE316, CHB350, CIS370 (UMA)
Programming: COS125, COS301, ECE 471, ECE 477, CIS354 (UMA), CIS449 (UMA), CIS454 (UMA), SIE507
Systems: COS420, ECE 331 and ECE 473, CIS330 and CIS221 and [CIS244 or CIS246] (UMA)

Other coursework may also meet the waiver requirements and should be applied for using the usual course waiver form. Please attach the course syllabi for the previous coursework when submitting the waiver request.

(4) Courses Pursued on Other UMS Campus – Typically up to two courses taken on other UMS campuses as listed under the DSE Graduate Course Groupings may be accepted on a student Program of Study. If such a course is taken from another campus, it must first be approved on your Program of Study (See Grad Certificate POS). After approval, you must complete the Domestic Study Away Form (DSAF) for each course taken on another campus. Each DSAF should be submitted near the time in which you enroll in any course from away. Sign it, submit it first to the Graduate Coordinator (harlan.onsrud@maine.edu) and then send the form with those two signatures to the UMaine Graduate School (debbi.clements@maine.edu). The graduate school will forward the form to other campus offices that may need it to validate your active student status, particularly if you are receiving any financial aid.

(5) Transfer Courses – Any course taken at another university that is included for credit on your Program of Study is viewed as a transfer course. This requires approval typically through the Program of Study approval process (see below).

(6) Programs of Study (POS) – If needed for study away courses or for documenting the acceptance of transfer courses, please complete the POS form immediately upon admission.  Otherwise, completing the POS after one or two semesters in the program is fine. (See https://umaine.edu/graduate/ > Students> Forms and Documents> Master’s and CAS Program of Study and/or Certificate Program of Study as appropriate.) In completing the form, you may determine the semester that SIE courses are typically offered by consulting the Graduate Student Guide on pages 11 through 14.

(7) On-Leave Status – If you decide to enroll in no courses for one or more regular academic year semesters, you are required to submit a Request for On-Leave Status. If you fail to submit such a request, you are assumed to have left the program by the Graduate School.

(8) Application for Graduation – As graduation approaches, you should file a Completion of Degree Requirements form with the Graduate School. This often first requires submission of a Change in Program of Study form to ensure that any changes in your POS have been approved by the faculty. (See https://umaine.edu/graduate/students/forms-and-documents/ > Change in Program of Study and/or Completion of Degree Requirements as appropriate.)