May 2026

Lydia Schrandt (MADS ’24) spent more than a decade as a travel writer and editor before COVID-19 brought her industry to a standstill. Looking for a new opportunity, she landed at Coursera. There, almost by accident, she fell in love with data science.

Schrandt had never written a line of code when she joined Coursera’s content marketing team. But after taking Python for Everybody ?— the popular free course developed by UMSI clinical professor Charles Severance ?— she was convinced she could master a full range of data science skills and put them to work immediately. 

That’s when she enrolled in the University of Michigan School of Information’s fully online Master of Applied Data Science program.

In this Q&A, Schrandt reflects on her winding path to data science, how a non-technical background can be a strength in MADS, and the single course experience that changed how she thinks about data. And marathons!

Get priority admission and scholarship consideration for the University of Michigan School of Information’s online master’s degree program in applied data science. Apply in full by June 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Classes begin Sept. 1, 2026. Application decisions are made on a rolling basis. 

Our information sessions give you an opportunity to hear from the MADS admissions team as they discuss the admissions process and timeline, provide an overview of assessment expectations, and give guidance with application tips as you work to complete your application. There will also be an opportunity to ask any admissions questions you have. 

View our upcoming information sessions.

We are pleased to announce that prospective students can now set up sessions with an admissions coordinator or current students! This is an excellent opportunity for prospective students to learn about how our current students have set themselves up for success in the MADS program.

Schedule an appointment with MADS student Khurram.

Schedule an appointment with MADS student Anita.

For questions about the MADS program, admissions process or curriculum, you can schedule an appointment with an admissions coordinator.

Interested students can now apply to the University of Michigan School of Information’s online degree program, the Master of Applied Data Science, at no cost. 

Beginning with applicants for fall 2026, the program is waiving its application fee — previously $75 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and $90 for international applicants. 

SIADS 500: Data-Oriented Python Programming and Debugging - Rachel Wyatt, Kyle Balog, Michelle LeBlanc

SIADS 501: Being a Data Scientist - Bobby Madamanchi, Ruth Corddry, Emily Schemanske

SIADS 502: Math Methods I - Alex McLeod, Morteza Taiebat

SIADS 505: Data Manipulation - Anthony Giove, Derek Bruckner, Alex McLeod

SIADS 524: Presenting Uncertainty - Nick Sheltrown, Deepti Wilson

SIADS 543: Unsupervised Learning - Jinseok Kim, Noha Ghannam

SIADS 593: Milestone I - Oleg Nikolsky, Kyle Balog, Toby Kemp, Erik Lang

SIADS 652: Network Analysis - Cory Bilyeu, Erik Lang

SIADS 673: Intro Cloud Computing for Data Science - Trevor Harkness, Lindsey Forche

SIADS 685: Search and Recommender Systems - Michelle LeBlanc, Toby Kemp

SIADS 696: Milestone II - Rachel Wyatt, Ryan Maley, Noha Ghannam, Erik Lang

Primary instructors and lecturers are indicated with each course. Courses are also supported by graduate student instructors and instructional aides.

Find MADS course descriptions and syllabi on the UMSI website. 

Image description: A LinkedIn post from UMSI.

Post caption: Every connection you’ve made here becomes a part of who you are out there. Congratulations on earning your MADS, Christopher Rodea! Visit UMSI’s 2026 Graduation Archive: umsi.info/Graduation2026

The graphic below the caption has a headshot of Christopher Steven Rodea, Master of Applied Data Science. The text to the left of the photo says, "'I am a part of all that I have met.' - Alfred Tennyson. Thank you to my family, friends, and fiancee for your endless support throughout my journey."

Some of the latest vetted career listings that Master of Applied Data Science students and alumni have direct access to on UMSI CareerLink this month:

Data Scientist, People Analytics
Roblox | San Mateo, CA | $184,760 - $242,180 USD per year

Product Data Scientist, Search
Google, Inc | Mountain View, CA | $138,000 - $198,000 USD per year

Monetization Strategist (Analytics)
TikTok | San Jose, CA | $108,000 - $220,400 USD per year

UMSI CareerLink is an online platform exclusively for enrolled UMSI students and alumni that offers on-demand access to career support: jobs, internships, career coaching, career-building resources, special events and more.

Want to learn more about the MADS program?