Admission Requirements
For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in a quantitative discipline such as science, engineering, or business will be given preferred consideration. Applicants from other disciplines will be considered based on prior coursework, professional work experience, and/or standardized test scores.
What You Need
Applications are submitted electronically and include a nonrefundable application fee. You will need to upload the following items as part of your application:
Official transcripts from each institution attended, regardless of the number of credits or semesters completed. Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation. Penn State alumni do not need to request transcripts for credits earned at Penn State, but must list Penn State as part of your academic history. If you are admitted, you will be asked to send an additional official transcript. You will receive instructions at that time.
For questions about transcripts, contact:
Penn State Great Valley
Phone: 610-648-3242
Email: [email protected]
GPA and Test Scores — Postsecondary (undergraduate), junior/senior (last two years) GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale is required.
*Please note: the GRE/GMAT requirement will be waived for those submitting an application to start in the Fall 2020 semester.* For students beginning after Fall 2020, official GMAT or GRE test scores are generally required.
Submit your GMAT or GRE scores directly from the testing center to Penn State as follows:
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test): Pennsylvania State University – Great Valley – School of Graduate Professional Studies – Master of Professional Studies in Data Analytics CTG-CV-58.
-or-
GRE (Graduate Record Examination): Code 2660 for Penn State.
Tests must be taken no more than five years prior to application. A waiver for standardized tests can be requested in the online application and will be considered by the admissions committee during their review.
GMAT or GRE waiver — Applicants must indicate, in the online application, the basis for their request for a GMAT or GRE waiver from the following criteria:
- Completion of a graduate degree
- Completion of a graduate certificate
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher
Please note: If your degree is from outside the U.S. and you are requesting the test waiver, you must provide a course-by-course evaluation indicating the U.S. equivalent of your academic credentials by ECE®.
English Proficiency — The language of instruction at Penn State is English. With some exceptions, international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Proficiency section on the Graduate School's "Requirements for Graduate Admission" page. Visit the TOEFL website for testing information. Penn State's institutional code is 2660.
Reference (1) — You will need to initiate the process through the online application by entering the name and email address of one reference. Upon submission of your application, an email will be sent to the recommender requesting that she or he complete a brief online recommendation regarding your professional and/or academic strengths and accomplishments, and your potential for success in an online program. The admissions committee prefers that all recommendations be written within the last six months and reference the applicant's current career goals. Please inform your reference that she or he must submit the form in order for your application to be complete.
Program-Specific Questions/Materials
Statement of Purpose — In one page, describe your specific career goals and objectives, prior experience relevant to the decision to pursue an advanced degree, and other information that may be useful to the admissions committee. Upload your one-page statement to the online application.
Vita or Résumé — A listing of your professional experience. Upload to the online application.
Start Your Application
You can begin your online application at any time. Your progress within the online application system will be saved as you go, allowing you to return at any point as you gather additional information and required materials.
Begin the graduate school application
- Choose Enrollment Type: "Degree Admission"
- Choose "WORLD CAMPUS" as the campus
Checking Your Status
You can check the status of your application by using the same login information established for the online application form.
Technical Requirements
Given the scale of data used in the data analytics program and the continuous advances in tools and platforms used in data science, students are urged to check individual course technical requirements vigilantly. At a minimum, students will need a PC that runs Windows 7 or higher with 5GB of RAM and 250GB of free space on the hard drive. Mac OS machines are not compatible for most courses in the program and are not recommended.