MADS standard placement waiver

Applicants to the Master of Applied Data Science program are required to complete a placement test after being admitted, to determine your starting point in the program. 

But if you've completed qualifying programming courses, you can skip the standard placement test with a waiver. 

Eligible coursework

You qualify for a standard placement waiver if you have successfully completed:

• Two college-level programming courses documented on an unofficial transcript

—or—

• One of our low-cost online courses with a certificate of completion:
  • Python 3 Programming Specialization five course-series 
  • Data-Oriented Python Programming and Debugging Specialization, four-course series (consider seeking advanced placement)
  • More Applied Data Science with Python four-course series 
  • Applied Data Science with Python Specialization five-course series 

How to receive your waiver

Simply upload your documentation (unofficial transcript or certificate of course completion) directly in the application portal. The admissions team will review your materials and apply the waiver if you meet the criteria.

If you’ve already submitted your application, you can email your proof of completion to [email protected]. 

How it works

If you are not granted a waiver, you’ll still have the opportunity to complete your placement test. 

The waiver only applies to the standard placement test. If you have a deeper knowledge of Python and would like to enter the MADS program with advanced placement — earning four credits toward the 38-credit degree — you can opt to complete the advanced placement test.