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BY Sarah Thomas-OxtobyMay 12, 2023, 12:57 PM

General view of the Beneficence statue on the campus of Ball State University, as seen in November 2016 in Muncie, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Ball State University recently announced plans to re-envision the admissions process for two online masters degree programs in computer science and data science that will launch in fall 2023. The university is partnering with online learning platform Coursera to offer three introductory-level online courses in both fieldsand after students successfully complete the courses and earn an average grade of B or higher, they earn a spot in one of the masters degree programs.

This new admissions approach to these programs is an effort to attract students who may not have been drawn to these fields previously. Both of these programs are built with the person in mind that doesnt necessarily have a background in computer science or any type of data analysis, or programming or math, Jill Coleman, associate dean of the College of Sciences and Humanities and program executive director at Ball State University, tells Fortune. Both masters degree programs are housed in the universitys College of Sciences and Humanities.

Whats more, the online introductory courses are offered at the same cost of $1,314 per three-credit course, regardless of a students state of residency. Once students enroll in either of the masters degree programs, they will continue paying the in-state tuition price of $438 per credit for the degree programs, as well.

By creating a new pathway to enrollment in a masters degree program, Ball State wants to offer a low-cost and inclusive approach to train graduates for jobs in these fast-growing fields. By 2031, the number of jobs is projected to grow 36% for data scientists and 21% for computer scientists, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These jobs often pay in excess of six-figure salaries.

Heres what you need to know about the changes to Ball States admissions process for these masters degree programs.

Offering an equalizer for people new to these fields

Removing the traditional admittance requirements creates an equalizer for people who want to move into the fields of computer science or data science, Nancy Prater, executive director of market development for online and strategic learning at Ball State University, tells Fortune. Whereas applicants to other masters degree programs typically need to demonstrate their relevant experience in computer science or data science, that will no longer be the case at Ball State.

By first funneling prospective students through the introductory courses, the university can attract a broader cohort to these masters degree programsincluding students who may not have felt qualified to apply previously. Theres not a big involved process or wondering, Will I get in or not get into the program? Coleman says.

Students need only complete a form to register and pay tuition fees before starting the introductory courseswhich can be applied to either of the two degrees.

Streamlining the admissions process

Several elements typically go into an admissions process for an advanced degree program, including completing an application, securing recommendation letters, and preparing for and completing a standardized entrance exam. Theres also generally a minimum GPA requirement for acceptance into these programs.

For those people who are working full-time jobs with family commitments, finding a way to carve out time to complete the admissions process can feel dauntingand particularly for people looking to switch fields. Both the online computer science and online data science programs at Ball State University are designed with these types of student in mind.

The master of computer science has been redesigned and reimagined for this new audience, Coleman says. Both of these programs are looking for the working adult that is seeking a career change and new types of skill sets.

This effort to attract a new type of student is also why the university was receptive to a partnership with Coursera, Coleman notes. We saw this as an opportunity to have our Ball State faculty be spread out to the world, and to enable many more people to have the Ball State experience.

A humanities approach to computer science, data science

Both of the introductory courses, along with the program curriculum for the online masters in computer science and data science, were developed byand will be taught byfaculty from Ball States College of Sciences and Humanities. The colleges involvement is a natural framework that will benefit students, Coleman says.

Where humanities comes into play in both of these fieldsand especially in data scienceis that you have to communicate the information, be a decent writer, and a decent presenter. Because otherwise its just data, she adds.

The faculty intentionally designed the two online programs with a bit of overlap, says Prater. If youre not sure if you want to take computer science or data science, you can figure that out, she continues.

To start, students can take one to two courses which can be applied to either degree. That way students have a little time to test what path suits them best, says Prater.

How to apply to Ball States introductory courses

Beginning in August, students can complete a form to register and pay for the introductory courses. Students who successfully pass the three courses with a combined GPA of 3.0 or better will then be admitted into one of the two masters degree programs, according to Prater.

Each of the masters degree programs will take 24 months to complete. The computer science program requires 36 credits to graduate, with a total tuition price tag just short of $16,000. Meanwhile, the data science program requires 33 credits, and will cost just shy of $15,000.

For the three introductory courses, students can opt to take them at their own paceone at a time or all three at once. The courses each run for 16 weeks, meaning it will take students who are new to these fields anywhere from about four months to nearly a year to complete these prerequisites.

For students where this is a completely new field, I would recommend taking one to two courses to start, says Prater.

Check out all of Fortunes rankings of degree programs, and learn more about specific career paths.

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