Data Science in Human Behavior
Master of Science in Psychology

Admissions

Applications for fall semester admission will open in September of the prior year and are due on March 31st annually.

For an application decision by February 1st, priority application deadline: December 15th.

Application Requirements:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
  • Submit proof of English language proficiency, if applicable. All international degree-seeking applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. For more information on this requirement, check the English proficiency section on the Requirements for Admission page.

Students holding a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences and a strong statistics and/or behavioral science research background are encouraged to apply for admission to this graduate program. If you are about to graduate or graduated with a behavioral science degree (sociology, economics, or education degrees are great too!) and not sure about your job prospects this program will give you the hands on work and data science skills that you can apply for your career. You do not need to be a computer science expert to succeed in this program.

Application materials required:

  • Online application
  • Resume/CV
  • Transcripts
  • Application Questions (see details below)
  • (recommended, not required) At least one recommendation letter

Please note that we do not require standardized test scores, such as GRE. Test scores will not be considered in the review of your candidacy, unless providing proof of English proficiency with test scores. Letters of Recommendation are also not required, but we strongly encourage  submitting at least one Letter of Recommendation. 

Follow the steps to apply here: grad.wisc.edu/apply

Questions about applying? Let’s Connect

Emma Davis

Emma Davis, our Enrollment Coach

As an enrollment coach, my role is to answer your questions about the Data Science in Human Behavior Master’s Program and to help you decide if this program is the right fit for you and your career goals. I love listening to your questions, concerns, and stories.

Contact Emma Davis: emmalee.davis@wisc.edu

Ready to Apply?APPLY

Applications Open September 1st – March 31st

Ready to Apply, but want to learn more about how to make your application stand out?

Application Questions Overview

These questions are your opportunity to showcase your experiences—similar to what you might do in a statement of purpose. Our admissions committee uses these questions as part of a scoring guide (rubric) to evaluate applicants. By sharing the rubric with you, we aim to make the process more transparent for you and help you give clear, direct answers that make it easier for us to review.

Note: These questions are in place of a personal statement. The direct prompts below are what we use to evaluate your application. You will still be asked to upload a personal statement, feel free to include your responses to the supplemental applications questions, or leave it blank.

 

Skills Checklist

You will be asked to rate your level of experience for each skill on this scale:
1 = No Experience
2 = Basic Knowledge
3 = Intermediate
4 = Advanced Knowledge

If you have experience in any of the following areas, please include specific examples in your statement:

  • Programming Languages (e.g., Python, R)
  • Statistical Analysis (e.g., t-tests, ANOVA, regression, hypothesis testing)
  • Data Visualization (e.g., dashboards, matplotlib, ggplot2, or other plotting tools)
  • Version Control (e.g., Git/GitHub)
  • Working with Real-World or Behavioral Datasets
  • Experience with the Command Line (e.g., bash, Unix shell)

Note: If you indicate familiarity with a tool or method, we expect you to describe how you’ve used it in your work, studies, or personal projects in your question responses.

 

Application Questions

  1. Summarize any relevant academic coursework, research, or professional experience. (500 words max)
  2. Describe your skills in data analysis, statistics, and computing (see checklist). (500 words max each)
    • For each skill you rated as having experience, describe those experiences.
  3. Share how this program aligns with your goals and what you hope to do post-graduation. (500 words max)

 

Background Course Information

For the following courses, we have listed the equivalent course at UW-Madison for reference.  Course descriptions are available in the Guide (https://guide.wisc.edu).

  • Math and Statistics Courses

List any math and statistics courses you have completed, are currently taking, or plan to take before coming to UW-Madison. Include the semester and grade.

So that we can better evaluate your quantitative training, please list all the economics, math and statistics courses you have taken. Include course number, course title, and your grade for the class. If possible, cite the corresponding Math or Stat department course at UW-Madison.

Example: Psych 210: Basic Statistics for Psychology – Fall 2024 – B

  •  Research Methods Courses

List your research methods courses you have completed, are currently taking, or plan to take before coming to UW-Madison. Include the semester and grade.

So that we can better evaluate your research training, please list all the methods courses you have taken. Include course number, course title, and your grade for the class. If possible, cite the corresponding methods course at UW-Madison.

Example: Psych 225: Research Methods – Fall 2024 – A

  • Computing Courses

List every computing course you have completed, are currently taking, or plan to take before coming to UW-Madison.  Include the semester and grade.

So that we can better evaluate your quantitative training, please list all the computing courses you have taken. Include course number, course title, and your grade for the class.

Example: Comp Sci 220: Data Science Programming I – Fall 2024 – B