2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
    May 23, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Data Sciences, Ph.D.


Doctorate education focuses on enabling the student to make original contributions to their respective fields of study. There are two phases of the doctoral program at HU: (1) a learning phase that includes coursework, seminars, research, and fieldwork that contributes to the student’s knowledge in the program of study; and, (2) a research phase that focuses on student’s original research culminating in his/her final examination. Upon a student’s successful completion of all required course work, defense of the dissertation, and completion of all milestones, the student is awarded the doctoral degree in the program of study.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Harrisburg University Data Science Program is to create scientifically minded and technically proficient professionals with a comprehensive background in the methodological diversity of the data sciences and the intellectual depth to offer influential perspectives to analytical teams across disciplines.

Program Goals

The Data Sciences Program will produce Ph.D. graduates who:

  • Will have applied diverse data science methodologies using a scientific process individually or in teams to provide impactful insights from large sets of data;
  • Will have used effective communications to explain insights from analytical processes on data to diverse audiences; and,
  • Will have grown professionally through self-study, continuing education, and professional development.

*Work experience is a requirement for successful applied learning during the full course of your degree program. If you are an F1 student, eligible CPT authorizations are required. If you are unable to work, you must submit a Waiver of Required Work Experience to your program lead.

Data Sciences Requirements


The following comprises the requirements for the Ph.D. in Data Sciences. Requirements include a minimum of 36 semester hours and non-credit program requirements. Additional graduate course requirements for the student entering with a Bachelors degree will be provided on the Plan of Study. When applicable, the semester hour value of each course appears in parentheses ( ). Additional information regarding Doctorate programs can be found in the Doctorate Guidebook.

Milestone 1


Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Training


CITI Training includes training modules on human subjects and ethical research. Harrisburg University requires that all research involving human subjects, including the use of secondary and primary data, be reviewed by the University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure protection of the rights of human subjects.

Milestone 2


Complete 6 semester hours from the following Doctoral Research Seminars:


Comprehensive Exam


The student will demonstrate fundamental knowledge by successfully completing a Comprehensive Exam.

Milestone 3


Research Proposal Defense


The student will be required to have a Doctoral Dissertation Committee established.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval


The student will receive approval of research from Harrisburg University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Milestone 4


Complete 12 semester hours of ANLY 799-Doctoral Studies:


Milestone 5


Dissertation Defense