URBAN DATA SCIENCE MASTER’S PROGRAM & DOCTORAL TRACK
GRADUATE PROGRAMS At NYU Tandon’s Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP), our rigorous programs are designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in urban data science, developing the technical and problem-solving skills to use data for social good. You will be immersed in every aspect of this exciting multidisciplinary field, both in the classroom and through hands-on learning opportunities in research, internships, and interactions with our world-class faculty and industry partners. Innovate data– and technology-driven solutions to improve city services, create smart infrastructures, and tackle issues such as crime and environmental pollution.
MS IN URBAN DATA SCIENCE Our master’s program offers a unique, cutting-edge approach that links data science, statistics, analytics, and mathematics with emerging technologies, complex urban systems, urban management, and policy. You’ll develop a deep understanding of how to work with data at all stages of its life cycle, from acquisition to visualization, and how to apply it to the inner workings of cities. The MS degree is a 36-credit program that may be completed full time or part time. The program offers eight overlapping Knowledge Tracks—AI, Complex Systems, GIS, Mobility and Transportation Systems, Policy Analytics, Smart Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Urban Technology Management—to help you align electives with your career goals. You can further tailor the curriculum by building upon these tracks with guided research opportunities, internships, and global immersion offerings. The six-credit, two-semester capstone program pairs students with companies, nonprofits, and city agencies to enable the pursuit of professional research and practical application of skills in real-world projects. Since 2014, CUSP has guided over 200 capstone projects, collaborating with 32 government agencies, 38 nonprofits and think tanks, and 25 private companies worldwide.
DOCTORAL TRACK IN URBAN SCIENCE: COMPLEXITY, INFORMATICS, AND SENSING Our nine-credit doctoral track offers a collaborative and inclusive environment for students who are enrolled in a variety of PhD programs at NYU Tandon with an interest in convergent research in urban science. The track allows doctoral students to engage with researchers across academic disciplines and methodological interests, who are united by their interest in urban science and its applications.
GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES Build an international network as you gain valuable global perspective and experience in one of our programs for graduate students.
BEGIN ABROAD
STUDY AWAY
Center for Urban Science + Progress graduate students can choose to spend their first semester at NYU London or first year at NYU Abu Dhabi before completing their degree at NYU Tandon in New York.
Second semester graduate students in the Center for Urban Science + Progress program may elect to pursue coursework toward their degree at NYU London before returning to NYU Tandon in New York to complete their studies.
KNOWLEDGE TRACKS
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
COMPLEX SYSTEMS
GIS
RESEARCH AND RESOURCES Since its founding in 2012, CUSP’s research has remained both mission and impact oriented. We develop and integrate data analytics and technologies both to meet specific needs, like improving building energy usage, and for the common good, such as controlling noise pollution, analyzing the impact of public health events, and addressing the effects of flooding. Our interdisciplinary research teams foster collaboration between experts in the physical and natural sciences, computer and data science, the social sciences, engineering, and professional fields such as policy, design, and finance. As a graduate student at CUSP, your opportunities for research are endless. Engage in projects that are important to you and collaborate with classmates from a broad range of backgrounds under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Innovate new solutions for a wide variety of challenges facing communities by collaborating with CUSP-affiliated research labs, including:
POLICY ANALYTICS
Climate, Energy, and Risk Analytics (CERA) Lab Digital Health Work Dynamical Systems Laboratory (DSL) Governance Lab
SMART INFRASTRUCTURE
Immersive Computing Lab (ICL) Machine Learning for Good Lab (ML4G) mLab Music and Audio Research Lab (MARL)
SUSTAINABILITY
People+Technology Lab Resilient Urban Networks (RUN) Lab Simspace Lab Sustainable Energy Transitions (SET) Group
URBAN TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Urban Complexity Lab Urban Modeling Group Urban Planet Lab
MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
MORE INFORMATION grad.engineering.nyu.edu/cuspresearch
CORE FACULTY Maurizio Porfiri
Dharik Mallapragada
Institute Professor
Assistant Professor
Director of Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP)
Yuki Miura
Director of the Urban Institute
Daniel B. Neill
Assistant Professor
Professor
Juan Bello
Anamika Shreevastava Assistant Professor
Qi Sun Associate Professor
Paul Torrens Vice Dean of Faculty Affairs
Professor
Oded Nov
Rishabh S. Chauhan
Morton L. Topfer Professor
Industry Assistant Professor
Manny Patole
Assistant Professor
Graham Dove
Industry Assistant Professor
Hanxue Wei
Anton Rozhkov
Industry Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Danny Yuxing Huang Assistant Professor
Debra Laefer Professor
Professor
Eleonora Maria Tronci
Industry Assistant Professor Director of the M.S. in Urban Data Science Program
Takahiro Yabe Assistant Professor
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CUSP FACULTY grad.engineering.nyu.edu/cusp-faculty
FEIYANG REN Urban Data Science, MS ’25 At NYU, Feiyang’s capstone project was “AI-Driven Urban Chatbot: A New Participatory Tool for Urban Governance,” examining how AIdriven tools can enhance inclusivity and responsiveness in urban decision-making processes. She is now pursuing a PhD at the University of Leeds, where she’s focusing on the intersection of transportation systems and agent-based modeling.
CAREERS
EMPLOYERS
CUSP graduates are well prepared to lead organizations in making more informed decisions by unlocking the potential of their data. Our alumni are sought after by key city and government agencies, leading firms in technology, telecommunications, utilities and renewable energy, management consulting, financial services, and a variety of other sectors including startups and nonprofits. Their job titles span from AI engineer and data scientist to urban planner, risk data analyst, geospatial engineer, and co-founder—reflecting the program’s broad professional reach. With a strong postgraduation job placement rate among alumni and an average base salary of around $128,000 in New York City’s data science industry, you can feel confident in your career trajectory in the growing field of urban informatics.
Bloomberg
Amazon Boston Consulting Group California Data Collaborative CVS Health Esri Google JPMorganChase McKinsey & Company Meta Metropolitan Transportation Authority Microsoft NYC Dept. of City Planning NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation & Development Port Authority of NY & NJ
CAREER SUPPORT Numerous resources at NYU, the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and within the CUSP network pave the way for professional success after graduation. NYU Tandon and CUSP offer technical and social workshops, networking and mentoring activities, research seminars, and workplace events to help customize a career path in the evolving industry of urban data science. We provide individual assistance in exploring internship and employment opportunities, and guidance for job search efforts, through both the NYU Tandon Career Hub and the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development.
Spotify Waymo The World Bank A sampling of top companies and agencies hiring our graduates
MORE INFORMATION ON CUSP’S ALUMNI SUCCESS grad.engineering.nyu.edu/ cuspoutcomes
LEARN MORE CENTER FOR URBAN SCIENCE + PROGRESS (CUSP) engineering.nyu.edu/cusp
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS Official transcripts and proof of degree from all previous institutions Résumé or curriculum vitae Responses to two prompts, submitted either as an essay or as a two-minute video (video is strongly recommended) English language proficiency testing (if required) Two recommendation forms (optional) ACCESS A FULL LIST OF REQUIREMENTS grad.engineering.nyu.edu/requirements START YOUR APPLICATION grad.engineering.nyu.edu/apply
APPLICATION DEADLINES FALL SEMESTER December 1: MS priority consideration February 15: MS general consideration
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS INFORMATION 1.646.997.3182 • engineering.gradinfo@nyu.edu grad.engineering.nyu.edu/info
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