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Build something worth talking about

Your data science capstone gives you the chance to put what you’ve learned into practice and show how you approach a complex problem from start to finish.

In Willamette University’s MS in Data Science capstone course, you’ll work with a small team to propose, plan, analyze, and present a substantial project using real data.

It’s an opportunity to do more than demonstrate technical skills. You’ll practice making decisions, working through uncertainty, collaborating with others, and communicating what the data actually means.

A Willamette University professor and students in a classroom at the Portland Center.

Your Program Questions, Answered

Do you have questions about the Master's in Data Science program? Complete this form and we’ll get in touch!

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From a question to a finished project

Real data rarely arrives perfectly organized with an obvious answer waiting to be discovered.

That’s part of the point.

Throughout your capstone, you’ll work through the kinds of decisions data professionals make every day. You’ll define the problem you’re trying to solve, determine how to approach the data, evaluate your options, make technical choices, and decide how best to communicate your findings.

Faculty and peer feedback help you refine your work throughout the process.

By the end, you’ll be able to explain how you got there and why you made the decisions you did.

What you’ll practice

Your capstone brings together skills developed throughout the MS in Data Science program, including:

  • Framing a meaningful question or problem
  • Working with real-world data
  • Choosing appropriate analytical approaches
  • Making and defending technical decisions
  • Collaborating as part of a small team
  • Responding to feedback and revising your work
  • Translating technical findings for an audience
  • Presenting your conclusions clearly and confidently
Student and professor chatting before class

Finish with work you can discuss in an interview

At the conclusion of the capstone, you’ll present your project to faculty, classmates, and alumni and complete a written report documenting your work.

But the value of the project extends beyond the classroom.

When an interviewer asks, “Tell me about a project you worked on.” You’ll have something interesting and substantial to talk about.

You can explain the problem your team tackled, the role you played, the methods you considered, the challenges you encountered, the decisions you made, and what you ultimately learned.

That story can reveal much more about you than a list of software or technical skills alone.
Show how you think, not just what you know.

Employers need data professionals who can run an analysis, determine what questions matter, work through imperfect information, collaborate with others, make thoughtful decisions, and explain complex findings clearly.

The capstone gives you an opportunity to practice all of those skills in one substantial project.
And when you graduate, you’ll have a concrete example of what you can do with them.

Ready to build yours?

Learn more about Willamette University’s MS in Data Science and how the program can help you turn technical knowledge into practical experience.

Request Information Explore the MS in Data Science

Willamette University

School of Computing and Information Sciences