Rasmussen College Expands Its Graduate Education Degree Offerings

Minneapolis (May 2, 2019) – Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, today announced its newest advanced degree offering, a Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) degree program.¹ The program marks the fourth graduate-level degree program offered by the College following the launch of its Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) and Master of Human Resources Management (MHRM) programs in the summer of 2018 and its first graduate program, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, in 2016. These flexible and affordable online degree programs prepare professionals currently working in technology, healthcare and HR roles, as well as those interested in a career change, to further their skills by impacting and leading administrative and organizational growth in a variety of professional settings. The College’s expansion into three additional graduate degree offerings over the past year addresses rising workforce demands and the educational needs of former and future students. It also denotes the significant investment Rasmussen College is making in advanced degree offerings.

“Expanding our graduate education offerings to meet the emerging need for technology, healthcare and HR leaders is an exciting evolution in the College’s 119-year history,” said Dr. Trenda Boyum-Breen, president of Rasmussen College. “We continue to follow our mission to provide career-focused and market-relevant programs that serve a diverse, adult learner population. With an increased focus on lifelong learning, we are choosing to expand our graduate education offerings to cater to experienced professionals looking to enhance their careers.”

Efficient, Relevant and Flexible Paths to Earning a Master’s Degree

With no Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) requirements and four start dates per year, Rasmussen College’s Master’s degree programs allow students to begin their education when they are ready. Through courses designed for working professionals, Master’s degree students in the MSDS, MHA and MHRM programs are able to complete their fully Competency-Based Education (CBE) program in as few as 18 months.² CBE maximizes efficiency and relevancy while maintaining graded instruction and faculty interaction. With a total of 12 courses—each 11 weeks in length—students in the MSDS, MHA or MHRM programs can earn their degree for as low as $20,000.

Enrollment for each program is immediately available with courses beginning in July for applicants who meet program entry requirements and hold a Bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher from an accredited institution.

Master of Science in Data Science

The Rasmussen College MSDS program prepares students to advance their careers through robust coursework and hands-on assessments allowing them to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world business analysis applications. Courses are project-based and simulate actual experiences with designing, performing and delivering organizational data-based objectives, including the use of sophisticated and advanced analytical languages, tools and algorithms. This new program utilizes a breadth of industry-standard tools and languages, including Tableau^®, SAS, Scala, Python, R and Microsoft Azure^® to help bring data to life.^3,4,5 Graduates are prepared to conduct deep analyses including the use of advanced statistics, artificial intelligence and text mining on multi-formatted data sets as typified by big data sources. The program provides preparation for roles such as Data Scientists, Data Engineers, Data Architects or Business Analysts.

Master of Healthcare Administration

Through innovative curriculum, students in the College’s MHA program gain the practical experiences needed for effective decision-making and the ability to implement best practices for management and leadership positions in the field of healthcare delivery, with an emphasis in health policy and administration. Curriculum aligns with the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s Health Leadership Competency Model™ —providing students a comprehensive, interdisciplinary model for healthcare leadership. Rasmussen College’s MHA curriculum focuses on leadership development and provides students with the advanced skills and knowledge of the business of healthcare. Students learn firsthand about quality management and process improvement, including trends and market forces that impact quality patient care. The program is intended for students interested in enhancing their critical-thinking and decision-making skills and advancing their career in a leadership role within healthcare administration. The program prepares graduates to work towards roles such as Hospital Administrators, Clinical Directors, Health Services Managers or Practice Managers.

Master of Human Resources Management

Rasmussen College’s MHRM curriculum prepares students to advance their education through vigorous coursework that spans a multitude of human resource and organizational leadership disciplines. Rasmussen College’s MHRM curriculum is aligned with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and focuses on enhancing in-demand skills, including: applied human resources analytics, organizational behavior and leadership, strategic recruitment and change management—skills needed to thrive in today’s continually changing business environment. Graduates from the program are academically prepared to sit for the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exams offered by SHRM and are also academically prepared to sit for the Professional in Human Resources^® (PHR^®) and Senior Professional Human Resources^® (SPHR^®) certifications offered by the HR Certification Institute^® (HRCI^®).⁶ Upon graduation, students will be equipped with the confidence and skillset needed as a foundation to apply for strategic roles such as Manager of Human Resources, Director of Leadership and Organizational Development, Director of Compensation and Benefits and Director of Training and Development.

To learn more about Rasmussen College’s Master’s degree programs, visit rasmussen.edu/degrees/masters/.

¹Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. hlcommission.org | 800-621-7440
²Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and the number of courses completed each term. 
³Tableau is a registered trademark of Tableau Software, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries.
⁴SAS is a registered trademark of SAS Institute Inc.
⁵Microsoft Azure is registered trademarks of Microsoft Inc.
⁶PHR® and SPHR® are all registered trademarks of HR Certification Institute.