Start dates
Fall (October), Winter (January), Spring (April), Summer (July)
Program length
18 months
Program Delivery
On-campus, Online*, Hybrid* (*based on program availability)
Specializations
Marketing Analytics, Operational Analytics, General Analytics
Decode your future
Data analysis is one of the fastest emerging professions in Canada. With the Master of Data Analytics, you’ll graduate ready to step into a high-demand career as a big data professional.
Career highlights
The MDA program provides core training in the data science lifecycle and opens the doors to a diverse range of career opportunities.
Finance
Business Intelligence
Technology and Innovation
Healthcare
Talk to a Student Advisor
Specializations
Three program streams allow you to tailor your learning to suit your career ambitions and gain deeper problem-solving experience.
Marketing Analytics
Solve marketing-related problems in customer relationship management, product and pricing management, campaign performance and more.
Operations Analytics
Use analytics to improve quality and optimize processes in manufacturing, supply chain management, project management, tourism operations, and health care delivery.
General Analytics
Apply analytics to multi-disciplinary problems in government, non-profits, research, consulting and many other fields.
Course highlights
Term one courses
Principles of Analytics
This course introduces data analytics, focusing on practical skills using relevant software. Students explore data types, collection, cleaning, statistical measurements, visualization, and probability theory for business decisions. Hypothesis testing, ANOVA, and Chi-Square tests are covered. Ethical considerations and real-world applications are integrated, culminating in a capstone project.
SQL Databases
SQL competency is the single most important skillset for a Data Analyst. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the language of relational databases: Structured Query Language (SQL). Topics covered include: Entity-Relationship modeling, the Relational Model, the SQL language: data retrieval statements, data manipulation and data definition statements.
Marketing Analytics
This case-study driven course introduces marketing analytics, exploring how organizations use data to support the 4 Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion. It emphasizes practical employer needs in social media marketing, SEO, customer insights, campaign performance, pricing, category management, and sales effectiveness. Students develop a plan to acquire necessary skills for a marketing analytics career.
Data Analytics Case Study 1
Apply data science, descriptive analytics, SQL, Excel, and relational database knowledge to a real-world marketing analytics problem (e.g., CRM, product management). Students formulate questions and hypotheses, prepare data, build models, and use visualizations to share insights, guided by a realistic scenario.
Term one courses
Principles of Analytics
This course introduces data analytics, focusing on practical skills using relevant software. Students explore data types, collection, cleaning, statistical measurements, visualization, and probability theory for business decisions. Hypothesis testing, ANOVA, and Chi-Square tests are covered. Ethical considerations and real-world applications are integrated, culminating in a capstone project.
SQL Databases
SQL competency is the single most important skillset for a Data Analyst. This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the language of relational databases: Structured Query Language (SQL). Topics covered include: Entity-Relationship modeling, the Relational Model, the SQL language: data retrieval statements, data manipulation and data definition statements.
Marketing Analytics
This case-study driven course introduces marketing analytics, exploring how organizations use data to support the 4 Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion. It emphasizes practical employer needs in social media marketing, SEO, customer insights, campaign performance, pricing, category management, and sales effectiveness. Students develop a plan to acquire necessary skills for a marketing analytics career.
Data Analytics Case Study 1
Apply data science, descriptive analytics, SQL, Excel, and relational database knowledge to a real-world marketing analytics problem (e.g., CRM, product management). Students formulate questions and hypotheses, prepare data, build models, and use visualizations to share insights, guided by a realistic scenario.
These course highlights provide a glimpse into the Master of Data Analytics program, your actual schedule may vary. There is a program break during Term 4. For full course descriptions and schedules, consult the Academic Calendar.
Career outlooks
As businesses increasingly turn to machine learning to analyze vast amounts of data, the demand for skilled data analysts who can work with these algorithms is growing.
According to Canada’s Job Bank, there will be a shortage of data analysts across Canada through 2029 – especially in Ontario. This is a global trend, as the US Bureau of Labour statistics predict the rise of Data Science will create roughly 11.5 million job openings by 2026 and a report by IBM estimated that by 2025, there will be more than 2.7 million job postings for data analysts and data scientists in the US alone.
Career path and salary
- Big data specialist - $122,100
- Data manager - $136,257
- Business analyst - $130,617
- Data visualization specialist - $110,000
- Customer intelligence analyst - $96,827
*Source, Talent.com
Hear from our Associate Dean
Data analytics is one of the most sought-after fields in Canada’s top industries. The theoretical foundation and practical hands-on industry experience this program provides will give you skills that are highly valued in today’s job market.
Admissions
Academic information
Applicants must meet the following minimum conditions for admission:
- Bachelor’s Degree – Completion of a four-year honours degree standard with CGPA of 3.0 (on 4.33 scale) or better
- Completed at least two undergraduate courses in statistics or quantitative methods
Document checklist
Applicants must submit:
- A completed application form
- Official transcripts from all post- secondary institutions attended
- Official documentation confirming professional designations, where applicable
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
International information
Applicants who completed undergraduate studies outside Canada must also submit:
- Certified translations of any documents not in English
- Documentation confirming award of their previous degree(s), if not already indicated on official transcripts
- A credential evaluation from a recognized service, if required by the registrar
Tuition information
Choosing to pursue a university education is a big commitment that impacts every aspect of your life – including your finances. Our fees are determined by the total cost of individual credits per academic year. All fees are listed in Canadian dollars and these rates are subject to change.
Awards and scholarships
The Office of the Registrar had dedicated more than $15 million in scholarships, awards and financial support to students in 2025. Entrance Awards are for newly admitted international and domestic students, while Academic Scholarships are for those entering the second term of their program.
Financial aid options
UNF has partnered with organizations to help newly admitted domestic students finance their education.
$24,000
Domestic tuition
$48,000
International tuition
$15 Million
Scholarship & awards
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a mathematics background for this program?
Students entering the MDA program should have a background in business management, math or computer information systems and have completed at least two undergraduate courses in statistics or quantitative methods. Email our Student Recruitment Advisors at inquiry@unfc.ca for more information.
Are there specializations in this program?
Yes! You can tailor the program to suit your desired career outcomes through one of three learning tracks: Marketing Analytics, Operations Analytics, or General Analytics.
Will I gain practical experience?
There are several opportunities for you to gain practical experience through this program, including internships, work-integrated learning opportunities and capstone research projects. Attend one of our graduate program webinars to learn more directly from faculty members. Visit our events page to find the date for our next webinar.
Do I need to take the GRE?
We do not use standardized testing as part of the admission process for our graduate degrees. We look at your academic record from your undergraduate studies during the application process. See our admissions page for more information about our requirements.
Why choose UNF?
UNF is committed to innovative education and research for a digital world. This technology-centred approach puts you, the student, first. Learn from industry leaders and experienced faculty, gain experience through work-integrated learning components, and build a foundation that sets you on the path for success.
Contact your Student Advisor
Schedule an appointment with your dedicated Student Advisor at a time that’s convenient for you.
This institution has been granted a consent by the Minister of Colleges and Universities to offer this program for a five-year term starting Oct. 14, 2022. Prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (e.g., acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies or other educational institutions.)
