Master of Science in Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is crucial for business efficiency and innovation. Organizations that successfully digitize operations increase more than just productivity. They are also more profitable. If you are ready to lead this work across your organization the MSDT is the key to getting your seat at the table.

Organizations need leaders to transform, innovate, and shape the digital future. So many businesses have not yet integrated technology within their DNA or use it to increase the organization’s competitive advantage. Leading digital transformation requires a tech-savvy mindset, the ability to manage change and VUCA* in order to innovate. This degree will equip you to become a leader in transforming an organization to harness technology for innovation and sustainability in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

*VUCA stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. It describes the situation of constant, unpredictable change that is now the norm in certain industries and areas of the business world.

Why Choose Nexford

Nexford is where global citizens learn the skills they need, at the moment they need them most. We help people move forward in their careers – and their lives. We're a Public Benefit Corporation based in Washington DC. Yes, we're for profit, but we prioritize public benefit over profit. Every time. Nexford aims to demonstrate a more effective way of aligning credentials to the workforce--one that is far better positioned to give any learner, regardless of starting point, an educational foundation for lifelong success. We do this through curricular innovation, leadership in learning analytics and the development of models and tools that enable personalization and impact at scale. We are a cross-disciplinary team of relentlessly optimistic, ambitiously creative, solution-oriented problem solvers who collaborate to uncover and develop new scalable ways to enable our internal and external partners to consistently drive learner impact using the latest technologies and innovative practices available.

Admission Requirements

• Government-issued identification
• Passport-style photo or “selfie”
• Evidence of English language proficiency
• Official transcript verifying receipt of a bachelor’s degree from:
  • An accredited institution listed by the U.S. Department of Education, or
  • An international institution of higher education approved by the appropriate national ministry of education or recognized country equivalent
• Documents not written in English must be accompanied by official translations, such as those provided by:
  • A validated institutional official, or
  • An embassy
• If a translated copy of the documents is not available upon application, the Office of Admissions will translate the document before making a decision
• All learners wishing to enroll in the Master of Science in Data Analytics (MSDA) program must have:
  • Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field with a course in basic Statistics, or
  • Bachelor’s degree in business administration without a course in basic Statistics and complete STA1300 with a minimum grade of C or better, or
  • Bachelor’s degree with no basic Statistics course: complete FND5100 Business Fundamentals and STA1300 Statistics with a minimum grade of C or better, or
  • Bachelor’s degree with a basic Statistics course: complete FND5100 Business Fundamentals with a minimum grade of C or better

Program Courses

Organizations need leaders to transform, innovate, and shape the digital future. So many businesses have not yet integrated technology within their DNA or use it to increase the organization's competitive advantage. This degree will equip you to become a leader in transforming an organization to harness technology for innovation and sustainability in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

Internet of Things

Internet of Things engages learners in examining IoT operating systems architectures, standards, and ecosystems. You’ll delve into industrial automation value proposition for IoT, device management, cybersecurity analysis, best-practices in IoT ecosystem design, and monetizing IoT under different commercial models and across the value chain.

Product Management with Agile and Lean

Product Management with Agile and Lean explores the techniques that product managers apply to minimize execution risk for a team. You’ll examine two main types of execution risk: technical risk, which is the risk that the product fails because the team utilizes bad software management practices, and product risk, which is the risk that the product fails because it is not what the customers or market want. Learn how to apply the Agile framework to minimize technical execution risk and the Lean framework to minimize product risk.

The Art of Communication

What is the number one job skill American and global employees are lacking, according to LinkedIn CEO, Jeff Weiner? Communication. The Art of Communication is designed to strengthen and promote a leadership-driven communications model that extends from an audience centered communications approach. How do leaders persuade shareholders? How do leaders negotiate with clients and business partners across cultures?

This course introduces learners to a foundation in rhetorical awareness that will transfer through a variety of contexts, including corporate communications, public speaking, negotiation, and a range of executive leadership scenarios. Coursework includes genre analysis, professional writing, presentation design and delivery, and negotiation workshops.

Technology and Operations Management

Technology and Operations Management provides a comprehensive overview of technology utilization to drive a competitive advantage for company operations. Learners explore various technology solutions for business process automation, including value proposition analysis across organization functions.

You’ll also analyze how technology can be leveraged to improve product development during the four lifecycle phases. The course provides a detailed overview of the impact of technology on various operating models such as manufacturing, supply chain management, customer facing, product development, and support functions (e.g., HR and finance).

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence considers the business applications of machine learning, and how AI supports the discovery of meaningful patterns in data and adds insights into predicting performance and increasing productivity. Learners explore advanced concepts in machine learning, including details of decision tree algorithms, the QUEST algorithm, and missing data.

The course covers four major topics: first, machine learning and neural networks; second, value creation across the value chain phases and various industry verticals; third, elements of successful artificial intelligence transformation; and fourth, artificial intelligence use cases across retail, electric utilities, manufacturing, healthcare, and education.

Cybersecurity Leadership

Explore how our hyperconnected world, comprised of a myriad of networks – both machine and human – has brought us to the precipice of a fundamental revolution and redefinition of the human experience and our socio-political and military world order. Crime, news, and even warfare is digital today.

Examine cybersecurity goals, cybersecurity tools, cybersecurity strategies, and how cybersecurity leadership underpins every aspect of cybersecurity strategy.

Introduction to Intrapreneurship and Innovation

Introduction to Intrapreneurship and Innovation provides a framework for how employees with an entrepreneurial mindset can navigate the complex and challenging environments within existing organizations to bring about meaningful, practical, and effective change.

Learners will understand the need for an innovative mindset, exploring the concept of intrapreneurship and how it can take place from within an organization. The course provides a roadmap for how individuals can plan, present, and execute innovative and entrepreneurial approaches.

Robotics and Automation

Robotics and Automation engages learners in examining the Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) five core technologies. These are the following: robotic process automation (RPA), smart workflow, machine learning/advanced analytics, natural-language generation (NLG) and cognitive agents.

You’ll learn the inner workings of each of these five technologies during the course. RPA is a software automation tool that automates routine tasks. Smart workflow is a process-management software tool that integrates tasks performed by groups of humans and machines. Machine learning/advanced analytics includes algorithms that identify patterns in structured data, such as daily performance data. Natural-language generation (NLG) is a software engine that creates seamless interactions between humans and technology. Cognitive agents are technologies that combine machine learning and natural-language generation to build a completely virtual workforce.

Data Sciences for Decision Making

Learn the foundation of how to apply advanced analytics skills to complex data analysis and modes. You’ll build an understanding of design, data analytics tools, and advanced analytics translators to communicate complex data-related requirements between data engineers, business, and IT stakeholders.

The course examines four major areas; the momentum gains in the data and analytics revolution; the five elements of successful data analytics transformation; the mapping value in data ecosystems, and data analysis; the models of distribution.

Enabling E-Commerce and Digital Strategy

Enabling E-Commerce and Digital Strategy explores e-commerce business classifications in Business to Business (B2B), Business to Consumer (B2C), Business to Government (B2G), and Consumer to Consumer (C2C) analyzing their value proposition to businesses.

You’ll analyze the primary e-commerce components and applications of the B2B, B2G, and B2C e-commerce infrastructure and markets including business and product models.

Corporate Sustainability

Before the year 2000, environmental management for a business was typically driven by the need to respond to restrictions imposed by environmental regulation; however, at the dawn of the new millennium, leading businesses began to change their concept of environmental management to look beyond simply meeting governmental dictates. These organizations began to evolve and utilize environmental strategy to create new ways of growing their business by bringing sustainability to the core of their business strategy.

This course explores how to effectively work in senior management today, executives need to be knowledgeable not only about their specific business functions, but also, how their business will be impacted by governmental regulations & policies, corporate sustainability initiatives, green marketing regulations, industry guidelines or ‘best practices’, new sustainable technologies, energy planning, environmental performance metrics, and required reporting on the environmental impact of their business unit.

Digital Transformation Capstone

Digital Transformation focuses on the digital transformation journey for an organization. The concepts in the transformation process apply to any organization that seeks to take advantage of digital technologies in improving business process efficiencies and customer satisfaction. This course focuses on the strategies and evaluation mechanisms in digital change, addressing; the valuation of the transformation journey, management, integration, and emerging technologies. Learners will apply the concepts in evaluating digital transformation change value in various verticals, including healthcare, finance, and marketing, as they seek new digital and efficient ways of doing business.

What You'll Learn

Lead Collaborative Innovation
Develop strong communication channels and apply critical thinking skills to facilitate collaboration, leverage technology for innovation, and analyze digital business trends affecting the global landscape.


Create Scalable Strategies
Construct strategies that emphasize scalability using horizontal-enabling technology, and craft tech-centric solutions through a systems analysis approach to pre-emptively address emerging business challenges.


Tackle Ethical Tech Challenges
Distinguish and address the modern social, legal, and ethical challenges posed by emerging technologies, ensuring your organization remains compliant and socially responsible.


Elevate Continuous Growth
Propose comprehensive plans that utilize technology for holistic business process management and assess personal and professional avenues for continuous learning and industry best practice alignment.