For more than two decades, Charles “Chuck” Allias built his career in emergency medical services (EMS). As an educator and program director, he trained the next generation of paramedics and EMTs, designing programs that met national standards, coaching students through tough exams, and finding new ways to boost their success rates.

Data was always part of the job. Chuck would analyze test scores to predict who might excel, identify areas where students needed support, and use insights to improve outcomes. How’d he do? Quite simply, his approach worked, and he improved his program’s pass rate by 20%. Still, despite using data in practice, he had never studied it formally. His background was in health and physical education, with a master’s in exercise science.

So when Chuck enrolled in the University of Pittsburgh’s Master of Data Science (MDS) degree program, it initially felt like “learning a foreign language”. But with support and persistence, he quickly found his footing, and now, just over a year later, he’s thriving in the program and nearing graduation.

Jumping back into the classroom

“It wasn’t easy for me to jump into data science,” Chuck admits. “I’ve been on the other side of the classroom for years, so being a student again, especially in a field where I didn’t have much prior experience, was eye-opening.”

Pitt’s performance-based admissions made the transition approachable, but Chuck still had to adjust. Summer sessions were accelerated, and online learning required a different kind of discipline. “At first, not having that face-to-face interaction was daunting. But the group office hours and the support from peers really helped. The Slack community has been forgiving, collaborative, and encouraging, especially for those of us in this first online cohort.”

Balancing full-time work, family, and grad school

On top of his coursework, Chuck works full-time, is married, and has two kids, one in college and one about to graduate high school. “Juggling everything and adding school wasn’t easy,” he says. “But I have a great support system. I set aside evenings and weekends to study, and what makes it manageable is that on Coursera, you can see the curriculum a few weeks ahead. That helps me plan around work and family commitments.”

He takes six credits most semesters, but pushed to nine this fall so he can finish faster. By the end of this year, Chuck will have completed all 30 credits of the program in just over a year.

Real-world impact, right away

Even before finishing, Chuck is already applying what he’s learning. He’s built dashboards at work, used new tools to analyze student success rates, and explored how AI could shape the future of medical education. 

“As an educator, you can’t stay stagnant,” Chuck explains. “If I taught the way I did 20 years ago, my students wouldn’t have what they need to succeed today. The same is true in data science; everything is a moving target. You have to constantly better yourself.”

Why Pitt’s MDS was the right fit

For Chuck, the decision came down to three things: flexibility, affordability, and reputation.

• Flexibility: Fully online, with the ability to balance courses alongside a demanding job and family life.
• Affordability: A pay-as-you-go tuition structure that made the degree accessible without a financial burden.
• Reputation: “Having a degree from Pitt carries weight,” he says. “It’s a recognized university, and that matters.”

Looking ahead

With just nine credits to go, Chuck can see the finish line. He’s excited to attend Pitt’s in-person graduation and is already considering how to leverage his degree, whether by advancing further in higher education leadership or exploring new career paths in data and analytics.

“This program has opened the door to new possibilities,” Chuck says. “I’ve always been interested in computers and data analytics, and now I have the skills to pursue those goals. With AI becoming more central to everything we do, you need to understand how it works. This degree gives me that foundation.”

His advice for future students? Stay the course. “You’re going to hit challenges, especially if you’re new to data science like I was. But it’s worth it. Be adaptable, lean on the resources Pitt provides, and trust that you can succeed, even if you’ve been out of the classroom for years.”

Whether you’re like Chuck, coming from a non-technical background, or already working with data, Pitt’s online Master of Data Science is designed to fit into your life and expand your career opportunities. Explore the full degree program today!