These instructions will walk you through how to install the required Data Science software stack for the UBC Master of Data Science program. Before starting with the installation instructions, ensure that your laptop meets our program requirements. Students’ whose laptops do not meet the requirements specified below will not be able to receive technical assistance from the MDS team in troubleshooting installation issues.
Minimum Laptop Requirements
- Runs one of the following operating systems: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (26.04 LTS also works), macOS Sonoma or above (>= 14), Windows 11 Professional, Enterprise or Education (version 23H2 or newer), or Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise or Education (version 22H2).
- When installing Ubuntu, checking the box “Install third party…” will (among other things) install proprietary drivers, which can be helpful for wifi and graphics cards.
- Windows Home editions are not supported, because Docker Desktop, which we use later in the program, requires the Professional, Enterprise, or Education edition.
- Windows 10 stopped receiving security updates in October 2025. The software stack still installs on Windows 10 22H2, but we recommend Windows 11 if your laptop supports it.
- Can connect to networks via a wireless connection for on campus work
- Has access to an internet connection that is fast and stable enough for video calling and conducting online quizzes
- Has at least 100 GB disk space available
- Has at least 8 GB of RAM
- Uses a 64-bit CPU
- Apple Silicon (M series) laptops are fully supported
- Windows on ARM is not compatible
- Is at most 6 years old at the start of the program (4 years old or newer is recommended)
- Uses English as the default language
- Student user has full administrative access to the computer
Software installation instructions
Please click the appropriate link below to view the installation instructions for your operating system:
The following people contributed to these instructions: Tomas Beuzen, Daniel Chen, Florencia D’Andrea, Anmol Jawandha, Rodolfo Lourenzutti, Ilya Musabirov, Joel Ostblom, Arman Seyed-Ahmadi, Tiffany Timbers, and Zac Warham.