Part-time data science masters¶

Data science is a field which is changing drastically. Looking at the changes that happened in the last ten years, data science changes as an industry will be massive in the next ten years. Not only is more data captured and more organisations using data science, but new ways of working with existing data are also being found out at breakneck speed. I feel that if one has to be at the forefront of data sciences in 10 years, they have to focus on being an expert in the following:

Technology¶

The data's volume and velocity are increasing daily while the veracity decreases. Handling this changing data is a massive technological effort. Big data, streaming data, cloud and others will change how we will do data science. The programming languages used are also varying, from R and python to scala and TensorFlow.

Maths and Statistics¶

Although newer and better models are being introduced and built every year, the basic statistical principles and theorems they are built on are similar. Understanding the nuts and bolts of the math behind the models that we are building in data science is essential, especially to implement data science in traditional industries where explainability is paramount.

Business knowledge¶

Technology companies are taking over traditional companies. Walmart is being taken over by Amazon, for example. But even technology companies will follow the same basic business concepts and domain knowledge. For example, supply chain concepts remain the same in Amazon and Walmart. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the business fundamentals and have good business knowledge for data science.
Data science is vast, and to have a good foundation one needs to focus on all the three pillars. Most people working as data scientists do not know what they do not know. Therefore, I believe that Masters is essential in data science, especially for those who have transitioned to data science from different domains.

Good courses¶

If you are already working in data sciences and do not want to take a break to study masters due to family, work or other commitments, pursuing masters part-time is the best option. Below are some excellent masters courses worldwide (not in any particular order). The course is good if it focuses on maths, technology, business components in the curriculum, and has experienced alumni and students. The advantage of studying part-time is the peer group and fellow students who are generally more experienced in their domains and bring diverse and unparalleled knowledge across industries.

Part-time data science masters¶

Technology¶

Maths and Statistics¶

Business knowledge¶

Good courses¶

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