As the digital age embarked, it brought with itself a whole new era: the era of extensive information. It came along with the requirement of analyzing data to discover hidden patterns within various industries in order to decipher solutions and provide strategic analysis. This is precisely known as Data Science. Today, we are going to talk about the different Masters in Data Science, the benefits of studying such a programme, and career prospects.
What exactly is a Masters in Data Science?
Today, data science is an integral process of various industries and that is exactly why a master in data science is one of the most sought after programmes. There is a constant requirement for professional data scientists across the world, so what is the actual job profile of a data scientist? Well, they primarily examine the questions of the industries that need to be answered and then they analyze the relevant data.
The job of a data scientist is a high skill job and requires the data scientists to have both – analytical skills as well as sharp business acumen! A data scientist should also be able to perform all of the following verticals effectively:
- Mining of data;
- Data classification;
- Modelling of data;
- Summarization of data.
A data scientist needs to be well-versed with the above processes in order to analyze the data of the un-answered questions of the various industries. Also, as more and more data is becoming accessible, this requirement is not only limited to simply multi-national corporations and tech companies. Today, various industries of small, medium and large-sized corporations are all seeking skilled data scientists!
According to Glassdoor, the job of a data scientist today is among the top five professions. One of the ways to embark on the career path of a data scientist is by completing a higher education degree, i.e. Masters in Data Science.
In the next few paragraphs, EDUopinions will enlist all the details regarding a Masters data science program. Firstly, we will discuss upon things you need to know to pursue higher education in data science and, secondly, the career prospects of becoming a data scientist.
What are the benefits of studying masters in data science?
Pursuing higher education in the industry that you are planning to be a part of is always beneficial and the same holds true for the masters in data science! This programme has multi-level benefits and they are listed as below:
- Today, various data scientists across the industry are not professionally qualified. A master in data science programme makes you well-versed with the terminologies and gives you an edge in the industry. Not only that, it equips you to gain proficiency in the industry especially, in analyzing data, machine learning, and web mining.
- By completing a master in data science, you become easily and readily available to the industry. Upon graduation, you are considered a professional of the industry, you can then be of service to the industry in the truest sense.
- You gain an edge towards a more competitive salary. Completing a Master programme in data science gives you the edge to demand a decent hike and a better salary.
What are the pre-requisites for a masters in data science?
Various universities have their own pre-requisites but one of the pre-requisites for a Master programme in Data Science is to have an undergraduate, i.e. a Bachelors’ degree, in either one of the following: Science, Math, Physics, Information Technology, Computer Sciences or any other related field.
Although any of the above-mentioned fields can be a pre-requisite, a degree in Information Technology and Computer Sciences can be of additional value.
Apart from the bachelors’ degree, the universities may require you to take GRE, TOEFL and submit SOP’s, LOR’s, essays and various other official documents.
What are the career prospects of a Data Scientist?
Businesses often employ data scientists to procure, manage or analyze a huge amount of data that is generally unstructured. The results are then further communicated for decision and strategy building. This process is required by various industries across the globe! The job of a data scientist is highly technical and requires the professionals of the industry to be immensely skilled which is why the data science professionals are also compensated with extremely competitive salaries.
It is estimated that the average base salary for a data scientist will be close to $120,000 and there will be an approximately 28% increment in the demand of data scientists by 2020 (According to Glassdoor Statistics).
It goes without saying that the career prospects of a Data Scientist seem very bright in the future!
Best Masters in Europe to pursue masters in data science:
There are various universities that offer a master in data science. EDUopinions has formulated a list of the top 10 Masters Programmes in Europe for 2019, according to KDnuggets:
- ESSEC Business School‘s M. Sc. in Data Sciences and Business Analytics
- IESEG‘s Master of Science in Big Data Analytics for Business
- Technical University of Munich‘s Master of Science in Mathematics in Data Science
- Ludwig Maximilians Universität‘s MS in Data Science
- Dublin Institute of Technology‘s Master of Computing (Data Analytics)
- Delft University of Technology‘s MS in Computer Science-Data Science and Technology track
- Radboud University‘s Master in Computing Science: Data Science
- Tilburg University‘s Master Track Business Analytics and Operations Research
- IE School of Human Science and Technology’s Master in Business Analytics and Big Data
- University College of London‘s Master of Science in Data Science
- The London School of Economics‘ M.Sc. in Data Science
To Sum Up:
Data Science is an upcoming field that currently requires skilled professionals that are technically adept and possess analytical skills along with sharp business acumen. A masters programme in data science equips you for the industry – It truly is an investment for your future career goals!
If you’re interested in learning more about Big Data, here’s an article we’ve written to help you out.
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