Data is one of the most significant aspects of every organization because it helps them make more informed decisions. Since the amount of data generated every day is overwhelming, it becomes necessary to transform it into useful insights, and this is where data science comes into the picture. Data science is the process of analyzing vast volumes of data to extract unseen patterns and meaningful insights.
When we hear the term ‘data science’, the most common job role that comes to our mind is data scientist. A data scientist is responsible for gathering, analyzing, and processing large amounts of data sets to uncover hidden patterns and extract valuable insights.
To become a data scientist, one must have in-depth knowledge of Python and R programming languages, SQL database, data visualization , machine learning and artificial intelligence, and data processing platforms, like Apache Spark or Hadoop.
Many individuals opt for data science certifications, online bootcamps, or online courses to enhance their skills and get hired as data scientists. However, earning a degree in data science would add great value to your resume.
In this article, we have mentioned some of the best master’s degree programs in data science that you may opt for. Also, we shall give you a brief introduction to data science.
So, let us begin!
What is Data Science?
Data science is a multidisciplinary domain that makes use of various scientific methods, processes, and algorithms to derive knowledgeable insights from large sets of unstructured and noisy data. These knowledgeable insights are then used by organizations to make smart business decisions.
The process of data science involves six different phases. The following are those six different phases:
- Data Discovery: This phase involves the collection of structured and unstructured data from multiple sources.
- Preparation: The collected data may have missing values, duplicate values, unwanted information, and the wrong format. In this phase, data professionals clean the raw data and transform it into a consistent and desired format.
- Model Planning: This phase involves identifying the nature of the problem, whether it is a regression or classification, and selecting an appropriate model. Moreover, this phase involves carrying out exploratory data analysis on the cleaned data to discover relationships between data variables.
- Model Building: This phase involves splitting data into two sets, one is testing data set, and the other is training data set. Data professionals then apply classification, association, and clustering techniques to the training data set and build a model. Once the model is ready, it is tested against the test data set.
- Operationalizing: It involves delivering the final model and deploying it in a real-time production environment.
- Communicating Results: The last phase involves presenting the insights from data to stakeholders in the form of graphs, charts, or maps.
10 Best Data Science Degrees for Master’s Program in 2023
Earning a master’s degree in data science helps you stand out from others and increases the chances of getting hired by renowned companies. Here is the list of the best data science degrees that can help you build a professional career in the data science domain.
1. Master in Data Science and Advanced Analytics, with a specialization in Data Science
Course Duration: 2 years
Offered By: NOVA Information Management School
Format: On-Campus
The Master in Data Science and Advanced Analytics, with a specialization in Data Science, is one of the best data science degrees, intended for individuals oriented towards information technologies. Also, this master’s program is ideal for those who:
- Have a solid scientific background.
- Wishes to enhance knowledge of commonly used paradigms and environments for software development and apply it to solve complex real-world issues that involve massive amounts of data.
This master’s program consists of four semesters, two semesters in the first year and two in the second year. The first year of this program solely focuses on curricular content, whereas the second is dedicated to the development of a work project, dissertation, and internship.
The first semester and second semester of this course cover the following topics:
First semester
- Machine Learning
- Data Storage and Retrieval
- Data Mining
- Statistics for Data Science
- Programming for Data Science
Second semester
- Deep Learning
- Big Data Analytics
- Computational Intelligence for Optimization
- Big Data Modelling and Management
- Data Visualization
- Text Mining
- Business Intelligence
- Business Process Management
- Digital Transformation
- Business Case with Data Science
The students who performed well in the first year of this course can get a six-month paid internship in any one of the partner institutions of the courses, i.e., Accenture, Grupo Ageas Portugal, SAS, Millennium BCP, Rebis Consulting, NOVA IMS, and Tranquilidade. This internship takes place in the second year of the course.
2. Executive PG Programme in Data Science
Course Duration: 12 months
Offered by: International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore
Format: Online
Executive PG Programme in Data Science is another best master’s degree in data science available online on UpGrad. This data science degree is intended for software & IT professionals, engineers, marketing & sales professionals, and domain experts.
You can choose from six specializations, namely deep learning, business analytics, data engineering, business intelligence/data analytics, natural language processing, and data science generalist. The syllabus for each specialization is different.
This data science degree helps you learn more than 14 programming tools, including Tableau, Excel, TensorFlow, Keras, Power BI, MongoDB, Apache Spark, and Amazon EC2. In addition, this course covers topics like machine learning, data visualization, predictive analysis using Python, and big data. You get to learn through real-life industry projects sponsored by renowned companies.
3. Master of Science in Data Science
Course Duration: 24 months
Offered By: University of Arizona
Format: Online
Master of Science in Data Science is an online degree program available on UpGrad. This degree program is ideal for engineers, MBA graduates, managers, and aspiring managers. When you register for this program, you get an ID card and email ID from the University of Arizona.
This program intends to introduce you to different tools and programming languages, including Python, MySQL, ggplot2, Apache Spark, Tableau, and Hive. Furthermore, you will learn to deploy ML models and process big data using Apache Spark, deploy supervised and unsupervised ML models, and skills in Python and predictive analytics and statistics.
This master’s degree program covers the following topics:
- Data Analysis and Visualization
- Advanced Data Visualization
- Introduction to Machine Learning
- Database Development and Management
- Data Warehousing and Analytics in the Cloud
- Neural Networks
- Applied Natural Language Processing
- Managing the Digital Information Environment
- Ethical Uses in Information
4. Post Graduate Program In Data Science
Course Duration: Purdue University
Offered By: 12 months
Format: Online
Post Graduate Program In Data Science by Purdue University is the #1 ranked master’s program by Economic Times. This master’s program is available on SimpliLearn.
All working professionals can opt for this Data Science master’s program. This course covers job-critical topics like machine learning, R, Python, Data Visualization with Tableau, and natural language processing. You will get to work on more than 25 real-life projects with industry data sets from renowned companies, including Walmart, Amazon, Comcast, and Uber.
From this course, you will learn job-relevant skills, such as exploratory data analysis, descriptive statistics, ensemble learning, supervised and unsupervised learning, natural language processing, model building and fine-tuning, and inferential statistics.
The following is the curriculum content of this master’s degree program:
- Data Science With R
- Python For Data Science
- Data Science With Python
- Machine Learning
- Tableau Training
- Data Science Capstone
5. Master in Data Science and Advanced Analytics, with a specialization in Business Analytics
Course Duration: 2 years
Offered By: NOVA Information Management School
Format: On-Campus
Master in Data Science and Advanced Analytics is another data science master’s degree with a specialization in business analytics. This program is ideal for market-oriented people who wish to implement analytical models for different business issues and interpret analysis results and business implications to make data-driven decisions and optimize the business process.
This course is divided into four semesters, where the first two semesters solely focus on curricular content, and the last two semesters focus on the development of dissertation, project work, and internship.
The following is this course’s mandatory curriculum content for the first and second semesters:
First semester
- Machine Learning
- Data Storage and Retrieval
- Data Mining
- Statistics for Data Science
- Programming for Data Science
Second semester
- Business Intelligence
- Business Process Management
- Digital Transformation
- Business cases with Data Science
- Data Visualization
- Business Data Modeling and Management
There is an optional curriculum content in the second semester, which covers the following topics:
- Text Mining
- Computational Intelligence for Optimization
- Deep Learning
- Business Data Analytics
- Data Visualization
6. Master of Applied Data Science
Course Duration: 1 to 3 years
Offered By: University of Michigan
Format: Online
Master of Applied Data Science by the University of Michigan is another widely opted master’s degree program in data science. This program is ideal for candidates who wish to learn and apply skills through hands-on projects and become data scientists. This course is available online on Coursera.
This master’s degree program introduces you to core data science concepts, like machine learning and natural language processing. It also covers other topics such as data ethics, privacy, and persuasive communication.
You will get to work with real data sets from reputed companies. Moreover, this course teaches you about systems and techniques that help organizations overcome data overload and make informed decisions.
The following is the curriculum content of this course:
- Collecting and Processing Data
- Analyzing and Modeling Data
- Presenting and Integrating Results into Action
- Real-world applications of data science
- Culminating Learning Experiences
- Introduction to Applied Data Science
- Data Manipulation
- Math Methods for Data Science
- Information Visualization
- Experiment Design and Analysis
- Visual Exploration of Data
- Data Mining
7. Master of Data and Network Analytics
Course Duration: 24 months
Offered By: HSE University
Format: Online
Master of Data and Network Analytics by the HSE University is an online master’s degree program that emphasizes network data analysis. Since the decision-making process, today, is entirely data-driven, this course teaches you to make data-driven decisions and gain hands-on working experience. You can opt for this online program on Coursera.
This course offers in-depth insights into data analysis. Also, it makes you familiar with the process of examining, transforming, and arranging a given data set in different ways for a specific purpose. While you participate in the hands-on project work, you will become familiar with the process of mapping real-world problems into statistical models and extracting inferences from them.
The following is the curriculum content of this degree program:
- Introduction to Programming in R and Python
- Foundations of Statistics
- Introduction to Network Analysis
- Applied Network Analysis
- Data Mining
- Introduction to Text Mining with R
- Text Mining: Advanced Concepts
- Foundations of Time-series Analysis
- Advanced Time-series Analysis
- Network modeling: business applications
- Network modeling: advanced models
- Categorical Data Analysis
- Machine Learning: Basic Concepts
- Neural Networks and Advanced Concepts
8. Master of Science in Data Science
Course Duration: 2 years
Offered By: University of Colorado Boulder
Format: Online
Master of Science in Data Science by the University of Colorado Boulder is another online data science degree program that helps you to learn skills required to become a data scientist. This course is ideal for individuals wishing to build a career in the data science domain.
Through this course, you will learn commonly-used programming languages, tools, and methods in data science, such as R, Python, Apache Spark, SQL, AWS, and Hadoop. In addition, you will gain insights into topics such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, predictive modeling, and risk analysis.
This master’s degree program divides the curriculum into three sections that are as follows:
- Pathway Courses: It is a 3-course series focusing on statistics or computer science.
- Core Courses: This section includes 21 courses that one needs to learn to earn a master’s degree.
- Elective Courses: A wide variety of options are available in the elective courses. You can choose according to your interest and experience.
9. Master Degree in Data-Driven Marketing, with a specialization in Digital Marketing and Analytics
Course Duration: 2 years
Offered By: NOVA Information Management School
Format: On-Campus Master Degree in Data-Driven Marketing, with a specialization in Digital Marketing and Analytics, is another option for individuals wishing to earn a master’s degree in data science. This degree program is ideal for those who want to gain expertise in digital marketing and web analytics using state-of-art methodologies for collecting, processing, and analyzing data to make smart decisions.
The primary aim of this degree program is to train professionals and managers to:
- Understand the operating principles of digital marketing and social media.
- Master various search engine optimization (SEO) techniques and develop an efficient SEO strategy.
- Understand and apply analytical social media techniques.
- Understand the principles and techniques of marketing.
Additionally, this master’s degree program is also suitable for students as well as working professionals. The following is the curriculum content of this course:
- Digital Analytics
- Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
- Marketing Engineering and Analytics
- Marketing Strategy and Innovation
- Research Methodologies
- Search Engine Optimization
- Social Media Analytics
10. Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Course Duration: 2 and ½ years
Offered By: University of Liverpool
Format: Online
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence by the University of Liverpool is an online master’s degree program that provides students from all backgrounds with essential technical knowledge and skills related to data science and artificial intelligence.
This course will equip you with the necessary knowledge required to research, propose, and implement innovative solutions to tackle real-world problems associated with data science and artificial intelligence.
The course covers the following topics:
- Global Trends in Computer Science
- Mathematics and Statistics for Data Science
- Software Development in Practice
- Databases and Information Systems
- Research Methods in Computer Science
- Computer Science Capstone Project
Conclusion
Earning a master’s degree in data science not only equips you with core data science skills but also helps you gain hands-on experience working with real-world projects. Also, holding a master’s degree in data science opens up a lot of career opportunities since you can go for different job roles in data science, such as data engineer, data science, data analyst, etc.
You can choose any one of the above data science degree programs to master your data science skills. While some of the data science degree programs listed above are available online, many others intend to teach on-campus. So, you need to choose a program that best suits your interests.
If you have any queries, feel free to share them in the comments section below.
People are also reading:
Leave a Comment on this Post