Masters in Data Science: All you need to know

Masters in Data Science (abroad) commonly referred to as MS in Data Science or MSDS is a one or two-year course abroad. Why MSDS is popular because of the need of Data Scientists across the globe across all major sectors. From healthcare to technology, and finance to agriculture, e-commerce or manufacturing. In this article, we will inform you of everything about the Data Science course.

MS in Data Science is one of the most sought-after degrees today to study abroad. According to LinkedIn, there is a massive increase of 56% in jobs related to Data Science. Data Scientists provide valuable insights by analysing huge loads of data. This field is projected to grow 15% and almost 1,10,000 new jobs will be created for data science graduates by 2025. Skills that are in high demand are statistical programming, data management, data visualization, statistics, and machine learning.

What is Data Science?

Data Science is a specialised course offered as a STEM education to students. It is a blend of data which includes stats, maths, analytics, AI and machine learning with specific specialisations. A masters in data science is an advanced course designed for those who wish to delve deeper into the world of data and the science behind it. An MS in Data Science helps individuals learn to manage complex data structures in a structured manner by the end of the course.

Why Study MS in Data Science Abroad?

There are various reasons why students should consider studying MS in Data Science abroad rather than in India and they are as follows:

• MS in Data Science is a popular job that expects growth YoY by 15% based on The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2020 by 2025.
• MS in Data Science graduates are hired everywhere, from MNCs to small companies, because data in modern times is key for functioning. 
• The prospects after graduating with an MSDS open avenues for either higher education or taking up lucrative jobs.
• The US is the highest paying country for Data Science masters grads. On average they annually earn USD 85,000 and above.
• Finally, those interested in learning about data, data management, the science of data and other related learning can go for a master in Data Science abroad. 

The reasons may be endless, but it completely depends on the applicant and his choice of MSDS. It can be either because of their interest in the subject, or for good prospects in future. 

Top Countries for MS in Data Science Abroad

Interested in knowing which country is best for pursuing a masters in Data Science? Check out the top countries recording a maximum footfall of students for MSDS course in the table below:

Parameters	MS in Data Science in USA	MS in Data Science in UK	MS in Data Science in Canada
Referred to as	MS/MSc/MPS in Data Science	MS in Data Science	MS in Data Science
Duration	1-2 years	1.5-2 years	2 years
Average Tuition Fee	USD 60,000	£23,000 – £27,000	CAD 30,000 –  CAD 50,000
Best Universities	Carnegie Mellon University Harvard University Cornell University	University of Oxford University College London University of Edinburgh	University of Toronto University of Waterloo Ryerson University
Eligibility Criteria	Completed graduation with related subjects like PCB or Maths
Admission Intakes	Fall Intake & Spring Intake	Fall Intake, Winter Intake & Spring Intake	Spring & Fall Intakes
Funding	Merit and Need based scholarships	Merit based scholarships	Merit based scholarships

Related Reads:

• MS in Data Science in USA
• Top 10 Master of Data Science Colleges in Australia
• Top 10 Master of Data Science Colleges in Ireland
• Top 10 Master of Data Science Colleges in Canada

Best Universities for MS in Data Science

Some of the top universities for pursuing an MS in Data Science abroad have been tabulated below. The ranking data has been taken from QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024: Data Science & AI. Check out the popular MSDS universities below:

Top Universities Offering MS in Data Science	Courses Offered	QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024: Data Science & AI
Carnegie Mellon University	MSc in Computational Data Science	#2
University of Oxford	MSc in Social Data Science	#4
Harvard University	MS in Data Science	#5
National University of Singapore	Master of Science in Data Science & Machine Learning	#6
ETH Zurich	MS in Data Science	#7
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore	MS in Data Science	#8
University of Toronto	MS in Applied Computing Data Science	#9
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology	MS in Big Data Technology	#10
University of Washington	Master of Science in Data Science	#12
University College London	MSc in Data Science	#18

There are around 70+ universities globally which have been ranked under this category. Thus, international students can choose the university based on their liking and preference for pursuing a Data Science master's abroad.

Masters in Data Science Coursework

The study of Data Science Master of Science is a STEM course which is offered across all major countries abroad. The MS DS course curriculum is designed in the following manner:

• Usually, the students have to complete a set of credits semester-wise to quality.
• The MS in Data Science degree students have to mandatorily complete the following topics: 
• Fundamentals of Data Analytics 
• Principles and Techniques for Data Science
• Applied Machine Learning for Data Scientists
• Students pursuing MSDS will also have to select a specialisation of their choice. 
• Based on the university in question, students will either have to submit a research paper or thesis at the end of the degree program.

This is how the coursework or syllabus of MS in Data Science is designed for students.

Types of Data Science Master of Science Courses

There are three types of MS in Data Science courses offered abroad and they are as follows:

• MS in Data Science is widely offered as a full-time course.
• In some cases, an MS in Data Science is also offered part-time.
• While not all applicants can afford to opt for full-time admissions, in those cases some universities abroad offer online MS in Data Science courses. 

MS in Data Science Specialisations

Some of the most popular specialisations offered to students pursuing an MS in Data Science are as follows:

Top MS in Data Science Specialization
Big Data	Machine Learning	Data Visualization	Business Intelligence
Database Management	Programming Languages	Data Mining	NLP
Statistics	Cloud Computing	Deep Learning	Artificial Intelligence
Probability	Data Structures	Statistical Interference	Liner Algebra
Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)	Data Engineering	Linear Regression	Data Warehousing
Data Wrangling	Spatial Sciences	Ethics & Data Privacy	Domain Specific Applications

Approximately, 36 specialisations of MS in Data Science have been mentioned in the table above for reference. However, there may be more specialisations but some universities abroad may offer a limited number. 

Skills Learnt after MS in Data Science

There are various skills learnt after completing MS in Data Science and these are mostly hard skills and they are as follows: 

• Data Visualization
• Machine Learning
• Programming
• Stats
• Big Data
• Data Mining
• Linear Algebra
• Data Modelling

Admission Requirements for Masters in Data Science 

The admission requirements may vary from country to country and even from university to university. But here are some of the most common admission requirements for pursuing an MS in Data Science: 

• Undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or above 
• Transcripts of graduation and high school mark sheets
• Statement of purpose (SOP)
• 2-3 letters of recommendation (LOR)
• Financial documents
• Some universities may require a resume based on work experience
• Financial statements for funding proofs

These are some of the common requirements that will be required to be fulfilled by the applicant. The students must check the requirements beforehand so that they can apply accordingly for MS in Data Science.

Career growth with MS in Data Science

According to the PayScale, the average salary of a master's degree holder in CS is approximately $18,000 more than the ones with a bachelor's degree. As per the Business Insider, Data Scientist is one of the highest paying jobs among college graduates with salary ranges up to $95,000 annually. Some of the popular jobs are as follows:

• Data Scientist
• Data Analyst
• Data Engineer
• Data Architect
• Business Intelligence Analyst
• Database Administrator
• Machine Learning Engineer

Data Science Related degrees

There are various different areas of data management from which you can select

Master's in Data Science

Those looking to gain a wide range of skills in different tech-related areas can pursue Masters in Data Science.  The coursework of this program includes programming skills in Python and SQL and core subjects like applied statistics. After pursuing this degree, graduates can work in different sectors from computer engineering to architecture to programming.

Master’s in Information Systems

An information system is a system, typically technology-driven that collects and organizes and illustrates various forms of information and data. Currently, most of the information systems that fall under the category of 'computer-based' are supporting the business process of various organizations. Graduates studying this degree, usually inclined towards technology management in businesses. Graduates are taught about database management, IS design and analysis and systems architecture.

Master’s in Business Analytics

Those pursue this degree study consumer and market behavior and help companies prepare strategies for their businesses. Here, students are taught about the different techniques and processes for turning a large amount of data into actionable business strategy. Usually, e-commerce firms rely heavily on the decisions of Data Analysts for framing their strategy.

Popular careers after pursuing MS in Data Science

• Business Analyst
• IT Strategist
• Director of Web Development
• Software Application Manager
• Computer Scientist
• Assistant/Adjunct Professor of Computer Science
• Chief Technology/Information Officer

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