Sponsored by HEC Paris
With big data set to play an increasingly crucial role across all areas of the economy, this is a smart time to specialize in data science for your post-bachelor studies and future career. Here are four key steps to follow when deciding on a postgraduate data science degree.
1. Think interdisciplinary
The explosion of data in every dimension of our lives raises many questions which must be addressed by companies. Indeed, many functions are impacted in the process of converting this vast amount of information into strategic resources. That’s why data science must be looked at within the bigger picture. And that’s why the data science degree you choose must be based on an interdisciplinary approach. It should involve not only mathematics and computer science, but also business strategy and management skills. Combining technical expertise with proficiency on the business side will help you to exploit the results of data analysis and make strategic decisions.
2. Seek out practical applications
Being able to solve real problems in your future career starts with learning to do so during your studies. Your data science degree should provide you with real-life cases and in-the-field practice on both the technical and business sides. A data science degree that boasts such a practical approach should also offer you the opportunity to maximize contact with all kinds of companies: consulting firms, digital start-ups, multinationals. These close ties with the world of technology and business will help you to broaden your career prospects.
3. Focus on academic excellence
When it comes to highly technical and rapidly evolving disciplines such as data science, it is important that you choose an institution with a world-class faculty. One of the best ways to measure the academic excellence of an institution is to look at the proportion of professors holding a PhD from leading research universities, as well as considering their participation in top academic journals and international conferences. The presence of research centers are also good indicators of a university’s academic dynamism.
4. Prioritize world-renowned institutions
In the international job market, a degree from an internationally renowned and connected institution will help you reach the highest career opportunities. A truly international institution offers an international student body and faculty, numerous partnerships with other world-renowned institutions, and international career prospects. Check the international rankings of the universities you have identified, as well as seeking information about positions obtained by students after graduation, including salaries and locations. Another important indicator is the size and power of the alumni network: the bigger and more international this network is, the more help you’ll receive to achieve your career objectives.
Choose the MSc Big Data for Business from HEC Paris and École Polytechnique
The MSc Big Data for Business from HEC Paris and École Polytechnique represents Europe’s leading business/engineering combination. École Polytechnique and HEC Paris are both world-leading academic institutions, renowned for the quality of their degrees, faculties and research. They have combined forces to create a joint degree aimed at providing talented students with strong skills in both data science and business. Students will benefit from extraordinary added value, thanks to the close ties the two institutions have built with the business world and the power of their alumni networks, which have more than 73,000 members across the globe.
