Master of Science in Data Science Adds 2 Areas of Concentration

Education, Fall 2021

by Helen Gynell

August 30, 2021

Mitsunori Ogihara, Brain Investigators Collaborative Initiative Applications continue to rise for the University’s Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program. Now in its second year, this graduate program is expecting 15 new students for the fall semester, according to Mitsu Ogihara, Ph.D., professor of computer science, site director of the National Science Foundation’s University of Miami CARTA (UM CARTA), and director of IDSC Workforce Development and Education.

“We are committed to steadily growing the MSDS program, based on the interests of U.S. and international students,” said Ogihara. “Next year, we might increase enrollment to 20+ students. We also celebrated the August graduation of four students from our first cohort, who all said they were very satisfied with the program.”

Ogihara also thanked IDSC’s industrial partners who offer MSDS students an internship as a hands-on learning experience in the program. “We can also leverage the UM CARTA site to create additional internship opportunities for the master’s students,” he added.

“This is a very personalized program, where students can focus on their areas of interest and work at their own pace.”

The MSDS program now offers six areas of concentration: recently adding Educational Measurement and Statistics, and Marketing:

Technical Data Science

The concentration in Technical Data Science is for students who wish to pursue careers in machine learning, data mining, data engineering, programming, and big data analytics. Most courses are taken within the College of Arts and Sciences’ Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics, and the College of Engineering.

Smart Cities

The concentration in Smart Cities is for students who wish to pursue careers in urban planning and design, information and communication technology, the Internet of things, and sustainable built environments. Most courses are taken within the School of Architecture.

Data Visualization

The concentration in Data Visualization is for students who wish to pursue careers in intelligence analytics, visual journalism, infographic design, interactive media, and geospatial technology. Most courses are taken within the School of Communication and the College of Arts & Sciences’ Department of Geography and Sustainable Development.

Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

The concentration in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences is for students who wish to pursue careers in climatology and meteorology, ocean sciences, hydrography, and applied remote sensing. Most courses are taken within the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

Educational Measurement and Statistics

The concentration in Educational Measurement and Statistics is for students who wish to pursue careers in independent research, test design and development, and interpretation of large sums of quantitative data Most courses in this concentration are taken within the College of Arts and Sciences‘ Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics, and the School of Education and Human Development

Marketing

The concentration in Marketing is for students who wish to pursue careers in strategic branding, predictive analytics, market research, and consumer behavior. Most courses in this concentration are taken within the College of Arts and Sciences‘ Departments of Computer Science and the Miami Herbert Business School.

A seventh “Cumulative” focus is also possible, applying data science to all fields and tailored to the student’s interest.

“This is a very personalized program, where students can focus on their areas of interest and work at their own pace,” said Ogihara. “It is an ideal way to develop data science skills and apply them to a wide range of professional fields.”