Hi all,
I have a bachelors in Economics and would like to get my masters in data science. I see many other names for similar programs and I am wondering if they are all basically the same - data science? I’m specifically wondering If a degree in applied analytics is the same or at least comparable to a degree in data science?
Thank you
I believe most are the same.
Data science is a giant field that encompasses data, business, programming, stats etc. Some programs are more heavily based on business knowledge while others are much more quant heavy. (ie USC MS in Business Analytics vs. UChicago MS in Analytics). I would definitely take a look at the curriculum and employment report to see what you’d like more.
My nephew majored in operations research and got his data science masters degree from Cal Berkeley. He has done very well so far. Cal’s degree is largely online.
The programs are not all basically the same. Look at the required curriculum and the kinds of coursework you’d have to take. That’s how you tell the difference.
Traditional pure data science programs are primarily computer science, applied math, and statistics coursework. Many don’t have business classes at all. Some perhaps have one or two classes in business thrown in, or other domain areas, but overall they tend to be very technical and require some math/statistics prerequisites before entering.
Business analytics programs could be anything. Sometimes they are very similar to data science programs - mostly math/stats and CS with a few business classes thrown in. Sometimes they are more half and half, with really not enough education in math/stats and/or CS to be a functioning, working data scientist. Often, business analytics programs are more designed for business leaders who are going to be managing data scientists or other disciplines that require a lot of analytics work, but who are not going to be doing the analytics themselves. (Sometimes, they explicitly say that on their website).
Applied analytics can also be anything - sometimes they are identical or very similar to data science programs; sometimes they are kind of half math/stats/CS and half some domain that you are expected to apply it to (like social science, or biomedicine, or finance), sometimes they are kind of like the more business-y business analytics programs…it just depends.
Definitely look at the curriculum and what courses you’d be taking. Also, look at employment outcomes. Most graduate programs address, at least at a high level, what their graduates go on to do. If you see a lot of data scientists, great! If you don’t, and you instead see a lot of managerial and business overhead positions…investigate some more.