Master in Data Science

Procedure and Criteria
The admission procedure for postgraduate students at the University of Cyprus takes place through the Graduate School, which announces available programs and positions. In addition to announcing the number of positions available in each field of study and the application procedure, the eligibility criteria for candidates are also mentioned, as well as other required documents that must be attached to the application.

The minimum qualifications required in order to apply, are:

• A recognized University Degree in a related field (Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Economics, Business, Physics) from an accredited Institution with a GPA of at least 6.5/10. If the degree is not yet available during the application process, the student must submit it before the start of classes in September.
• Proof of very good knowledge of the English language (test results and/or certificates obtained; the certificates that demonstrate proficiency in English can be found at the following Web site: https://www.ucy.ac.cy/graduateschool/en/admissions/admission-requirements). This is not necessary for applicants who received their degrees from programmes taught in English.

Additional academic criteria required in order to apply, are:

• Successful completion of courses in Probability, Statistics or Econometrics and fundamental Mathematical courses (e.g., basic calculus, linear algebra, etc)
• Successful completion of courses in Computer Science (e.g. programming principles in Python, R, etc)

Applications are evaluated by the Committee of the Postgraduate Program, which proposes recommendations to the Councils of the respective departments, which are responsible for the final approval of the students admitted. Candidates are ranked according to the following scale: (1): not acceptable, (2): acceptable under certain conditions (conditional offer), (3): acceptable.

The programme
The MSc in Data Science programme brings together the expertise of three departments in the University of Cyprus – Business and Public Administration, Computer Science, and Mathematics and Statistics – to prepare the next generation of data-oriented thinkers.

Data science is a modern interdisciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems in order to extract knowledge and insights from data. The programme’s objective is to offer a strong understanding of basic and advanced methods in statistical inference, machine learning, data visualization, data mining, and business analytics.

The programme is designed for students that have a background in STEM or in Business and Economics, who can demonstrate good knowledge of English, and who, as part of their undergraduate degree, have completed an introductory statistics course, as well as a course in a programming language such as Python and/or R (see Admissions for further information).

The duration of the programme is 18 months (90 ECTS). The first two semesters are dedicated to core courses, and homogenize students’ knowledge on the basics of data science. The third semester allows students to select one of three tracks: Computational Science, Statistics, and Business Analytics. In the summer semester the Capstone project, brings students in contact with real world problems and helps them cement the knowledge and skills they acquired.

At the completion of the programme, students will have gained skills that are critical in a modern data-driven world, and will be in a position to think across disciplines and to transform data into actionable insights.

Overview
The Master in Data Science is a highly-selective programme for students who want to begin or advance their careers in Data Science.

The duration of the programme is 1,5-years (90 ECTS), while the language of instruction is English. The programme offers 3 tracks (Computer Science Track / Statistics Track / Business Analytics Track). The first two semesters will be dedicated to core courses; students will select a track at the end of the second semester. Part of the programme is the Capstone project in Data Science, where students tackle specific and practical problems of an interdisciplinary nature. In this course students engage in all aspects of the lifecycle of data-science projects – from process modelling, data extraction, cleaning and validation, to data interpretation and visualization. The capstone project will begin in the summer term, after the end of the second semester.