As a consecutive master’s program, the Master of Science with specialization in Data Science allows students to consolidate and expand the skills and knowledge acquired in the bachelor's program. A bachelor’s degree in Data Science or Machine Learning or a degree in Computer Science with a focus on Machine Learning or Data Science is required. Applications with other degrees will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Graduates in the field of Data Science have varied career opportunities in Switzerland and abroad.
In the area of data engineering, positions are available in big data software engineering or IoT software engineering. Focusing on Data Analytics will typically open a pathway to roles such as data analyst or data scientist, while a focus on Data Services is ideal for future data service engineers and operation service managers.
How would you describe the collaboration with the MSE students you advise?
«It's a cooperative effort between my MSE students and me to ensure that my students can develop the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the field of Data Science.»
What do you enjoy most about advising in the MSE?
«What I enjoy most is when I manage to help students choose projects in collaboration with our industry partners that match the students' interests and capabilities, while also providing valuable learning and potential career opportunities.»
What have you learned as an MSE advisor??
«I've learned to communicate clearly with the students about the key expectations for the project, including the schedule, deliverables, and evaluation criteria. Setting milestones and planning milestone meetings early on, organized together with our industry partners, have proven very helpful. Besides these goals, it's very important to give my students the freedom to explore and work independently, letting them follow their interests and curiosity to carve out their own story.»
How do you keep your students motivated?
«When my students get the opportunity to present their work to the project leaders of our industry partners, they realize that their work has an impact and can create value for our industry partners. I motivate my students by showing them the relevance of their work. Every relevant project goes through challenging phases – that's normal.»
What is your main reason for recommending the MSE program?
«The Master's program MSE offers a unique combination of high-quality lectures attended by students from across Switzerland with diverse backgrounds, a very personal relationship with advisors, and in-depth interactions with our industry partners to work on challenging and relevant projects.»
Professor Dr Mirko Birbaumer, MSE advisor
How has your MSE degree impacted your career path?
«It has given me many options to choose from, as a degree in Data Science is highly sought after. Moreover, it has provided me with the necessary confidence during the application process that I possess the required skills.»
What advice do you have for new MSE students?
«Try to inform yourself about the modules and what they entail to plan the best possible learning experience during your Master's studies. Some courses overlap significantly, which can save you some work but also cost you part of the learning experience.»
In which areas were you able to develop the most through your MSE studies?
«Since I had no prior computer science knowledge, the learning curve in this area was very steep. Especially my programming skills developed positively, but I also made significant progress in understanding Deep Learning and Machine Learning during the 18 months."»
What were your main reasons for choosing the MSE Master's program?
«I wanted a lot of practical work for my second Master's, and the MSE program offers two-thirds of the degree as practical work, supported by modules teaching the required skills. For me, this was the perfect combination and the reason why I chose this program..»
Tom Daniël Christen, MSE graduate
