The Data Science MSc degree consists of 120 credits divided into core courses, elective data science courses, and other courses, as described below.
Data Science core and specialization studies 2020-2023
The obligatory core studies in the programme consist of
(a) 20 credits worth of key data science courses:
- Introduction to Data Science
- Introduction to Machine Learning
- Bayesian Data Analysis (was Statistical Data Science)
- Distributed Data Infrastructures
(b) 15 credits worth of courses on professional skills in data science:
- Data Science Seminar
- Data Science Project
- Academic Skills for Data Science
- Data Science Fest (a monthly meeting for data science staff and students)
You can specialise either in the core areas of data science -- algorithms, infrastructure and statistics -- or in its applications. This means that you can focus on the development of new models and methods in data science, supported by the data science research carried out at the University of Helsinki; or you can become a data science specialist in an application field by incorporating studies in another subject. In addition to mainstream data science topics, the programme offers two largely unique opportunities for specialisation: the data science computing environment and infrastructure, and data science in natural sciences, especially physics.
Minor studies give you a wider perspective of Data Science. Your minor subject can be an application area of Data Science (such as physics or the humanities), a discipline that supports application of Data Science (such as language technology), or a methodological subject needed for the development of new Data Science methods and models (such as computer science, statistics, or mathematics).
You must pick at least four and at most eleven elective courses from the list of data science specialization courses below (20-55 credits). The courses are divided into thematic modules, but courses can be freely taken from any modules. (Other data science courses may be offered as well, but only the ones listed below count towards the required four courses.)
Machine Learning and Algorithms
- Advanced Course in Machine Learning
- Bayesian Machine Learning
- Computer Vision
- Deep Learning
- Design and Analysis of Algorithms
- Information Retrieval
- Network Analysis
- Trustworthy Machine Learning
Statistical Data Science
- Advanced Bayesian Inference
- Computational Statistics I
- High Dimensional Statistics
- Inverse Problems 1: Convolution and Deconvolution
- Spatial Modelling and Bayesian Inference
- Survival and Event History Analysis I
- Time Series Analysis I
Data Science Infrastructures
- Big Data Platforms
- Cloud and Edge Computing
- Scientific Computing III
- Tools of High Performance Computing
Computers and Cognition
- Introduction to Artificial intelligence
- Interactive Data Visualization
- Cognition & Brain Function
- Introduction to Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
- Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
Interdisciplinary Data Science
- Clinical Data Mining
- Introduction to NLP
- Machine Translation
- Models and Algorithms in NLP Applications
In addition to the above required courses, you can include other courses in your degree as well, for up to 35 credits.
- The Data Science programme offers additional courses and seminars with varying topics.
- The University of Helsinki offers an extensive range of courses across its eleven faculties. The Data Science MSc programme accepts any of these courses.
- Useful method courses are also offered by other programmes, for instance, in computer science, statistics and mathematics, language technology, digital humanities, life science informatics and computational social sciences.
- Studies in an application area of data science can be especially interesting, and can range from ecology to urban studies and from languages to global politics. See a list of all English master's programmes.
- You can also take courses in the international Helsinki Summer School, organised each August.
- An internship in a company or a research group can give you insight into the practice or science of data science. Work experience in data science can also earn you credits towards your degree.