Master in Data Science
Studying Data Science at ETH Zurich means being part of one of the most exciting driving forces of today’s Information Age. To gain deeper insights into the field, we have talked to various students, professors, and an alumna. In these video conversations, the interviewees elaborate on the growing need and importance of data science – both now and in the future.
In today's world, data science permeates every aspect of our daily lives: academia, industry, politics, and even the arts. Our society is undergoing a profound digital transformation where data is becoming increasingly ubiquitous. Having tools like those proposed by data science to analyse and use this data is essential for the future. As the volume of data that we collect as a society rapidly increases, we also have to come up with new ways of processing, storing and ultimately creating value from the data.
“Data science gives you tools based on data to predict the future and to read into what is going to happen. That’s quite universal because data is everywhere.”Giulia Lanzillotta, alumna of the Master in Data Science programme and current doctoral student at the ETH AI Center
The more data we have, ChatGPT and AI models have also become more important and powerful. The increasing abilities of AI, particularly in understanding human behaviour, force us to reconsider philosophical concepts such as free choice. Data science helps to ensure that these models are essentially trustworthy and used responsibly. We observe that data science plays an essential part across all disciplines, and there is a strong and growing demand for data scientists.
To meet this increasing demand, the Master in Data Science programme has been established in 2017. The specialised ETH Master's programme, offered in collaboration with the Department of Mathematics as well as the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, provides a high-quality education aimed at nurturing the next generation of data scientists.
The Master in Data Science is a two-year programme entirely taught in English. The programme has an interdisciplinary approach and requires a strong foundation in various technical fields, such as machine learning, mathematics and computer science. Research in the field of data science requires solid skills in processing, managing and storing massive amounts of data, as along with the ability to develop efficient mathematical algorithms for data analysis. These techniques are employed in complex applications in engineering and science.
“We encourage excellent students, who love to think formally, who love science, and who would like to be exposed to an interdisciplinary environment, to apply with us.”Ghislain Fourny, study coordinator of the Master in Data Science programme, senior scientist and lecturer at the Department of Computer Science
The Master in Data Science emphasises a hands-on approach, enabling students to work on real life problems. One integral aspect of the programme is the Data Science Laboratory, where students tackle specific and practical issues of interdisciplinary applications. In this course, students engage in all tasks – from process modelling to implementation and validation of data science techniques. Additionally, students have the opportunity to carry out the Data Science Lab or the Master Thesis in collaboration with a company. Moreover, several centres at ETH work in this field, for example, the ETH AI Center or the Swiss Data Science Center. Students in this Master’s programme can benefit from these close collaborations and connections.
“Students in this field have many diverse career opportunities: in research, in industry, or as consultants. There’s a huge demand in data scientists, so the graduates of this programme have many different options to choose what they want to work on.”Julia Vogt, Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science
The job market and career opportunities for data science graduates are excellent. There is a massive demand for data scientists, and upon completion of their studies, graduates have endless possibilities: Graduates can jump into a doctoral programme at ETH Zurich or any other top university, start their own start-up, or enter the job market as an employee in a company, be it in the technology domain, in finance or pharmaceuticals. From understanding the global interactions of climate factors to teaching machines how to decode human conversation, data science will continue to shape the Information Age. Thus, the Master in Data Science programme is an excellent choice for those seeking to expand their knowledge in this field.
