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Industrial practicum lets Data Science students test their skills at area companies
Data Science students can complete a "deep dive" analytics project using real data from selected companies around Barcelona.
The first cohort of students in the BSE Master in Data Science are also the first students at the School to have an industrial practicum built into their program's curriculum. The practicum is an in-depth analytics project that takes place during the final three months of the master.
Each student will dedicate 240 hours to the practicum, collaborating with companies on-site using real data to solve a specific challenge that requires the types of "skill bundles" they have acquired during the first two terms of the master program.
Knowledge and skills for future professionals
Students in the BSE Master in Data Science receive state-of-the-art training in the following areas:
- Advanced Statistics and Machine Learning (including supervised and unsupervised learning, data visualization, predictive modeling and text mining)
- Development of Information Systems (storage, reporting, analytics)
- Optimization (networks, operations research)
- Fundamental concepts in Economics
- Elements such as cloud computing, R, Linux, or Python
Soft skills that translate from the classroom to the workplace
In addition to the analytical training they've received from their professors, the students have gained the "soft" skills that are key to the success of modern companies. With a close-knit group of 19 students from more than a dozen different countries and almost as many professional and academic backgrounds, practicum participants already have several intensive months of experience working in teams with colleagues from many different fields and profiles. This makes them uniquely prepared to collaborate with the dynamic, internationally minded companies that are looking for data scientists.
Companies from a variety of industries compete for data science practicum students
Companies that expressed interest in offering practicum projects to BSE students included commercial banks, consulting firms, mobile application developers, risk analysts, and online retail platforms, among others. With a wide menu of companies competing for their attention, the students were very likely to be matched with a practicum in the industry where they might prefer to work after graduating from the master program later this year.
In the end, 12 companies offered the Industrial Practicum for the 2015 cohort. Selected BSE Data Science Students were placed in the following firms:
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Qualified, experienced, and in demand
Students completing the practicum will be able to add two important credentials to their CVs this year: a masters degree and three months of professional experience working as data scientists.
With these qualifications, students will maximize their opportunities for a full-time job either in the same company where they are doing the practicum, or in other companies worldwide. There is a huge demand for data scientists in many countries, both in the public and private sectors, and the first cohort of BSE data science graduates will be well-prepared to compete for these jobs internationally.