Postgraduate Study in Data Science

The science of learning from data.

Data is at the core of modern society. We are producing it, collecting it, wrangling it, analysing it, modelling it, understanding it, visualising it, using it on a scale that seemed impossible not so long ago.

Data Science is fundamentally about how we can learn from data and how we can meaningfully use it to improve our world. Studying Data Science leads to opportunities in fields as diverse as banking and biotechnology, entertainment and education, gaming and government, medicine and manufacturing, retail and research.

Data Science is also a broad area of study. At Otago, the Data Science programme pulls together the best that computer science, information science, and statistics have to offer while stressing application and understanding of the impact of Data Science on society.

Information on this page is about Data Science as a major for undergraduate science degrees, and as an endorsement for the Diploma for Graduates. The University of Otago also offers the Master of Business Data Science, a one-year postgraduate degree with a strong business focus:

Master of Business Data Science (MBusDataSc)

Why study Data Science?

Data is everywhere and the demand for data scientists is exploding. Data Science is a broad field but it essentially boils down to extracting information from large and complex data sets. Working as a data scientist for an organisation means you will be at the heart of decision-making processes.

Data Science brings together techniques and methods from computer science, information science, and statistics. This means there are opportunities in areas that particularly interest you, whether it is efficient computation, data storage infrastructure, data analysis or applied machine learning. In addition to problem-solving skills that can be applied to many areas, you will gain valuable communication and data visualisation skills.

Are you just starting uni?

Learn about studying Data Science as an undergraduate at Otago.

Contacts

Matthew Parry
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Tel +64 3 479 7780
Email matthew.parry@otago.ac.nz

Grant Dick
Department of Information Science
Tel +64 3 479 8180
Email grant.dick@otago.ac.nz

Brendan McCane
Department of Computer Science
Tel +64 3 479 8588
Email brendan.mccane@otago.ac.nz

World-class research

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