| | Chris Walker | Full disclaimer: I have not yet completed the program, so the 5-star rating is subject to change, but here is my review, cross-posted from Chris Walker's answer to What is it like to go through UC Berkeley's new Data Science MS program?
I entered the MIDS program back in January as part of the first cohort for the degree. So far, the experience has been fantastic. The curriculum has been challenging and well-planned, each term building nicely on the last. The coursework touches on a broad variety of topics, but does well at promoting a deep, nuanced understanding of the most important topics. Faculty have been responsive, knowledgable, and experienced in their fields. The student support team has also been nothing short of amazing.
I've learned a great deal about programming and statistics as they relate to data science, but there is also a great deal of time and thought devoted to issues of biases, policy, user/data consumer experience, and the role of the data scientist within their organization and society at large. In my opinion, this is the greatest strength of the program - pushing beyond the technical aspects to develop strong intuition and conscientious, ethical approaches to DS problems.
Where the technology is concerned, I've been exposed to a wide variety of tools, some of which I had little or no previous experience with: R, Python, scikit-learn, Tableau, D3, Pig, AWS, Solr, and a number of APIs and public data sources.
A typical week consists of about 60-90 minutes of video material per class, supporting readings and assignments, and a live 90 minute web conference class session. I work full time while also pursuing the degree, thanks in no small part to my wife's and employer's patience with my schedule. Doing both is a challenge, but is definitely possible. I'd certainly recommend the program to anyone interested in pursuing a career in data science. I know that some of my classmates have already taken jobs in the field. |
