Video transcript for Insider Insights: Data Science (Statistics) Msc Expert Q&A
Video transcript for Insider Insights: Data Science (Statistics) Msc Expert Q&A on the Online Masters course in Data Science (Statistics) page.
Text on screen: Data Science (Stastistics) MSC — Q&A with the Academics.
(Academics Dr Graham Murphy from the School of Mathematics and Professor Paul Baxter, Director of Education and Training in the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics, sit behind a desk and speak to the camera.)
Dr Graham Murphy: I'm Doctor Graham Murphy from the School of Mathematics. I'm the Programme Lead for the MSc Data Science (Statistics).
Professor Paul Baxter: And I'm Professor Paul Baxter. I'm the Director of Education and Training in the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics.
Dr Graham Murphy: Today, we'd like to tell you a little bit more about the MSc Data Science (Statistics) course.
Text on screen: What expertise will I gain through this Masters programme?
Dr Graham Murphy: The program is designed to give you a blend of the knowledge and skills of a data scientist and a statistician.
There's a natural overlap in those skills, obviously, but you can expect to cover programming skills, data management, data ethics and machine learning alongside more traditional statistical methodologies.
Professor Paul Baxter: And we believe this blend of skills is very desirable in today's data-driven world. [It] sets our program apart from many other Data Science Masters.
Text on screen: How does the programme emphasise statistical modelling and theory?
Dr Graham Murphy: The program places a strong emphasis on understanding statistical models and how and when to apply them in data analysis.
You'll explore linear models, multivariate models, Bayesian statistics, and data visualisation and develop your understanding and confidence in those areas. And this, we feel, sets our program apart.
Text on screen: Why is there an emphasis placed on understanding the detail of methodologies?
Dr Graham Murphy: We’ve certainly aimed to provide you with sufficient depth of understanding so that you can not only apply, but understand when to apply the different techniques in data analysis.
So therefore you'll know when you might or might not want to use that particular technique.
Professor Paul Baxter: Taking this approach means you should be well-placed to make meaningful contributions to data analysis and decision-making in practical situations, starting, of course, with the project module.
Text on screen: What will my project look like?
Professor Paul Baxter: Through projects informed by the work of the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics, you will showcase the knowledge you have acquired over the program. Projects are designed to be very much like a real-world problem.
Dr Graham Murphy: They are also shorter than a typical Master's dissertation, roughly a quarter of the size, and the presentation output is usually a poster, along with some other materials. And that means that you can show this to employers as an example of your work.
That type of project is only possible through our collaboration with the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics.
Text on screen: What area of practice would a graduate be suited to?
Dr Graham Murphy: You'll be building a toolbox of techniques, that you understand how to use in data analysis.
But the range of potential applications is very wide. The programme provides you with skills rather than preparing you for a narrow career path.
Professor Paul Baxter: Data Analysts are in demand in the retail sector, in healthcare and medicine, in business analytics as well as in finance and the public sector.
Text on screen: Find out more on the Msc Data Science course page on Coursera.