At last count, the world was creating 402.72 million terabytes of data every day. In layman’s terms, that’s 40 times the entire printed collection of the US Library of Congress.
These endless reams of data contain critical insights that can guide how we design government policies, cure diseases and predict once-in-a-generation weather events, to name a few. Data science is all about analysing, interpreting and extracting value from these datasets to solve challenges in every sector and at every scale.
A data science degree with a difference
Data scientists are mathematical and technical professionals who collect, analyse and interpret different types of data, uncovering patterns and insights that support data-driven decision making.
To become a data scientist, the first step is enrolling in a top-notch degree. At the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), the Master of Data Science and Innovation (MDSI) combines fundamental learning in data science with innovation-led subjects that draw insights from multiple disciplines.
In real terms, this means students master core skills like mathematics and statistics, programming and machine learning and apply them to custom projects that use real-world data and industry insights. Industry partners contribute guest lectures and projects, and students can also tailor their learning to build specialist skills in their chosen data science area.
“The only thing I knew how to do before the MDSI was write an excel formula. It just goes to show that anyone can study data science.”
Caitlin Currey
One of the most valuable aspects of the MDSI is that graduates emerge with the skills to work in multiple industries. While students with domain-specific interests can tailor their project and elective selections to focus on specialist skills development, even generalist degrees offer a genuine entry to a wealth of career opportunities.
“The core skills are the same in every industry, even as the types of data you’ll be working with might change,” says Dr Ali Anaissi, the course coordinator for the MDSI.
“You could go from bioinformatics to smart cities to finance and you’d find the MDSI skills would prepare you for all those different roles.”
Your data science career starts here
In a data-saturated global landscape, skilled data professionals are in high demand. Here in Australia, the Federal Government’s 2023-2024 State of the Service report revealed that 70% of government agencies are facing critical data skills shortages.
Here are five professional pathways the MDSI can prepare you for.
1. Health
Enable faster and more accurate disease diagnosis, more personalised treatment pathways, more accurate prediction of disease outbreaks, and more efficient clinical trial design, to name a few. Beyond the clinical setting, deliver data insights that increase operational efficiencies in health care environments, streamline insurance claims processes or identify health care trends that can help shape government policy.
2. Education
Support teachers to deliver more personalised learning plans. Identify the patterns and other factors that contribute to student success, such as school attendance and engagement, allowing schools to identify at-risk students. Beyond the classroom, support activities such as enrolment forecasting and HR analytics, helping schools to manage class numbers, promote staff development and minimise staffing challenges.
3. Banking and finance
From risk prediction and fraud detection through to trend identification, algorithmic trading, financial forecasting and regulatory compliance, build and deploy the algorithms and models that enable data-driven financial decision making.
4. Aviation
Focus on safety (identifying optimal maintenance schedules, predicting high-risk air traffic control scenarios), efficiency (optimising flight routes or managing airport traffic flow), finance (optimising ticket pricing and marketing strategies) or improving the customer experience (personalising the customer journey, streamlining the airport transit experience), among others.
5. Construction
Help build the cities of the future. Use data insights and predictive models to identify construction process inefficiencies and enable more effective project planning and scheduling. Predict and prevent safety issues and infrastructure breakdowns, reveal the patterns and trends that drive successful construction project bids, and streamline budgeting processes to overcome unnecessary costs.
Data science is for everyone
If you think data science is only accessible to people with high levels of technical literacy, think again. While it might be a straightforward career path for someone with existing interests in IT or computer science, data science is actually something anyone can learn.
Just ask Caitlin Currey, a graduate of the MDSI who now works as a financial analyst for health technology company Heidi Health. Caitlin arrived at UTS with no programming experience; within a few years of graduating, she was contributing to a major finance data infrastructure project at tech giant Canva.
“The only thing I knew how to do before the MDSI was write an excel formula,” says Caitlin, who was previously a chartered accountant.
“It just goes to show that anyone can study data science. There was a subject called Data Science Practice that taught me how to write SQL, Python and R in one semester. Learning those skills changed the way that I work.”
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Awkar Ruel has creativity running through his veins. From a young age, he wanted to be an architect, working in a profession where he could bring the drawings that lived in his imagination into the real world.
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Creative graduates who can thrive within complex and uncertain environments and tackle challenges across disciplines, fields and industries are transforming contemporary workplaces.
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Kirah Godsell was always going to change the world, but it wasn’t until she enrolled at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) that she figured out how.
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Discover what transdisciplinary learning is, why it matters, and how it builds adaptable skills for solving complex real-world challenges.
Webpage
Awkar Ruel has creativity running through his veins. From a young age, he wanted to be an architect, working in a profession where he could bring the drawings that lived in his imagination into the real world.
Webpage
Creative graduates who can thrive within complex and uncertain environments and tackle challenges across disciplines, fields and industries are transforming contemporary workplaces.
Webpage
Kirah Godsell was always going to change the world, but it wasn’t until she enrolled at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) that she figured out how.
Webpage
Discover what transdisciplinary learning is, why it matters, and how it builds adaptable skills for solving complex real-world challenges.