Data Science, Professional Focus University of Liège

Overview

The Data Science, Professional Focus program offers a complete training to the future data scientist. At University of Liège, the program is built around artificial intelligence and its mathematical and computational foundations and is complemented by courses aimed at addressing and practicing the other fundamental skills for a data scientist. The training integrates solid theoretical foundations and their practical implementation. This training also takes into account non-technical aspects that may influence the design, development and maintenance of the data science project such as ethics, legislation, or data governance. These aspects are either addressed in the technical courses or are the subject of courses organized by the relevant faculties. The master's thesis is also an opportunity to demonstrate and refine all of these skills.

The program is structured around :

• a core curriculum consisting of courses in computer science and statistics (probabilistic modeling, machine learning, artificial intelligence, numerical computation, databases) and cross-disciplinary courses (management, law) ;
• advanced elective courses in computer science, statistics, and several fields of expertise (bioinformatics, oceanography, geographic information systems, finance, etc.);
• a master's thesis in a research laboratory or company.

The master of science in data science engineering and the master in data science programs have strictly identical contents. The wording of the degree obtained depends solely on the initial training. The title of engineer in data science is reserved for holders of an undergraduate degree in engineering sciences.

Career

The versatile profile of the data scientist can lead to a career as an expert as well as to decision-making positions in companies. Data scientist profiles are nowadays actively sought after in Belgium and abroad, in startups, in large groups for which the exploitation of data is strategic, or in laboratories and research centers that depend more and more on these profiles to exploit their experimental data.