Data Science

Overview

A brief description of the programme

With the Data Science programme of the University of Oslo, you will be well prepared to face a major challenge in today's society: how to utilize the information contained in the vast amounts of data that are being collected in various areas such as medicine, finance, environment, and social media. The master's programme in Data Science is based on an interdisciplinary background in  statistics (probability theory, inference, machine learning) and computer science (algorithms, visualization, database) in addition to a solid foundation in general mathematics.

Modern data collection is characterised by volume (the amount of data), variety (the many different types of data including numbers, text and videos) and velocity (the dynamic collection and need for processing data). Extracting knowledge and insight from such data requires several different skills. Many tools are available, but the need for an understanding on what these tools do and how they can be applied or modified to a specific problem requires deep methodological understanding of all the topics within the Data Science production chain. This programme will give you a combination of theoretical basis and practical experience, from problem definition to data extraction and preprocessing to analysis and in the end presentation of the results.

The program will focus on both the breadth and specialization in various subjects. The master's programme has the following specializations:

• Statistics and Machine Learning

• Database Integration and Semantic Web

• Data Science and Life Science

• Language Technology

• Digital Image Processing

Career prospects

After studying, you will have a good foundation for working in a number of areas both in private and public sector. Many of our Master's theses are directly linked to the issues and activities of technology companies and institutions in Norway. Some of the master's degree students who achieve very good academic results continue to pursue a research career by taking a doctorate (Ph.D.) at the University of Oslo or a university abroad.