MSc Data Science at University of the Witwatersrand

Programme overview

The MSc by Coursework and Research Report in the field of Data Science gives students an interdisciplinary perspective on the emerging fields of Data Science, which integrates a number of relevant disciplines such as statistics, computing, communication, management, and sociology to turn data into actionable insights. The coursework covers topics including statistical modeling, machine learning, data visualization, big data technologies, data ethics, and domain-specific applications, equipping students with the skills to analyze and interpret complex datasets and drive data-informed decision-making. Why Data Science?

Faculty: Science | Department: Computer Science and Applied Mathematics | Duration: Full-time: 1 year coursework and 1 year research. Part-time: 2 years coursework and 1 to 2 years research | Study mode: full-time | Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

What you will study

Compulsory courses:; COMS7061A Research Report: Data Science [After completing coursework]; COMS7047A Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning; COMS7055A Data Privacy and Ethics; COMS7056A Data Visualisation and Exploration; COMS7060A Research Methods and Capstone Project in Data Science; COMS7063A Statistical Foundations of Data Science; 2 Electives from:; COMS7041A Applications of Algorithms; C

Career pathways

A master's degree in data science opens diverse career opportunities across industries. Graduates can work as data scientists, analysts, or engineers, leveraging advanced statistical, machine learning, and programming skills to extract insights from data.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Minimum Entry Requirements The below outlines the minimum entry requirements for admission to the programme. Candidates not meeting any of the points will not be admitted; however, meeting these criteria does not guarantee admission. The programme is unfortunately competitive, and priority will be given to applicants based on academic merit. Applicants require a minimum average of 75 percent. Applicants are required to have a Bachelor of Science with Honours degree from a relevant discipline in Science (Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics) or a relevant NQF level 8 qualification. Or a relevant Professional Engineering Degree with demonstrable knowledge of basic principles of Algorithms, Computing, Calculus, Linear Algebra, Probability and Statistics equivalent to 2nd Year Mathematics and 2nd Year Computer Science (see FAQ for more details on the equivalence). Candidate

Tuition is charged per module, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Postgraduate applications are made online at www.wits.ac.za/applications; the closing date for each programme is listed in its course finder entry. The application fee is R200 (not payable by current Wits students applying online), paid via the Self-Service Portal or by EFT to the Wits University Application Fees account at FNB.

Apply through the official page: https://www.wits.ac.za/applications

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