What are the benefits of a Data Science degree?

“Data is the new oil,” is an often-heard truism. How we use this resource in the future is of major importance. Services and products need to be “smart” today, they must possess an artificial intelligence based on the successful use of data. As a data scientist, you are at the forefront when it comes to helping to shape this exciting development. You combine classic engineering knowledge with the skills associated with analytics, entrepreneurship and communication into a unique blend. Not only do you have expert skills and knowledge in basic disciplines such as computer science, statistics and mathematics, but also the broad and interdisciplinary domain knowledge to develop innovative data products.

Why study Data Science at the ZHAW?

Even though its roots reach further back, Data Science is a young discipline. The study programmes available in this field are still new. It is specifically its interdisciplinary nature that requires not only the combination of existing programmes, but also an in-depth focus on the intersection of the various fields. Already today, the ZHAW offers a comprehensive study programme that also puts topics in the spotlight that make Data Science much more than the sum of its parts. The ZHAW positions Data Science as an engineering discipline in its own right with a solid foundational education of long-term value in a highly dynamic environment. The programme teaches all aspects ranging from data acquisition, editing and analysis to data-based machine learning to the visualisation and implementation of data products. Advanced aspects such as the responsible handling of data are also part of the curriculum. In the final study year, a wealth of elective modules allows for the application of these fundamentals in the context of various specialised fields and sectors.

Where can I work after graduation?

Amid the ongoing digitalisation, almost every sector is open to you. It seems fair to assume that there are hardly any business sectors that can afford to ignore the importance of using data to adapt their products and services to their customers’ needs, making some of them “smart” in the process. Accordingly, there will be a surge in demand for specialists in the field in the coming years. If you wish to contribute to shaping this age of information, your specialist skills and knowledge and the applied focus of the ZHAW’s study programmes will put you in a pole position. And it is not only large corporations that will welcome you with open arms; many innovative start-up companies have tasked themselves with implementing new, data-driven ideas, transforming entire segments of society in the process. Be a part of it!