Course summary

In today’s world, almost every interaction we have is through digital technology—whether it’s on a computer, smartphone, camera, or smartcard. These interactions create data, which can be analysed to improve decision-making, systems, and research. Thanks to advancements in technology, computational power, and machine intelligence, a new field has emerged: Data Science. Instead of just focusing on business metrics or financial markets, we’re now analyzing data about people and the world they live in. As Jake Porway, Executive Director of DataKind, explains: “A data scientist is a rare combination of a computer scientist, who can build software to manage data from various sources, and a statistician, who knows how to extract valuable insights from that data. They prototype new ideas and ask the most important questions about what the data can reveal.” This course is designed for people like this. Built on the expertise of the Mathematics and Computer Science departments, this program blends new technologies, groundbreaking research, and fresh scientific perspectives to prepare you to shape the future of society in meaningful ways.