UWC Data Science Brochure

MASTERS IN STATISTICAL SCIENCE
with Specialisation in Data Science

MASTERS IN STATISTICAL SCIENCE
(with Specialisation in Data Science)

The Statistics and Population Studies Department at UWC
in collaboration with the Centre for Business, Mathematics
and Informatics at Northwest University (NWU), has
launched a Masters programme in Statistical Science with
specialisation in Data Science. This new and exciting
programme is sponsored by Sanlam and SAS.

WHAT IS
DATA SCIENCE?

Data Science is an interdisciplinary
field incorporating Statistics,
Computer Science and
Mathematics to solve complex
problems using advanced analytics.
The advanced analytical algorithms
are developed and used to answer
various questions by using large
quantities of both structured and
unstructured data.

WHY STUDY DATA SCIENCE?

The demand for Data Scientists from industry and the IT
world has increased considerably. As a well-developed Data
Scientist you will have very scarce skills that are globally
sought-after, and can be used to address interesting and
important problems.

WHY STUDY DATA SCIENCE AT UWC?

The Data Science field is industry-driven – and therefore this
degree has been developed with industry partnerships in
place. The dedication of significant resources in terms of both
IT and financial support from our partners, SAS and Sanlam,
helps students master the complexities of Data Science.

HOW WILL I BENEFIT?

In this professional training programme which develops
students for the business environment, you will obtain:
• An MSc Statistical Science degree (with specialisation in

Data Science).
• High-level technical analytical skills.
• Experience in solving complex industry problems.
• Soft skills development.
• Excellent programming skills.
• Experience in big data analytics.

Our programme is gaining recognition in industry as our
students complete their research projects in companies
solving real-world problems. This is a win-win situation for
both academia and industry as we are producing students
who are more “industry-ready” when they graduate.

WHERE CAN I WORK?

Data Scientists mostly work in large companies, but the typical
job description can vary between companies. The job
description according to SAS could include the following:
• Collecting large amounts of unruly data and transforming it

into a more usable format.
• Solving business-related problems using data-driven

techniques.
• Looking for order and patterns in data, as well as spotting

trends that can help a business’s bottom line.

Want to know more? Visit https://www.sas.com/en_za/
insights/analytics/what-is-a-data-scientist.html

DO I QUALIFY?

MSc in Statistical Science (with specialisation in Data Science)
admission requirements:
• Honours degree or equivalent in Statistical or Computer Science.

During the final selection process preference will be given
to applicants who have completed:
• Third-year level Statistics.
• Second-year level Mathematics.
• Postgraduate level Statistical Learning.
• Postgraduate level Machine Learning Knowledge.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

• Five exciting business analytics and programming modules.
• An industry-directed research project.
• A real-world industry project.

WHERE DO I APPLY?

Apply online via the University of the Western Cape website
(www.uwc.ac.za).

STUDENT IMPRESSIONS OF
THE PROGRAMME:

“So far, it has been great and challenging – just as I had
expected. I am learning a lot." – SAMUEL MUBENGA
"The best part of it is that we get to do projects in the real
business world – which is what we all want when studying."

– YUSRIE SADAN

“I have always loved mathematics – so I am enjoying this
programme very much. It's taking us places, which is really
exciting." – TAYLA WANNENBERG

From left: MSc students Samuel Mubenga,
Yusrie Sadan and Tayla Wannenberg.

CONTACT US

Prof Renette Blignaut
Department of Statistics and Population Studies
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 021 959-3034
Find us at the Computational and Mathematical Sciences
Building (CAMS) – North Campus

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