Seven Reasons to Get a Ph.D. in Data Science from UVA
Considering a Ph.D. in Data Science? Learn more about the University of Virginia's School of Data Science and the Ph.D. program's benefits from doctoral candidate Bryan Christ, who is part of the first cohort.
1. Small, Collaborative Cohort Experience
One unique element of UVA’s Ph.D. in Data Science is its small, collaborative cohort experience. Many first-year courses are built around collaborative projects, and your classes generally range from 5-15 students. This allows you to get to know your peers well and have a mentorship relationship with your professors.
2. You Do Not Have to Come in with an Advisor
UVA’s Ph.D. in Data Science does not require you to come into the program with a faculty advisor already picked out, which gives you time to explore your interests and find an advisor you mesh well with. The program does provide a faculty mentor to every student, which is a great initial support when you start classes. This freedom to pursue your own research path and find your own advisor is something that is unique relative to other Ph.D. programs. See this article for advice on finding an advisor.
3. The Program is Centered Around Data Science
UVA’s Ph.D. in Data Science is truly a data science program. This makes it distinct from many other Ph.D. programs out there that are in another field like computer science with a concentration in data science or, alternatively, focus on one subject area of data science like business analytics. In turn, you learn a broad range of data science techniques that you can apply to any domain you care about.
4. You Influence the Future Direction of the Program
One exciting element about being part of a new Ph.D. program is being able to influence the program's future direction. With that newness comes some uncertainty, but the School of Data Science is committed to providing Ph.D. students with support and areas for feedback. See this article for examples of ways my cohort has shaped the program's future direction and been given feedback opportunities.
5. Faculty and Fellow Students Come from a Broad Range of Backgrounds
Because the program is centered around data science, faculty, and fellow students come from a broad range of backgrounds, allowing you to learn from and alongside those with diverse perspectives and interests in data science. Not only does this expose you to the veritable cornucopia of applications of data science and provide an enriching classroom experience, but also it allows you to take time to find out what area of data science you want to focus on. Because faculty research interests are so diverse, there will certainly be someone you can work with regardless of how you want to apply data science techniques.
6. UVA Is All-In for Data Science
The donation that founded the School of Data Science was the largest in school history, and UVA is fully committed to helping the school grow. In addition to the brand-new School of Data Science building being built on the corner of Emmet and Ivy, the University has shown continued commitment to the school by, for instance, helping expand access to cloud computing and other resources.
7. Focus on Data Ethics
Throughout the news, we see constant examples of companies that use data science to unethically exploit our data or data science companies that engage in unethical behavior. As part of the Ph.D. program, you will take two ethics courses that will empower you to be an advocate for data ethics. Not only will you learn frameworks surrounding data ethics, but you will also learn how to apply them in your work. This focus on ethics both helps you be a better, more equitable data scientist and shows the School's commitment to training data scientists who integrate ethics into their work.
