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Student Perspective: Favorite Things About the MSDS Online Program
When I was looking for a master’s program in data science, there were three “must-have” things on my checklist: smaller class sizes, professors at the top of their field, and an institution with a good reputation.
I knew UVA's reputation because I was an undergraduate here, but I have been happily surprised at some of my favorite parts of the program, including the support and community I've found.
Student Support Systems
I was incredibly intimidated by the degree because I didn’t have a coding or statistics background. Over the past three semesters, I relied heavily on office hours with professors, the complimentary tutoring program, and my peers to learn and succeed. I never felt like I was so stuck that I would never make it to the other end, and that allowed me to build confidence in my skills.
Community
This one was a bit surprising for me; because the program is online, I didn’t expect to connect very much with my classmates or professors. The first semester had a few group projects and weekly small group discussions that put us randomly together, and this was a great way to get to know each other.
I was happy to see how willing everyone was to connect outside of class times, keep up group chats, and just get to know each other. It feels a bit like my remote job, and although I don’t see my classmates in person, the people I’ve built relationships with are now friends.
Social + Data Science
Lastly, I have enjoyed learning from professors who are at the intersection of social and data science. Each faculty member has a unique background, some are more technical, and some have backgrounds in political science or public health. They have become experts in data science through practice.
Professors teach real-world examples and applications; for example, professor Jon Kropko, the program director, has a political science background, and we analyzed in his class the American National Election Studies data while learning how to clean and visualize data. The faculty diversity in experience makes each class unique and interesting, and it’s been amazing for professors to show us their interests and research alongside the curriculum.
