The M.Sc. Data Science degree programme offers the following specialization areas:

• Data-based optimization
• Mathematical theory / Fundamentals of data science
• Databases and knowledge representation
• Machine learning / Artificial intelligence
• Simulation and numerics
• Mathematical statistical data analysis

A student has to select one specialization area as major field of study in which modules of in total 30 ECTS have to be completed.
All other specialization areas form the minor field of study in which modules of in total 20 ECTS have to be completed.

Additionally, there are three core modules of in total 15 ECTS that are mandatory for all students of this degree programme.
This is complemented by technical qualification modules of in total 5 ECTS.

Every student has to complete modules of in total 15 ECTS from the following application subjects:

• Artificial intelligence in biomedical imaging
• Chemistry
• Digital humanities
• Geography
• Geosciences
• International information systems
• Material Science
• Medical data science
• Multimedia Engineering
• Physics

The degree programme is finalized by a Master’s seminar (5 ECTS) that should lead to writing a Master’s thesis (30 ECTS) in the field of Data Science.

At the beginning of the Master’s degree program, one major field of study is selected from the following subject areas as part of an individual study agreement:

• Data-based optimization
• Mathematical theory / Fundamentals of data science
• Databases and knowledge representation
• Machine learning / Artificial intelligence
• Simulation and numerics
• Mathematical statistical data analysis

The other subject areas together form the minor field of study. The courses are mainly taught in English. Every student chooses a mentor at the beginning of the course of study. The mentor gives the student advice how to design the study plan in accordance with the student’s individual interests.

If you still have doubts about choosing the “Data Science” degree program, read through the following statements and consider whether they apply to you.

• As a digital native, the topic of “digitalization” is close to your heart and you are interested in current, data-driven technologyYou have a broad range of interests and feel motivated by many different challenges.
• Mathematics does not scare you, but gives you pleasure. You like to work precisely, formalize ideas, and produce resilient results.
• The ability to understand complex relationships and break them down to the essentials is one of your core competencies, along with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
• You have a strong interest in understanding how human behavior can be captured and even predicted in mathematical models.
• You always wanted to learn programming.
• You are interested in how the underlying mathematical and computer science processes work.

If these points fit you, you will definitely make the right choice with the degree program “Data Science”.

FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg offers unique conditions for the degree program “Data Science”. Due to the strong content-related networking of the departments of mathematics and computer science and the spatial distance of just two minutes on foot, there is a wide range of informatics and mathematics topics available, taught centrally in the degree program. Due to the great variety of subjects at FAU, you can choose your application subject from many different subject areas. This helps you to find your own individual specialization in your studies, and focus on subjects which you are particularly interested in and enjoy.
In addition, the industrial environment of the Nuremberg metropolitan region creates ideal conditions for sustainable and application-oriented studies. And perhaps you will already get to know your future employer during your studies, such as Siemens, Schaeffler or adidas.

With a Master’s degree as a data scientist, many exciting fields of work open up to you in which you can profitably apply your knowledge. You work directly at the interface between man and machine. Here are some examples of industries with potential employers:

• Technology industry (e.g. Google, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM, SAP, Siemens, etc.)
• Consulting industry (e.g. McKinsey, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, etc.)
• Biomedical research companies (e.g. AstraZeneca, Roche, Novartis, Bayer, etc.)
• Logistics industry (Deutsche Post, UPS, DB Mobility Logistics, etc.)
• Energy industry (E.ON, RWE, EDF, etc.)
• Finance and insurance industry (Deutsche Bank, Allianz, Munich Re, etc.)

Due to the high demand for graduates in the field of data science – there is an estimated shortage of over 100,000 experts for data science in Germany alone – graduates can expect a relatively high starting salary when starting their career.

Alternatively, you can further deepen your understanding of data modeling and analysis by choosing to continue with a doctoral degree and thus even advance the current state of research, which will decisively shape the handling of the resource “data” for the coming decades.