Data Science (Master)

Degree	Master of Science
Standard duration of study	4 semesters
Language of instruction	English
Start of programme	winter and summer semester
Admission	restricted admission (special admission requirements)

Today, the science of gaining knowledge and insight from data is so highly advanced that it forms its own field: data science. The study of data science combines computer science, mathematics and various applied subjects from which you can choose. Because of the fascination for these methods and their importance for business, technology and research, data scientist is often considered the ”hottest job” of our time.

What is special about TU Braunschweig?

Combination of mathematics and computer science

The curriculum of the “Data Science” degree programme includes courses offered by the departments of Computer Science and Mathematics. Through the application subjects, all other faculties of TU Braunschweig also participate in the study programme. As one of the first universities in Germany, TU Braunschweig has been offering the study of computer science since 1972; and mathematics has always been taught at TU Braunschweig. Since 2018, there is already the area of specialisation “Mathematics of Data Science” as part of the Master’s programme in Mathematics. The English Master’s programme in Data Science is thus — unlike at other locations — a combination of the fundamentals of mathematics, relevant areas of computer science, and a variety of application subjects from the entire portfolio of TU Braunschweig.

Examples of these application subjects are

engineering,
biology/chemistry/pharmacy,
medicine and
image and signal processing.

Further application subjects are being prepared.

Short distances

At TU Braunschweig, you can expect very good supervision in the Data Science degree programme. Our modern computer science centre combines almost all computer science institutes under one roof. The institutes of mathematics are all located in the so-called Forum Building close by. This means everything is within easy reach, making it possible to contact your lecturers easily. The centre offers modern facilities with well-equipped computer workstations and lecture rooms.

Focus on application and research

Focus on application and research go hand in hand: Whether it is a seminar, internships or even working on research projects at the individual institutes, the acquisition and training of so-called key skills are a top priority. Technische Universität Braunschweig is located in one of Europe's research hotspots. Renowned research institutions and several major companies in the region form an ideal environment for studying with a strong focus on application. Moreover, the Data Science degree programme has clear and distinct connections to all four core research areas of TU Braunschweig. In each of these four areas the growing importance of digitalisation is becoming more visible each day. In the area of mobility methods for the analysis of data are pivotal for new concepts in autonomous driving and flying. In the area of research on infectious diseases data driven methods are important tools to understand pathogens and their interaction with the body. Methods of data analysis also play an important role for investigating the complex problems of modern city development and to solve them in a sustainable way. Last but not least, data driven methods are applied in metrology to scrutinize and assess different phenomena in the technology of measurement.

Information on the study programme

Core areas

The study programme comprises 3 core areas:

the education in fundamental research in mathematics, with emphasis on mathematical foundations for data analysis,
the education in fundamental research in computer science, with an emphasis on data processing, data analysis, and data management, and
application subjects in which these fundamental techniques are put into practice.

Ramp-up courses in mathematics and computer science bring students with different previous degrees to a comparable level in order to make the entire range of the Data Science degree programme accessible to them. A wide freedom of choice in the three core areas of the programme allows students to set a focus and to develop their own profile. Seminars, practical courses and projects implement practical, project-based and research-oriented learning and train the application of theoretical knowledge to practical problems. A six-month Master’s thesis at the end of the Master's programme constitutes an independent scientific research work under expert supervision at one of the institutes in computer science or mathematics, usually in connection with an application area.

Structure of the Data Science study programme

Those who have gained experience abroad and speak a foreign language are particularly sought after by the economy. Today, large companies operate globally, research projects are carried out in international teams and specialised literature is written in English. It is therefore important that you take advantage of your studies to gain experience abroad and to professionalise your foreign language skills.

Studying abroad [in German only]

To think in a logical and analytical as well as creative and constructive way is a distinctive ability shared by computer scientists and mathematicians. In case you enjoyed your Bachelor’s programme with mathematical and/or computer science content, you probably have the right mindset for the Data Science degree programme. Programming skills in at least one of the usual programming languages are a prerequisite. Your willingness to collaborate with others and a genuine interest to engage with the way of thinking in other disciplines will also be of great value. Eventually, in your professional life teamwork and collaboration across disciplines will be ubiquitous. English language skills are required for the Master’s programme in Data Science .

Employment perspectives for data scientists are outstanding. And they are expected to become even better in the future as computer science and mathematics are of increasing importance in (almost) all application areas. According to a study of the Bitkom, the professional association of the digital industry in Germany, commissioned by the consultancy and auditing company KPMG a specialisation in data science is in particularly high demand. The new profession of data scientist is often considered the “sexiest (or hottest) job of the 21st century”.

The most common careers are the following:

data scientists in industry, across all areas where large amounts of data are processed
scientist in research and teaching
management or business analytics (thanks to experience in working with data and machine learning in particular)
consulting
adjacent fields

Admission requirements and application

In order to be admitted to this Master’s degree programme, you need to have a Bachelor’s degree in the same or a closely-related discipline. You can find more information on the admission requirements in our admission regulations. Please carefully read the information provided before you submit your application!

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