studentstory

Meet the Learner in Turkey Who Wants to Advance in Data Science

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 20:53:30 +0000

Meet the Learner in Turkey Who Wants to Advance in Data Science Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/20/2023 - 13:53

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Meet the Video Game Designer Who’s Leveling Up with AI

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Meet the Video Game Designer Who’s Leveling Up with AI Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/20/2023 - 00:00

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Meet the 18-Year-Old Getting His Master’s Degree in Data Science

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Meet the 18-Year-Old Getting His Master’s Degree in Data Science Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/20/2023 - 00:00

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How This Self-Taught Web Developer Went Straight to a Master's Degree

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:00:00 +0000

How This Self-Taught Web Developer Went Straight to a Master's Degree Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/20/2023 - 00:00

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Meet the Statistics Teacher Who's Going Back to School for Data Science

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 20:06:32 +0000

Meet the Statistics Teacher Who's Going Back to School for Data Science Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/29/2023 - 13:06

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Garima Vardhan

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:52:22 +0000

Garima Vardhan Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/09/2022 - 13:52

After receiving her Bachelors in Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering, current MS-DS Coursera student Garima Vardhan spent 11 years working in Product Lifecycle Management, before deciding to enroll in the program in May of 2021. Due to visa constraints, she has been unable to work in the US, but the program has allowed her to utilize this time to further her studies while balancing being a mom. Below, she shares insights into her experience and advice for prospective students.

Can you tell me how the MS-DS on Coursera program fits into your life?
Well, it fits perfectly in my life! I have the flexibility of time as there is no strict deadline for the courses. In some sessions I am fine doing not a single course at all. I can do things according to my pace, which is the best part. Idea is to gain knowledge rather than doing assignments just for grades. I have a 5-year-old at home, so it's definitely not easy to follow deadlines. Also, there is No one-time fees, we can pay as we go. I am sure a lot of students who are currently not working, must be having great relief with this option.

What are your favorite parts of the program?
As I already mentioned about the flexibility of time and payment of fees, on top of that, we all get to learn from our fellow students. We have separate channels on Slack for each course in MSDS and many discussion forums on Coursera which cover a wide range of technical topics, that helps a lot. In fact, I have not attended a single Office hour session in this program till date. Every time I posted my doubts on slack it was answered by some of our fellow students. Nonetheless, we all have to abide by the honor code so we can just give hints and not clearly state the answers. As a part of this program, we also get access to many other courses which are relevant to Data Science, which are available on “�� on Coursera”. That way we can brush up on many other topics side by side. I did some extra courses in R Programming and Python.

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?
I hope to enter the vast field of Data Science after earning this MS degree. The knowledge and skills learned during this Master’s degree will be incredibly valuable in the upcoming job market. I am more interested in areas related to Deep Learning like Natural Language Processing and Speech Recognition.

Would you recommend this program to others?
Absolutely! I vouch for this all the time. Because I have seen many media reports on women being under-represented in the tech field. I think while striking a balance between the personal and professional life, they are busy representing themselves more somewhere else. They have more commitments so can hardly think of committing to a program which has strict deadlines. This will fit perfectly in their lives as well. Even people from non-science backgrounds can undertake this program. There are some basic courses on Linear Algebra and Calculus, once they finish them, they can start working on the core courses related to the Statistics and Data Structures pathway of this program.

What’s one tip you have for students who are starting this program?
This is an online program so the responsibility to do this genuinely lies with us, we must be 100% honest as far as honor code is concerned. Otherwise, we are not going to land anywhere with only a degree on paper and nothing in our head.

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Justin Goff

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:48:17 +0000

Justin Goff Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/09/2022 - 13:48

With a background in programming and data analytics, current Coursera student Justin Goff found himself wanting to learn more. He began looking into different programs, and was drawn to the �� MS-DS on Coursera program because not only would his company cover the majority of the cost, but the flexibility of the program allows him to balance work, his family, and getting his degree. Below, he shares insights into his experience and advice for prospective students.

When did you first enroll in the MS-DS program on the Coursera platform?
I first enrolled on 08/22/2022 for the Fall 1 session this year. I am taking the computer science pathway. I am currently in the Fall 2 session, taking the second course, Trees and Graphs.

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?
I graduated from Appalachian State University in 2007 with dual BSBA degrees in Business Management & Computer Information Systems. Since then, I have owned and operated two different businesses for over ten years, worked at Lowes Corporate as a programmer, and am currently at Aeroflow Healthcare as a Senior eCommerce Solutions Architect and Senior Data Scientist.

What initially drew you to this program?
Throughout the last 15 years of experience, I have often found myself heavily involved with various Data Analytics, Engineering, and Architect related tasks. This all came to a head while I was architecting and coding for a massive data migration at Aeroflow Healthcare a few years ago. It was so successful that Aeroflow promoted me to focus more exclusively on Data Science related Architecture and coding projects at Aeroflow.

However, it quickly became apparent how much I needed to learn. While there are many areas of data science I have a lot of experience with, there are many other areas I have little to no experience.
I initially looked to remedy this with select certificate courses on Coursera. However, as my interest in learning more subjects grew, I estimated that the list I organized for myself would take 3 to 4 years. At this point, I wondered if an official Master's in Data Science would cover the same areas for a similar period. In most programs I looked into, I found that was the case.

The more I researched the master's programs, the more I felt that it would be a more significant benefit to get official graduate credit for my courses instead of stacking a long list of certificates that don't carry as much official weight. I narrowed my search to the MADS program at the University of Michigan and the MS-DS program at �� Boulder. The more manageable cost and elective flexibility of the MS-DS at �� Boulder were the catalysts that made me ultimately choose it. I am interested in learning more about the Data Engineer, Architect, and Machine Learning side of the field. So I loved that there were so many options to specialize in these areas with core and elective classes. I took the recommendation to take some Python and Math refresher prerequisites courses before starting. I did those courses for about six months on Coursera, then started the MS-DS program officially during the Fall 1 session this year, 2022.

Can you tell me how the MS-DS on Coursera program fits into your life?
In a nutshell, the flexibility, affordability, and organization are my favorite parts of the program. I love how easy and manageable it is to mold the experience to my busy schedule. While at the same time, it's challenging enough to push me to learn effectively. The way the courses are organized, where you can accomplish daily bite-sized goals, helps with motivation and the ability to stay on track. Adding this extra work to my already busy schedule is hard, but not having to worry about the overall direction of my learning like I would if self-taught is enormously helpful. I am interested in learning more about the Data Engineer, Architect, and Machine Learning side of the field. So I loved that there were so many options to specialize in these areas with core and elective classes. Finally, the total degree cost of 20k was reasonable. It will likely take me about four years to complete, and my employer has agreed to pay up to 5k a year, which would cover almost the whole degree.

Is there a specific project you have worked on that stands out to you?
I have a love-hate relationship with the end-of-week python assignments. In many cases, they have been very hard for me and have taken me longer than I would like. However, this extra pressure helps me retain the information and learn different ways to solve problems that will help me later in my degree and career. This pressure reminds me of how it is at my job and past jobs. The pressure is often where you learn the most and grow. No pain, no gain, as they say!

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?
I hope to fill in the gaps in data science knowledge I cannot get in my daily work. Data Science is a large field, and it's impossible to work in all areas. This degree will help me be fresh and exposed to those topics I lack exposure to at work.

Would you recommend this program to others?
Yes!

What’s one tip you have for students who are starting this program?
If you think you need the prerequisite courses, then you probably do. Don't rush things. You can take your time with the prerequisite refreshers before starting. It will pay off in the long run!

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John McKay

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:44:47 +0000

John McKay Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/09/2022 - 13:44

Whether he’s living off-grid, running a tugboat, or traveling the world, current Coursera student John McKay chose the �� Boulder MS-DS On Coursera program because it allowed him to earn his degree from anywhere. Whether he is analyzing forecasted surf conditions to learning about the environment through data, the program allows him to combine a variety of his interests. Most recently, he has been working on a data mining project looking at the movement of the front lines of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Below, he shares his experience and advice for prospective students.

When did you first enroll in the MS-DS program on the Coursera platform?
I enrolled in the first session available, I believe May 2021.

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?
I studied physics and astronomy at a Canadian university. I worked with several nuclear physics research groups, where I did both computational modeling (theory) and experimental nuclear physics.

What initially drew you to this program?
I moved to a very remote community during the pandemic, far from any university where I could study. I wanted to be able to pursue a master's degree while still living in an environment where I could take advantage of the access to the wild parts of the country I love so much. The �� Boulder MSDS program allows me to study anywhere, whether I'm at an off-grid cabin, a ship at sea or traveling the world.

Can you tell me how the MS-DS on Coursera program fits into your life?
It's the same answer as the previous question, really. I work part-time as the skipper of a tugboat in very remote parts of the country. The MS-DS program lets me work on the boat during the day, and then do my studies in the evening.

What are your favorite parts of the program?
I really have enjoyed the project-based parts of the courses, like the tool I developed in DTSA 5304 which visualized the forecast surf conditions for a business in my town.

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?
I would like to collaborate with non-profits and research organizations. I have wide ranging interests, including environmental projects here on the west coast of Canada; data journalism, especially conflict journalism (e.g. Ukraine, Afghanistan, etc); and motorsport (race strategy, etc).

Would you recommend this program to others?
I think that the program is great for people that are highly self-disciplined and independent.

What’s one tip you have for students who are starting this program?
Get involved in the Slack group! It's nice to get to know some students in your cohort and they will almost certainly have similar questions to you!

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Erik

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:34:39 +0000

Erik Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/09/2022 - 13:34

Starting in high school, Erik, a graduate of the �� Boulder MS-DS on Coursera program, developed his own IT company. After working as a paramedic and studying physics, he later returned to working with computers. Performance-based admissions allowed him to get the degree he wanted without having to worry about academic credits. Below, he shares his experience and advice for prospective students.

When did you first enroll in the MS-EE program on the Coursera platform?
I enrolled in the program as soon as it was available. In fact, I enrolled in the first course for non-credit already before the program officially started at the end of January 2021.

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?
I founded my first IT company during high-school. After the high school diploma, I worked during my civilian service as a paramedic and started studying physics. But before graduating I discontinued study and concentrated on my company. After various positions and companies in IT, I’ve worked since 2008 as a freelance IT and business consultant.

What initially drew you to this program?
In my opinion machine learning and data science in general is impacting IT and also our way of living heavily. I am also influenced by Rifkin and Bostrom and this drew me to massive open online courses and ai. After some great courses from Andrew Ng and others I want to dive a little deeper in this area and searched for relevant online master degrees which are challenging and possible to combine with full-time work and family. I found this great program from �� Boulder and was waiting for 2 years or so to finally get started. Beside the flexibility of the program a major reason to choose this program was the performance-based admission. Because I discontinued my study in physics before my diploma and this was before we switched in Europe to the bachelor and master system, I have no valid academic credits and had otherwise to start again from bachelor or need to go through a bureaucratic nightmare.

Can you tell me how the MS-DS on Coursera program fits into your life?
For me it was a perfect fit. The flexibility is awesome. I always start a course non-credit on Coursera and can proceed as fast or slow as I want and when it fits into my life – no matter what.

What are your favorite parts of the program?
Before I started, it was the flexibility and performance-based admission. Now after finishing the program, I definitely have to add the faculty as my favorite.

Is there a specific project you have worked on that stands out to you?
There are a lot of challenging projects and topics I worked on. To name just a few, some small but great projects during the basic computer science courses which helped to get a deep understanding of fundamentals. Also, I really enjoyed the ethics course and I realized some sometimes too big projects during the machine learning courses

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?
Because I already work, the formal diploma will not have a direct impact on my career. But it will help me to do a hopefully better job and probably also change the focus of my work more towards data science topics.

Would you recommend this program to others?
Definitely. But it depends of course on your situation and way of learning if it’s a fit for you. If you are an autodidact and you are aware that this is a professional master degree without a thesis and that you have to pay for its great.

What’s one tip you have for students who are starting this program?
Take courses first non-credit and switch to for-credit if you are sure to pass the final shortly and do it sequentially one after the other. So, you have maximum flexibility without deadline pressure.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would thank all professors, faculty and people behind the scenes who make this program possible. Students should do the peer reviews and feedback thoughtful to be helpful and fair to others.

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Dong Zhang

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:32:26 +0000

Dong Zhang Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/09/2022 - 13:32

With 19 years of work experience as a computer engineer and programmer, Coursera student Dong Zhang decided to pursue his interest in machine learning and computer vision by getting his masters in Data Science. Below, he shares his experience and advice for prospective students.

When did you first enroll in the MS-DS program on the Coursera platform?
Spring 2022

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?
Bachelor degree in Computer Science and Technology, and have 19 years of work experience as software engineer/programmer.

What initially drew you to this program?
Interest in Machine Learning and Computer Vision

Can you tell me how the MS-DS on Coursera program fits into your life?
The flexibility of online courses without fixed schedules balances very well among learning, working and private life.

What are your favorite parts of the program?
The courses I have so far are with high quality in both video courses and quiz/assignments.

Is there a specific project you have worked on that stands out to you?
I like the auto-graded assignments in the CS courses, they are very well designed, quite challenging. And without the drawbacks of peer-review.

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?
To switch my job/career to DS/Computer Vision related area.

Would you recommend this program to others?
Yes

What’s one tip you have for students who are starting this program?
Don’t rush, take your time to enjoy the learning and get the most of it.

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