MSc Data Science Course- Admission, Fees, Colleges, Syllabus, Jobs, salary and Future Scope

Updated October 18, 2022

MSc Data Science is a two-year interdisciplinary degree program including Calculus, Descriptive Statistics and C-Programming. The program focuses on the study of applying advanced analytics techniques and scientific principles to extract valuable information from noisy, structured and unstructured data for business decision-making, strategic planning and other uses. 

Candidates who are Bachelor’s degree holders in either Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science or Engineering science can pursue MSc in Data Science. Admission to the program is mainly made based on merit obtained in the qualifying examination, followed by a skill assessment test or personal interview. Some institutions also accept students through university-level standard entrance tests.

MSc Data Science Course Details

The table below presents the major highlights of the Master of Science in Data Science Program.

MSc in Data Science Eligibility Criteria

Listed below are the eligibility criteria that candidates must meet for pursuing the Master of Science in Data Science program Common. 

• Aspirants must have completed Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics or engineering from any recognized college/university in India.
• They must have secured at least 50% aggregate marks at their graduate level examination.
• Aspirants in their final semester can also apply if they pursue the courses mentioned above.

M.Sc. in Data Science Admission Process

The admission process for the program differs from institution to institution. Admission to this research-based interdisciplinary program is usually made based on merit obtained at the graduation level. However, some institutions also grant access to the program based on the entrance exam performance of the candidates.

Different institutions follow different admission processes, for instance:

• Christ University, Fergusson College, etc., consider marks of qualifying examinations (graduation Exam) and take Skill Assessment through a Written Test, followed by a Personal Interview.
• GITAM University, Manipal University, etc., grant access to the program through their university-level Common Entrance Tests such as MET, GSAT, etc.
• VIT, Vellore admits students based on merit obtained in qualifying examinations, followed by a Counselling session and a Personal Interview.

Hence, it can be said that the admission process is college-specific and different institutions consider different assessments in their selection process. So, candidates are suggested to visit the official website of the respective institution they have selected for admission.

Top Colleges for MSc Data Science in India

Government and private colleges that offer MSc Data Science Courses are in significant numbers. Below are a few of the best MSc Data Science Colleges in India.

• Fergusson College, Pune
• Loyola College   Chennai
• Amity University, Gurgaon
• Christ University, Bangalore
• Manipal University, Manipal       
• University of Kalyani, Kalyani      
• Techno India University, Kolkata
• GITAM University, Visakhapatnam           
• Chandigarh University, Chandigarh
• Annamalai University, Chidambaram
• Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore                

Popular MSc Data Science Entrance Exams

Numerous Universities conduct entrance exams or tests to select students for Master of Science in Data Science courses. Some of the popular entrance tests for the program are listed below.

• MET (Manipal Entrance Test)
• NIMSEE (NIMS entrance exam)
• GSAT (GITAM Science Admission Test
• CUEE (Christ University Entrance Exam)
• CUCET (Central Universities Common Entrance Test)
• JNUEE (Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Examination)
• IITJAM (Indian Institute of Technology Joint Admission test for Masters)

Tuition Fees for MSc Data Science Course

The average course fee for the Master of Science in Data Science program stands around 1 to 4 lakh per annum depending on the institution candidates have selected for admission. However, some institution like Annamalai University also charges around 30000 for the entire Course. Essentially, the fee structure for the program depends on the reputation of the colleges/university regarding education quality and job placement guarantee.

Master of Science in Data Science Syllabus

The syllabus and course curriculum of the Master of Science in Data Science Program covers the nuances of Calculus, Descriptive Statistics and C Programming in which the latest technologies like ML, DL, Python and Spark are taught thoroughly. The Table below presents you with the semester-wise breakup of the MSc Data Science course syllabus.

Particulars of MSC Data Science Syllabus

Future Scope of MSc Data Science Course

Data Science is one of the most sought-after courses at the current time. The students and even the professionals are also shifting their interest in this domain because of the vast career scope and high demand for skillful and professional data scientists in India and abroad. Post pursuing the program, candidates are offered an average salary of around 5 to 20 lakh per annum. Data scientist professionals are in high demand in all leading industries worldwide, such as finance, marketing, Banking, IT, etc.

This rapid growth in the data science field will not slow down anytime soon because analyzing and extracting big data is crucial for business decision-making, strategic planning and other uses. The future and scope of data science will grow with time because big data plays a vital role in the day-to-day commerce and digital industry. It simply means that the requirement for skillful professionals to meet the challenges of data science, data analytics, and similar roles will keep increasing.

Besides numerous career options with substantial earning potential, the candidates after MSc in data science can also go for higher education in the related field. These advanced courses bring expertise and make the candidates eligible to teach in colleges and universities and for the managerial role. Some options for higher education after an MSc in Data Science are a PhD in Computer Science, a PhD in Computer Applications, MBA in Business Analytics, MBA in IT, etc.

MSc Data Science Jobs & Career

After completing the program, candidates can establish careers in the big data, computer science and IT industries. The prominent employment areas that recruit Data Science postgrads are tech companies, consultancies, market research companies, energy sectors and many others. Below are some of the top profiles candidates can aspire to after pursuing this postgraduate program.

• Data Analyst
• Data Scientist    
• Data Engineer   
• Data Architect   
• Data Developer
• Data Science Teacher     
• Data Mining Engineer                   
• Statistical Programmer  
• Database Administrator
• Machine Learning Engineer         

Postgraduates in MSc Data Science Salary

The initial salary offered to the postgraduates in M.Sc. data Science ranges from 5 to 20 lakh per annum, depending on their specializations and the organizations they work for. However, with gaining some experience in the field, their salary increases. Listed below are some top job roles offered to the MSc Data Science candidates with their average salary structure.   

• Data Analyst:- INR 5 Lakh Per Annum
• Data Scientist:- INR 7 Lakh Per Annum
• Data Engineer:- INR 9 Lakh Per Annum
• Data Developer:- INR 6 Lakh Per Annum
• Data Architect:- INR 20 Lakh Per Annum
• Data Science Teacher:- INR 8 Lakh Per Annum    
• Data Mining Engineer:- INR 6 Lakh Per Annum
• Statistical Programmer:- INR 5 Lakh Per Annum
• Database Administrator:- INR 10 Lakh Per Annum
• Machine Learning Engineer:- INR 10 Lakh Per Annum

FAQs on M.Sc. in Data Science Course

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