Overview
The programme aims to provide graduate level education with an interdisciplinary approach as regards the management, visualization and processing of big data as well as the relevant computational techniques and technologies and is targeted towards graduates and professionals who wish to broaden their knowledge in the field.
For almost half a century now, the world has been producing and collecting data in digital form. However, the past decade hardware and network advances have allowed for very large, cost-effective storage and powerful processing as well as fast transfer speeds. At the same time, scientists have been developing software tools for the analysis of big and complex data, to extract valuable knowledge from them. The goal of data scientists is to make sense of large volumes of different forms of real-world data that may come from the entire spectrum of human activity.
Data Science nowadays is an “umbrella term” that encompasses a variety of scientific fields. Essentially, it is an interdisciplinary field that combines a multitude of different disciplines, some of the most important being the following:
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
- Statistics & Mathematics
- Database and Big Data technology
- Software Development & Algorithmics
However, the above list is not exhaustive, as a data scientist often needs to employ other skills, such as hacking, coding, critical thinking, problem understanding etc. All those make the job of the data scientist to be a mashup of different skills that are rarely found together.
Students who apply for the MSc in Data Science of the International Hellenic University, are mainly graduates with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) or an Economics degree, who have a background in statistics and a good knowledge of fundamental concepts of databases and programming.
The courses of the programme are taught exclusively in English. The academic staff comes from Universities in Greece and abroad.
Official Government Gazette:
Application deadline: 15 September 2024.
Campus: Thermi, Thessaloniki
Taught language: English
Entry requirements: An undergraduate degree from an accredited University
Language requirements: English language knowledge documented with a relevant certificate, corresponding at least to the State Certificate of Language Learning Level B2 or other certificate proving good knowledge of English. Holders of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at a Foreign University in English are exempt from this obligation.
Fees: 3,700€ (total)
How to apply: Applications system
Programme announcement: ENG | GR
Who can apply
To be considered for the programme, candidates are required to have:
- An undergraduate degree from a Higher Education Institution in Greece or a recognized institution from abroad. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degrees are deemed to be compatible with the programme. However, other degrees are also considered in case of solid background in statistics/mathematics and good knowledge of fundamental concepts of databases and programming. Students who owe a small number of courses to obtain the degree, if accepted, have the right to enroll in the Postgraduate Program only if they submit a certificate of completion of studies by the deadline for their registration.
- English language knowledge documented with a relevant certificate, corresponding at least to the State Certificate of Language Learning Level B2 or other certificate proving good knowledge of English. Holders of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at a Foreign University in English are exempt from this obligation.
Courses
The MSc in Data Science Programme comprises two (2) semesters of courses and one (1) semester for preparing the postgraduate thesis for full-time students, and four (4) semesters of courses and one (1) semester for preparing the postgraduate thesis for part-time students.
Students can be included in the process of preparing a postgraduate dissertation only If they have been examined in all courses of the first and second semester of the Postgraduate Programme. All courses are delivered in English.
Ninety (90) European credit units (ECTS) are required to obtain the master’s degree, which are accumulated with the participation of postgraduate students in all activities of the programme, as described in the following table.
| Course | Semester | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Database Systems | 1 | Compulsory |
| Data Science for Business: Theory and Practice | 1 | Compulsory |
| Machine Learning Principles and Concepts | 1 | Compulsory |
| Programming for Data Science | 1 | Compulsory |
| Statistical Methods for Data Science | 1 | Compulsory |
| Advanced Machine Learning | 2 | Compulsory |
| Data Mining | 2 | Compulsory |
| Time Series Forecasting | 2 | Compulsory |
| Big Data and Cloud Computing | 2 | Elective |
| Consulting Project | 2 | Elective |
| Exploratory Data Analysis and Visualization | 2 | Elective |
| Information Retrieval | 2 | Elective |
| Knowledge Management in the Web | 2 | Elective |
| Multimedia Data Analysis | 2 | Elective |
| Natural Language Processing and Text Mining | 2 | Elective |
| Social Media and Online Community Management | 2 | Elective |
The Dissertation
During the third term, students work on their Masters Dissertation project, the thematic area of which is relevant to their programme of studies and their interests. The dissertation provides a good opportunity to apply theory and concepts learned in different courses to a real-world Data Science problem or challenge. Students are supervised throughout their projects by a member of the academic faculty and the academic assistants. After submission of the dissertation, students present their projects to classmates and faculty at a special event.
Duration of studies
The duration of the full-time study programme in order to obtain the Master’s degree is three (3) academic semesters. For students who so wish, there is also the possibility, upon request, of attending the programme on a part–time basis. In this case, the duration of the programme will be five (5) academic semesters.
Lectures mainly take place on weekday evenings, usually after 17:00, and perhaps on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings. The programme is also available through distance learning.
Summative assessment: Students will be typically required to be physically present at the University for the final exams at the end of each semester.
Quality Policy
Study Guide
Programme Regulation
Handling Objections and Complaints
Students’ Complaints Procedure
Students who wish to make a complaint concerning the quality of an academic programme, any related service or member of the academic or administrative staff should first do so at the local level, by raising the issue with the individual, department or service provider directly involved. Issues of concern may often be resolved more quickly and effectively at this stage.
If a student decides to make a complaint, this will be taken seriously, and confidentiality will be respected. Investigations will be carried out thoroughly and the issue determined fairly by someone who is not directly involved in the complaint. It should be noted, however, that complaint resolution may not be possible without revealing the identity of the complainant to the subject of the complaint and anonymous complaints will not be investigated. Allegations which are found to be unsubstantiated or malicious will be dismissed.
Appeal Committee
Students are entitled to submit an appeal to an Appeal Committee, appointed by the Governing Board, with respect to any decision concerning their status at the University. A student submitting an appeal is invited to exercise his/her right to be heard, according to Article 6 of the Greek Administrative Procedure Code.
Appeal Committee examines any appeals against decisions of the Governing Board and/or the General Assembly of the School according to Article 24 of the Greek Administrative Code of Procedure.
Student Ombudsman
Students also have the right to appeal to the Student Ombudsman. There are three independent offices under the name “Student Ombudsman” at I.H.U: a) at the University Campus of Thessaloniki, b) at the University Campus of Serres, and c) at the University Campus of Kavala.
Administration
Director
- Assoc. Prof. Christos Tjortjis
Steering Committee
- Assoc. Prof. Christos Tjortjis
- Prof. Panayiotis Bozanis
- Prof. Maria Drakaki
- Assoc. Prof. Tzetzis
- Asst. Prof. Spiros Papakostas
The Academic Faculty
Faculty members
Full Professor, Dean
Full Professor, Deputy Dean
Full Professor
Associate Professor
Other Research and Teaching Personnel
Collaborating Instructors
Full Professor
Full Professor
Full Professor
Full Professor
Fees & Financing
Fees
The programme fees for the MSc in Data Science is 3,700€. The amount is payable in two instalments for the full time mode or in four instalments for the part time mode at the beginning of each semester. The fees are also eligible for financing through LAEK 0,45% – OAED programme.
Deposits
If you have been accepted to a postgraduate programme, you will need to make a payment of the deposit of 500 Euros to secure your place. This amount will count towards the first instalment of your tuition fees. The deposit is non-refundable once you have commenced your studies at the IHU. Prior to that, a refund can be made but a 20% administrative fee will be retained. The deposit can be paid by bank transfer or bank draft. Credit card payments can be made through electronic banking (contact your Bank as handling fees may apply).
Scholarships
The School of Science & Technology offers a number of scholarships for the programmes it offers, covering a significant proportion of the fees. These scholarships are competitive. Award criteria include the quality of the first degree, the undergraduate grades of the candidate, his/her command of the English language and overall profile. Candidates for scholarships should include a separate letter with their application documents in which they request to be considered for a scholarship, stating the reasons why they think they qualify.
Programme announcement – Admissions
The Courses of the MSc Programme start in mid-October. Applications deadline: 15 September 2024.
How to apply: Applications system
Ideal Career path
According to the European Commission’s European Data Market study the number of “data companies” as well as the need for “data workers” are already high and it is expected to grow even more in the near future. Depending on the focus of your study and skills, there are several career paths you can follow; the list below, although it is non-exhaustive, it covers the spectrum of roles you can play in an organisation:
- Data Management Professional: Focuses on managing the infrastructure and storage of (usually big) data.
- Data Engineer/Data Architect: Focuses on the design and implementation of (usually big) data infrastructure, choosing the right database and cloud technologies and deploying them to serve the analytics needs of the organization.
- Business Analyst: Focuses on the analytics part, trying to process data to build models to form useful and actionable insights. It includes anything related to Business Intelligence, such as creating reports, dashboards etc.
- Data Analyst/Data Scientist: Focuses on developing and applying machine learning and statistical models on the data at hand. They need to have coding skills, with Python and R being the most popular options right now as well as knowledge of algorithmics, statistics and databases.
- Machine Learning Researcher: Focuses on developing and testing predictive and descriptive models from data. They need to have a deep understanding of machine learning and statistics to run experiments and evaluate the results. Machine learning research positions are available not only in universities (e.g. PhD candidateships, PostDoc Associates etc.) but also in industry as big companies are being staffed with analytics researchers who try to create custom models for their needs instead of using off-the-shelf products and applying sub-optimal, generic solutions.
In addition to technical skills gained through study, our students benefit from the University’s excellent Careers Office in order to attain essential soft skills (e.g. communication skills, interview preparation, CV writing etc.) to better prepare for the job market.
Location
The MSc in Data Science takes place in the facilities of the School of Science & Technology of the University Center of International Programmes of Studies of the International Hellenic University in Thermi-Thessaloniki.
Contact
Email – Telephone
For issues/information related to the Programmes of Study of the School, you can contact us by either e-mail infotech@ihu.edu.gr or phone at +30 2310 807 529.
Postal Address
School of Science and Technology
14th km Thessaloniki – N. Moudania
57001 Thermi
Thessaloniki, Greece