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  • HSE University Launches Russia’s First Online English-Taught Master's Programme

HSE University Launches Russia’s First Online English-Taught Master's Programme

HSE University Launches Russia’s First Online English-Taught Master's Programme

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This academic year, HSE University will begin admissions to its new online Master's programme in Data Science, which will be offered on Coursera, the world’s leading online learning platform. The application deadline for admission to the programme is December 6. Courses begin in February. Upon the successful completion of the programme, students will receive a Master’s degree from HSE University, which is internationally recognized.

Why Data Science?

Over the last few decades, digital technology has grown exponentially. This has led to a natural increase in the amount of digital data, and Data Science, as a field that analyses data, is also rapidly expanding. In turn, the demand for highly qualified professionals in the field has also increased: many companies across the globe have opened Data Scientists positions. According to IBM estimations, the number of jobs for data professionals in the U.S. will reach 2.7 million by 2020.

‘To get a degree in Data Science, people often enrol in professional retraining courses,’ says Evgeny Sokolov, member of the Academic Council of the Master of Data Science programme and Deputy Head of the Big Data and Information Retrieval School.

It has become clear that we need to provide the students with comprehensive knowledge that will allow them to solve complex tasks and develop unconventional approaches when they enter the labour market. Enrolling in a master’s programme is the best way to master the necessary skills needed for this new profession.

The online programme’s curriculum has been developed by HSE University lecturers jointly with the industry experts, including those from partner companies, such as Yandex, JetBrains, and others. The project has involved teachers from the Yandex Data Analysis School and teachers from the Data Culture project, which began at HSE University in 2017 and has already attracted a lot of professionals in the industry.

What Will the Students Learn?

Students of the programme will:

  Receive mathematical training (in accordance with the standards of Russian higher education);

  Acquire programming skills and basic algorithm knowledge in addition to mastering the culture of effective coding;

  Develop a deep understanding of data science and contemporary machine learning methods;

  Gain experience with solving real problems in data analysis;

  Develop research skills.

‘This means that our graduates, on the one hand, will be able to apply for Junior Data Scientist positions, while, on the other hand, having solid qualifications in mathematics and algorithms, as well as a knowledge of the most recent achievements in Data Science,’  says Evgeny Sokolov.

The programme includes three tracks. Two of them prepare students for careers in business: Data Scientist and Machine Learning Engineer. The third track, Researcher in Data Science, is designed for those interested in academic careers. Students of the programme will be expected to pick a track in the middle of the second semester.

The programme curriculum consists of 32 courses divided into four blocks: mathematics, programming, future profession, and projects. Regardless of the track, most of the programme is based on project learning. The language of instruction is English.

Why Online?

eLearning is a global trend today with HSE University at its forefront among Russian universities. Two million subscribers have registered for courses on Coursera offered by HSE University, and, according to Evgenia Kulik, HSE Director for eLearning, over half of them are registered for courses offered by the Faculty of Computer Science. Over the past five years, the university has created 92 courses in six subject areas, over 40 of which are English-taught. HSE has awarded over 85,000 certificates to platform users.

Now the University is expanding its online presence with an online master’s programme.

Sergey Roshchin, HSE Vice Rector

HSE is expanding as a global university, and the development of such programmes is a great opportunity for us to provide quality education to students in different countries all over the world. The Master of Data Science programme allows students to gain in-demand skills in almost all areas that are experiencing a transformation with big data. We’re thrilled that Coursera is our strategic partner in this new degree.

‘Demographic challenges coupled with a high automation rate will have a significant impact on Russia’s labour market in the coming years, creating the need for a workforce equipped with the most high-demand skills,’ says Dil Sidhu, Chief Content Officer at Coursera. ‘We’re excited to expand our partnership with HSE to offer this highly accessible and affordable degree in a job-relevant field like data science. Together with HSE University, we can prepare more citizens for the future of work.’

Webinars, Chats, Videoconferences, and Other Advantages of Online Study

The online format of the new master’s programme provides students many advantages. Students can take courses from anywhere in the world, the schedule is flexible, and the tuition fee is lower than at similar on-site programmes. According to Sergey Roshchin,  students will be actively involved in the learning process; they will interact with teachers and assistants regularly in live chats and video conferences. The curriculum includes webinars, online collaboration, and discussions. This makes the master’s programme different from massive open online courses, where students learn independently and have less communication with the teacher.

Student-teacher communication will be conducted in apps such as Zoom (a high-definition video conference hosting and recording service) and Slack (a corporate messenger, which is called a ‘Skype and corporate email killer’).

‘In partnership with Coursera, we have made sure we comply with high educational standards,’ says Evgeny Sokolov. ‘There will be a lot of projects with real data, as well as tests. The assignments will be graded both automatically by the system and manually by teachers.’

In order to complete the programme, students must defend a master’s thesis. Usually, a master’s thesis is comprised of a research paper, but Master of Data Science students will have the opportunity to solve a real practical case, which they can then include in their CVs. The defence will also be conducted online, via videoconference.

How to Apply?

An important aspect of the Master of Data Science programme is that its curriculum includes full study of mathematics for data analysis, as well as programming and algorithms. So, it welcomes students with bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees in any field.

To gain admittance into the programme, students must demonstrate proficiency in mathematics. Applicants will sit an online proctored exam in mathematics. As Ivan Arzhantsev, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, predicts, over half of the first enrolment will be international students, and about 85% of students will successfully complete the programme (this is an average indicator for Coursera specializations).

The programme does not offer any state-funded places. There are only fee-paying places, but discounts will be offered depending on a student’s location (taking into consideration the standards of living in the student’s country).

The programme will admit new students twice a year: to classes starting in February/March and September. Webinars for prospective students will be held several times a semester as Open Days and lectures (workshops) by leading experts in Data Science.

See also:

Applications to Speak at eSTARS 2021 Conference Accepted Until November 15

HSE University and Coursera are bringing together the world’s leading researchers, professionals, education and technology leaders, and business community representatives for the fourth international research conference eLearning Stakeholders and Researchers Summit 2021 (eSTARS). This topic of this year’s summit, which will run from December 1–2, 2021,is ‘Digital Transformation: Global Challenges to the Education System’.

Master of Computer Vision: New Online Programme on Coursera

In September 2021, HSE University’s Faculty of Informatics, Mathematics and Computer Science at HSE Nizhny Novgorod launched the new applied degree programme Master of Computer Vision. Developed in collaboration with leading experts in the field of computer vision - Huawei, Itseez3D, Intel, Harman, and Xperience.ai – the programme is available on the Coursera platform and open to applicants from all over the world. Andrey Savchenko, Academic Supervisor of the new programme, talked to The HSE Look about how it came to be and what are its advantages.

HSE Faculty of Computer Science Launches Digital Literacy Course on Coursera

A new Digital Literacy course created as part of the university-wide Data Culture project has been launched on Coursera. The syllabus includes ten modules developed by experts in relevant fields. Eleven authors worked on this English-taught course.

European Values: From the Discovery of America to the First World War

The English-language course ‘Europe and the World, ca. 1500 to 1914’ has launched on Coursera. Its author, Andrey Iserov, Deputy Dean for International Affairs at the HSE Faculty of Humanities, examines a historical span of four centuries during which European states reached the peak of their economic, military, and political power. Students of the course will learn how the independence of Hispanic America by the mid-1820s influenced China, what caused the religious schism in Western Christianity in the 16th century, and how European colonial policy developed.

HSE University’s Online Master of Business Analytics Offers New Opportunities

The English-taught fully online Master of Business Analytics is offered by HSE University on Coursera in partnership with the AICPA Association. The first cohort will start their classes in September 2021. The programme aims to train a new generation of finance leaders. Working together with AICPA Association allows HSE University to significantly expand the range of educational options available to students.

HSE University Launches New Master’s Programmes on Coursera

HSE Master’s programmes in four new specializations are now available on Coursera in the fields of business analysis, finance, and computer science. Each specialization consists of a series of courses and a practice-oriented final project, says the HSE eLearning Office.

HSE Launches Master of Finance Programme on Coursera with CFA-Based Curriculum

The HSE Banking Institute is launching a new Master of Finance programme on Coursera. The online programme is English-taught and based on the CFA certification requirements. Professor Vasily Solodkov, the director of the Banking Institute and the academic supervisor of the programme is discussing the programme features.

HSE University Course in Programming Ranks Among the Top 5 Coursera Courses of the Year in Russia

Coursera has listed the most popular courses in 2020 among users from Russia. ‘Basics of Programming in Python’ by HSE Unviersity is among the top five.

HSE University Announces Four Master’s Degrees on Coursera

Degrees in business, technology, and data science will enable students around the world to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. HSE University and Coursera today announced four new online degree programmes at global higher education conference, eSTARS. With upcoming English-language master’s programmes in business analytics, computer vision, data and network analytics, and finance, HSE now has five fully online degrees on the Coursera platform.

‘It’s Cool to See So Many International Participants from Different Backgrounds’

The students of the second cohort in HSE University’s Master of Data Science have started their classes. This English-taught programme is offered entirely online on Coursera and is the first of its kind in Russia.