MSc in Information Technologies - Track in Data Science (DS)

This MSc program is aimed at future experts in the design of high-performance support systems for data mining, knowledge extraction, and decision aiding.

This Masters program also offers a gateway to Ph.D. studies.

The Master of Science in IT - specialization in Data Science lasts 2 years referred to as M1 and M2. Both M1 and M2 are organized on our Brest campus. This master is accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research and fully complies with the EHEA system.

Environment

In the last few decades, companies have accumulated overwhelming amounts of data, be it textual (reports, emails, phone call transcripts, etc.), numeric (sales figures, meteorological data, etc.) or binary (images, audio, sensor data, etc.). Using statistical “data mining” methods, one can detect tendencies, hidden patterns, and knowledge nuggets, and use them to make strategic decisions. This process is of crucial importance in all sectors of activity, and in particular for business, science, politics, security, healthcare, etc.

Competencies Acquired

Thanks to IMT Atlantique's expertise in postgraduate education and research, high-level competencies are acquired not only in technical/scientific fields but also in team working, written and oral communication, innovation and project management.

Last but not least, the French language is also one of the competencies acquired, beneficial for working in France and other French-speaking countries or for French companies abroad.

Course Structure

This is a full-time, two-year course divided into four semesters.

The 1st semester is a common core given in English in Brest.

From the 2nd semester, students can focus on Intelligent Decision Systems (IDS) in Brest or in Statistical Decision Engineering (SDE) in Vannes.

First semester (in Brest)

• Basics of computer science
• Mathematics & signal processing
• Introduction to data science
• Networking fundamentals
• Bibliographical study
• Intercultural workshops
• French language (6 hours per week)

Second semester (IDS)

• Software & data engineering
• Computer science fundamentals
• Mathematics and Information theory
• An engineering project in working groups of 5 or 6, focused on acquiring project management experience and applying knowledge acquired in coursework
• French language (3 hours per week)

Second semester (SDE)

• Data mining and machine learning
• Duration modeling and survival analysis
• Decision support systems and data warehouse
• Projects and consulting
• French language

Third semester (IDS)

• Frequentist Statistics and Probabilistic
• Graphical Networks
• Information systems applied to decision support
• Knowledge engineering
• Data, text and Web mining
• Decision Aiding
• Project in decision support systems
• French language (3 hours per week)
• During the third semester, the following state-of-the-art software tools are used: SAS, RapidMiner, R, Weka, Diviz, GATE, Python NLTK, and others.

Third semester (SDE)

• Complex data modeling
• Support vector machine (SVM)
• Insurance statistics and analytical marketing
• Deep learning and artificial intelligence
• Geographic information systems (GIS)
• Project in statistical decision engineering

Fourth semester

This semester is spent carrying out a development or research project in an industrial or academic laboratory in France or abroad.

Upon completion of the four semesters, students defend their Master Thesis.

Job Opportunities

• Data Miner/Analyst
• Analytics Manager
• R&D Engineer
• Consulting Expert
• Decision Support System Designer
• Software developer
• Business analyst
• Researcher and Academic

Admission Requirements

The entry requirements include a first- class Bachelor’s degree or a four-year degree in one of the academic topics offered by the Master’s course. Candidates have to show an outstanding academic record for their application to be considered.

Costs

Tuition fees for the full 2-year program:

• €10,200
• €5,200 (Europe and Erasmus zone)

Possible partial fee waivers

Scholarships

Scholarships are available depending on academic record and country of origin (companies, governments, embassies, etc.). It should be mentioned that internships are paid and cover living expenses during the last semester.