Master program in Informatics: Data Science
Dan Olteanu
September 2024
University of Zurich Department of Informatics 29.08.2024
Contents
― About IfI/Professors
― General Information
― Structure of MSc Programs: Compulsory Module, Master’s Project, Core Elective, Thesis
― MSc Data Science
― Hints
― Questions/Whom to contact
― Library
― Welcome event for new Master’s students with major Informatics
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IfI: The Department of Informatics
― Founded in 1970 (IfI = Institut für Informatik)
― Part of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics
― 18 Professors, 130 PhD students and Post-Docs
― 500 Bachelorʼs students
― 600 Masterʼs students
― Campus Oerlikon
You!
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IfI Professors
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General Information Online
Deanʼs Office: [Link]
➢ Study Regulations, Admission, Enrollment, Changing Programs, Course Booking, Important Dates, Petitions/Appeals, …
IfI: [Link]
➢ Specific to Informatics: Fact Sheets (legally binding!),
Topics/Professors, Tutors/TAs, also these slides for
later reference
Please read the regulations and fact sheets!
The presentations held at the Facultyʼs Master Welcome Day
are available from:
[Link]
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Structure of the MSc Programs
All programs comprise…
― a compulsory module
― a Masterʼs Project (group work!)
― modules from core/elective areas
― a Masterʼs Thesis at the end
More on these components on the next slides…
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Compulsory Module
The compulsory module is specific to your study program.
For Data Science: Foundations of Data Science
Covers introductory topics to machine learning
Main focus on the mathematical underpinning of why and how
Strong practical component requiring programming
Prerequisites
Programming: Prior exposure to any programming language is useful and necessary
Mathematics: Linear algebra, Multivariate calculus, Probability theory
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Master’s Project
The Master’s Project…
― is a group project (= at least 2 students)
― is an intensive and demanding project worth 15 ECTS credits
― best time: During semester break
― max. 12 months to complete
― must be supervised by an IfI professor
➢ Check the fact sheet!
IfI organizes a Masterʼs Project Market each semester
➢ Some open projects are presented and you can find peers
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Elective Areas
Core elective area
Specific to your Major study program (IS, SOSY, POC, AI, or DS).
INF elective area
All modules offered by IfI on the Masterʼs level (definition in the
Study Regulations, p. 31)
WWF elective area
All modules offered by WWF on the Masterʼs level (definition in the
Study Regulations, p. 31)
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Core Elective Area: Data Science (1/2)
Data Management
― Systems for Data Science
― Temporal and Spatial Data Management
― XML and Databases
― Database Systems Lab
Algorithms
― Combinatorial Algorithms
― Randomized Algorithms
― Efficient Algorithms for Frequently Asked Questions
Machine Learning
― Foundations of Data Science (compulsory)
― Deep Learning
― Reinforcement Learning
― Advanced Machine Learning
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Core Elective Area: Data Science (2/2)
Data Visualization
― Interactive Visual Data Analysis
Ethics
― Artificial Intelligence: Technology and Law
Data Science Applied in Economics and Business Administration
― Statistical Foundations for Finance
(Mathematical and Computational Statistics
with a View Towards Finance and Risk Management)
― Network Science
― Blockchain and Crypto Economics
― Real Analysis I
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Master’s Thesis
The Master’s Thesis…
― must be written in your Major area
― is a full-time endeavor worth 30 ECTS credits (i.e., no significant side jobs or other study activities possible)
― max. 6 months to complete
― can only be started once the Masterʼs Project has been
successfully completed
― must be supervised by an IfI professor
➢ Check the fact sheet!
➢ Find topics on the IfI website (check the individual group pages)
or contact the groups directly.
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Further Modules
Seminar Independent Study
― one seminar is mandatory ― Optional module
― recommended from 2nd semester
➢ Check the fact sheet!
― check the Course Catalogue early and
register for the seminar within the
seminar’s application deadline
➢ Note: this deadline is shorter than the
regular module booking deadline!
External Modules
― ETH: [Link]
― Mobility within Switzerland: [Link]
― International exchange: [Link]
― Partner universities: [Link]
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Data Science
Note on External Courses
A course from another university may be counted against the Data Science core elective stint only if:
— It is directly relevant to Data Science,
— It is of a good scientific standing, teaching principles as opposed to a hands-on tutorial on using Data Science tools, and
— It does not overlap significantly with the Data Science core electives.
Data Science on the IfI web page:
[Link]
It is possible to change the Major under certain conditions: [Link]
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Minor
Available Minor programs are listed in the Course Catalogue:
[Link]
➢ Master of Science UZH in Informatics (RVO22) > Minor 30
Note: Modules in the Minor area Informatics (INF) are offered
only in the Fall semester. There are no modules in the Minor area
Informatics in the Spring semester. Take this into account when
planning your next few semesters.
You can change your Minor under certain conditions:
[Link]
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Hints (1/3)
― Focus on the compulsory modules in your Major and Minor programs
― Make a study plan
➢ Check course schedule of previous years for planning. Courses often stay in the same slot. Suggested order:
3rd semester:
1st semester: 2nd semester: Remaining 4th semester:
Compulsory module and Course work, course work,
Master’s Thesis
course work Master’s Project finish Master’s
Project
― Read the fact sheets well before starting the respective module or thesis
― All legally binding information regarding modules, incl. exam dates, are in the UZH Course Catalogue.
Most modules additionally have a website or OLAT course, but the Course Catalogue is binding
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Hints (2/3)
― Check the study websites of the Faculty and the Department:
― [Link]
― [Link]
― Note that booking/cancellation deadlines may vary between faculties.
― Working at IfI: Some modules/courses seek Tutors or Teaching Assistants.
➢ Check out [Link] and the individual group pages.
― Mentoring, social events, representatives: Informatics student association ICU: [Link]
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Hints (3/3)
― Consider the policies on plagiarism and scientific integrity. You find the fact sheet on plagiarism on this website:
― [Link]
― The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences issued a Code of conduct for scientific integrity:
[Link]
― UZH provides a number of advice and support services for topics such as Gender Equality and Diversity, Disability, or Psychological
Counseling:
― [Link]
― Practise passive and active English without tools (in exams, no translation tools are permitted)
― UZH offers English courses: [Link]
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Questions/Whom to Contact
If you have questions, please follow these steps:
1. Read the Study Regulations: [Link]
2. Read the IfI’s study information and fact sheets: [Link]
3. Check information in the Course Catalogue: [Link]
4. Send e-mail to the respective person:
For questions about For questions specific to a course: Contact the instructor.
– Masterʼs Project
– Independent Studies For everything else, contact the Deanʼs Office:
– Masterʼs Thesis [Link] (Study Affairs)
– Informatics studies in general
Contact the IfIʼs Study Coordinator, And of course you can ask your fellow students, for example by joining the
Daniela Bärtschi: studies@[Link] student association ICU: [Link]
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Did you know?
The Informatics Library is part of the UB Sciences
on the Irchel campus!
Books can be delivered to Oerlikon free of charge:
Simply select “UB Psychology” as pick-up location in swisscovery.
[Link]
or [Link]
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Department of Informatics
IfI Master Welcome Event
for incoming MSc Informatics students
Monday, 23 September 2024, 12:15 in BIN 2.A.01
No registration necessary
University of Zurich Department of Informatics 29.08.2024
