- Self-Pacing
- Hot Career Path
- Convenience
- Cost Effective
- Credit Transfer
Data science is a field of study using tools and technologies currently available to make decisions based upon the collection and review of raw data. The purpose of data science is to help both individuals and companies take their data and make informed decisions. Data science requires a specialized set of skills, including programming skills and a strong background in statistics. While an individual can be taught data science in a classroom environment, many students are choosing to go online in order to facilitate their career path.
Related resource: 30 Best Online Master’s in Data Science Online Degree Programs
Self-Pacing
A great deal of data science hinges upon difficult mathematical and scientific subjects. By going online in order to get the necessary training, students are able to go at their own pace. While this means that those having difficulty can take their time to really absorb the material, it also means those who have grasped data science easily can move at a much faster pace than they might find in a traditional classroom environment.
Hot Career Path
One benefit of choosing to study data science online deals with employment opportunities. Data science, according to Fortune magazine, is a white-hot field and there are practically limitless opportunities for someone proficient in data science to make their mark. Students who are studying data science online can monitor various employment opportunities, even as they study the material. In addition, many online courses provide excellent networking opportunities among the students and faculty.
Convenience
There is little doubt that online data science studies provide a convenient alternative to actually attending a classroom. Someone who works during the day is able to engage in data science studies in the late afternoon or the evening hours. For students who have children, there is no need to find a babysitter or put the child in daycare, thereby saving money and time.
Cost Effective
An article in U.S. News and World Report showed that online courses (such as those found in data science) are about equal to the cost of brick-and-mortar tuition costs, providing the student is attending an in-state public classroom. Students who go online with private colleges and universities or out-of-state institutions pay considerably more than those who are online.
Credit Transfer
For those students who want to also attend a brick-and-mortar university, the online credits acquired will be transferred to their new school. A student who is taking the summer off, for example, might attend an online data science course curriculum and when the fall semester rolls around, they will be ahead of the curve when it comes to credits.
There are numerous benefits to taking online courses for data science. Individuals with a strong background in data science are being sought out by major corporations and private individuals. The ability to take raw data and convert the information into something concrete that is useful to a person or an organization is a skill set that will always be in demand.
