While the choice to go online and pursue distance learning to upskill has been available to us for a while, the recently enforced lockdown has given it a new impetus. Professionals across industries – especially in data science and machine learning – are enrolling in droves with several ed-tech platforms offering some of their courses for free.

These short-term certifications, while helpful in developing new skills and learning the latest practices, is worth little when you want to truly advance your career and stand out from competitors. Instead, data science professionals find themselves turning to Master’s programs when they are ready to make the transition to high-level positions.

Even here, the pull of online offerings because of its various benefits make it a popular alternative against traditional full-time courses when it comes to higher education.  

Not only do they enable learners to pursue a degree while they keep working or are in-between jobs, they are cheaper than on-campus courses, provide access to a global network of instructors, and enables them to concurrently manage other priorities. But with numerous data science and machine learning offerings available online, which one should you choose?

ALSO READ: upGrad Sees 50% Surge In Learners Amid Covid-19

upGrad’s Master’s Program vs Other Courses

While it has been established that pursuing an online Master’s degree has its perks, it must be emphasised that all digital learning programs are not alike. Most might offer you a certificate at a limited budget, but that alone should not be the driving force behind your choice. The quality of the learning experience and the relevance of the course – especially in dynamic disciplines like data science and machine learning – is paramount, and that is what upGrad continues to focus on with its latest offerings.

Both the Master’s degree in data science as well as machine learning come with a world class portfolio that delivers all of the above-mentioned benefits of e-learning – and more. 

At just 1/10th the cost of offline programs, upGrad is offering a globally recognised degree that carries a dual alumni status. What is more, an impressive faculty and a diverse peer group from over 15 countries makes it the best course in the market for data science and machine learning professionals in the field. Not convinced? Let us explore this a little more deeply to understand why:

Dual Alumni Status

Both these programs are certified by top universities, one of them being the prestigious Liverpool John Moores University. LJMU is one of the premier institutes in the UK delivering excellence. On successful completion, learners will earn a Master’s degree from LJMU – which is globally recognized – as well as the opportunity to connect with its global network of faculty.

 Not only that, the same program offers you a Post Graduate Diploma from the widely recognised IIIT Bangalore as well. While online learning does come with the benefit of acquiring skills and certifications without having to quit your job, a dual alumni status is not only an efficient way to invest your time and money, but is also fairly uncommon when it comes to e-learning in higher education.

Admirable Faculty & Cutting Edge Curriculum

With best-in-class content designed by leading industry practitioners in the form of videos, case studies, projects, assignments, live sessions and informative workshops, it covers over 500 hours of quality learning.

While the data science Master’s program allows learners to choose from five specialisations depending on their background and career aspirations, the machine learning course will enable them to build and deploy industry projects deftly. 

What is more, these programs are led by instructors who collectively carry a rich experience in engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, and artificial intelligence, and an average experience of more than nearly 20 years. With multiple research papers published in the domain of data science and machine learning, they have proved their proficiency in their respective subjects.

Together, through these programs, they teach you various skills, including statistics, predictive analytics, data visualisation, big data analytics, model deployment, NLP, deep learning, reinforcement learning, and graphical models, among others.

ALSO READ: Data Scientist At upGrad Explains How To Choose Between Data Science, ML & Big Data

Diverse Peer Group

With learners from over 15 countries as potential peers, you can leverage the insights from a global cohort of diverse learners and work with people from different backgrounds. Some of your peers may also have over 30 years of work experience behind them.

In fact, this course has shown to resonate with international audiences. Interacting with like-minded people holding different domain expertise will be helpful in your data science and machine learning careers, making its global appeal more relevant and consistent with your career goals. 

Maximum Number Of Thesis

One of the features that make these courses unique is the astounding number of its students going on to write excellent thesis. In fact, it is the only online masters program which has recorded the maximum number of thesis written up until now.

For instance, one project focused on building deep learning models to analyse human bio-parameters for wearable technology devices. Another notable example sought to identify the power relationships between social media users based on their conversations.  

One-On-One Mentorship

Not only does it provide a personal industry mentor for every learner, additionally, it also allocates a dedicated ‘Student Success Advisor’ to each student as well. This means that they not only get a fortnightly group mentorship with experts, but also access to the university’s wider student support services to ensure consistent progress in their course.

With the support of over 300 industry mentors, it has delivered over 10,000 hours of mentoring. This takes the shape of unparalleled guidance from industry mentors, teaching assistants and graders – all at the cost of 1/10th of conventional offline programs.

Placement Support

A dedicated career support on completion of this course has fetched a highest package of 72 lakh, and an average salary hike of 58%. The course unlocks global access to job opportunities for its learners, empowering over 12,600 learners with support from over 300 hiring partners.

Many upGrad alumni have joined top companies in various capacities, including Uber, Microsoft, PwC, Genpact, American Express, Tata Motors, Wipro, and more.

Outlook

upGrad is celebrated for the quality of its online offerings and its Master’s program is no different. Targeted at working professionals who want to advance their careers without disrupting their work, this online program is built on the platform’s rich legacy of launching world class courses at a fraction of the cost of similar courses.

Enrol now for an experiential learning journey – one that packs together several benefits for data science and machine learning professionals.