Is a Master's degree Needed to Land a Job in the Data Field? (in 2021)

Data-related jobs (data science, data analyst, data engineering…) are the hottest jobs of this decade. Many companies are upgrading their systems so they can benefit from their data. In addition, many people are aspiring to become part of this data revolution; mainly because the jobs are relatively fun and pay high wages. In the following, I share my two cents on this topic mainly due to the questions I see online on whether to pursue a Master’s degree in data and if it is worth it to secure the job.

You should read it if

You are looking to get into the data field or if you are already in the data field but looking for an extra challenge.

Master of Artificial Intelligence

When I first applied to my master of Artificial Intelligence, my ultimate goal was to combine what I have learned as a Civil Engineer (in transportation specifically) with what the MoAI is going to offer me. However, I noticed that the job market combining AI and CE is a niche market, where opportunities are either for experienced people or not suitable for me (as an expatriate, most jobs in this field are with the government). Therefore, I decided to shift my focus to the broader field of data, meaning, I did not limit myself to a certain industry.

Once I did that, I noticed how rich and high the demand is on data jobs.

Data Science courses

To stay in line with my goals, I shifted the majority of my courses to data science/analysis related courses. In general, I took

• Machine Learning
• Data Mining
• Advanced Analytics in Big Data

These courses have been the pillars of the bridge linking the theoretical and practical aspects of the field of data.

The other courses that I took are much more advanced and more linked to a pure Data Scientist job within specific industries (computer vision, deep neural networks…).

Side hustling (DataCamp, Udacity and more)

The courses we take at university are mostly theoretical with some projects and coding sessions (here and there). However, a project or two is not enough to get you set for writing code day-in-day-out. Therefore, I used DataCamp to learn the basics and the advanced stuff. I was averaging 5 hours of activity per week and sometimes even more, to finish the track of Data Science.

To my luck, some of the courses I took on DataCamp helped me with my assignments.

• Computer Vision (Keras)
• Machine learning (supporting my teammates to create a basic ML pipeline)

Udacity was my second go-to site, where I took a few free courses, either to review some old courses or to improve my learning experience by listening to different professors explaining the same topic.

Matter of fact, Udacity is a very reliable source for theoretical courses. Most of my computer vision course and machine learning was covered on their free courses (and many more).

Pros and cons of a Master’s degree

I will start with the cons because there are a few of them. 

1. The master degree can be expensive because it is considered on ‘high-demand’ for the job market
2. You will have to study really hard to pass the exams, when in real life, the intuition can be more than enough to make things work
3. (Corona Period) Online learning can get boring at times since also the DataCamp courses are online… It was too much online stuff for one to handle
4. Thesis

Now the pros, outweigh the cons in my opinion, but that doesn’t mean that they are the absolute truth.

1. Networking
• Data related masters degree at a reputable university would usually bring in executives (as students) looking to improve their CVs/personal development… Therefore, your chances to get interviews (in-person chats with executives) is very high. In fact, I would assume that the average age in my master was around 30-35.
• Career fairs, in-person or online.
• Name and alumni of the university. Those play a major role in finding a job, since the name of the alumni is a huge push to get you interviewed.
2. Structured learning
• A university offers a structured learning experience. In addition, you are forced to learn the material to pass the courses. Moreover, passing the course means that you know the basics at least.
  However, telling an interviewer that you learned everything from the internet on your own could make them skeptical. Therefore, you will have to pass an additional technical interview to prove your claims.
3. Decorating the CV and self-pride
• These are important factors to provide someone with legitimacy.
• Making the family proud …

Is a Master's degree worth it?

From my perspective, it is worth it. I was doing a career shift from CE to the data field. Therefore, I needed a push! The previously mentioned pros facilitated my first step into this field (since I started my MoAI with no prior job experience, so directly after graduating from CE). However, for an experienced person, the focus should only be directed at learning the theory on a high level and acquiring the programming tools needed to succeed in that field.

To conclude, an additional degree, which will cost a decent amount of money and time with risks of not passing and unneeded stress; is not worth it for people who can acquire the skills from learning them online, for a few hours a day over a period, and can already prove their legitimacy through years of work experience. However, it would be beneficial for those who do not cover the previously mentioned.

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