Hub of budding Data Analytics - Germany

What is Data Science and Data Analytics?

Data Science & Data Analytics are relatively new terms. The beginning can be traced to when the first subscriber/ user/consumer information was recorded and analyzed, just to be used to promote businesses. But in the last few years, data science has developed into a whole new field of science. The coming of a new field of science was within good reason; in the 90s, data was pilling too much and most companies were too overwhelmed by the quantity and were not able to make any meaningful inferences that would cause a significant impact.

In June 2010, Data Science was beautifully described by Mike Loukides as “Data scientists combine entrepreneurship with patience, the willingness to build data products incrementally, the ability to explore, and the ability to iterate over a solution. They are inherently interdisciplinary and can tackle all aspects of a problem, from initial data collection and data conditioning to drawing conclusions. They can think outside the box to come up with new ways to view the problem, or to work with very broadly defined problems: ‘here's a lot of data, what can you make from it?’". This point of view for data science is still alive and has been absorbed by aspirants of the data analysts.

Skilled Data Analysts are very sought after in the world right now. It is due to knowing how to analyze the consumer needs that several companies are able to adhere to their needs and give them much more. Hence, there is a huge demand for people who are able to help and make sense of the data which leads the companies to make better business decisions.

So, how can you become a Data Analyst?

If you are looking to apply for a data analyst course you may want to consider the following Graduate programs. This list has been created keeping in mind that you may also be an international student and the courses are then offered in other languages, such as English or German.

Data Analyst in Germany

Pursuing a degree in data analysis from Germany is always a good idea. Germany values the employee for their knowledge, business experience, and grades rather than just looking for extremely high profiled institutes alone. Germany is a huge hub for technology, which automatically increases the need for data analysts, hence producing one of the best analysts in the world.

If you are an international student be aware that you will have to take your IELTS. So brush up on the test and do it as soon as possible. Even though you are planning to enroll in a course which is offered in English it is important to remember that you need to know at least basic German. Find an application or language speaking classes near you and spend time learning the language, since it will be helpful for you to go in and around Germany and get the most of the student experience. You may also have to appear for the entrance exams based on the requirement of the university you apply to. One more important thing to note is the application deadlines. You must also note that the deadline for applications is to be followed strictly and no exceptions may be made by the university to accommodate any late applications.

If you are looking to apply for a data analyst course or looking to advance your career towards any stream of Data Science you may want to consider the following programs. This list has been created keeping in mind that you may also be an international student and the courses are then offered in English. Take your time to review the websites of the universities to get more details on the coursework and applications.

Universities and Programs

As mentioned above, Germany has great universities that provide world-class courses in data analysis. Below is a list of some of the best universities that have been ahead in the game of producing great data scientists since time can tell.

Technical University Of Munich

Degree available
Data Engineering and Analytics
Prerequisites
- bachelors in Informatics / Mathematics
- Informatics as a skill in foundation and algorithms
- English language proficiency
Duration
4 Semesters

Technical University Of Munich

Degree available
Mathematics in Data Science
Prerequisites
- bachelors in Informatics / Mathematics
- Informatics as a skill in foundation and algorithms
- English language proficiency
Duration
4 Semesters

University Of Magdeburg

Degree available
Data and Knowledge Engineering
Prerequisites
- Bachelors degree (3 years minimum) in Computer science or closely related field
- Course must contain 1 in the database and either 10 courses in CS or 6 in CS and 4 in applied statistics
- English language proficiency
Duration
4 Semesters

University of Mannheim

Degree available
Mannheim Master in Data Science
Prerequisites
- Bachelors in Informatics / Mathematics / Related field
-IT and programming background
- Aware of Statistics and mathematics
- English language proficiency
Duration
4 Semesters

Technical University Of Dortmund

Degree available
Master Of Data Science
Prerequisites
- Requires a previous bachelors degree from TU or statistics/computer science or mathematics from a German University
- English language a must
Duration
4 Semesters

Ludwig Maximilians University Munchen

Degree available
Master of Science
Prerequisites
-Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) in Statistics or Informatics or related disciplines.
- English language proficiency with excellent grades
Duration
4 Semesters

University of Koblenz Landau

Degree available
MSc Informatik Specialization in Data & Knowledge Engineering
Prerequisites
-Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) in Statistics or Informatics or related disciplines.
Duration
4 Semesters

Saarland University

Degree available
Master of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Duration
4 Semesters

Note: The universities mentioned above have great courses and are available as English taught courses. Needless to say, these are not the only universities in Germany with courses in Data analysis. But you might find that other universities might not have the course available in English, which would lead you to prove German language skills proficiency.

After acquiring a degree in data analysis

• The requirement from each company will differ but there are some basic criteria in order to become a Data Analyst.
• You need to have a minimum BS/MS in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics/ Economics, or related field.
• You should also have an understanding of the database tools and have an understanding of creating dashboards.
• You should also have a good hold of communication in order to share your understanding with people who do not understand data the way you are equipped to do. Brush up on your presentation and documentation tools.
• Having a sound background in MySQL/ Python /R / Golang / big data / machine learning is also very essential and useful.
• Companies who hire you want a person who fits all of the above criteria and sometimes even more.

Is Germany a good studying option?

If you are an international student attempting to move to Germany to study here is some vital information.

• Safety: Germany is a very safe place for students or even people in general. It is a big hub for world-class education and you are guaranteed a quality education and a safe, worry-free environment to pursue your dreams.
  
  
• The language: First and foremost you should know a little bit of the language. Even though most of the Germans can speak in English but it's always a definite plus to know the local language. In order to speak to clients, colleagues, German bosses, as a person on the street you should definitely invest some time learning the language.
  
  
• Free Education: Yes, the education for both European and non-European students to any public colleges is free in Germany. You do have to keep in mind that there are other expenses like administration costs and others like housing, travel, medical, food, and other living costs.
  
  
• English Language Courses: If you are worried that you will have to learn to read and write in German, then you will be happy to know a lot of courses are offered completely in English. Just make sure before you select and finalize your course you have researched it well.
  
  
• Admission and Selection: Very few countries not offer free courses. Germany gets a lot of applications each year and it’s getting more competitive each year. Your grades will differentiate you from the rest. So make sure you have studied hard for your previous courses in order to compete and get placements in German colleges.
  
  
• Grades: German grading systems are from 1 to 4, 1 being the best, and 4 is the lowest grade for passing. As an international student, you would need to provide your grades as you received them, usually the examination departments of German universities determine if your grade is equivalent to their cut-off.
  
  
• Accommodation: You need to start looking early on. Find some local listings and sites before you start your travel plans. It may take time but you have several options from flat-share to renting a private residence based on budget and availability. You may also approach the university to know if they can provide any assistance or students accommodation, some do and others don’t

Must Know

Below are some of the must-know details of Germany that every student should know before contemplating studying there.

• Be prepared to use cash over a credit card.
• Recycling is almost a religion, you will get 25 cents to recycle your plastic bottles, also carry your own bags for grocery since you will be charged the same for buying one in the store.
• Respecting the rules and time is very important, be mindful of that.