Sept 2025 Entry
1.5 years (Full-time)
3 years (Part-time)
31
Non-local applicants must be registered as full-time students.
What's New
Programme Aims
In today’s era of big data, large data sets are generated every day in various areas of society and industry, from social networking to finance. It is challenging to extract and analyse information from such an unprecedentedly large volume of data. To create value from such data, one must combine techniques from mathematics, statistics and computer science. This programme nurtures graduates with expertise across the core disciplines of mathematics, statistics and computer science. It develops students’ analytical and critical thinking as well as their problem-solving skills. This enables graduates to pursue careers as data analysts in various industries, such as finance and information technology.
Characteristics
Data science and analytics involve the use of mathematical, statistical and computing techniques to extract useful information from large-scale data and make decisions accordingly. Statistics, optimisation methods and computer science are widely acknowledged to form the three pillars of modern data science. This programme is designed to provide a balanced treatment of these three pillars, with the aim of cultivating future data analysts.
Graduates with highly developed mathematical, statistical and computing skills are in great demand globally, in both industry and academic settings.
Programme Structure
Students must complete:
Option 1: 6 Compulsory Subjects (18 credits) and 4 Elective Subjects (12 credits); OR
Option 2: 6 Compulsory Subjects (18 credits), 1 Elective Subject (3 credits) and a Dissertation (9 credits)
There is also a 1-credit compulsory subject, Academic Integrity and Ethics in Science.
Students who opt for the Dissertation should have completed 6 Compulsory Subjects with good academic results. Normally, only students who have completed 6 Compulsory Subjects (18 credits) with a GPA of 3.0 or above at the end of Semester Two of their first year will be considered for Option 2.
For details of the programme structure, please refer to https://www.polyu.edu.hk/ama/study/pg/master-data-science-and-analytics/.
Core Areas of Study
6 Compulsory Subjects (18 credits)
- Big Data Computing
- Data Structures and Database Systems
- Deep Learning
- Optimization Methods
- Principles of Data Science
- Statistical Data Mining
Academic Integrity and Ethics in Science (1 credit)
Elective Subjects (3 credits each unless specified)
- Advanced Data Analytics
- Advanced High Dimensional Data Analysis
- Advanced Operations Research Methods
- Advanced Topics in High Frequency Trading
- Advanced Topics in Quantitative Finance
- Applied Linear Models
- Artificial Intelligence Concepts
- Forecasting and Applied Time Series Analysis
- Investment Science
- Loss Models and Risk Analysis
- Mathematical Modelling for Science and Technology
- Natural Language Processing
- Operations Research Methods
- Probability and Stochastic Models
- Quantum Computing for Data Science
- Scientific Computing
- Simulation and Risk Analysis
- Statistical Inference
- Stochastic Models for Carbon Pricing and Trading
- Dissertation (9 credits)
Information on the subjects offered can be obtained at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/ama/study/pg/master-data-science-and-analytics/curriculum/.
31
Programme Leader
Dr Jiang Binyan
BSc, PhD
Deputy Programme Leader
Dr Zhang Zaikun
BSc, PhD
Assistant Programme Leader
Dr Li Ting
BSc, MPhil, PhD
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A Bachelor’s degree with Honours in mathematics, statistics, computer science, IT, engineering, science or another relevant subject. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in another discipline and an adequate background in mathematics or IT will also be considered.
If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for details.
For further information, please contact:
Dr Jiang Binyan, Programme Leader
(tel: (852) 2766 6349; email: by.jiang@polyu.edu.hk);
or Dr Zhang Zaikun, Deputy Programme Leader
(tel: (852) 2766 4592; email: zaikun.zhang@polyu.edu.hk);
or Dr Li Ting, Assistant Programme Leader
(tel: (852) 2766 4032; email: tingeric.li@polyu.edu.hk);
or Ms Elki Wong, Programme Secretary
(tel: (852) 3400 3747; email: ka-ying-elki.wong@polyu.edu.hk).
3 for local students
9 for non-local students
HK$12,000 per credit for local and non-local students
(Note: There is no tuition charge for the 1-credit Academic Integrity and Ethics subject.)
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