MSc Statistics and Data Science
Leiden University
Key Information
Campus location
Leiden, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 21,200 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* Dutch, EU/EEA, Swiss and Surinamese students: €2,530 per year | Second Dutch master’s programme: €16,300 per year
Introduction
This two-year master’s programme provides you with a thorough introduction to the general philosophy and methodology of statistical modelling, data analysis and data science, with a focus on applications in the life and behavioural sciences.
How can we model the spread of a virus? How do global events affect people's wellbeing? How effective is a vaccine? What is the uncertainty of that estimate? These are pertinent questions in today's society that you can answer with statistics, but the applications are much broader than that: How does your phone recognize your face? How can an algorithm better diagnose cancer than a doctor? How can you draw conclusions from the expression of thousands of genes? A formal education in Statistics & Data Science will equip you with the skills to answer complicated questions like these, both in industry and academia.
What does this master’s programme entail?
The two-year master’s programme in Statistics & Data Science provides you with a thorough introduction to the general philosophy and methodology of statistical modelling and data analysis, with a focus on applications in the life and behavioural sciences. It is open to students with a variety of backgrounds, both in the applied domains (e.g. psychology, biology, medicine), and in more fundamental domains like mathematics and statistics. Our programme aims to educate multidisciplinary researchers and professionals who can combine theory and practice. The programme consists of a core programme shared by all students, elective courses, and a thesis project. Ultimately, the electives allow you to specialize in a research or application domain.
Why study Statistics & Data Science at Leiden University?
- This programme is a joint collaboration between three faculties of Leiden University: the Faculty of Science (FWN), the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science (FSW), and the Biometris institute of Wageningen University & Research (WUR).
- We are a certified master's programme. If you choose the European Master in Official Statistics (EMOS) core module elective, you can obtain an internationally recognized certification as a statistician, on top of your master's degree.
- Specialized electives offer you a unique combination of knowledge and expertise. These provide for a thorough preparation for a career as a data scientist, researcher or statistician anywhere, be it in industry, government or academics.
- The focus of this master is on applications in life sciences and behavioural sciences, such as biology, agriculture, medicine, biomedical sciences, psychology and other social sciences.
- Job perspectives are great: statisticians and data scientists are highly sought after in various fields, including: health care, industry, universities, marketing, government, official statistics, bioinformatics and more.
- We welcome students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Not only is our programme accessible to students with a bachelor's degree in sciences like statistics or mathematics, but also to students with a bachelor’s degree in application domains such as psychology, biology or biomedical sciences, as long as you have a sufficient basis in quantitative methods.
Curriculum
The programme has no specialisations. Coherent sets of electives allow students to specialize in a certain application area or research domain such as:
- Medical Statistics
- Biology and Agricultural Statistics
- Data Science
- Psychometrics and Sociometrics
- Official Statistics (the EMOS specialization)
You can enter the programme in September or February. However, you are strongly encouraged to start in September because in the first semester the general introduction courses ‘Mathematics for Statisticians’, ‘Statistics and Probability’ and ‘Statistical Computing with R’ are scheduled. This is especially recommended if you do not have a strong background in mathematics.
Overview of the Statistics & Data science programme
The programme for those who start in 2022-2023 consists of:
- Core programme (59 EC)
- Electives (27 EC)
- Thesis project (34 EC)
An overview of the mandatory courses and pre-approved electives can be found in the diagram below:
Educational methods
- Lectures
- Working groups
- Literature study
- Individual papers
- Computer labs
- Presentations
- Projects
Admissions
Gallery
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
With a Master of Statistics & Data Science you have good job perspectives: statisticians and data scientists are highly sought after in various industries such as food and pharmaceutic industry, in governmental organizations, and in healthcare. Qualification to become a PhD candidate is a definite possibility.
Acquired skills and competence
After graduation you have obtained a thorough knowledge of statistics and data science as used in a broad range of empirical research. You have also developed practical skills such as programming, statistical consultation, and written and oral communication of research results. You will be able to advise substantive researchers on methodological, statistical and data science issues and have the competences to carry out research in the field of quantitative methods for the life- and behavioural sciences.
Please note that during Floor's and Sjoerd's period of study, the programme used to be called Statistical Science for the Life and Behavioural Sciences (until August 2021).
Career
There is a large demand for applied statisticians at both the master’s and the PhD level. Our alumni find jobs in a wide range of areas, such as academic medical hospitals, many types of industry (pharmaceutical, agricultural, food, life science in general, oil, etc.), research institutes, financial institutions, government statistics bureaus, educational services (CITO), marketing bureaus. In view of the emphasis on statistics as a science, rather than as merely a collection of techniques, many graduates will qualify for a PhD programme as well.