What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why?
There is a wide range of topics where you can apply Data Science and this Master's explores many of them. You can choose whether you want to learn more about speech recognition, legislation or prosthetics. The 6 EC completely free choice are a nice bonus.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
Particularly good. I have regularly worked with strangers and I am always positively surprised. Everyone communicates clearly, does their job and we have a pretty good time.
The lecturers are very polite, attentive and there is a friendly atmosphere. I have gotten into the habit of addressing teachers by their first names, as they usually prefer that.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
As in the Bachelor's, computers are sometimes just really irritating to work with. I find Machine Learning models in particular a perpetual source of frustration. Often you make a small change and then have to wait for hours to see if anything improves. Not my thing.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
I did a six-month internship at KNMI on AI models that do weather forecasts from 2 to 8 weeks. An interesting topic, I think. Yet I got completely bogged down in the project because, despite many efforts, I couldn't get some of the models to work. Very frustrating. I quit and am now doing an internship on a completely different subject, improving a search engine. Pity about the study delay, but I would definitely recommend doing something that doesn't make you unhappy.
Why do you think it is important that there are people with this degree? What are your plans once you have received your Master's degree?
Data is everywhere. Being able to handle it well is one of the most useful skills to learn. After finishing the Master's, I will look for a company with a nice team to work in.