Post Graduate Diploma In Data Science Overview

16 mins

Done with your bachelor's and planning to take up data science in your master's? Well, you are in for a surprise. A Master in Data Science might sound good, but only a few students are selected due to their lack of eligibility. But don't get disheartened you still have the option of obtaining a postgraduate diploma in data science.

But first, what is data science, and what exactly will you learn to do? Well, data science is the field that works with massive amounts of data utilizing cutting-edge tools and procedures to uncover previously unknown patterns, extract valuable information, and make commercial judgments.

After a course or degree in data science, you will become a data scientist who will employ complicated machine learning algorithms to create prediction models.

Almost every company in the world needs its data to be segregated and sorted to make crucial decisions. A data scientist collects, stores, segregates, and analyzes data to help the company make pivotal decisions. In totality, you will be the data wizard of the tech world.

How to Become A Data Scientist?

Generally, being a data scientist necessitates some formal education. Here are some things to think about.

Get A Degree In Data Science

Employers want to see academic credentials to ensure you have the expertise to manage a data science job, although it is not always required. To gain a head start in the industry, consider pursuing a relevant bachelor's degree in data science, statistics, or computer science.

A bachelor's in data science is generally a degree of 3 years with both theoretical and practical aspects. Some of the colleges in India that have Bachelors in Data Science are:

  • IIT Madras, Chennai
  • Loyola Academy Degree and PG College, Secunderabad
  • Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai
  • NMIMS Mumbai, Mumbai
  • PSGCT, Coimbatore
  • Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai

After completing your bachelor's degree, you should consider pursuing a master's degree in data science. A master's degree program allows you to expand your knowledge in statistics, machine learning, algorithms, modeling, and forecasting and conduct your research on a topic of interest to you.

As a result, you'll grow your portfolio while earning professional experience. The top colleges in India for Masters in data science are:

  • Loyola College, Chennai
  • Fergusson College, Pune
  • Christ University Bangalore, Bangalore
  • VIT Vellore, Vellore
  • AMU, Aligarh
  • Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
  • Annamalai University, Chidambaram

The fees of these colleges are generally high, which might end up creating a financial burden on you. This is where Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science steps in.

A postgraduate diploma in data science is a degree that lasts ten months to 2 years. It provides professional and technical knowledge in data science and data analytics, which are employed in computational and biological sciences.

This helps you in securing a degree faster with fewer financial investments. In addition, multiple colleges provide PGD in Data Science in India and abroad, which I will discuss later in the blog.

All You Need To Know About Data Science

Data science is an interdisciplinary field that uses scientific techniques, processes, algorithms, and technologies to collect knowledge and actionable data gathered from multiple sources and afterward utilizes the data and insights across various application areas.

For example, data mining, machine learning, and big data are all related to data science. It uses techniques and theories from multiple disciplines, including mathematics, statistics, computer science, information science, and domain knowledge. In contrast, data science is separate from computer science and information science.

All You Need To Know About Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science

A Postgraduate Diploma in Data Science is a certification course that a working professional or student can complete to increase the procedures and tools used in a company's analytical and statistical operations.

The postgraduate diploma program in Analytical Statistics, employed in computational and biological sciences, provides specialized instruction.

It is accessible online and offline as a 6- to 12-month part-time education. The course aims to help students develop statistical programming abilities, ultimately leading to a career in business.

The curriculum teaches students how to build sound methodological foundations in analytical statistics, perform statistical consultations, and use various techniques, skills, and tools.

Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science Scope

We live in a world where data is always being created and stored. All important decisions are being made based on this data. Every second, an individual creates 1.78 MB of data. Processing this data could be done with the help of advanced technology, but a human mind must process it understandably. Thus, a data scientist is required.

Data Science Is An Ever-Growing Field

Data science has made its position in the market due to the increasing need for data statistics. Data scientists possess a diverse set of skills that may be utilized to help businesses make better strategic decisions by harnessing data and information gathered from various sources.

Data scientists are given intriguing opportunities to engage with and experiment with data to generate feasible organizational solutions. The data scientists can create their tool and either use it personally or sell it to others.

Data Scientists are in Demand

With the growth of new data, new data scientists are required too. But not every student or professional is aware of this field.

The field of data science doesn't have the correct equilibrium of demand and supply, where the need is sky high, but the supply is very less. Thus it is a field in need, and its demand will grow in the coming years.

As per LinkedIn, 11.5 million positions will be created for data scientists in 2026, and we aren't far from that year.

Wide Range of Sectors

Data scientists do magic with data, but the field they are employed in can be anyone. Data scientists can be employed in healthcare, tech-related, gaming, e-commerce, banking, education, consulting, or any field that comes to mind. The scope isn't just limited to one sector, and there are high chances of being selected in your desired area.

High Paying Job

Data scientists play with millions of data, and they are paid equally, not exactly in millions but sufficiently. The average data scientist earns ₹11 lakhs per annum in India, with freshers having six lakhs per annum and experiences having 25 lakhs per annum as their salary.

The average salary for data science in United States positions is $141,454 per annum and £49839 per year in the United Kingdom. Thus sufficing the fact that data scientists have a well-paid salary.

Post Graduate Diploma In Data Science Course- An Overview

The 9-12 month long course is divided strategically to provide theoretical and practical training. The major areas of study in the postgraduate diploma program are probability, statistics, linear algebra, Python, machine learning, data visualization, analytics, and a project that will help build your portfolio and provide you with practical experience.

The project developed in the program can be showcased to employers in the future to show them a glimpse of your learning and becoming a better candidate. In addition, the project work enhances your capability to analyze a large amount of data by providing you with a base and applying what you have learned.

Eligibility for Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science- India

Data Science postgraduate diploma courses are available as a specialization in Engineering, Computer Science, and Management. The minimum qualifying condition is an undergraduate course with at least fifty percent marks in aggregate or equivalent, ideally in Science or Computer Science from a recognized board or University.

The following are some of the prerequisites that must be met to be considered for admission to the PGD Data Science program:

  • Bachelor of Science in Statistics and computer programming (BE/B.Tech/MCA/M.Sc/DOEACC).
  • Candidates who have completed the final semester test and are awaiting results are eligible to apply.
  • When the course is over, they must show evidence of graduation of all semesters examinations/the last degree. A certificate will not be granted if this is not the case.
  • The candidate must present their original mark records up to the last evaluation test on the date of counseling/admission.
  • Several institutes include employment records as elements of the admissions process.
  • Admission to a postgraduate data science course may also include submitting letters of recommendation.

Eligibility for Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science- United Kingdom, United States, Canada

Suppose you intend to relocate to another nation, such as Canada, the United Kingdom, or the United States, to pursue a Postgraduate Diploma in Data Science. In that case, you must meet the following requirements.

  • A bachelor's degree in statistics, computer science, mathematics, economics, or any other related discipline is required.
  • The needed proportion of marks is at least 50%.
  • Passing admission tests such as the CAT, GRE, and GMAT
  • While some colleges encourage job experience, others do not place a high value on it.

Admission Process for Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science

The admissions for 2022-2023 are going on and will continue till the end of September for various universities. Some colleges take up students solely based on marks scored by them in their graduation; other universities require an entrance test as a qualifying exam for the selection process.

Some of the well-known universities select students based on these entrance tests

PG Diploma in Data Science & Analytics Exam

This entrance test is conducted by the Examination Section, National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology, Chennai.

The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), an autonomous science-based society under the administrative control of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, was established to undertake Human Resource Development and support activities in the fields of Information, Electronics, and Communications Technology (ICT). Later on, the institution began offering cost-effective diploma programs.

Joint Admission Test

This entrance test is conducted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bangalore. The Indian Institute of Science is a public research university that provides higher education and research in science, engineering, design, and management. It is in the Indian state of Karnataka, in the city of Bengaluru.

The test is open to all nationalities (both Indian and international) and has no upper age restriction. It is a computer-based online test in which applicants are presented with questions in a randomized order on a computer screen.

Each one of the 7 test papers will take three hours to complete. All test questions will be written entirely in English. There will be 60 questions overall, each earning 100 points. The paper is broken into three sections: A, B, and C.

All components are necessary. The questions in each part would be of a distinct kind. Section A has 30 multiple choice questions, Section B contains ten numerous select questions, and Section C contains 20 numerical answer questions.

Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science Curriculum

Before choosing any course, you would like to see its syllabus and decide whether the system is made for you or not. The top universities in India follow a similar structure for syllabus while offering post-graduation courses.

For a postgraduate diploma in data science, a 3-semester structure is followed, where two semesters are entirely theory-based with some practical aspects, and the last semester is altogether practical-based.

Semester 1

In the first six months of the course, the subjects which will be taught are

  • Basics of Statistics
  • Data Science Introduction
  • Algorithms and Data Structures
  • R Programming Introduction

Let's take a deeper look at what will constitute these papers.

Basics of Statistics

In Basics of Statistics, a brief overview of statistics will be studied. It will involve collecting data, scrutinizing it, and classification of data through tabulation. The paper will also teach students about the different methods of diagrammatic and graphical presentation of data to make it easily understandable to others.

In addition, various techniques for analyzing data, such as Measures of Central Tendency (Mean, Median, and Mode), Measures of Dispersion, will be learned, and methods of correlating two sets of data through correlation coefficient, rank correlation, and intra class correlation are studied.

Data Science Introduction

A basic introduction to data science is given to the students. The description used, the scope of data science taught, and the legality and ethical issues involved. Further, the technical aspects of data science, such as big data and data science hype, are introduced.

The entire data science pipeline, which includes data wrangling, exploratory analysis, modeling, gathering, cleaning, and visualizing data, is learned and practically applied. A brief overview of the data scientist toolbox is given to the students to make their work easier. Also, data science applications in business and industry are communicated in easy-to-understand languages.

Data Structures and Algorithms

The third subject to be taught is data structures and algorithms in which programming fundamentals, data types, arrays, pointers, functions, stacks, queues, linked lists, and trees are included. All of this knowledge will be applied on a practical basis as well.

Along with these study topics, a brief about algorithms such as searching them and sorting information is also provided. Graphical representation of the data and how to put it so that the algorithm understands it is also taught. A brief aspect of dynamic programming is covered in the third paper.

Introduction to R Programming

R is a statistical computing and graphics programming language sponsored by the R Core Team and the R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Students get a piece of brief information about R, how to install R, R studio, and an R package.

The students also explain the variables, matrices, lists, and data frames. Some basic expressions in R programming, such as conditional or loop, and the functions in R, as well as how to do math in R, are a part of the paper. Debugging, parallel R, and string manipulation are also taught to the students.

At the end of the semester, a case study is given to the students to analyze and apply their practical knowledge.

Semester II

In the second semester, an in-depth study is done in the following areas.

  • Python Programming
  • Machine Learning with R and Python
  • Advanced Statistics with Data Analysis
  • Emerging Trends in Data Science

Python Programming

Python is one of the most used coding software in the world. An Introduction to Python and how to install Python are first taught. Variables, expressions, statements, functions, conditionals, recursion, and iteration are included in the course too.

Strings, lists, and tuples are taught as well. Python has some dictionaries and object-oriented programming, which are necessary for strong basics. Apart from this, other elements of Python such as files, error handling, testing, debugging, profiling and data structures are also included in the paper.

Machine Learning with R and Python

The machine is an important part of data science, and so are R and Python. Thus a mix of these three is taught. This paper studies the basics of machine learning and supervised and unsupervised machine learning, including K-NN, Naïve Bayes, Decision tree, SVM, K means, Apriori algorithms, etc.

Also, Regression Models, Clustering Models, data visualization in Python, and web scraping. The student learns data manipulation and computation with the help of Python. DataFrame applications are understood, and an introduction to Scikit – Machine learning is given.

Advanced Statistics with Data Analysis

The various types of correlations, probabilities, and regression are introduced in this subject. The major areas of study are multiple correlation, partial correlation, probability different approaches to probability theory, laws of probability, linear regression, and multiple regression.

In addition, an introduction to sample surveys, simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, and other sampling schemes is given.

Emerging Trends in Data Science

In any study field related to technology, it is necessary to be up-to-date; this new technology, software, and methods are also introduced to the students.

Semester III

The final semester is entirely practical the students have to do one case study and one project work to gain valuable exposure.

Top Colleges for Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science

The demand for data scientists and analysts is increasing in the global market. However, it is a fact that there is a huge shortage of data scientists and analysts in India. Data scientist jobs have increased by 60% over the last three years.

Some colleges in India offer PG diploma courses in Data Science with specializations in various fields such as Data Analytics, Data Engineering, etc.

These courses are designed to provide knowledge about multiple aspects of data science, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, etc., which will help students develop their skillset to become successful professionals. Let's see which colleges are these.

Indian Institute Of Technology Madras - [IITM], Chennai

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is a public technical institution in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is designated an Institute of National Importance as one of the Indian Institutes of Technology and is frequently ranked as one of India's most prominent universities.

The best college for post graduate diploma in data science, the college does the course for only ₹55,000/ year and offers placements up to 8 lac per annum in various companies.

Narsee Monjee Institute Of Management Studies - [Nmims Deemed To Be University], Mumbai

Narsee Monjee Institute Of Management Studies - [Nmims Deemed To Be University] believes in providing students with the information and skills they need in their chosen fields, instilling values, identifying hidden talents, and allowing students to reach their full potential.

Furthermore, they believe in cultivating a scientific spirit of inquiry in our students and shaping them into leaders and responsible citizens who will fulfill the role of changemakers in society by delivering value-based education. The institute offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science for ₹160,000 and has an annual placement value of up to ₹15 lac.

Sri Ramachandra Institute Of Higher Education And Research (SRIHER), Chennai

Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, often known as Sri Ramachandra University, is a private institute in Porur, Chennai, India. The highly accredited institute offers Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science for a fee of ₹1,25,000 with an annual placement of ₹8 lac per annum.

Chandigarh University (CU)

Chandigarh University is a private university in the Indian city of Mohali. The University was created by an act of the Punjab State Legislature on July 10, 2012. The University Grants Commission recognizes it under Section 2 with authority to issue degrees under Section 22 of the UGC Act of 1956.

The University has tie-ups with various companies, both national and international. The institute offers Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science for a fee of ₹60,000 with the guaranteed placement of ₹10 lac per annum and the opportunity to work in Canada and the United States since it has multiple affiliations.

Kalinga University, Raipur

Kalinga University, Raipur, has developed as a higher education excellence center in Central India. This University, strategically placed in the Smart City of New Raipur, has begun to carve a space for itself in the education arena and is emerging as a blazing light on the horizon of superior education.

Kalinga University serves the student body through various UG and PG programs. In addition, the institute offers Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science for a fee of ₹76,000 with placement of ₹2.5 lac per annum.

NIMAS Kolkata

NIMAS, one of the leading colleges in Kolkata, provides undergraduate and postgraduate degrees authorized by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, MAKAUT, formerly known as WBUT.

A highly regarded institution with a global perspective, its 23 years of academic success, innovative teaching approaches, and strong industry linkages make them one of India's premier suppliers of higher education. In addition, the institute offers Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science for a fee of ₹1,49,000 with a guaranteed placement of ₹8 lac per annum.


Kanya Mahavidyalaya - [KMV], Jalandhar

Kanya Maha Vidyalaya is a women's college in Jalandhar, Punjab, India, that offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma programs. It is trusted by 4,000 learners and has a 32-acre campus. The institute provides a Post Graduate Diploma in Data Science fee of ₹1,00,000 with a guaranteed placement of ₹4 lac per annum.


Future of Data Science

The future of data science is bright, and its prospects are immense with increased applications across domains. Along with artificial intelligence and machine learning, data science will contribute to a higher level and intelligent decision-making for businesses.

Thus the career will become one of the most prominent fields of work in the coming future. Secure your future with us.

End-to-End Application Assistance Available


Get End-to-End Help

  • SOP, LOR, Resume Drafting
  • Scholarship Assistance
  • Alumni Guidance
  • Visa Help
Mentr Me
Follow us on:
Instagram
Youtube
Reach Out to us:
MentR-Me Education Pvt. Ltd.
Fourth Floor, Vijay Tower, Panchsheel Park North, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi-110049
Copyright © 2021 MentR-Me. All rights reserved.