Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals (3 years)
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September (See if this programme also offers a January/February start for international applicants). Programme type: Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals (3 years) |
The combined Master’s degree programme in Data Science equips you with the skills to analyse large volumes of data and use statistical methods and digital tools to solve real-world problems. You will build a strong academic foundation through courses in advanced statistical learning, large-scale optimisation and data visualisation. You can then specialise through a 30 ECTS specialisation package, choosing from Computational Statistics, Data-Intensive Systems, Finance and FinTech, Signal Processing and Business Intelligence.
The programme is taught in English and combines one year of full-time study with two years during which you take Data Science courses while working in a relevant role. Unlike the two-year Master’s degree programme and the four-year work-integrated Master’s degree programme, the combined programme allows you to combine advanced studies with professional experience over a shorter period than the four-year programme.
The programme has a standard duration of three years.
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the Combined Master's degree programme in Data Science. Depending on your educational background and your qualifications, there are different ways to meet the admission requirements:
This section is relevant for you, if you have:
The two sections listed below are relevant only for students with a bachelor's degree from a Danish institution:
Below these sections, you can learn more about the employment requirement and the English language requirement. You can also find out which ranking criteria we use to assess your application when prioritizing among the submitted applications.
If you have an international educational background, you must meet both the general admission requirement and the specific admission requirements:
You must have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish Bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
For more information about how your Bachelor's degree is assessed, please see the national database.
If you meet the general admission requirement, the university will continue on to assess whether or not you meet the specific admission requirements.
You can be admitted to the Master's programme if the university assesses that your education has a level, scope, and content that corresponds to the academic requirements specified below.
| Subject area | Number of ECTS |
Mathematics The following subject areas must be covered:
| 20 |
| Probability theory and statistics | 30 |
| Programming and databases | 30 |
| Optimisation | 10 |
| Machine learning and deep learning | 20 |
| Total | 110 |
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the programme if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmes that provide direct admission.
No Bachelor's degree programme(s) from Aarhus University entitles applicants to an offer of admission to this Combind Master's degree programme.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this work-integrated Master's degree programme in Data Science:
If you hold a Bachelor’s degree from a non-Danish university, you must complete the appendix below and upload it to the application portal. The appendix helps the academic assessors with the assessment of your application.
Download appendix
You must meet the requirement of being in relevant employment when you transition to the part-time part of the programme, i.e. after the first year.
“Relevant employment” means that you work at least 25 hours per week in a public or private company, or as an entrepreneur, and that your work tasks are professionally related to both your qualifying education and the education you are applying for.
In order to be admitted to this programme you must meet the university's English language requirements.
Students with bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'Legal right of admission' are exempt from the English language requirement.
All Master’s degree programmes at Aarhus University have limited intake. This means that you are not guaranteed admission even if you meet the entry requirements. When we prioritize among applicants, we assess your application based on a set of fixed ranking criteria, which you can see below.
If you have a legal right of admission, you are guaranteed a place in the programme and do not need to consider the ranking criteria.
Ranking criteria:
In criterion three, the score is based on the proportion of subjects on the bachelor’s degree diploma that fall within the relevant subject fields. In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the assessment.
Unfortunately, Aarhus University is not able to assess your qualifications beforehand. In order for your qualifications to be assessed you must apply for admission. To learn more, please go to Assessment of your qualifications.
The Combined Master’s degree programme in Data Science consists of three compulsory courses:
• Advanced Statistical Learning (10 ECTS)
• Large Scale Optimization (10 ECTS)
• Data Visualization (10 ECTS)
In addition, the programme includes a 30 ECTS specialisation package, where you can choose between:
• Computational Statistics (30 ECTS)
• Data-Intensive Systems (30 ECTS)
• Finance and FinTech (30 ECTS)
• Signal Processing (30 ECTS)
Furthermore, the programme includes elective course elements totalling 30 ECTS and a Master's thesis of 30 ECTS.
Your individualised study programme will be designed on the basis of your interests and with guidance from the head of degree programme for the Master's in Data Science.
The academic regulations for Combined Master's Degree Programme for Working Professionals in Data Science will be available in late autumn 2026.
The academic regulations contain further information about the content of the individual courses. You can also find information about the structure of the programme and the requirements you must meet as a student, including examination formats and requirements.
The programme has been approved with English as the language of instruction. The language of instruction is the language in which the programme is generally taught.
The Combined Master's degree programme in Data Science is organised in two semesters per academic year. Below, you can see the structure of the degree programme.
The Combined Master's degree programme in Data Science is based at the Department of Mathematics, as well as three other departments (Computer Science, Economics and Business Economics and Electrical and Computer Engineering), depending on your choice of specialisation package and other elective elements. Teaching is by active researchers and includes both theoretical and practical elements.
The Combined Master’s degree in Data Science has its own student organisation, and there are also other student organisations at the Department of Mathematics, for example Kalkulebar, the department’s Friday bar, which organises academic and social activities, study trips and parties. You will also meet TÅGEKAMMERET, a committee that arranges parties and talks at the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Aarhus University.
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A Combined Master's degree in Data Science will offer job opportunities in many different companies and organisations. The common denominator is the need to create data-driven solutions in these companies and organisations, for example in the wind turbine industry, consultancy firms, pharmaceutical companies, the telecommunications industry, the food industry, the healthcare sector etc. You may also choose to continue your studies on the PhD degree programme, and pursue a career in research.
