Becoming A Data Scientist

Speaking today to a global audience via the company’s internal broadcast network, the Institute’s director Dr. Michael Rappa presented employees of Fidelity Investments with an overview of the various educational pathways for becoming a data scientist. It’s a common topic of discussion throughout industry among technical employees looking to advance their career. There are over 100 graduate degree programs in analytics and data science, including many online programs. “It’s important to carefully evaluate the program and delivery format that best suits your learning needs,” said Dr. Rappa. “At a time when the demand for data savvy professional is high, and salaries are strong, different educational program can have a widely varying return on investment. Counter to what many working professionals may think, leaving the workforce for a brief period to attend an intensive residential program may yield better employment outcomes when compared to staying on the job and studying online. It’s a question of what’s best for the individual student.”

The Master of Science in Analytics has a successful 10-year track record of advancing careers of individuals who decided to return to school to complete their degree. Working professionals typically constitute about half of the Institute’s incoming cohort of 120 students each year.

Dr. Rappa’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion with three MSA graduates who are employed as data scientists at Fidelity: Arshak Grigoryan (Class of 2013), and Roshan Taheri and Spencer Tang (Class of 2015). The event was organized by Dr. Melissa Nysewander, Fidelity’s Director of Data Science. A recording of the presentation is available on Fidelity’s internal network.

Fidelity Data Science Panel