Think Like an Analyst and Make Better Decisions: New HSE Online Master’s Programme on Coursera

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The new online Master of Data and Network Analytics (MDNA) programme on Coursera teaches students to analyze the massive amounts of data accumulated by people and machines. In a time of intensive economic digitalization, the master's programme aims to meet the challenges of the labour market and train highly qualified specialists in full-cycle data analysis. Valentina Kuskova, Academic Supervisor of the full-time and online programmes, Head of the International Laboratory for Applied Network Research, PhD at Indiana University, told HSE News Service about how the MDNA master's programme trains students to think in innovative ways.

The programme was created by leading researchers and renowned experts of the International Laboratory for Applied Network Research (ANR-Lab), a semi-independent unit within the Faculty of Social Sciences at HSE University. The laboratory develops and tests new methods of data analysis and their wide-ranging applications in empirical research. Faculty of the laboratory include researchers in such fields as sociology, political science, economics, management, mathematics, statistics, computational linguistics and computer science.

The content of the online master's programme is similar to the full-time programme in Applied Statistics with Network Analysis (MASNA). Regardless of the training format, students receive equal access to high-quality educational content and prompt feedback from faculty. As in the full-time programme, students of the online master's programme have direct contact with expert lecturers in master classes and workshops.

Valentina Kuskova

Our programme offers comprehensive theoretical and empirical training in analytics. It is aimed at those who want to use up-to-date approaches to collecting, describing and visualizing unstructured (text) and relational (network) data. Everyone — from students and aspiring researchers to industry specialists and managers in the public sector — wants to know how to use data to make the right decisions in research, practice, and everyday life. Our programme teaches competencies that meet the challenges of the modern world. We give students the analytical grounding to solve problems, draw informal conclusions, and apply an integrated approach to problem solving. The MDNA trains beginners and specialists alike to better understand and study complex data and phenomena.

What experts are involved in the programme?

The programme is a partnership between our research laboratory and the University of Ljubljana. Our lecturers are responsible for creating globally recognized analysis methods, and their lecture materials don’t just keep up with modern analytical trends — they move them forward. 78% of the program's courses are taught by teachers with PhD degrees. Expert faculty involved in the programme include:

Anuŝka Ferligoj — leading expert in cluster analysis and blockmodeling, Nada Lavraĉ — world-renowned expert in artificial intelligence, and creator of numerous developments in the field, Janez Demšar — one of the creators of Orange data-mining software, Ljupco Todorovski — co-creator of several machine learning systems, Erik Štrumbelj — leading expert in Bayesian methods, co-author of several R libraries for Bayesian analysis.

Unlike programmes that start with methods, our professors teach to formulate the problem first, then select a method for solving the problem. Such an approach allows for unique solutions that stand out

How is the study process organised?

This is an applied programme that incorporates fully project-based training using live data and real cases, including cases created by students themselves. Projects are implemented at three levels: small (classroom projects), medium (specializations), and large (during the consulting track, which involves clients with real cases to solve, or in the ‘analytical workshop’ student project). By the end of the programme, students’ portfolios may contain dozens of projects.

The individual curriculum consists of three tracks: Network Analytics, which is dedicated to the analysis of social networks for modern business analytics, Business Analytics, which teaches students to make non-trivial decisions using business analysis tools, and Computational Social Science, which prepares future scientists.

Almost all courses are available at basic and advanced levels, which allows students with different knowledge backgrounds to study the same topics. The programme offers a wide range of subjects to choose from (more than the required number to obtain a degree), enabling students to broaden their analytical horizons as much as possible.

Dina Yakovleva (Russia), MASNA graduate:

I am working as a natural gas analyst, and I also finished a Master of Applied Statistics programme at HSE University. I acquired three skills here. The first is that I can do data analysis on anything you provide me — the field doesn’t matter much. I can find a job that I like in any location, which I really appreciate! Second, I can learn any software I’m given. I know how to go through programs and understand their language and structure. And third, I am a part of a young, dynamic scientific community where I can always find help and support. Studying in the MASNA programme is a good challenge. I will remember it for the rest of my life.

Elizaveta Chernenko (Russia), MASNA graduate:

I am a teacher of Probability Theory and Statistics at the International College of Economics and Finance of HSE University. I am also working as a business consultant, which is an opportunity to apply organizational working analysis. I chose MASNA because I wanted to build a career in social network analysis — especially as it applies to business consulting. I tried several projects that were only half successful. I felt I had a lack of contacts, skills and knowledge in this sphere. I didn’t know the right people to help me make the right decisions. When I learned about the new MASNA programme, I was impressed. The list of professors who were going to teach in the programme really inspired me. The only question I still had in my mind was ‘do I have enough time to apply for this programme?’ But when I was accepted, I felt happy. The most important outcomes of these two years are that I’ve made connections with the right people, I gained access to the knowledge I needed and I was able to apply it. Also, I really loved my classmates — the kinds of students attracted by this programme are really admirable.  I made many friends and we really worked as a team on our projects. Those two years were some of the best in my life.

Brennan Lewis Larson (USA), student of MASNA:

Previously, I studied economics for my bachelor’s degree. I was looking for a master's degree in statistics. What really attracted me to the HSE programme is that the professors are from European universities. I am really enjoying the programme. It gives me a new learning experience because I live overseas. Whenever you want to talk to professors about research ideas or projects, they will gladly help you out.