Applied Data Science & Artificial Intelligence

A complete overview of the curriculum, study components, course content and learning objectives can be found in the study guide. 

Year 1

The first year consists of four blocks. They cover basic skills that build towards tightly defined projects to enhance your knowledge. Topics that will be discussed are:

• AI & Future markets
• Project & change management
• Data Science
• Mathematics & Statistics
• Programming in Python
• Data interface design

Two days a week you work on projects in DataLab.

Year 2

Year 2 consists of four blocks. You will further develop your basic skills in your chosen role: Data Scientist, Consultant or Programmer. Two days a week you work on projects in DataLab.

Year 3

In the first semester of the third year we switch to full time project education in DataLab. You specialise further in the chosen role. Moreover you specialise in a certain domain, e.g. data & AI for logistics, built environment, consumer interaction, media or game development. You also have the possibility to go on exchange for one semester.

In the second half of the year you do a placement.

Year 4

In the graduation year you work on two projects that may include:

• a portfolio project individually or in a group (always assessed individually);
• working at a company (with a project deliverable);
• developing a business plan to start your own company, supported by our entrepreneurship start-up specialists;
• Taking part in a one-semester exchange programme at our partner universities.

Or combine the two projects and work on a year-long project, or go on a year-long internship.
We also encourage our students to go abroad during their studies. In year 4, students participate in projects at companies around the world.

Pre-master's

BUas offers its own pre-master's programme Strategic Business Management and Marketing (SBM). If your academic results are good, you will be offered the opportunity of attending this pre-master’s programme in your fourth year. Successful completion of this track will give you direct access, after Breda University of Applied Sciences, to various Master of Science programmes in business-related studies in management and marketing at several partner universities. A few examples are the universities of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In this way, it will be possible for you to earn an academic master's degree within five years' time or, after having completed an accelerated three-year track, even within four years' time.

After your fourth year, you can also opt for a pre-master’s programme of a Dutch research university to gain direct access to their master’s programmes.  

Applied Data Science & Artificial Intelligence is a varied, challenging programme: 

• You will be working in teams for many hours per week – it is definitely a full-time course of study
• You will be backed up by professional knowledge and theory

We have high standards. We are looking for people who:

• Understand the roles that they are asking to study
• Are engaged with the topics taught

In practice, AI and data projects are not carried out by individuals, but in teams. A team generally consists of a Data Modeler/Scientist, a Data/AI-engineer, a Data Visualisation Specialist and a Data Consultant (Digital Transformation Specialist). The student specialises in one of these roles.

Many of the sectors that BUas trains for are being radically changed by the emergence of AI applications. In urban development, AI applications in smart cities can increase well-being. In logistics, smart inventory management and forecasting, integration of companies through data (industry 4.0) in combination with robotised warehouses ensure more efficient (and more labour-intensive) production. In the media industry, adaptive interfaces ensure that content and advertising are better tailored to individual users. Similarly, the tourism and hospitality industry aim to better tailor their offers to individuals. Chatbots directed by AI contribute to this. AI can contribute to problems such as over-tourism through smart approaches to crowd management. In the third year, students choose an application area. They are taught relevant sector knowledge and the role of data in workshops. In the DataLab they work on the solution of a problem from the chosen sector. 

If you already have a vwo-diploma, a ‘Hochschulreifezeugnis’ (Abitur) or a comparable pre-education, Applied Data Science and Artificial Intelligence may be able to offer you the opportunity of completing the programme in just three years. 

All other international applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the standard of the diploma will be appropriate for the fast track. 
List of appropriate educational qualifications 

Three-year track: how does it work? 

The selection procedure for the fast track is the same as that for the regular programme. 

• In the first year, you will be required to complete your propaedeutic phase.
• The second year follows the same structure as the regular course. 
• In the third year, a number of options are open to you. These include placements, individual projects, or taking part in group projects together with fellow students. 

Interested?

Should you be interested in the fast track and if you have questions that are related to the content and set-up of the study programme, please contact AGMapplication@buas.nl.

Through a 4- to 5-month exchange with one of our many global partner universities, you can have an international experience while maintaining your academic achievement level. We encourage you to go abroad since this will enhance your employability internationally after graduation. Other advantages are increasing your international network, learning other languages and increasing your understanding of cross-cultural differences (and, of course, also similarities). We can guarantee that your perspectives will shift to a global view!

Our partner universities:

• Bournemouth University (UK)
• Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, USA)
• Hanyang University (Seoul, South Korea)
• London School of Public Relations (Jakarta, Indonesia)
• Ehrvervaskademiet Lillebaelt (Denmark)
• University of Vic (Spain)
• Bilkent University (Ankara, Turkey)
• Bilgi University (Istanbul, Turkey)
• Westerdals (Oslo, Norway)

At BUas you are trained to become an entrepreneurial professional. In all the professional bachelor’s programmes, you are given the opportunity to develop your entrepreneurial skills. You will be taught about entrepreneurship in courses specifically designed for this purpose. In your second year, you can take part in an Excellence Track in Entrepreneurship.

And in the fourth year you can opt for a BUas-wide in Entrepreneurship, or you can even graduate in your own business! Perhaps, by that time, you already have a profitable business or have plans to start one? BUas Startup Support can help you.   

More information on how to start your own bussines.

Below you will find some frequently asked questions about the Applied Data Science & Ai programme. If your question is not listed, ask your question in the chat. Our students can probably answer your question.

What is Data Science and what is Artificial Intelligence?

Data Science is a field that uses statistics, mathematics and computer science to gain insights from data. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field that develops computer systems that mimic human intelligence, think visual perception and decision-making. AI and Data Science have a lot in common. AI always uses data and Data Science deploys AI techniques to analyse data.

What does the Applied Data Science and Artificial Intelligence study programme entail?

The study programme of Applied Data Science and Artificial Intelligence has three angles.

1. You will learn how Data Science works (theory and concepts). You will learn how to collect, analyse, process and interpret large amounts of data (big data). 
2. You will learn how to apply AI systems practically. You will do so in projects for real-life clients. This will help you build a portfolio as well as relevant experience.  
3. You will help businesses extract as much value as possible from data. You will show them how decisions can be made based on the insights generated through data analysis. You will act as a liaison between a business and an AI team.  

Is data science a good career?

After graduating from the Applied Data Science and Artificial Intelligence programme, you can, for example, start working as a Data Scientist, Data Engineer or Data Consultant.

What courses are taught in Applied Data Science and Artificial Intelligence?

The programme is structured around projects that zoom in on a particular theme. In the first year, you will work on: Business Understanding, AI, Data Understanding, Data Governance & Ethics, Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Responsible AI, Deep Learning, and Human-Centred AI. In the second year, you will go into more depth with topics such as Computer Vision & Robotics and Natural Language Processing.