November 16, 2020

NYU Shanghai and NYU Stern’s joint master’s program in Data Analytics and Business Computing (MSDABC) welcomed its second class this August. Over the past three months, the 43 students, coming in with diverse backgrounds, have been studying and exploring career opportunities together at NYU Shanghai. Let’s meet some of them and hear their perspectives on the program thus far.

 

The second MSDABC class at their orientation

Evan Ma (Cohort Leader)
Hometown: Irvine, California, USA / Shanghai, China
Undergraduate Institution: NYU Shanghai
Major: Data Science with Finance concentration

Yuanfan “Kitty” Lai
Hometown: Wanan, Jiangxi, China
Undergraduate Institution: University of International Business and Economics
Major: Translation; Minor: Finance

Chengzhuo “Barney” Huang
Hometown: Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Undergraduate Institution: University of Toronto
Major: Human Resources Management

What brought you to this program?

Evan: During my undergrad I majored in data science with a concentration in finance, and while it was great learning all the basics of machine learning and data analysis, I wanted some more opportunities to apply what I learned to real-life problems. In this program, I hope to gain more practical skills and business insights by analyzing real business cases and doing intensive projects including the capstone with an actual company’s project. I’m also interested in launching my career in Shanghai or other Asia-Pacific cities, so I thought this program was in an ideal location in Shanghai for me (versus America).

Kitty: I majored in translation with a minor in finance and I found myself very interested in dealing with data. Upon graduation, I was looking for a master’s program where I could better prepare myself for a job in the data analytics field in China. Luckily, I read some online posts by MSDABC alumni where they shared their experience in the program in detail. I learned that the courses are comprehensive and will introduce cutting-edge technology. Moreover, the first cohort had a good performance in job hunting. So, I took this offer.

Barney:  I received my bachelor’s degree in human resources management in Canada and then worked at a bank there for around two years. As my job required me to work with data, I self-studied coding. However, I still aspired to systematic training in data analytics. Then, I found this program. It is not too technical to handle, and the courses are in alignment with my career goal, which is to find a data-related job in China.

What do you think of the courses so far?

Kitty: I looked forward to studying basic analytical methods and tools and their applications to real business cases in the program. Now, I’m achieving this goal by applying the analytical knowledge I learned to the projects in the courses. I was very impressed by Machine Learning for Business, taught by Professor Renyu Zhang, which first introduced me to this important topic. The course was challenging for many of us because we didn’t have a lot of relevant background. I’m grateful that Professor Zhang spent extra time helping us so that we could succeed in the course. The knowledge in machine learning and coding also set a solid foundation for our future exploration in data analytics.

 

Renyu Zhang’s class

 

Barney: This is an intense but rewarding program. Many of us don’t have a solid background in computer science, so we need to spend extra effort on coding to complete the in-class assignments. In the meantime, we’re spending every spare moment on job hunting, which makes our schedule even tighter. Though we feel stressed, this experience has better prepared us for more challenging work in the future. Overall, I’m satisfied with the courses. I know everyone is working hard to keep everything running smoothly in this special situation. 

Evan: We took the same Statistics & Data Analysis class (taught by professor Ming Liao) together with the Quantitative Finance program, and in some ways that was an interesting and fruitful experience. I remember we were doing our project on the biomedical industry. In general, DABC students were more skillful in data analytics while QF students were eager to apply financial concepts they were learning in their classes to problem-solve together. It was a good collaboration among people of different affinities, and in a practical sense a good experience for cross-field communication and projects in the future that we may engage in during our careers.

Ming Liao’s class

 

How is your job hunting going? What support have you received from the program?

Evan: The NYU Shanghai Career Development Center (CDC) has held a series of online and offline talks with industry leaders from renowned companies, such as Standard Chartered, Green Court Capital, Meituan, and China Merchants Bank. During this complicated and unique extended epidemic period, it is the best they can do for us to try to develop a deeper understanding of certain industries and network with others. Aside from the CDC, professor Ming Liao also was very forward with giving job hunting advice and recommendations on good companies and fits for students with varying aptitudes. Ming Liao’s tips and compassion has been very comforting and useful, especially as we started our program in August, losing precious time to have finished many foundational courses before engaging in the Autumn School-recruitment (in China).

Kitty: Due to the pandemic, we are not able to have in-person recruitment events. But CDC has still arranged many online info and training sessions for us. I built a relationship with our CDC advisors even before I entered the program. They went through my resume carefully and helped me set a clearer career goal. Once I started the program, they helped me with my cover letter, and I joined in-person training to work on group interview skills. Also, I want to recommend their interview room - that is a perfect space for taking online interviews.

Barney: I’m applying for jobs in different industries, such as technology, consulting, finance, and so on. I’m a CDC ambassador myself and am helping with some events. CDC invited alumni to share their career tips, which was convenient for us to build personal connections with industry insiders. I would recommend this program to those who are looking to get a job in the Asian market.