studentstory

Asuka Saito

CU Data Science — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:15:21 +0000

Asuka Saito CU Data Science Wed, 07/16/2025 - 07:15

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?

My background was originally on the business side. After university, I did some data analysis work and then pursued an MBA in the UK. When I joined the program, I was at Amazon, working as a program manager/business engineer, analyzing client data and building dashboards for internal programs. At that time, I felt unsure between continuing in business or shifting towards data science. My mentor encouraged me, saying, "It’s never too late to start new things," so I jumped into data science.

What initially drew you to this program?

I researched a lot. really, —online and offline, Europe and the US—and found Colorado Boulder to be the best fit. Cheaper programs seemed to have weak reputations or curricula, while top-tier ones were often too expensive or required full-time commitment. I wanted to avoid a career gap, so Boulder’s flexibility was ideal. Its curriculum, blending math, data science, and computer science into practical skills, perfectly matched what I was looking for.

Can you tell us how the MS-DS program fits into your life?

The flexibility was perfect. I could take more courses during slower periods and fewer when busy. Balancing family life and a demanding job became manageable. Also, the courses were highly practical, helping me immediately apply new skills to my work at Amazon.

What are your favorite parts of the program?

Two courses stood out. The Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) course gave me structured, official processes for data analysis, improving my productivity at work. The Machine Learning course clarified best practices, teaching me to approach modeling more rigorously to achieve reliable results.

I know the ways, but now I have confidence with them.

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?

I graduated in summer 2024, and several exciting changes have happened since then. I’m now a program leader for data science and AI projects at a Japanese company. Although less famous globally than Amazon, the role has better compensation and is more enjoyable.

My manager acknowledges my master's degree as crucial for this new role. Additionally, to my surprise, I became an adjunct professor teaching data science and AI at a university, and I recently received another adjunct professor offer elsewhere. I had not thought I'd teach DS/AI at a university. It is simply amazing.

Would you recommend this program to others? Why or why not?

Absolutely! This program is ideal for those with some practical experience but lacking formal academic training. It’s great for validating and advancing your skills without sacrificing work, personal interests, or family life—offering an excellent work-life-academic balance.

What's one tip you have for students who are starting this program?

If you’re still deciding, just go for it—I remain grateful to my mentor for pushing me. Once enrolled, take your time and enjoy the process. It's not a race, and there’s no single right pace. The flexibility to adjust your schedule is the program’s biggest strength, so relax and trust you'll get there eventually.

Is there a specific project you have worked on that stands out to you?

The Deep Learning course was memorable because it was tough, especially during the winter holiday of 2023 when I dedicated my vacation to it. It was challenging but incredibly rewarding, teaching me more than technical knowledge—it showed me how to handle complex data science projects. The skill still benefits me today.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I'm truly grateful for the MS-DS program at Colorado Boulder. It has transformed my career, boosted my confidence, and expanded my skills.

Since English is my second language, so please alter words and phrases if you come up with better ones. I do not mind at all.

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Daisaku IKOMA

Arushi Jha — Fri, 30 May 2025 19:13:46 +0000

Daisaku IKOMA Arushi Jha Fri, 05/30/2025 - 13:13

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?

I earned my masters degree in applied physics in Japan. Through studying quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics, I developed a strong interest in statistics. Additionally, I worked as an engineer for ten years, specializing in statistical modeling of variability in semiconductor devices, which naturally led to an affinity for machine learning and AI. However, I had never studied machine learning or AI in a systematic way. Later, I became a manager overseeing CAE (computer-aided engineering) in the semiconductor field, before transitioning into a managerial role in charge of digital transformation.

What initially drew you to this program?

As I took on a new role in digital transformation, I wanted to systematically acquire both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of data science. Attending a university while working full-time seemed extremely difficult, considering the responsibilities I had as a manager and the time I wanted to spend with my family, so I was close to giving up. However, I realized that with an online program, I could learn at my own pace. I was also drawn to the performance-based admissions process, which didn't require TOEFL, GRE, or letters of recommendation. The fact that I could continue working while studying and that the program was reasonably priced also appealed to me.

Can you tell us how the MS-DS program fits into your life?

By studying for an hour after work on weekdays and setting aside 2 to 3 hours in the early mornings on weekends, I was able to balance my studies with both my job and family life.

What are your favorite parts of the program?

My fellow learners come from all over the world and span a wide range of ages. I was able to stay motivated by learning alongside such high-level peers, especially through activities like peer reviews of reports. I've also made a few connections here in Japan and have had opportunities to meet and interact with them offline.

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?

I hope to propose and lead data science projects in the semiconductor field. Technically, I want to continue learning at the cutting edge and strive to reach even greater heights as a specialist.

Would you recommend this program to others? Why or why not?

I highly recommend it. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned that it is possible to work and study online. As we enter the era of 100-year lifespans, it has become common to change careers multiple times throughout our lives. This program allows you to reskill at any phase of life and take on new challenges in a new chapter of your journey.

What's one tip you have for students who are starting this program?

Earning a degree may seem like a long journey at first, but as long as you keep going without giving up, you will definitely make progress and eventually complete the program. Keep moving forward steadily without stopping. Get some university goods, and boost your motivation and stay positive and give it your best!

Is there a specific project you have worked on that stands out to you?

What I appreciated was that the program covered not only data science, but also essential skills for being a leader in society, such as ethics and corporate finance. In particular, I found it valuable to have the opportunity to systematically learn about corporate finance in addition to technical subjects.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I'm grateful to my wife and two daughters for their understanding and support of my new learning journey.

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Albert Diaz

CU Data Science — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:01:48 +0000

Albert Diaz CU Data Science Tue, 04/29/2025 - 15:01

Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?
Before enrolling in this program, I had approximately 8 years of overall experience, with 6 of those years spent as an analytics translator in the financial sector. In this role, I acted as an intermediary between business areas and technical areas such as data science and machine learning. My primary objective was to ensure that analytical projects were implemented effectively and generated value for the organization.

What initially drew you to this program?

What initially drew me to this program was my desire to deepen my technical knowledge. Although I already had an MBA and considerable experience in project management, I felt that enhancing my technical skills would enable me to become a better analytics translator. This would allow me to provide more informed technical recommendations to my team on how to solve problems effectively.

Can you tell us how the MS-DS program fits into your life?

The MS-DS program fits into my life seamlessly due to its flexibility. This allows me to balance work, studies, and personal life effectively. It's my first time studying with this online methodology, and I have found it to be excellent.

What are your favorite parts of the program?

Without a doubt, my favorite parts of the program were the three courses in the statistics pathway. These were the first courses I took, and right from the start, I found them to be excellent. Although they were technically complex, the practical examples and exercises made everything much easier to understand.

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?

With this new knowledge, I hope to have more opportunities to conduct comprehensive end-to-end consulting projects. Not only will I be able to define the problem and propose a solution, but I can now develop a model based on machine learning algorithms to solve the identified problem.

Would you recommend this program to others? Why or why not?

I would definitely recommend this program, but I believe it isn't for everyone. You need to be consistent to meet deadlines for all assignments and exams. Some people might find this a bit challenging, so other type of programs might be a better fit for their learning style.

What is one tip you have for students who are starting this program?

I have two tips for students starting this program. First, be fair in peer reviews give what you would like to receive. Second, take full advantage of all the resources provided by the program and the university, such as attending office hours, being part of Slack groups, using the Handshake platform, and more.

Is there a specific project you have worked on that stands out to you?

An interesting project I am currently working on involves developing an image classification model for Peruvian ceramics to determine the specific culture they belong to. This type of model can help archaeologists identify such discoveries much more quickly.

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:52:22 +0000

Garima Vardhan Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/09/2022 - 13:52

After receiving her Bachelors in Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering, current MS-DS Coursera student Garima Vardhan spent 11 years working in Product Lifecycle Management, before deciding to enroll in the program in May of 2021. Due to visa constraints, she has been unable to work in the US, but the program has allowed her to utilize this time to further her studies while balancing being a mom. Below, she shares insights into her experience and advice for prospective students.

Can you tell me how the MS-DS on Coursera program fits into your life?
Well, it fits perfectly in my life! I have the flexibility of time as there is no strict deadline for the courses. In some sessions I am fine doing not a single course at all. I can do things according to my pace, which is the best part. Idea is to gain knowledge rather than doing assignments just for grades. I have a 5-year-old at home, so it's definitely not easy to follow deadlines. Also, there is No one-time fees, we can pay as we go. I am sure a lot of students who are currently not working, must be having great relief with this option.

What are your favorite parts of the program?
As I already mentioned about the flexibility of time and payment of fees, on top of that, we all get to learn from our fellow students. We have separate channels on Slack for each course in MSDS and many discussion forums on Coursera which cover a wide range of technical topics, that helps a lot. In fact, I have not attended a single Office hour session in this program till date. Every time I posted my doubts on slack it was answered by some of our fellow students. Nonetheless, we all have to abide by the honor code so we can just give hints and not clearly state the answers. As a part of this program, we also get access to many other courses which are relevant to Data Science, which are available on “CU on Coursera”. That way we can brush up on many other topics side by side. I did some extra courses in R Programming and Python.

What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?
I hope to enter the vast field of Data Science after earning this MS degree. The knowledge and skills learned during this Master’s degree will be incredibly valuable in the upcoming job market. I am more interested in areas related to Deep Learning like Natural Language Processing and Speech Recognition.

Would you recommend this program to others?
Absolutely! I vouch for this all the time. Because I have seen many media reports on women being under-represented in the tech field. I think while striking a balance between the personal and professional life, they are busy representing themselves more somewhere else. They have more commitments so can hardly think of committing to a program which has strict deadlines. This will fit perfectly in their lives as well. Even people from non-science backgrounds can undertake this program. There are some basic courses on Linear Algebra and Calculus, once they finish them, they can start working on the core courses related to the Statistics and Data Structures pathway of this program.

What’s one tip you have for students who are starting this program?
This is an online program so the responsibility to do this genuinely lies with us, we must be 100% honest as far as honor code is concerned. Otherwise, we are not going to land anywhere with only a degree on paper and nothing in our head.

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