Bachelor of Science (Honours) Scheme in Data Science (JUPAS code: JS3020)

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Entrance Year Sept 2023

Programme Code JS3020

Mode of Study Full-time

Normal Duration

4 years (including 1 year with common curriculum)

Programme Intake 21

Fund Type Government-funded

Credits Required for Graduation At least 124, depending on the student's HKDSE scores (plus 2 training credits)

^{* depending on the student's qualification (plus 2 training credits)}

^{^ Current students who were admitted to 63425, 63426, and 63426-SY on or before 2021/22 academic year should refer to the respective Programme Requirement Documents at Curriculum for the required credit for awards.}

Programme Leaders

Scheme Leader
Dr Sze Nung Sing, Raymond
BSc, MPhil, PhD

Remarks

Students will be awarded one of the following awards upon successful completion of the graduation requirements of the programme concerned
- BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Analytics
- BSc (Hons) in Investment Science and Finance Analytics
Students are allowed to enroll on any awards without being subject to further assessment.
The options of Secondary Major in AI and Data Analytics (AIDA) and Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE) are available to the students:
- BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Analytics with a secondary major in IE
- BSc (Hons) in Investment Science and Finance Analytics with a secondary major in AIDA
Admission to the Secondary Major is on competitive basis and subject to a different credit requirement for graduation. Please see “Secondary Major Details” section.
The Department will grant entry scholarship to eligible HKDSE students admitted to the scheme via JUPAS. Please visit Scholarships session for details.

Aims and Characteristics

This 4-year full-time Scheme is designed to nurture future data science professionals with solid training in mathematical and statistical skills and computer programming techniques, with a special emphasis on interdisciplinary applications in investment and finance, medical informatics, and smart cities. This Scheme integrates key FinTech elements, preparing students for the evolving digital finance landscape. It is composed of 2 undergraduate programme majors:

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Data Science and Analytics (DSA)
The Data Science and Analytics programme provides students with a solid foundation in data science and hands-on data analytical and programming skills, enabling students to pursue careers in a broad range of industries, including information technology, marketing and research, consultancy, healthcare, business retail, urban planning, government and public utilities.
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Investment Science and Finance Analytics (ISFA)

The Investment Science and Finance Analytics programme is concerned with the strategic use of data and mathematical modelling in performing financial analysis and making investment decisions. It integrates FinTech elements such as algorithmic and high frequency trading, risk management, and dynamic asset allocation with reinforcement learning. The programme aims to cultivate investment and finance professionals with strong quantitative analysis, critical thinking, and communication skills, preparing them for careers in different finance sectors such as investment banking, fund management, risk management and financial product development and pricing.

The Scheme adopts a flexible curriculum which is comprised of subjects offered by the Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Accounting and Finance, Department of Building and Real Estate, Department of Computing, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, and Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics. Students can broaden their data science domain knowledge during their senior years by choosing elective subjects from a large subject pool offered by the above-mentioned departments, including FinTech-related courses.

Upon completion of the first year of study in foundation subjects in mathematics, statistics, computer programming, and languages, students may choose between two majors and will be awarded a degree in the selected major programme upon successful completion of graduation requirements of the programme concerned.

Please check out the Programme Brochure for further information.

Programme at a glance

Programme Brochure

BSc (Hons) Scheme in Data Science (JS3020)

We nurture future data specialists.

Admission

Applicants must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Specifically, they have to meet the following minimum requirements:

Level 3 in English Language and Chinese Language; and

Level 2 in Mathematics and Liberal Studies (Citizenship and Social Development: A); and

Level 3 in two elective subjects (including M1/M2)

This programme adopts “Any Best 5 Subjects” in the admission score calculation. Preferred subjects with the highest weighting for admission score calculation include English Language and Mathematics.

The University will consider other qualifications (such as GCE A-Level / International A-Level / IB qualifications) as being equivalent to the specified entrance requirements on their individual merits. Please refer to the following pages for detailed admission requirements:

General Entrance Requirements

English Language Requirement

Application Procedures

More at Study@PolyU

An appropriate Associate Degree/ Higher Diploma in Mathematics, Statistics, Information Technology, Engineering, Science or Business from a recognized institution.

Suitable candidates will be considered for advanced standing entry to the senior year curriculum.

See BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Analytics or BSc (Hons) in Investment Science and Analytics

Online applications can be made via our eAdmission.

The University will consider international qualifications (such as GCE A-level / International A-Level / IB qualifications) and other non-local national /regional qualifications as being equivalent to the specified entrance requirements on their individual merits. Please refer to the following pages for detailed admission requirements:

Guidelines on Non-local Qualifications

English Language Requirement

Guidelines on Chinese Mainland Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) applicants

Application Procedures and Important Points to Note

The interview aims to test the potential for and interest of applicants in the scheme/programme and their communication skills.

For HKDSE applicants:

Selected applicants will be invited to attend an interview prior to the announcement of HKDSE results.

For other applicants:

Selected first choice applicants will be invited to have onsite / online interviews.

Curriculum

All students admitted to the Scheme will take a common set of subjects in their first year and select one of the majors under the Scheme in their second year. Students are requested to complete all the General University Requirement (GUR) and Discipline-Specific Requirements (DSR), including compulsory subjects, elective subjects, common applied science subjects and a one-year capstone project to fulfill the credit requirement for graduation.

Year One
Students study the General University Requirement (GUR) subjects and scheme common subjects such as Calculus and Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, Probability & Distributions, Programming Fundamentals.

Year Two
Students are streamed to one of the two majors under the Scheme based on their individual preferences. They will continue to complete other scheme common subjects such as statistics, database system, principles of programming, applied linear models, operations research, and start to study major discipline-specific compulsory subjects in Data Science and Analytics or Investment Science and Analytics.

Year Three
Students are expected to complete most of the major discipline-specific compulsory subjects in the third year, including statistical machine learning, big data analytics, decision analysis and optimization methods for Data Science and Analytics programme and Corporate Finance, theory of interest and Portfolio analysis, investment, derivative pricing, and econometrics for Investment Science and Analytics programme.

Year Four
Students will have the flexibility to choose their major discipline-specific elective subjects from a large pool of elective subjects from statistics, data science, computing science, finance and investment, health and medical informatics, and urban informatics. They will also complete a Capstone Project in which they tackle a problem or research topic in data science/finance analytics/statistics/applied mathematics, consolidating the discipline-specific knowledge, concepts, and generic skills developed through different stages of the programme.

In addition to the two Discipline-Specific majors options (i.e. DSA and ISFA), students could opt for studying a Secondary Major which features an expanded area of studies in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA), or Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE). Students could choose among the Discipline-Specific vs Secondary Major combinations below:

Selection Criteria

Studying on a Secondary Major is not mandatory. Only students with a Cumulative GPA of 2.70 or above may be considered for Secondary Major enrolment. Each Secondary Major may stipulate additional selection criteria for admission. Students must apply to and obtain approval from the programme offering Department, no later than the commencement of the second year of study, to be admitted to the Secondary Major.

Credit Requirement

*Including 2 training credits

^Students of ISFA + AIDA may count up to 12 credits for double counting of their Major/GUR subjects including Integrated Capstone Project (6 credits) towards the Secondary Major.

BSc (Hons) Scheme in Data Science (63428)

BSc (Hons) in Investment Science and Finance Analytics (63426)

BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Analytics (63425)

Subject library

Recognition and Career Prospect

Upon the completion of programme, graduates with the major in BSc (Hons) in Data Science and Analytics are expected to receive partial exemption from the professional assessment of:

Hong Kong Statistical Society
Royal Statistical Society of UK

Graduates with the major in BSc (Hons) in Investment Science and Finance Analytics are expected to receive partial exemption from the professional assessment of:

Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute*
Hong Kong Statistical Society
Royal Statistical Society of UK

* Graduates with economic/finance or relevant degree qualification could apply for license by passing Licensing Examination for Securities and Futures Intermediaries Paper 1 only and would be exempted from Papers 7 & 8. Student should submit his application to HKSI. Exemption will be considered for candidates who achieve satisfactory results in specified papers. For details, please visit www.hksi.org/hksi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=98&lang=en

The ISFA programme is affiliated with the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program. This affiliation demonstrated that the ISFA curriculum is closely tied to professional practice and is well-suited to preparing students to sit for the CFA examinations. The curriculum has been acknowledged as covering at least 70% of the CFA Program Level I Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) topics. Through participation in the affiliation program, CFA student scholarship is available to ISFA students.

Graduates of this Scheme will be able to pursue careers as data analysts / finance analysts in a broad range of industries:

Asset Management Companies
Commercial and Investment Banks
Database Management Service Companies
Government and public utilities
Healthcare
Information Technology Solution Providers
Insurance Companies
Marketing Research Companies
Regulatory Authorities
Retails
Securities Institutions
Trading Platform Providers
Urban Planning etc..

Alumni Message

The Investment Science programme helped me develop analytics and problem solving skill which has laid a strong foundation for my career development.

Elvis Wong

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

The IS programme is a perfect blend of statistics, programming, finance and definitely helpful for my future study and career. The courses prepared me for pursuing further study in Data Science. Our department would also offer us research opportunities and keep us posted for any update on the career market.

Zhang Xingyue

Student of Master of Science in Data Science, EPFL, Switzerland

This programme integrated both mathematical and financial knowledge. I’m well prepared to establish insight through analyzing data and pursue career in the banking industry.

Jenna Ho

Citibank

Studying in AMA is an unforgettable experience to me. Exchange and internship opportunities were always open for us to strengthen our learning experiences and help us find our true selves. Many of us have found our career paths by taking internship. I plan to pursue further study and have gained support from professors for taking a Master’s degree.

Heidi Wan

Graduate of BSc (Hons) in Investment Science

Having the chance to practice and gain hands-on experience on the renowned Bloomberg Terminal gave me an edge in landing my career in financial industry.

Edward Yeung

Conrad Investment Service

The knowledge and skills gained from this program have prepared me well for the next stage of my study in statistics, and the valuable learning experience with AMA has always inspired me to pursue what I am interested in.

Wang Kexin

Graduate of BSc (Hons) in Investment Science

AMA’s teachers are very supportive and patient. They guided me to fill the knowledge gap and develop passion in Mathematics study.

Charlotte Ng

PhD student

The Investment Science is an interdisciplinary program covering a variety of subjects, including mathematics, statistics, finance, and computer science. I truly appreciate my decision of choosing IS program at PolyU which provided me a great platform to pursue my dream.

Fang Xiangeng

Graduate of BSc (Hons) in Investment Science