New College of Florida: Where robust, tech-forward careers begin
From Studyinternational.com, May 7, 2021
At the New College of Florida, 83% of recent graduates are employed or enrolled in further study — all thanks to the Center for Career Engagement and Opportunity (CEO). The CEO empowers students and alumni to build meaningful relationships and careers. It offers the guidance, skills and networking opportunities to turn aspirations into high-yielding outcomes. Tools and strategies are provided to help inform professional choices.
These resources, programming, and services are campus-wide. At NCF, no one is left behind in their decision-making process about their future. Coupled with high-calibre programs, it’s an experience that sparks a seamless transition from major to career.
“New College of Florida taught me how to read and think critically and understand how to tackle new issues and problems creatively. I don’t think I could have done it without a New College education,” shares former Federal Reserve Bank of New York president and CEO William C. Dudley, an NCF alumnus.
Photographer, writer and environmental activist Lynne Buchanan agrees. As a student, she saw first hand what an amazing place NCF was and the caliber of students it attracted. “You leave with the kind of work ethic that prepares you for the real world,” she enthuses. “The rigors of an NCF education and a lifelong desire to learn enable you to face challenges and spark curiosity.”
Many illustrious graduates attribute their success to NCF’s distinctive programs. An NCF education fuses premier classroom learning with experiential opportunities like research, internships and study abroad stints. The result? A hands-on approach that empowers students to personalize their education — NCF offers more than 40 different majors in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, as well as a number of interdisciplinary concentrations — refine their goals and shape their future.
NCF provides a hands-on approach that empowers students to personalize their education. Source: New College of Florida
Programs for a digital future
Big data is ever changing and ever challenging. With an advanced degree in Data Science, we are one step closer to extracting value from data assets. More than just helping us understand the past, we will be able to better manage the present, and effectively plan for the future too.
With entire industries cropping up to mine data, graduates skilled in this area are highly sought after. That is why NCF introduced its two-year Master’s in Applied Data Science.
Through its 3+2 pathway, students in any area of concentration can complete their undergraduate and Master’s in Applied Data Science in just five years. Undergraduates in any major can combine their primary major with a secondary focus in applied data science, and earn both a data science bachelor of arts and master of science degree.
NCF graduates will leave well equipped with industry knowledge, technical skills, and real-world experience. Source: New College of Florida
What makes the program stand out is how hands-on it is. “The program will have an increased focus on the ‘applied’ nature of data science. One of the major points regarding the new program will be a tighter collaboration and integration with the industry, as well as with the local community,” explains professor of data science and program director Burcin Bozkaya.
Core topics include Exploratory Data Analysis, Applied Machine Learning, and Data Visualization. Students will also gain experience applying both R and Python. The collaboration with NVIDIA, world leader in GPU technology, as part of their University Ambassador Program, provides students with state-of-the-art content in terms of curriculum and technological advances.
Their skills are then implemented at and obtained through industry experience with a paid practicum working full-time as part of a data science team. The result? Graduates well equipped with industry knowledge, technical skills, and real-world experience. The college has seen a 100% graduate field placement rate within three months of graduation with a median post-graduate salary of US$95,000.
Tiffany Washington, director of graduate enrollment and undergraduate strategic initiatives, is excited for what this program means for prospective students. “Now, master’s candidates will gain even more hands-on experience through workshops and an additional internship component.”
For Zhandos Zhaken, an international student from Kazakhstan, this is a programme with versatility and demand. “It helps companies and institutions create better products, services and advantages over their competitors. It helps to make people’s lives better, and I want to be a part of it.”
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