Overview

WHAT IS DATA SCIENCE AND ANALYTICS?

Data Science and Analytics is an interdisciplinary domain that traces its origins to the convergence of statistics, mathematics, and computer science. Within the context of the contemporary computer revolution, Data Science and Analytics has evolved into an autonomous scientific discipline that encompasses the holistic process of data collection, cleansing, analysis, modeling, and interpretation, effectively synthesizing statistical analysis with machine learning and artificial intelligence methodologies.

Practitioners in the realm of Data Science and Analytics empower institutions to make accurate and rapid decisions by deriving meaningful insights from data. Data scientists and data analysts scrutinize data, construct models, generate predictions, and translate these complex findings into actionable intelligence for executive leadership. The primary objective is to optimize processes, mitigate risks, identify opportunities, and provide strategic foresight for the future.

Graduates of this discipline possess the capability to pursue careers across a diverse array of sectors, including information technology, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, e-commerce, marketing, telecommunications, consulting, the public sector, and academia. They are well-positioned to assume roles such as Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Business Intelligence Specialist, Machine Learning Engineer, and Decision Support Systems Specialist.

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TRACING THE DATA, ARCHITECTING THE FUTURE:

WELCOME TO THE BURSA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF DATA SCIENCE AND ANALYTICS

In the modern era, data is not merely an accumulation of numbers; it stands as the most strategic instrument enabling us to make informed decisions in every sphere, from industry to healthcare, and from economics to environmental challenges. Established in 2010 as Turkey’s fifth technical university, Bursa Technical University (BTU) is situated at the epicenter of this transformation, located in the heart of Bursa—a colossal hub of industry and trade logistics.

Why Are We Here? Our department embarked on this journey with the vision of "generating value from data," aiming to cultivate generations capable of analyzing complex problems and harmonizing technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning with ethical values. In designing our new curriculum, we contemplate not only today but also the world of tomorrow.

Curriculum Architecture: We present a balanced synthesis of technical and theoretical infrastructure, commencing with programming in Python and R, and extending to advanced courses such as Deep Learning, Big Data Analytics, and Ethics and Law in Data Science.

Advanced Analytical Competency: We instruct our students not merely in code generation, but in transforming data into strategic business outputs through courses such as Decision Support Systems and Predictive Analytics.

Innovation Powerhouse: BTU has firmly established its dynamic presence by ranking within the top 50 of the "Entrepreneurial and Innovative University Index."

Research-Centric Ethos: We hold the distinction of being the second-highest ranking state university in terms of the budget share allocated to Research and Development (R&D).

Industrial Assurance: One of the strongest pillars of our university is the opportunity provided to students to spend an entire semester of their education directly within the industry through İMEP. The integration of İMEP is a primary objective in our ongoing curriculum development efforts.

Selectivity & Prestige: We are a distinguished institution adopting a "boutique technical" concept, completing our quotas with a 100% occupancy rate due to the high demand for our programs.

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITIES

Our university has distinguished itself as an institution of proven research capacity, securing a position within the top 50 of the "Entrepreneurial and Innovative University Index." Aligned with the university's strategic specialization mandate in "Robots and Intelligent Systems," Data Science and Analytics students and researchers benefit from an immersive research environment concentrated specifically on artificial intelligence and intelligent systems.

Incentives for Scholarly Publication: The university has established the publication of faculty research in internationally indexed (WOS) journals as a strategic imperative and actively reinforces this process through robust academic incentive mechanisms.

Library and Data Access: Through our library’s remote access capabilities, researchers are granted comprehensive entry to national and international databases from off-campus locations, ensuring the uninterrupted continuity of their scholarly work.

Bursa Technology Transfer Office (BURSATTO): Researchers are provided with professional support in the processes of grant writing, patent applications, and the protection of intellectual property rights.

CAPSTONE PROJECTS

An integral component of our curriculum, the Graduation Project I and II courses aim to enable students to transform the competencies acquired over four years into tangible, scholarly outputs.

Within the scope of these projects, students execute processes such as the modeling of complex systems, literature reviews, simulation, and data-driven solution development under the rigorous mentorship of an academic advisor.

Projects are encouraged to transcend theoretical boundaries and address real-world problems in the business sector; this process is designed to cultivate proficiency in teamwork and advanced project reporting.

ADDITIONAL PROJECT AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

İMEP (Cooperative Education Program): The integration of İMEP represents a pivotal contribution to our ongoing curriculum development. Upon implementation of the new curriculum, students will have the opportunity to spend one academic semester working full-time at leading firms within the sector. This program facilitates the development of projects on real-world datasets and significantly enhances post-graduation employability.

TEKNOFEST and Scientific Competitions: Our university provides the maximum level of support for participation in national competitions such as TEKNOFEST. Through dedicated workshops and technical assistance, students are offered the opportunity to develop competition projects across a broad spectrum of fields, ranging from artificial intelligence to autonomous vehicles.

TÜBİTAK Projects: The preparation and execution of student research projects, such as TÜBİTAK 2209-A and 2209-B, are actively supported by university-wide institutional incentives.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Through shared facilities and interdisciplinary laboratories within the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, the objective is to develop collaborative projects with diverse engineering disciplines.

UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM

At the Department of Data Science and Analytics, we meticulously architect our educational program to satisfy both academic rigor and the dynamic exigencies of the industry.

The current curriculum of our department is founded upon the framework established by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). This structure is designed to endow our students with a robust theoretical and technical foundation aligned with national standards.

CORE PILLARS OF THE CURRENT CURRICULUM

Our current instructional plan concentrates on four principal competency domains essential for a data scientist:

Quantitative and Statistical Foundation: We aim to cultivate the analytical prowess of our students through courses that constitute the backbone of data science, such as Mathematics I-II, Linear Algebra, Discrete Mathematics, and Statistics I-II.

Computational and Algorithmic Infrastructure: Beginning with the Fundamentals of Algorithms and Programming, we equip our students with contemporary software development methodologies through courses in Python Programming, Object-Oriented Programming, Data Structures, and SQL.

Advanced Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence: The nucleus of our curriculum comprises sophisticated technical coursework including Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Big Data Analytics, Artificial Neural Networks, and Natural Language Processing.

Ethics, Law, and Decision Support: Transcending mere technical instrumentation, we open the floor to discourse on the strategic and societal responsibility of data through courses such as Ethics and Law in Data Science and Decision Support Systems.

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CURRICULUM INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

To keep pace with the exponential evolution of data technologies and to offer unique opportunities to our students, we are conducting a comprehensive curriculum revision with academic meticulousness. Our primary intent in this process is to render education more application-oriented, to enrich the elective course pool with diverse and contemporary fields, and to foster an interdisciplinary perspective. In this regard, we aim for the following:

Hybrid and Technological Methodologies: In alignment with our university's strategic goal of "technology-supported education," we are enriching our course content with digital learning tools.

Interdisciplinary Flexibility: Perceiving data science not merely as a subset of computer science, we are designing a structure that enhances opportunities for collaborative projects with other branches of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences.

APPLIED LEARNING AND CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE

One of the strongest facets of our educational model is the support for validating theoretical knowledge within the field.

İMEP (Cooperative Education Program): Studies for the integration of İMEP into the new curriculum are currently underway. In line with our university's industry-oriented vision, we aim for our students to spend one full academic semester in full-time employment at leading firms within the sector. Through this program, we intend to enable students to experience real-world data sets and business problems before graduation.

Capstone Projects and Career Trajectory: In the final phase of our education, we aim for our students to have the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have acquired to a concrete problem through Graduation Projects. Furthermore, through mandatory internships and courses such as Career Planning, we support our students in navigating the transition to the professional world more consciously.

GRADUATE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Preparations for Graduate Education Programs within our department are currently in progress.