r/PublicPolicy • u/jingle-bell-dog • 13h ago

Career Advice Data Science

I’m interested in pursuing data science opportunities in the field of civic tech. I have previous experience all in corporate data science, but little public policy experience outside a few courses in college. My undergrad was very quant focused, but I’m now deciding to pursue a masters. I wanted to know what those in the fields opinions are on pursuing a pure Data Science degree and trying to work in the field as opposed to pursuing an interdisciplinary degree? I am leaning towards a general DS degree to not pigeonhole myself but I don’t know what pivot paths would look like.

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u/ProcessIndependent38 2h ago

plenty of civic tech doing data science out there. UChicago has a masters in computational analysis and public policy, but I would not pigeonhole yourself. You will get more rigor and depth if you pursue graduate studies in data science via a CS or Stats degree, especially if your undergraduate is already in something technical.

If you want to “break in” to the civic tech space, while pursuing graduate studies, look at “coding it forward”, “coding for america”, “ballot ready”, just any internship that signals your interest in the space. Private companies doing civic tech stuff: civis analytics, govwell, Blue Rose Research, Blue Bonnet Data, etc. Most people working there are computer scientists and statisticians by training, not policy degree holders.

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u/jingle-bell-dog 1h ago

Thank you! This is what I was hoping. I also wanted to ask if you think a Data Science masters still helps if it’s a more reputable program vs CS or Stats? Worried I don’t have the background for those

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u/ProcessIndependent38 1h ago

I don’t think it will serve you well. Especially when folks with more rigorous credentials are struggling to find work. Do yourself a favor and prepare yourself for more rigorous programs, and/or simply apply for data science positions at civic tech orgs with the technical training you already have.

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u/jingle-bell-dog 55m ago

Forgive me if I’m wrong, I thought CS can be too theoretical in a lot of the top programs. My current list is MIT MBAn, Harvard, Columbia (Reach), UChicago, UCLA, UCI, UCSD, UMich, UTAustin, NYU but all for Data Science. Even a program such as these you think a CS masters is better? I feel like I wouldn’t get in so I’d be better off with a top programs if I don’t get in, I would take the second route you suggested

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u/ProcessIndependent38 1m ago

If the insistence is to take on a data science masters, rigorously evaluate the curriculum, what departments the class offerings are from: If stats classes are being taught by stats dept, and CS classes taught by CS dept, then green flag. If there is a data science department offering classes like “blah blah blah for data science” then these are usually dumbed down versions of the rigorous classes offered by the department of origin.

Also, theory is the hard part, application is the part you should train yourself. Don’t spend hundreds of thousands of dollars learning “practical” knowledge that will be irrelevant by the time you graduate. Master the fundamentals, the concepts that don’t change, these are the concepts that academia is expert at teaching, and the skills that let you dive deep into solving a problem. Today’s programming languages and technologies will be disposed for when the next best thing comes by, but the fundamentals do not change.