Listen to Season 1 of the BU Virtual Connects Podcast where we explore a diverse range of topics and perspectives that drive value, impact, innovation, and transformation in the world of higher education.
Inside BU Virtual takes you behind the scenes to explore the people, perspectives, and innovations shaping Boston University’s online programs—making them adaptable, inclusive, and high-impact. Through open Q&A conversations with faculty, staff, and students, the series spotlights award-winning instructors who blend academic excellence with inventive online teaching practices, shares learners’ experiences in virtual environments, and showcases how these programs equip students with the skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing workforce.
When people ask how long it takes to earn a master’s in data science, the answer often focuses on the shortest completion timeline. That can be useful, but it does not reflect every student’s experience. For working professionals, the better question is what pace fits alongside work and other commitments. A sustainable pace matters because […]
Boston University’s online at-scale graduate programs bring together working professionals from a wide range of industries, organizations, and geographies. They are software engineers and physicians, financial analysts and public health practitioners, product managers and manufacturing leaders. Most continue working full time while pursuing their degrees, bringing current professional experience into the classroom and connecting with […]
The question is usually framed as a ranking: which credential is best. That framing produces bad decisions, because these three formats are not competing versions of the same product. They solve different problems, on different timelines, for people at different starting points. The better question when weighing a data science bootcamp vs a master's degree […]
Artificial intelligence is changing both what software engineers build and how they build it. Engineers are incorporating AI into products, using AI-assisted development tools, managing new types of data and models, and making decisions about reliability, security, transparency, and responsible use. These changes are happening quickly and software professionals cannot wait for the field to […]
Can You Get a Data Science Master's Without a Computer Science Degree? The answer is yes. And the assumption that you cannot is one of the common reasons qualified people never apply. Pursuing a data science master's without a computer science degree is a well-established path, and the applicant pools for online programs reflect that. […]
One of the hardest questions for prospective data science students is also one of the most basic: am I actually ready for a master’s program? People often answer that question too narrowly. Some rule themselves out because their undergraduate degree was not in computer science, mathematics, or another technical field. Others may assume that professional […]
Most professionals who want to move from data analyst to data scientist already know how to work with data. They write SQL. They own recurring dashboards. They are the person leadership asks when a number looks strange. For some, the challenge is not competence but the possibility of reaching a ceiling in their current scope. […]
For a student logging into a live session in one of Boston University's online graduate programs, the experience can look deceptively simple: a faculty member appears on screen, classmates join from around the world, and the class begins. What students don't see is everything happening around that moment. Behind each live online class is a […]