Program and courses Data Science in Business and Entrepreneurship
The Master Data Science in Business and Entrepreneurship (DSBE) focuses on the tools and skills you need in order to analyze data used by today’s businesses and turn this into meaningful insights. You’ll acquire the skills and gain the experience you need to evolve into a well-rounded data scientist. You’ll learn by doing: using real business data and case studies based on data-driven issues.
Program structure
This two-year joint degree consists of 120 credits (EC):
- 10 Compulsory courses (60 EC)
- 5 Elective courses (30 EC)
- Master’s thesis (30 EC)
Each semester of the first year contains five courses of 6 EC. The second year contains five courses of 6 EC and the Master’s thesis of 30 EC.
You can start at the end of August or at the end of January. Please note that a start in January has consequences for the order of the courses and the availability of the elective courses. Please see the JADS website for more information.
Program content
The program combines five disciplines, and this is how they work together:
Data engineering is about designing systems handling the data infrastructure. Data analytics is about data science and AI models you run on the data. Since all models inevitably provide an output, interpreting, explaining, and interacting with this output is critical. That is why data-driven decision-making is needed. Data-driven business development is about translating the models into business impact, supported by law and ethics that the first four disciplines need to align with.
Compulsory courses
In the first year, you will follow 7 core courses:
Semester 1.1
- Data Intrapreneurship in Action
- Data Mining
- Data Engineering
- Strategy and Business Models
- Social Network Analysis for Data Scientists
Semester 1.2
- Data Consultancy in Action
- Interactive and Explainable AI Design
In the second year, you will follow 3 core courses:
Semester 2.1
- Data Entrepreneurship in Action
- Intellectual Property and Privacy
- Master’s thesis
Semester 2.2
- Data Ethics and Entrepreneurship
- Master’s thesis
In Action courses
A unique feature of the program comprises a series of ‘in Action’ courses. Working in a team, you will learn by doing. You will apply data science methods to create business or societal value from data for companies and organizations. For example: advise city municipalities on the impact of cultural events using parking data of ParkNow. Or predict the costs and duration of a legal case for legal firm DAS. You will help WWF prevent illegal deforestation in developing countries, and help improve credit provision to SMEs done by fintech scale-up Floryn.
Elective courses
On top of the mandatory courses and master’s thesis, you have to pass 5 elective courses worth 30 EC in total. You are expected to choose one of the below specializations. To qualify for a certain specialization you should pass at least three courses from the relevant courses, including the core course (the course which is first in the list, marked in bold). You are strongly recommended to write your thesis in line with the specialization.
- Data Engineer; Advanced Data Architectures, Cybersecurity, Real-Time Process Mining, Data-Driven Food Value Chain, Data Forensics.
- Data Scientist; Deep Learning, Prescriptive Algorithms, Real-Time Process Mining, Causal Interference for Business Development, Natural Language Processing.
- Data Entrepreneur/Consultant; Data-Driven Service Innovation, Data Visualization, Decision Support Systems, Entrepreneurial Finance, Natural Language Processing.
- Data-Driven Researcher; Research in Action/Research Internship, Prescriptive Algorithms, Decision Support Systems, Causal Interference for Business Development, Natural Language Processing.
Master's thesis
You will write your thesis during the second year (30 EC). Similar to 95% of DSBE students you will do the thesis project at an external company or organization. The thesis has to advance one of the four scientific disciplines and create business or societal impact at the same time. Examples of theses done by our students in the past:
- Predicting the occurrence of a change in a data stream (‘concept drift’) for Mobiquity and adapt their Machine Learning models accordingly and dynamically (Data Engineering).
- Calculating the expected possession value in football using a componential approach in collaboration with KNVB (Data Analytics).
- Supporting breast cancer treatment using deep learning algorithms in collaboration with Catharina Ziekenhuis (Data Analytics).
- Help Bain Management Consulting group identify targets for potential acquisitions for their clients in the private equity market (Data-Driven Business Development).
Watch a trial lecture
You will find a detailed description of the courses and required literature in our course catalog.
Please note: programs are subject to change. We advise you to look up the current program in OSIRIS Student at the start of the year.
Make the most of your master’s
The dedicated data science campus of Tilburg University - Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS) - is more than just the Master Data Science in Business and Entrepreneurship. Check the JADS website to get an impression of what the community has to offer next to your studies: join one of the many community events, execute projects or find part-time jobs via the MKB Datalab or get inspired by its incubator JADS Playground
Do you want to know more about this Master’s program?
Find out more during one of our events
Short overview of Data Science in Business and Entrepreneurship
- Gain essential hands-on experience as the major part of the courses is set up in collaboration with businesses providing real-life data challenges.
- Study and work as part of a close-knit and interactive community of students, researchers, and companies on Tilburg University's dedicated data science campus in 's-Hertogenbosch: Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS).
- Benefit from the support and encouragement of JADS Playground & MKB Datalab when starting your own (freelance, consulting, or data solution) business.
- Graduate with a diploma awarded by both Tilburg University and Eindhoven University of Technology.
Interested in the MSc Data Science in Business and Entrepreneurship?
Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application
Related Master's programs:
- Data Science and Society
- Business Analytics and Operations Research
- Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (offered by Eindhoven University of Technology)
- Cognitive Science & Artificial Intelligence