Studying towards a Master of Applied Data Science
Data Scientist, UnitedHealth Group
"Kia ora everyone,
"My name is Lakshay Mehra and I am pursuing my Master's in Applied Data Science at UC via the Online-to-on-campus pathway.
"I am currently living in New Delhi, India. I am working as a full-time Data Scientist for United Health Group (8th largest company in the world by revenue) and I cover my entire study workload for each week on the weekends. I do manage to get ample time during the week for my other hobbies like playing cricket!
"Due to my academic background, I was allowed by the course coordinator Professor Cameron Bell to skip the Foundational Courses and opt for the advanced courses directly. I had two advanced papers available to choose from this semester, and I chose just one course, STAT 462 Data Mining, to see whether I can manage both my job and studies simultaneously.
"So far, it has been a smooth experience for me as the UC International Online Support Team and the mentors are really amazing. The Zoom sessions helped break the ice and let me interact with fellow students. I have also successfully applied to various scholarships online via myUC with the help of the International Recruitment Team.
"This morning, I submitted my first assignment and it was another great experience. The professors have been really kind in answering all my doubts regarding the referencing styles, lecture recordings, and notes.
"Although I miss face-to-face interaction, I can't wait to join the University in-person whenever the border restrictions are lifted.
"Yet, for now, I feel that my decision of starting my studies via the online-to-on-campus pathway has definitely been the best alternative to that, given the circumstances globally. The well-planned study workload at UC also allows me to focus on simultaneously gaining work experience as well.
"I hope to meet you all soon at UC, and please feel free to get in touch – I am open to connecting for a chat with the other UC students and the online student community!"
