The Applied Data Science Program by Cafiac is delivered in collaboration with Cafiac's unique learning delivery model, which combines a live interactive online classroom experience and continuous learner support to ensure successful learning outcomes. The program aims to develop industry-valued skills and prepare you to participate in or lead data science efforts at any organization.
This handbook is designed to orient you to the many resources and opportunities available to you as you begin your journey here. Use this guide to maximize your learning outcomes.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
This is a rigorous program and requires dedication and commitment from you to achieve learning outcomes. On average, you will need to dedicate 12 to 15 hours of time every week towards learning. It is critical that you follow the timelines and keep up with the program; otherwise, you risk falling significantly behind, making it very difficult to catch up. Several mechanisms such as reminders and notifications are built into the system to help you maintain the schedule, but the most important requirement is your commitment.
Participants are expected to take roughly 3 months to complete this Program.
The course involves live virtual sessions by MIT program faculty and interactive mentored learning sessions A course may be split into one or two weeks Each week comprises live virtual sessions, self-study, practice exercises, mentored learning sessions, and assessments Capstone Project - The last leg of the program where you apply your learnings from the course to solve problems end-to-end
PEDAGOGY
The live virtual sessions will be delivered by world-renowned MIT faculty. This ensures that the program imbibes academic elegance and industry’s relevance, thereby providing candidates a remarkable learning experience
MENTORED LEARNING SESSIONS (MLS)
Mentored Learning Sessions are weekly live online learning sessions conducted by industry professionals for a group of 15 to 18 learners. These small groups enable learners to be more engaged and participative. These sessions are an integral part of the program.
Objectives of MLS:
To gain clarity on concepts covered in the course during the week by way of questions and answers To collaborate on a hands-on case study led by the mentor. Learning to actually work on data is very important to the successful completion of the program To gain an industry perspective via the examples and experiences shared by the mentors Preparing for Mentoring Session
Prior to the mentoring session, you will receive an announcement regarding the agenda of the session. Participants are expected to attend all the live virtual sessions before attending the mentored learning sessions. You are supposed to post your questions before the mentoring session so that your queries are resolved in a systematic way. You are also expected to stay on track with the schedule so that you are able to follow what is being taught.
TECHNOLOGY ENABLED ONLINE LEARNING
The Cafiac.com online learning platform, , is an integral part of the program. The site is your primary information and communication exchange mechanism. It will provide access to the learning material that is part of various courses. This includes class schedules, case studies, exercises, and quizzes. It also has mechanisms for you to communicate with the Program Office.
After logging in to the site, please do the following:
Update your profile with the correct name to be published on the certificate Update your notification preferences Read the documents on how to use the Cafiac website.
Mentored Learning Sessions Platform:
Online mentored learning sessions will be conducted on Google Meet.
The automatically generated email will have the link to join the session, and you are requested to use the same. In case you do not log in for that specific link, your attendance will not be captured.
PROGRAM EVALUATION
The program curriculum consists of a combination of live virtual sessions, weekly assessments, and mini-projects. While we encourage collaboration, we expect students to adhere to the highest standards of ethics and avoid plagiarism and copying. Given that you are all experienced.
Professionals who are pursuing this program with the primary objective of learning are expected to follow the honor code and not indulge in unethical behavior or plagiarism.
COMMUNICATIONS
The program office is your partner in ensuring you achieve the desired learning outcomes. Use the following means to communicate with the Program Office and with your peers to get a timely response to your queries.
Support tickets on the LMS
Learners can use the option of 'Need Assistance', or what we commonly call Support Requests, to ask for any academic or non-academic query from the program office and support team. All non-academic queries are attended by the Program Management team and all the academic support queries are attended by a team of data scientists acting as TAs to MIT program faculty and Industry Mentors.
An academic query can be of any of the following types, and beyond,
Clarifications on course concepts Clarifications on assignments or quizzes Discussions on course material Clarifications on missing data sets, course material, or recordings, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Program Office may also communicate with you when important information needs to be solicited, shared, or in response to your questions. The program office will post an announcement when new course materials are available if there are any changes to upcoming courses and other program-related issues. These announcements will appear on your home page of the LMS. Please make sure to log in regularly and pay attention to all new announcements to ensure that important information is not missed. You can also modify your communication preferences to receive an automated email every time a new announcement is made.
NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications are automated system-generated messages sent to all participants whenever important new information is available. This may involve the availability of grades, reminders for an upcoming assessment due date, and when assessments are released. These notifications will also appear on your home page of the LMS. You can also modify your communication preferences to receive an email every time a notification is made.
FEE PAYMENTS
In case of non-payment or delay in payment of fees as per the schedule mentioned in the admission offer letter, your Learning Management System (LMS) will be automatically disabled and will become active only once the payment for the due installment is made. Extensions in fee payment are not allowed.
TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS
Students enrolled in the Applied Data Science Program are required to have a laptop that meets the following specifications:
Laptop Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 or higher / Mac OS / Linux RAM: 4 GB or higher for better multitasking and analysis of large-size data Processor: 2.6 GHz or greater for faster processing (i5 or higher) Video Card: An integrated graphics card or a better GPU would be ideal but not necessary
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Procedure for Jupyter Notebook
Install using the instructions given in the links below -
Congratulations and welcome as you begin your journey with Cafiac. As the Applied Data Science Program is a rigorous program, you will find that there may be many challenges - academic and personal. But remember that we are here to encourage and support you as you meet your learning objectives and achieve your career aspirations.
WELCOME
The Applied Data Science Program by Cafiac is delivered in collaboration with Cafiac's unique learning delivery model, which combines a live interactive online classroom experience and continuous learner support to ensure successful learning outcomes. The program aims to develop industry-valued skills and prepare you to participate in or lead data science efforts at any organization.
This handbook is designed to orient you to the many resources and opportunities available to you as you begin your journey here. Use this guide to maximize your learning outcomes.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
This is a rigorous program and requires dedication and commitment from you to achieve learning outcomes. On average, you will need to dedicate 12 to 15 hours of time every week towards learning. It is critical that you follow the timelines and keep up with the program; otherwise, you risk falling significantly behind, making it very difficult to catch up. Several mechanisms such as reminders and notifications are built into the system to help you maintain the schedule, but the most important requirement is your commitment.
Participants are expected to take roughly 3 months to complete this Program.
The course involves live virtual sessions by MIT program faculty and interactive mentored learning sessions A course may be split into one or two weeks Each week comprises live virtual sessions, self-study, practice exercises, mentored learning sessions, and assessments Capstone Project - The last leg of the program where you apply your learnings from the course to solve problems end-to-end
PEDAGOGY
The live virtual sessions will be delivered by world-renowned MIT faculty. This ensures that the program imbibes academic elegance and industry’s relevance, thereby providing candidates a remarkable learning experience
MENTORED LEARNING SESSIONS (MLS)
Mentored Learning Sessions are weekly live online learning sessions conducted by industry professionals for a group of 15 to 18 learners. These small groups enable learners to be more engaged and participative. These sessions are an integral part of the program.
Objectives of MLS:
To gain clarity on concepts covered in the course during the week by way of questions and answers To collaborate on a hands-on case study led by the mentor. Learning to actually work on data is very important to the successful completion of the program To gain an industry perspective via the examples and experiences shared by the mentors Preparing for Mentoring Session
Prior to the mentoring session, you will receive an announcement regarding the agenda of the session. Participants are expected to attend all the live virtual sessions before attending the mentored learning sessions. You are supposed to post your questions before the mentoring session so that your queries are resolved in a systematic way. You are also expected to stay on track with the schedule so that you are able to follow what is being taught.
TECHNOLOGY ENABLED ONLINE LEARNING
The Cafiac.com online learning platform, , is an integral part of the program. The site is your primary information and communication exchange mechanism. It will provide access to the learning material that is part of various courses. This includes class schedules, case studies, exercises, and quizzes. It also has mechanisms for you to communicate with the Program Office.
After logging in to the site, please do the following:
Update your profile with the correct name to be published on the certificate Update your notification preferences Read the documents on how to use the Cafiac website.
Mentored Learning Sessions Platform:
Online mentored learning sessions will be conducted on Google Meet.
The automatically generated email will have the link to join the session, and you are requested to use the same. In case you do not log in for that specific link, your attendance will not be captured.
PROGRAM EVALUATION
The program curriculum consists of a combination of live virtual sessions, weekly assessments, and mini-projects. While we encourage collaboration, we expect students to adhere to the highest standards of ethics and avoid plagiarism and copying. Given that you are all experienced.
Professionals who are pursuing this program with the primary objective of learning are expected to follow the honor code and not indulge in unethical behavior or plagiarism.
COMMUNICATIONS
The program office is your partner in ensuring you achieve the desired learning outcomes. Use the following means to communicate with the Program Office and with your peers to get a timely response to your queries.
Support tickets on the LMS
Learners can use the option of 'Need Assistance', or what we commonly call Support Requests, to ask for any academic or non-academic query from the program office and support team. All non-academic queries are attended by the Program Management team and all the academic support queries are attended by a team of data scientists acting as TAs to MIT program faculty and Industry Mentors.
An academic query can be of any of the following types, and beyond,
Clarifications on course concepts Clarifications on assignments or quizzes Discussions on course material Clarifications on missing data sets, course material, or recordings, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Program Office may also communicate with you when important information needs to be solicited, shared, or in response to your questions. The program office will post an announcement when new course materials are available if there are any changes to upcoming courses and other program-related issues. These announcements will appear on your home page of the LMS. Please make sure to log in regularly and pay attention to all new announcements to ensure that important information is not missed. You can also modify your communication preferences to receive an automated email every time a new announcement is made.
NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications are automated system-generated messages sent to all participants whenever important new information is available. This may involve the availability of grades, reminders for an upcoming assessment due date, and when assessments are released. These notifications will also appear on your home page of the LMS. You can also modify your communication preferences to receive an email every time a notification is made.
FEE PAYMENTS
In case of non-payment or delay in payment of fees as per the schedule mentioned in the admission offer letter, your Learning Management System (LMS) will be automatically disabled and will become active only once the payment for the due installment is made. Extensions in fee payment are not allowed.
TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS
Students enrolled in the Applied Data Science Program are required to have a laptop that meets the following specifications:
Laptop Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 or higher / Mac OS / Linux RAM: 4 GB or higher for better multitasking and analysis of large-size data Processor: 2.6 GHz or greater for faster processing (i5 or higher) Video Card: An integrated graphics card or a better GPU would be ideal but not necessary
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Procedure for Jupyter Notebook
Install using the instructions given in the links below -
Install Jupyter - http://jupyter.org/install
The preferred installation method is via the Anaconda distribution.
Install Python 3.6 or a higher version.
Anaconda 5.2 Installer for Linux - https://www.anaconda.com/download/#linux Anaconda 5.2 Installer for macOS - https://www.anaconda.com/download/#macos Anaconda 5.2 Installer for Windows - https://www.anaconda.com/download/#windows (You need to download the version compatible with your OS)
Additional References:
Refer to the Anaconda documentation for more details - https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/ How to use Anaconda Navigator - https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/navigator/ Anaconda Package List - https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/packages/pkg-docs
Congratulations and welcome as you begin your journey with Cafiac. As the Applied Data Science Program is a rigorous program, you will find that there may be many challenges - academic and personal. But remember that we are here to encourage and support you as you meet your learning objectives and achieve your career aspirations.
Happy Learning!