Frequently Asked Questions

The "WWU Weiterbildung" (WWU Continuing Education) is a 100% subsidiary of the "Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster" (WWU). The purpose of "WWU Weiterbildung" is the organization and conduction of continuing education programs in the form of master's degree programs, certificates, and seminars in the range of subjects offered by the University of Münster. Our programs are designed for working professionals and are carried out in cooperation with the University of Münster.

As a student of 'WWU Weiterbildung', you are not enrolled at the University of Münster automatically. However, to benefit from the University of Münster services, you have the option to additionally enroll at the University of Münster. Enrollment takes place at the University of Münster itself and is not handled by the 'WWU Weiterbildung'. However, this is a brief summary of the most important information:

As a student of the University of Münster, a semester fee of about 300€ per semester will be charged. In return, you have access to the semester travel ticket, you can participate in language courses free of charge, you can apply for a room or apartment in one of the student halls of residence of the “Studierendenwerk Münster”, and you can benefit from further services of the University of Münster. Enrollment is open online until May 15th for the summer semester and November 15th for the winter semester (See Dates and Deadlines and Online Enrolment). Further information regarding enrolment can be found at the website of the University of Münster.

Upon successful completion of the Master's program, you will receive a Master of Science degree awarded by the University of Münster. Part-time in this context only refers to the compatibility of study and work, the degree awarded is identical to a degree awarded upon the completion of a full-time program.

The “WWU Weiterbildung” does not offer any scholarships itself. If you are an international student, we would like to refer you to the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), to see if there are any scholarship opportunities for you.

Depending on your country of origin you will have to apply for a visa to study in Germany. Please find further information about visa regulations on the website of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany and contact the German embassy in your home country. Please note that it can take a while until a visa is issued. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for a visa as early as possible.

No, knowledge of the german language is not required to participate in the program. The program is conducted entirely in English.

For the application, it is sufficient to send us the required documents by e-mail. Required are the completed and signed application form, your undergraduate or first degree, your CV, and proof of your English language skills. These documents will be reviewed and the admission board then decides whether you shall be admitted to the program.

Subsequently, we require a part of the application documents in physical form. The following documents should then be sent by mail:

1. the completed and signed application form

2. a certified copy of the undergraduate or first degree

3. a copy of the proof of your English language skills

The address is as follows:

WWU Weiterbildung gGmbH

Jannis Wegmann

Königsstraße 47

48143 Münster

Germany

An English language level of B2 is required for the program. Proof can be provided in multiple ways. For one, a TOEFL or IELTS certificate can prove your English proficiency. If you do not have such a certificate, this can either be obtained or your English skills can be proven in another way. If you have completed your undergraduate or first degree in the English language or have worked in an English-speaking work environment for an extended amount of time, proof of this may also be sufficient for us. If this is also not possible, there still is an option of arranging an English test by phone or Skype. An additional fee will be charged for this. Please email us for further information.

Certified copies of your undergraduate or first degree are required for the application process. These are needed to ensure that the content is truthful without you having to submit your originals. For more information on the requirements for certified copies, please consider the University of Münster’s guidelines for official authentication.

Although working with the programming languages Python and R, alongside mathematics and statistics, provides a foundation for the program, an advanced IT or statistics background is not required. The program is designed to be interdisciplinary. The processing of large and complex amounts of data is relevant for many areas, not only for IT and economics. Our students, therefore, are from a wide range of fields, including but not limited to communications, social media, software development, trade, mechanical engineering, natural sciences, and many more. In addition, the required fundamentals are taught in an optional introductory course that is free of charge.

The courses are held in blocks of 4-5 days, usually from Mondays to Fridays, from about 9 am to 4 pm. The time between modules is typically 6-10 weeks. Please consider our study plan to get an impression of the schedule.

Usually, our courses are held in-person. However, in times of the pandemic, this is not always possible. Our courses are always held under the currently valid rules of the federal state. When courses in presence are possible, we do offer them with an appropriate hygiene concept, otherwise, we hold the courses and exams online. However, as long as travel restrictions are in place and some students are thus unable to attend classes, we will also offer a hybrid attendance option, so participation will always be possible.

Examinations are always held on the first day of the lectures of the subsequent module. Therefore, a separate trip is not required.

To prepare students for the program, the WWU Weiterbildung offers an introductory course before the start of the first module. Here, the required basics of statistics, mathematics, and computer science are taught. If you would like to further prepare yourself on your own, it may make sense to repeat statistical basics and to get in touch with the basics of the programming languages Python and R.

The time invested in the studies in between modules varies among students. However, experience shows that a workload of at least 4 to 5 hours per week should be expected.

You can apply for your master thesis as soon as you have passed at least 5 modules in addition to the project work (module 6).

The "WWU Weiterbildung" does not offer German language courses itself, but you have the possibility to participate in free German language courses if you additionally enroll at the University of Münster (see “Services of the University of Münster and Enrolment”). Furthermore, there are numerous language schools in Münster that we can recommend.

You have the option to additionally enroll at the University of Münster. If you choose to do so, you will receive the NRW Semester Ticket, which allows you to use public transportation throughout all of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) as well as Osnabrück. Further Information regarding the semester travel ticket can be found on the website of the asta (general students committee). For further information regarding enrolment at the University of Münster, see “Can I benefit from the services of the University of Münster?”.

With a completed Data Science Master's degree, you will have a broad range of career opportunities. Complex and large amounts of data are processed in a wide variety of industries nowadays. For example, in e-commerce, internet, and social media, community and customer relationship management, consulting, banking, (natural) sciences, healthcare, and various IT and business areas. Employees with professional experience, in-depth knowledge of data processing, and advanced English language skills are in high demand worldwide and especially in Germany.