October: The beginning of a new semester

For the new MMAs, Happy October! Congratulations on finishing your intro-term and welcome to the official first semester of your master's program. The most exciting thing for the 2022 MMAs this month is that we finally get to meet our classmates in person. It feels good to have your lectures in a classroom after almost two years of “Zoom University.”

Academics at a glance 

The main focus of the first semester is to help us get familiar with a variety of data analytical tools, including Python, SQL, R, and many useful add-ins in Excel. There are plenty of hands-on activities through individual and group assignments to practice. Keep in mind that schedules get busy very quickly—on average there is one assignment due per class every week, with about half of the assignments being group projects. Make sure to plan your schedule ahead of time so that all your teammates can gather for the group projects.  

Practicum project

The practicum project is officially starting in October! Right after the exam for the intro term, there was a week before the start of the new semester dedicated to the practicum project. On the first day, there will be a presentation day where you can meet the host for all practicum companies and listen to their presentation on the project to come. Small tips here! All students can drop in at the networking session, even if it’s not for the company that you will be working with. Of course, let your classmate who will be working on the project ask their questions first, but if there is extra time feel free to chat with the host! The rest of the week is left for you to have meetings with your host, get familiar with your project, have an idea about the question that you will help to solve, and the team that you will be working with. 

I was assigned to Veeva System, a computer software company that focuses on providing platforms for pharmaceutical companies to help their business run smoother. One highlight for me was that our team was invited into the office in downtown Toronto. We met the entire team and had a full onboarding session with the data science team. Not many groups had this opportunity, especially during the Covid-19 period.  

I was very lucky to be able to work on the Veeva project. I always had an interest in the biomedical field; however, due to my previous experience in the financial field, it became a bit difficult for me to switch to another field. This practicum project really was a great opportunity for me.  

Some advice for the new MMAs: if you have some ideas about trying out a new field or have an area you are interested in, make sure you speak with the MMA Career Consultant. All of this will be taken into consideration when they assign your practicum project, so have your conversation as early as possible! 

Social and Community 

The best part about this program is always the people. The gather-up at Stackt Market was great for getting together and getting to know people, and my favourite restaurant of the month, Hemingway's Restaurant! Great place for a small team meet-up, and I love their poutine and wings! 

The Master of Management Analytics is designed to give students the advanced data management, analytics, and communication skills needed to become an analytics professional.