MASTER SPECIALIZATION

COMPUTER
SCIENCE: BIG DATA
ENGINEERING

Quality in quantity

WWW.VU.NL/COMPUTERSCIENCE

STUDY THE TECHNOLOGY OF DATA
INFRASTRUCTURE
In the internet era, data plays center stage. We all
continuously communicate via social networks, we expect
all information to be accessible online continuously, and
the world economies thrive on data processing services
where revenue is created by generating insights from raw
data. These developments are enabled by a global data
processing infrastructure, connecting the whole range
from small company computer clusters to data centers run
by the world-leading IT giants.
In the Big Data Engineering track you study the technology
from which these infrastructures are built, allowing you to
design and operate solutions for processing, analyzing and
managing large quantities of data.This track is part of the joint
Master in Computer Science, in which renowned researchers
from both VU and UvA contribute their varied expertise in one
of the strongest Computer Science programmes available in
Europe.
Language: English Start date: 1 September

Duration: 2 years Study type: Fulltime

Tuition fees : www.vu.nl/tuitionfee Field of interest: Computer Science, Mathematics and Business

Application deadline: 15 July for Dutch students. 1 April for Admission requirements: Admission requirements
EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students.* * EU/EEA students with an
international degree who do not need housing services through
VU Amsterdam can still apply until 1 June.

Track coordinator: Adam Belloum (a.s.z.Belloum@uva.nl) GENERAL CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

The Master Program Computer Science is a two-year Master
TRACK CORE COURSES: Program, consisting of 120 ECTS.
Data Mining Techniques
Information Visualization GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME:
Large-Scale Data Engineering • Master core
Web Services and Cloud Systems • Track core
Web Data Processing Systems • Restricted choices to cover all areas of competences
• Free choice
Download brochure track Computer Science: Big Data
Engineering MASTER CORE: (54EC)
Distributed Systems; laying the foundation of today’s IT
This track is a joint degree programme of the University of systems where everything is connected with everything else
Amsterdam and VU Amsterdam. Courses are given at the two History of Digital Cultures; placing CS into its societal and
Faculties of Science. Graduates receive a diploma accredited historical context
by both universities. Literature study and seminar; investigating existing solutions
to a research question and presenting findings within one of
the research groups
Master project (36EC); independently executing a project,
turning everything learned so-far into a 'master piece'
Restricted choices: (6 - 18 EC)
STUDY PROGRAMME For ensuring the breadth of the program, all students must
have followed at least one course out of each of the following
BIG DATA ENGINEERING COURSES restricted choice areas.
For detailed information on the Big Data Engineering track
courses, please check our Study Guide. FOUNDATIONS OF COMPUTING AND CONCURRENCY,
CHOOSE ONE FROM:
A track consists of 6 courses (potentially containing some Logical Verification
constrained choices). Term Rewriting Systems
Distributed Algorithms
Track courses are only given in the 8-week periods. Advanced Logic
Protocol Validation
The courses are scheduled in such a way that these can be
followed consecutively during the first three semesters: MATHEMATICS, CHOOSE ONE FROM:
Semester 1 = Year 1, periods 1 & 2 Coding and Cryptography
Semester 2 = Year 1, periods 4 & 5 Experimental Design and Data Analysis
Semester 3 = Year 2, periods 1 & 2

Students are allowed to follow in Semester 1 track courses

scheduled for Semester 3, and vice versa.

It is possible for students to change track after Semester 1.

www.vu.nl/computerscience MASTER 2
PROGRAMMING, CHOOSE ONE FROM: PHD POSITIONS
Individual Systems Practical Graduate students with excellent grades can apply for a PhD
Kernel Programming position. These are normally awarded for four years, during
Internet programming which time the student is expected to finish his or her PhD
Programming Multi-core and Many-core Systems thesis. A PhD can lead to a career in business or research.
Parallel Programming Practical Some of our recent PhD graduates now work as researchers or
Android lab engineers at companies like Google.com or Amazon.com.
Software Testing Practical Others embarked on an academic career, either at VU
Concurrency and Multithreading Amsterdam or other prestigious universities such as MIT,
Web Services and Cloud-based Systems Cornell University and ETH Zurich.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING, CHOOSE ONE FROM: SBBA BÈTA CAREER EVENT

Service Oriented Design Each year the Stichting Bèta Bedrijvencontactdag Amsterdam
Software Asset Management organizes a Career Event. The career event offers lectures,
Software Architecture workshops and a speed-date lunch to enable students to meet
Software Testing with future employers.

FREE CHOICE: (18 - 30 EC)
A list of pre-approved courses for free choice, consisting of the
restricted-choice courses, and all other courses (Master level)
given by the CS dept of the VU and the Informatics Institute of
the UvA. This explicitly covers courses from the Masters
Artificial Intelligence, Bioinformatics, and Logics.
Computer Science: Big Data Engineering courses in study
guide.
CAREER PROSPECTS
The vast majority of our students (90%) embark on a career in
areas like consultancy, the software business, other private
sector businesses or the government sector. Computer
scientists are welcome in a variety of jobs including systems
manager, information analyst, software engineer, policy
advisor or project manager. Many of our former students now
work at companies such as Philips, Deloitte en Touche, IBM
and the Royal Dutch Navy. Others have created their own
company, sometimes right after graduation.
More information on SBBA can be obtained at www.sbba.nl.
WHY VU AMSTERDAM?
REPUTATION OF THE PROGRAMME
The Computer Science programme at VU Amsterdam has a
solid reputation for its approach to the subject. One faculty
member, Professor Andrew S. Tanenbaum recently won the
prestigious IEEE James H. Mulligan Jr. Education Award and a
grant from the European Research Council of 2.4 million
euros. Also, nearly 100% of computer science students find a
full-time job that matches their qualifications before the day
of their graduation. As a student, you will profit from the
expertise of VU Amsterdam’s research groups, and from their
contacts at national and international level.
INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMME OF STUDY
You will be encouraged to compile your personal programme
of study, in consultation with your own coordinator who
remains on hand to help with any queries you may have
throughout your programme.

The most typical job our graduates pursue is that of software INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMME
engineer. Examples of other jobs are: Computer Science at VU Amsterdam is very broad and wide-
• web engineer ranging compared to other universities. You will choose a
• data warehouse consultant specialization as part of the programme. Beside the
• user interface designer compulsory courses, you will have the opportunity to take
• systems specialist optional courses from the whole range of computer science.
• IT project manager
• IT consultant INTERNATIONAL SETTING
• systems engineer. The city of Amsterdam is a very welcoming environment for
international students and staff. Our Computer Science
department is also very international-oriented: 40
nationalities are represented among our academic staff, and
our students come from many more different countries.

www.vu.nl/computerscience MASTER 3
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE
Come to one of our information days or get in touch with a
faculty representative.

This information is dated Jan-18. Though this brochure is made with the
greatest care no rights can be derived from its content. For questions or
remarks please contact us via bama@vu.nl.

www.vu.nl/computerscience MASTER 4