
Ask HN: How much programming experience you need to become a data scientist? - HeyShayBY
Makes more sense to have a statistic background than computer science background, right?
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drallison
If you are serious about this question, you should begin by specifying what
"data scientist" means in this context. Otherwise, whatever answers your query
engenders will be lost in the noise.

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hellofunk
I have read that it is much more important to have a strong mathematical
background than a strong programming background to really be good at data
science. Many data science positions in the world are looking for individuals
who specialized in statistics and related math fields in school.

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Mz
According to what I have read, "it depends":

[http://blog.udacity.com/2014/11/data-science-job-
skills.html](http://blog.udacity.com/2014/11/data-science-job-skills.html)

[http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/big-data-
analytics/3...](http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/big-data-
analytics/3-key-skills-of-successful-data-scientists/d/d-id/1111123)

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shoo
i've heard it characterised something like this: you need to program better
than the average statistician, and apply statistics better than the average
programmer.

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liamconnell
I think the bar is a LITTLE higher now. If I could add one skill, its being
able to read math language. It's a great skill to be able to read about a new
technique on arxiv or a blog and be able to understand it beyond the surface
level.

In fact being mathematically literate is really the bee's knees. Its why I
suggest anyone in a stem undergrad to take their math department's Real
Analysis or (my favorite) Abstract Algebra. The content is rarely relevant any
jobs, but then you'll be able to teach yourself almost anything in the future.

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fenier
It really depends on if you are only responsible for analysis, or for
gathering data and analysis.

The former is more math focused, the later is a pretty solid blend of Math and
Comp Sci / DB work.

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tmaly
you could probably get by with R, but the real meat is with the Math as others
have said.

