Experiential Learning: The Data Industry Practicum

Students in the HRDS data practicum

Graduate students at The American University of Paris are often seeking professional transformation – whether they enroll straight out of an undergraduate degree or after several years of work or volunteer experience. To fully explore the career paths available in often competitive fields, and to discover the ways in which multiple fields intersect, students learn directly from relevant professionals working in a wide range of industries. For students in the MSc in Human Rights and Data Science (HRDS) program, this means taking the Data Industry Practicum: a 6-credit series of intensive workshops with experts who teach students to analyze, in a practical way, the computational, legal, economic and ethical aspects of data use.

Over the course of a semester, students take part in workshops with data industry professionals working in industries as varied as finance, product design and diplomacy. They not only meet and have intimate conversations with those working in the industry, but they get hands-on experience through assessed projects grounded in professional contexts. “The practicum builds on the theories covered in class,” explains Claudia Roda, HRDS Director. “It is vitally important that students be exposed to professionals who understand data science, as well as the legal and ethical implications of its use.” 

Students learn directly from professionals at the top of their field

Régis Chatellier presents on the metaverse

Alongside these conversations, students get hands-on experience

Students listen to a guest speaker

Workshops feature experts who analyze the computational, legal, economic and ethical aspects of data 

Delphine Charlot during a data industry practicum

Topics covered are increasingly varied including topics like health data governance

Eric Sutherland presents to the class

The practicum's focus leaves a lasting impression on graduates

Notes during practicum
Régis Chatellier presents on the metaverse
Students listen to a guest speaker
Delphine Charlot during a data industry practicum
Eric Sutherland presents to the class
Notes during practicum

These meetings with experts offer two main benefits to students. First, they show students the full range of employment opportunities available to graduates. “These workshops allow students to position themselves career-wise with respect to the profession,” explains Roda. “It really helps build confidence and gives students a sense of the range of professions for which they are qualified.” The 2023 series opened with a workshop about one of the most well-known roles for graduates trained in both the legal and technical aspects of data use, that of Data Protection Officer (DPO), but subsequent workshops covered subjects as varied as new technology’s impact on the financial sector and the challenges of the Metaverse for user privacy.

The second key benefit is the practicum’s networking opportunities, as they give students tangible connections to those working at the fascinating intersection of two exciting fields. “All of the experts taking part in the practicum work at the top of their industries,” says Roda. “I learn so much along with my students!” The networking benefits sometimes have an immediate impact, opening new opportunities for students; one 2023 workshop on the ISO standard on Privacy by Design, for example, led to some participating students being invited to contribute their work to an ISO document. One of them was even invited to present in person at an ISO meeting, creating further networking opportunities and enriching the student’s experience.

The practicum’s focus on professional contexts leaves a lasting impression on HRDS graduates. Former student Jackson Vann G’22, who graduated as part of the program’s inaugural intake, currently works as a Data Analyst for the Education in Emergencies Division of UNESCO. He says the practicum’s workshops were one of his favorite memories of his time at AUP. “It gave me a full view of what I could do with my master’s,” he explains. “That was powerful, because I realized there’s a career market for people like me.”