“Without Data Science, there is no Artificial Intelligence”

The academic year 2026-2027 brings a new Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science to the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa). The course was designed to respond to the growing demand for professionals in the field of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a context where all sectors are dealing with increasingly complex and rapid flows of information.

Cátia Pesquita, coordinator of the new Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science and professor in the Department of Informatics, explains how the Ciências ULisboa course can make a difference by complementing theoretical foundations with practical applications and the choice between two specializations. “Without Data Science, there is no Artificial Intelligence as we know it today,” she states. “It is a field that brings together data, statistical methods, algorithms, and the computational capacity necessary to develop AI solutions, without forgetting the way these technologies interact with people.”

Can we see the bachelor's degree in Data Science as a response to market needs?

Data Science is now unavoidable. Ten years ago, Ciências ULisboa was a pioneer in creating the first master's degree in Data Science in Portugal. At that time, Data Science was seen as a specialization area, attracting people from other backgrounds who wanted to gain some extra ability in extracting knowledge from data. Today, Data Science has become a fundamental area in multiple scientific, technological, and economic domains. It is also the foundation of much of the Artificial Intelligence that is currently transforming society. Without data, statistics, algorithms, and computing, it is not possible to develop the AI systems we know.

What are the admission requirements for the bachelor's degree in Data Science?

Our admission exams are Mathematics A by itself or in combination with one of the following exams: Biology and Geology, Physics and Chemistry, or Economics.

What career opportunities does the course offer?

The degree prepares professionals to work in the most advanced areas of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. Among the main career opportunities are roles such as data scientist, machine learning engineer, data engineer, and Artificial Intelligence specialist, with skills in algorithms, models, and high-performance computational infrastructures.

Throughout the course, students develop skills in algorithms, models, statistics, data processing and engineering, as well as in high-performance computational infrastructures. They are therefore prepared to intervene throughout the entire data value chain: from collection, management, and processing to model creation, decision support, and the development of intelligent solutions.

Is it correct to conclude that all sectors will need professionals specialized in data processing?

Without a doubt. It is a rapidly growing area. On LinkedIn, you can already see countless job offers specialized in data science, data engineering, data analysis, and increasingly also positions with English titles such as Machine Learning Engineer, AI Specialist. Therefore, all these careers are already established and growing, both internationally and nationally. Moreover, these professionals can work in any sector... Is there any sector where there is no data?

Well… it’s likely that there isn’t one. And what exactly do you learn in Data Science? What techniques, methods, and disciplines will be taught?

The new bachelor's degree in Data Science is unique in the country in the way it organizes its curriculum. There are data degrees that are very management-oriented—and that’s natural, since Data Science is very important for management. But there is a gap, and this course obviously aims to fill it with two main ideas. The first of these ideas is a curriculum designed to give students the ability to understand the fundamental principles that govern Data Science. This is essential in a constantly changing world, where advances in AI are becoming increasingly rapid… Technologies change. Today it’s one, tomorrow another comes out. But the fundamental principles do not. The second idea we applied to this course is the ability to combine these fundamental principles with the ability to put them into practice in a real project, right from the undergraduate level and in collaboration with application areas. It is from this synergy between fundamentals and practice that the ability for continuous learning and permanent adaptation arises, which is essential nowadays.

In addition to the practical aspect, there is also a focus on specialization!

This course includes a specialization in AI and another in Applied Data Science. Both involve the development of a project in the field. Students will be able to work with AI experts or experts in different domains of Data Science application, during the development of projects or the completion of project-related subjects. We are talking about areas such as climate change, energy, sustainability, biodiversity, personalized medicine, materials physics, the design of new molecules—topics in which Ciências ULisboa conducts cutting-edge research. This is unique in the national landscape; there is no other Portuguese school that can offer this.

Who are the professors of this degree program?

The main focus of the curriculum is, of course, the area of informatics and computing, as well as mathematics and statistics, which are essential components of Data Science. We have a teaching staff in these fields of knowledge, with people who conduct top-level international research and who also have the ability to innovate and produce social impact. This core group of teaching staff is then complemented by the elective courses in the specialization phase, which cover all areas of Ciências ULisboa… from Biology to Chemistry and Biochemistry, from Physics to Earth Sciences and Energy. This helps open doors for future specializations and for the job market, but it is also a genuine opportunity to experience something in an integrated and personalized way, tailored to what students want to explore.

What is the expected employability for this course?

The course will start in September and, therefore, we do not yet have employability statistics, but I can remind you that the employability of our master's in Data Science is very, very close to 100%. We have students working in some of the leading technology companies, but also, for example, in the financial, energy, or biotechnology sectors. Some have also followed the path of entrepreneurship and are in tech startups developing the next generation of solutions based on Data Science and AI.

The bachelor's degree also provides a solid foundation for continuing studies in our master's program, where students can deepen their skills, specialize, and develop a dissertation in a business or research context. It is this continuity — between fundamentals, specialization, and application — that we want to offer from day one.