MIT Professional Education Announces New Short Programs Course on Machine Learning for Big Data and Text Processing

New Course for Data Analysis Professionals Runs June 8-12, 2015

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – March 12, 2015 – MIT Professional Education adds a new course, Machine Learning for Big Data and Text Processing, to its Short Programs offering today.

The course runs June 8-12, 2015 on MIT’s campus in Cambridge, Mass., and will examine a suite of key machine learning tools and their applications, including predictive analysis. Attendees will learn key concepts, formulations, and algorithms, discuss key insights underlying the tools, what kinds of problems they can and cannot solve, how they can be applied effectively, and what issues are likely to arise. Real-world examples for professionals whose work interfaces data analysis in different ways and on different levels will also be discussed.

“Participants will learn about principles and algorithms for turning training data into effective automated predictions,” said Regina Barzilay, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science/CSAIL. “The  course will highlight which problems can be effectively solved with machine learning methods and introduce a wide range of modeling tools that can be used in practical applications.”

Managers, professionals, and anyone with an undergraduate degree in computer science or other technical area such as statistics, physics, electrical engineering, with exposure to vectors and matrices, and basic concepts of probability, is encouraged to take this course. A high level understanding of programming is also helpful.

About the Machine Learning for Big Data and Text Processing course

At the managerial level, the course provides the vision and understanding of the many opportunities, costs, and likely performance hurdles in predictive modeling, especially as they pertain to large amounts of textual (or similar) data. For professionals whose work involves data hands-on, the course aims to provide a deeper understanding and sharper intuitions about what is possible, what is not, and which methods to consider in what contexts. For everyone, the course provides the ability to see problems as machine learning problems and be able to discuss ways to approach them.

Enrollment is now open to qualifying U.S. and international professionals through the MIT Professional Education website.

The five day course will be lead by Tommi Jaakkola, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science/Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Regina Barzilay.

"Machine learning methods drive much of modern data analysis across engineering, sciences, and commercial applications," said Bhaskar Pant, Executive Director of MIT Professional Education. "Data is available primarily in textual form, so today's data analysts need effective tools to deal with unstructured and semi-structured text. Strengthening skills in this area is extremely valuable to professionals in the field, and this is why we've decided to introduce and include this new course into our offering for technical professionals worldwide.”

MIT Professional Education Short Programs offers professionals more than 40 industry-focused one to five-day sessions, taking place primarily in the summer. Participants learn from leading MIT faculty and gain crucial knowledge to help fuel their careers or enhance their companies in a collaborative academic setting. Upon completion, participants receive an MIT Professional Education certificate of completion, continuing education units, and access to MIT Professional Education’s expansive professional alumni network. 

In addition to Machine Learning for Big Data and Text Processing, new Short Programs for summer 2015 include Quantitative Cardiovascular Physiology and Clinical Applications for Engineers, Professional Communication Bootcamp, and Rapid Prototyping Technology. 

About MIT Professional Education
For 65 years, MIT Professional Education has been providing a gateway to renowned MIT research, knowledge, and expertise through advanced education programs designed specifically for working professionals worldwide who are engaged in engineering, science, and technology management. In addition to its Short Programs, MIT Professional Education also offers professionals the capability to take Short Programs courses abroad through International Programs, enroll in regular MIT academic courses through the Advanced Study Program, customize an educational experience for a group of employees at a company site, or join global audiences in taking online courses. Participants are drawn from across the U.S. and around the world, and about 50 percent are international. Upon successful completion of one of these programs, participants receive an MIT Professional Education Certificate of Completion and access to MIT Professional Education’s expansive, private professional alumni network, along with other program specific benefits.