How Schulich School of Business builds technical AI and data skills with DataCamp

The challenge: equipping students with technical AI and data skills

The Schulich School of Business at York University runs two of its most technically demanding graduate programs: the Master of Business Analytics (MBAN) and the Master of Artificial Intelligence (MMAI). Both attract students from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, which creates a persistent challenge: how do you ensure a cohort with very different levels of technical preparation arrives ready to hit the ground running, keeps pace with demanding coursework, and leaves equipped for the workplace?

For David Elsner, Program Director of the MBAN, and Hjalmar Turesson, Program Director of the MMAI, the answer lay in extending learning beyond the classroom.

The solution: DataCamp woven into the student journey

DataCamp is now embedded across all four stages of the student experience: before arrival, during coursework, on consulting projects, and for career development.

Pre-program preparation

Before each cohort begins, students receive a curated list of DataCamp courses to complete ahead of day one. For MBAN students, that means 28 recommended courses covering the technical foundations the program builds on.

"We have students from a variety of backgrounds, some technical, some not at all," says David. "We want everyone to start at the right place and be at a base level where everyone is ready on day one. DataCamp lets us say: here are the classes we think you should take, depending on your technical skills."

In-program support

Faculty have integrated DataCamp directly into coursework, making completion a graded requirement in some classes. Hjalmar builds custom tracks, curating courses that align precisely with his lecture content.

Consulting project readiness

Both the MBAN and MMAI culminate in two-term consulting projects, where students work with real external partners on live technical challenges over eight months. Consulting partners often use tools beyond what the program teaches (Power BI instead of Tableau, for instance) and students need to get up to speed fast.

For David, this removes a specific anxiety from the consulting experience. "If they need to learn something new, they don't have to go searching for it. It's right there."

Career development

Many students go further, completing courses independently to build out their credentials. 

"Students are putting DataCamp courses on their LinkedIn profiles, as they see it as a practical advantage," says David.

Moving to a paid subscription ensured Schulich could continue offering DataCamp access to students year-round.  

"We recognized there was a real ROI. Many students said: I want to do more. Can you allow us to do more?"

The result: better-prepared students, stronger projects, competitive graduates

The most immediate outcome is a lift in student readiness at program entry.

"Students are better prepared to start the program, and if they start better, that leads to better outcomes," says David.

For Hjalmar, the value lies in what DataCamp enables beyond lecture time: more independent learning, and the ability to extend and personalise learning beyond the classroom.

"I'm proud to have well-prepared students who can handle new situations. If a particular student needs something specific, we can give them access to it."

He also uses DataCamp to stay current himself.

David and Hjalmar were appointed Program Directors in January 2026, and are now exploring how to get more out of DataCamp across the curriculum.