Explore the 5 Futuristic STEM Courses to Study Abroad

With the ever-growing impact of technology in today’s world, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers have become highly sought-after. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM jobs will increase by 10.8% between 2023 and 2032.  If you want to advance a career in this dynamic field, pursuing cutting-edge STEM courses can put you ahead of the pack. This article discusses some futuristic STEM courses you should watch out for.

About STEM Courses

Did you know that STEM professionals with a bachelor’s degree or higher usually have a 47% greater median salary than non-STEM professionals with a bachelor’s degree or higher? The STEM field provides thriving opportunities for students wishing to pursue an innovative and lucrative career. The demand for STEM graduates continues to rise, with plentiful opportunities available to those who pursue STEM courses from internationally reputed universities. 

In the year 2020-2021, STEM degrees were awarded to 120,185 international students in the US alone. 

• Science, the S of STEM, covers disciplines such as natural, life, and physical sciences.
• T, standing for technology, includes disciplines associated with computer science, electronics, cybersecurity, environmental technology, Artificial Intelligence, and data analysis. 
• Though often considered to be similar to technology, engineering, representing the E in STEM, is a distinctive field in its own right. It primarily involves applying scientific knowledge and engineering principles to create and design machines, devices, and systems. There are several traditional engineering courses that one can pursue like mechanical engineering and civil engineering. But, in present times, interdisciplinary courses have also emerged in engineering, such as aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, automotive engineering, and environmental engineering. 
• Mathematics, or the M in STEM, forms the foundation for science, technology, and engineering. Due to the wide applications of mathematics in various fields, including banking and finance, students finishing mathematics courses such as statistics and actuarial sciences enjoy strong job prospects. 
• Finishing a course in any of these fields will enable aspirants to drive advancements and create an impact across different industries. 

Popular STEM Courses List

STEM graduates have diverse career paths ahead of them, depending on the STEM courses they choose. Browse through this comprehensive STEM courses list to learn about the different options available for aspirants:

• Aerospace Engineering                            
• Chemical Engineering
• Astronomy
• Mechanical Engineering
• Statistics
• Mathematics                                                                         
• Chemistry
• Psychology
• Biology
• Biochemistry
• Data Science and analytics
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical engineering
• Development Engineering 

Let’s delve deeper into five futuristic STEM courses and explore what is in store for the students.

Data Science and Analytics

The global demand for data science professionals is expected to increase by 11.5 million by 2026. The huge volume of data, its ready availability, and the need to derive meaningful insights from it have added to the skyrocketing demand for DS graduates. Data science involves studying modules such as statistics, big data, data analytics, deep learning, machine learning, and many more. The application of the field can be found across industries such as finance, healthcare, e-commerce, and technology.

Top Universities for Data Science and Analytics

University	Country	Course	Program Fees
Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT)	US	MicroMasters Program in Statistics and  Data Science  Minor in Statistics and Data Science	N/A
University of California(Berkeley)	US	BA Data Science	N/A
University of Oxford	UK	MSc Social Data Science	£33,970 (₹34,31,659 )
Harvard University	US	Master of Science Data Science(SM)	$61,768 (₹51,41,024)  for the first year and $30,884  (₹25,70,512) for the second year, one term only.
University of Toronto	Canada	Bachelor of Science Honors Data Science	$61,720 (₹37,21,711)

Source: Official University Websites 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

A report published by the World Economic Forum suggests that the jobs for AI and machine learning specialists will experience a jump of 40% by 2027. AI and Machine Learning are transforming various industries, including healthcare, finance, transportation, and manufacturing. Pursuing a course in the domain can open opportunities to develop AI applications, build intelligent systems, and work on cutting-edge technologies like autonomous vehicles and natural language processing.

Top Universities for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 

University	Country	Course	Program Fees
Carnegie Mellon University	US	BS Artificial Intelligence	$70,443 (₹58,63,534)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	US	Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Decision-making	$82,730 (₹68,87,574)
University of Cambridge	UK	MPhil in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence	£58,767 (₹59,27,686)
National University of Singapore	Singapore	MComp-Artificial Intelligence	$55,590 (₹33,81,738)
Illinois Institute of Technology	US	BS Artificial Intelligence	$74,047 (₹61,64,583)

Source: Official University Websites 

Cybersecurity

Cybercrimes have become a major concern around the globe.  There are around 2,200 cyberattacks daily, equating to over 8 lakh people being hacked annually. Even though the number of successful breaches is not increasing, they are becoming cost-intensive to manage. Thus, there is brisk hiring in the cybersecurity space, which is expected to continue till at least 2025. Cybersecurity experts are highly sought after in industries such as finance, healthcare, government, and technology. 

Top Universities for Cybersecurity

University	Country	Course	Program Fees
Carnegie Mellon University	US	Master of Science in Information Security Policy and Management (MSISPM)	Tuition is $27,055 (₹22,52,413) per semester.
Nanyang Technological University	Singapore	Master of Science in Cyber Security	$59,187 (₹36,00,537)
Illinois Institute of Technology	US	Master of Cybersecurity	$55,552 (₹46,24,659)
ETH Zurich	Switzerland	Master in Cybersecurity	N/A
University of Michigan	US	Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity	N/A

Source: Official University Websites 

Renewable Energy Engineering

This field offers exciting possibilities for individuals seeking to solve energy problems with creativity and innovation. Renewable energy engineers employ scientific principles to design effective methods for generating energy that are not harmful to the environment. The number of renewable energy jobs reached 12.7 million in September 2022, highlighting the incredible growth potential of this field. Environmental scientist, Air quality engineer, sustainability engineer, energy manager, and solar consultant are some of the many in-demand jobs available after studying renewables. 

Top Universities for Renewable Energy Engineering

University	Country	Course	Annual Program Fees
University of Portsmouth	UK	MEng Renewable Energy Engineering	£20,200 (₹20,43,023)
Kingston University	UK	MSc Renewable Energy Engineering	£18,500 (₹18,71,086)
Delft University of Technology	Netherlands	MSc Sustainable Energy Technology	€33,965 (₹29,96,120)
University of Aberdeen	UK	MSc Renewable Energy Engineering	£27,000 (₹27,30,912)
The University of Newcastle	Australia	Bachelor of Renewable Energy Engineering(H)	AUD 40,620 (₹21,46,122)

Source: Official University Websites 

Read More: Masters in Renewable Energy Engineering in UK

Robotics and Automation

Automated Product Design Engineer, Robotics Programmer, Robot Test Engineer, etc., are some career paths that can be forged after completing a course in robotics and automation. Robotic Engineers have a wide range of applications across sectors like space exploration, entertainment, banking, medicine, and healthcare.

Top Universities for Robotics and Automation

University	Country	Course	Annual Tuition Fees
ETH Zurich	Switzerland	Master of Science in Robotics, Systems, and Control	N/A
Carnegie Mellon University	US	Master of Science in Robotics	$48,250 (₹40,16,824)
University of Pennsylvania	US	Masters in Robotics	$34,065 (₹28,36,936)
Georgia Institute of Technology	US	Masters in Robotics	$18,453 (₹15,36,216)
John Hopkins University	US	Master of Science in Engineering in Robotics	N/A

Source: Official University Websites 

Explore More: Masters in Robotics and Automation

MBA With STEM - Best of Both Worlds

A STEM MBA is a unique mixture of business and tech education designed to create future leaders proficient in harnessing the power of science to make better business decisions. A STEM MBA is not a STEM course per se, as these programs aim to nurture the technical expertise and management skills of students by providing exposure to a diverse range of subjects such as business analytics, financial technology, economics, statistics, and decision theory. 

Many globally recognized universities now provide an MBA with STEM, preparing students to undertake leadership roles in tech-driven industries. Thus, these courses are a perfect fit for individuals envisioning themselves spearheading data or technology-focused teams in thriving business environments. 

Top Universities for STEM MBA

University	Country	Program Fees
Carnegie Mellon University-Tepper School of Business	US	$37,856 (₹31,52,651)
Cornell University- SC Johnson School of Business	US	$1,68,970 (₹14,071,838)
Columbia University - Columbia Business School	US	$1,27,058 (₹1,05,85,907)
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business	US	$1,22,160 (₹1,01,73,497)
Duke University	US	$75,000  (₹62,46,007)

Source: Official University Websites 

Recommended Articles: STEM Courses in USA

Salary After STEM Course

As per a report by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, the median salary of STEM professionals was about $64,000 in the US. This is significantly higher than the $40,000 amassed by non-STEM workers. Thus, STEM courses can lead to financially rewarding STEM careers in coveted positions. 

Top STEM Jobs With Salaries

Job Role	Annual Average Salary (in USA)
Data Analyst	$61,000 - $1,01,000
AI Engineer	$101,000 - $1,75,000
Security Engineer	$98,000 - $1,59,000
Energy Engineer	$1,04,000- $1,85,000
Robotics Engineer	$75,000-$1,00,000

Source: Glassdoor

Conclusion

Given the immense impact of science and technology in almost all spheres of society, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that “the future is STEM.” By completing advanced STEM courses at renowned universities around the globe, students can poise themselves for successful careers in this thriving industry and harness the phenomenal growth trajectory it offers.