Program Overview

MSc Data Science

The MSc Data Science at the University of Essex is a postgraduate course that focuses on the application of theory and methods to real-world problems, aiming to use and exploit big data. The course is designed for candidates with a background in a mathematical or computational discipline.

Overview

The course is based in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science and is available as either a full-time degree over one academic year or as a part-time degree over two academic years. The start dates are October and January.

Course Structure

The course structure includes the following components:

• COMPONENT 01: OPTIONAL - Option(s) from List A (30 credits)
• COMPONENT 02: OPTIONAL - Option(s) from List B (30 credits)
• COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY - Applied Regression and Experimental Data Analysis (15 credits)
• COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY - Applied Statistics (15 credits)
• COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY - Machine Learning (15 credits)
• COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY - Data Visualisation (15 credits)
• COMPONENT 07: COMPULSORY - Research Skills and Employability (0 credits)
• COMPONENT 08: CORE WITH OPTIONS - MA981-7-FY or MA983-7-SU (60 credits)

Teaching

Postgraduate taught students in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science typically attend two hours of lectures and one class or lab every week. Core components can be combined with optional modules to gain either in-depth specialisation or a broad understanding.

Assessment

Courses are assessed on the results of written examinations, together with continual assessments of practical work and coursework.

Dissertation

Students will be provided with a list of dissertation titles or topics proposed by staff. Most dissertations are between 10,000 and 30,000 words in length. Study with close supervision by academic staff is provided.

Fees and Funding

• Home/UK fee: Ł11,025
• International fee: Ł23,875 There may be scholarships, bursaries, or discounts available to help with the cost of the course.

Entry Requirements

UK Entry Requirements

A 2:2 degree or international equivalent in one of the following subjects:

• Applied Mathematics
• Biostatistics
• Computer Science
• Economic Statistics
• Economics
• Mathematics
• Operational Research
• Pure Mathematics
• Statistics OR Any other 2:2 degree in any subject which includes three modules from the specified lists.

International & EU Entry Requirements

The University accepts a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries.

English Language Requirements

If English is not the first language, an IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5 in all components is required.

Research Areas

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science has research groups working on a broad range of collaborative areas, including:

• Data science
• Explorative data analysis
• Classification and clustering
• Evolutionary computation
• Data visualisation
• Financial forecasting

Specialist Facilities

The University has specialist facilities for research into areas including non-invasive brain-computer interfaces, intelligent environments, robotics, optoelectronics, video, RF and MW, printed circuit milling, and semiconductors. Collaboration with the Essex Institute of Data Analytics and Data Science (IADS) and the ESRC Business and Local Government (BLoG) Data Research Centre of the University of Essex is also available.

Career Prospects

With a predicted shortage of data scientists, the course opens the door to almost any industry, from health to government to publishing. Graduates are highly sought after by a range of employers and find employment in financial services, scientific computation, decision-making support, and government, among other areas.