Program Overview

MSc Data Science

The MSc Data Science is a postgraduate program designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to design and implement data science projects. The program is offered by the School of Computing and Creative Technologies at the University of the West of England.

About

The program brings together skills in data management, analytics, and artificial intelligence, enabling students to work with organizations to draw competitive or efficiency-related insights from their data. Data scientists are expected to make up at least a quarter of all digital jobs, and this field has been highlighted as a major skills gap in the government's recent industrial strategy.

Why Study Data Science?

Data science is a field that involves working with organizations to draw insights from their data. It requires skills in data management, analytics, and artificial intelligence. The program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to apply data science techniques in their current role and organization or to progress onto new work opportunities.

Why UWE Bristol?

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) offers a unique learning experience that combines academic rigor with industry relevance. The program is taught by experienced academics and industry professionals who are experts in their field. Students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including PC labs and virtual machines, and will be able to work on live data science projects using data and issues from their own company or industrial partners.

Accreditations and Partnerships

The program is accredited by The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) and has been developed as part of the Institute of Coding's University Learners employability initiative.

Entry

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for the program, students must have an honors degree at 2:2 or equivalent in a relevant subject. Relevant subjects include computer science, IT, math, statistics, engineering, physics, chemistry, business, marketing, economics, psychology, and social sciences. Students with at least 12 months of relevant professional experience and/or equivalent qualifications may also be considered on an individual basis.

Personal Statement

Students are required to complete a personal statement as part of the application process. The personal statement should be written in accordance with the university's guidance and should not exceed the recommended word count.

English Language Requirement

International and EU applicants must have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component.

Structure

Content

The program consists of core and optional modules. The core modules include:

• Data Management Fundamentals
• Interdisciplinary Group Project
• Programming for Data Science
• Statistical Inference
• CSCT Masters Project

Students must also choose two optional modules from a list that includes:

• Advanced Statistics
• Big Data
• Business Intelligence and Data Visualisation
• Cloud Computing
• Data and Information Governance
• Designing the User Experience
• Knowledge Management
• Linked, Open Data and the Internet of Things
• Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics
• Social Media and Web Science

Learning and Teaching

The program is taught through a mix of context, theory, and hands-on practice, with both individual and group learning activities. Students will learn about ethical practice and data for sustainable development, research methods, data gathering, and exploratory data analysis. They will also learn to use statistical inference, modeling, and analysis, machine learning, and predictive analytics.

Study Time

The full-time program requires 8 hours of teaching and related activities per week, plus 16 hours of self-directed study. The part-time program requires 4 hours of teaching and related activities per week, plus 8 hours of self-directed study.

Assessment

Assessment will be through practical coursework, vivas, presentations, and portfolios. The number of exams will depend on the optional module choices.

Fees

Full-Time Course

The full-time course fees are:

• Home Award Fee: ｣11,500
• Home Module Fee (15 credits): ｣958
• International Award Fee: ｣18,000
• International Module Fee (15 credits): ｣1,500

Part-Time Course

The part-time course fees are:

• Home Module Fee (15 credits): ｣958

Features

Professional Accreditation

The program is accredited by The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS).

Study Facilities

Students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including PC labs and virtual machines. They will also have 24-hour access to the UWE Bristol library and access to leading resources, specialist journals, and publications through the university's online portal.

Careers

Careers/Further Study

The program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to secure work as a data scientist, business analyst, data engineer, or chief data officer. The skills and tools gained through the program will also be useful for those looking to progress onto further study or research in the field.