University of Essex Online · Part-time

Data Science

MSc2 yearsPart-time

University of Essex Online · Computing

Harness the power of data with our innovative data science conversion degree. Designed specifically for those without a professional or academic background in computer science, this course will provide the technical foundation needed to succeed in this industry, where qualified professionals are highly sought-after. Organisations are increasingly seeking to turn the raw data they collect into meaningful information for tackling business issues, and this MSc Data Science will equip you with the skills needed to extract, analyse, interpret and present data from a variety of sources. You will explore a broad range of topics and take part in collaborative projects designed to prepare you for the reality of working within this fast-paced field. You will first be introduced to the background context and theoretical concepts within the discipline, from data collection all the way through to using data to support business decisions. Next up, you will cover core mathematical and statistical methods and their real-world applications within this domain. You will go on to explore further topics including: data wrangling with a focus on big data the underpinning concepts for processing and analysing data sets for presentation machine learning and the application of algorithms to learn patterns in data and gain value from it Throughout the course you will develop a number of programs and applications, and the course will focus on the programming languages Python, SQL and R. Your degree will culminate in the individual production of a computing artefact. If anything captures your interest during the course that you to want to study in more detail, this is your opportunity to spend a third of the course focusing on it.

Getting in

As the university states it

We know that many people from non-traditional backgrounds would succeed on our courses! That’s why we offer two different entry routes, taking into account your prior work experience and relevant qualifications. You will also need to meet our English language requirements. As part of the application process, you will be asked to take a short aptitude test which is designed to test your ability to handle the intellectual and practical demands of the course. Please note that we will consider your performance in the aptitude test as part of your overall application, so if you don’t pass the test you may still be accepted onto the course. Additionally, you will need to pass your first assignment set within your two-week induction period of the course in order to continue your studies. Academic entry route In order to satisfy the academic entry route requirements for our MSc Data Science, as a minimum you must have an undergraduate degree from an approved institution, equivalent to a UK Honours degree, or a relevant professional qualification. Work experience entry route In order to satisfy the work experience entry route requirements for our MSc Data Science, you must have at least three years’ relevant work experience in IT or computer science. English language requirements As our courses are delivered in English, a high proficiency with English is required. If English is not your first language, your English ability should be equivalent to an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5. Don’t worry if you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification – we offer a free online English test to assess your proficiency.

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Course details as published by the university. No graduate-outcome statistics are published for UK postgraduate courses, so none are shown.