MSc/PGDip Data Science

Overview

Data Science is now one of the most sought after roles in the commercial and academic worlds. So much so that finding a qualified data scientist is known as "hunting the unicorn".

Dundee was the first University in the UK to predict the importance of Data Science and introduced the UK's first Data Science MSc back in 2013. Consequently, we are at the forefront of Data Science study and have more experience of teaching it than any other University in the UK. We also designed our course to be easy to complete part-time and largely remotely.

This MSc will prepare you to become a data scientist, a person who excels at manipulating and analysing data, particularly large data sets that don't fit easily into tabular structures (so-called "Big Data").

The MSc Data Science at the University of Dundee is unique both in the material it delivers and in the way it is taught. Aimed at people currently working in IT who wish to obtain a formal qualification whilst continuing to work, our program will equip you with the knowledge you need to succeed in Data Science, whether you are already working in the field or you wish to move into this exciting and growing area. The course is usually taken part-time over two years, although it can be taken full time or as stand-alone modules or as a Post Graduate Certificate.

For part-time students, the course is delivered via a blend of:

• Two weeks of intensive teaching each year on campus, one week in January/February and one week in April/May.
• Distance Learning – for the remainder of the time students work from home.

All the modules for this course were written specifically for it and are not constructed from pre-existing material, ensuring that all modules are relevant and tightly integrated. These modules can also be taken either on a stand-alone basis or as a PGCert.

Who should study this course?

We are looking for students with:

• Insatiable curiosity
• Interdisciplinary interests
• Excellent communication skills

You’ll be taught by experts in Data Science who work within the industry and also carry out research work at the highest level in the topics covered. These range from ways of handling big data, though OLAP analysis, languages for data science and data mining and machine learning. 

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)

The University of Dundee has been given a Gold award – the highest possible rating – in the 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

Read more about the Teaching Excellence Framework

Teaching & Assessment

_{How you will be taught}

The programme will be delivered by Prof. Mark Whitehorn with input from Andy Cobley and other specialists from within Computing in an innovative blend of live co-presented master classes, video seminars and recorded material. Mark is the Emeritus Professor of Analytics at Dundee. He is also a well-known commentator on Data Science subjects and spends about half his time as a Data Scientist in the commercial world, working with banks, insurance companies and software companies like Teradata, Tibco and Microsoft. Andy is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Dundee. He's been developing for the web since 1994 and is currently the program Director for the MSc Data Science and MSc Data Engineering at the University.

_{How you will be assessed}

Assessment will be by examination, practical coursework and research project.

_{What you will study}

Detailed module information is available online.

The course is normally taken part-time over two years as shown below. If taken full time, all of the modules are taken in the same year.

Year one

Semester 1

• Introduction to Data Science - 20 Credits
• Big Data Analysis - 20 Credits

Semester 2

• Analytical Database Models and Design - 20 Credits

Year two

Semester 1

• Introduction to Data Mining - 20 Credits

Semester 2

• Programming Languages for Data Science - 20 Credits
• Machine Learning - 20 Credits

Semester 3

• Data Science Mini Project - 20 credits (for PGCert)
• Data Science Research Project - 60 credits

PGCert (Post Graduate Certificate)

The PGCert is intended for students who have a strong grounding in Business Intelligence and would like to upgrade their knowledge to include topics from the MSc in Data Science. The modules are available stand alone for those who want to take their time studying the material and perhaps build up to a PGCert.

The three modules that make up the PGCert are:

• Introduction to Data Science
• Machine Learning
• Mini Project

Careers

Various job sites now report an increase in jobs carrying the title of data scientist. Other career opportunities are in intelligence analysis, data management/database maintenance, data processing manager, database development and research, business intelligence consultant and more.

Additional costs

You may incur additional costs in the course of your education at the University over and above tuition fees in an academic year.

Additional costs:

• may be mandatory or optional expenses
• may be one off, ongoing or incidental charges and certain costs may be payable annually for each year of your programme of study
• vary depending on your programme of study
• are payable by you and are non-refundable and non-transferable

Unfortunately, failure to pay additional costs may result in limitations on your student experience.

For additional costs specific to your course please speak to our Enquiry Team.

Your Application

You apply for this course via the UCAS Postgraduate website which is free of charge. You can check the progress of your application online and you can also make multiple applications.

You'll need to upload relevant documents as part of your application. Please read the how to apply page before you apply to find out about what you'll need.

Visit the MSc/PGDip Data Science page on the University of Dundee website for more details!