MSc in Data Science
Manchester Metropolitan University
Key Information
Campus location
Manchester, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 - 2 Year
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 17,000 / per year
Application deadline
Request Info
Earliest start date
Aug 2024
Introduction
Data can provide insights to shape decision-making, power scientific innovation, improve business operations or inform government policy. But it takes state-of-the-art statistical and computational methods to unlock that power. Our MSc Data Science course lets you master those methods.
In this data science master, we’ll equip you with the knowledge and skills to acquire, curate, manage and analyse data for solving real-world problems. You will gain essential, transferable computational and statistical thinking skills to create and deploy data-driven products and knowledge. And you’ll look at ways to solve challenges in a range of potential, data-rich, application domains, such as health, climate, transportation and sales.
You will have the flexibility to set the direction for your postgraduate studies with a master's project of your own design. While you’ll have the one-to-one support of your supervisor, it’s a solo project – as much about developing computing skills as it is about building confidence and autonomy, vital skills for the workplace.
We’ll help you put the technical skills into a real-world, professional context – helping you communicate your findings in the workplace, and address any of the legal or ethical questions that come with data processing.
Whether you plan to continue your studies onto PhD level or you’re looking ahead to a career as a data scientist, data architect, database developer or big data analyst, this master's degree in data science can pave the way.
Features and benefits
- Excellent facilities – The Department has an extensive range of equipment in our own specialist laboratories with high-spec computers for processing large data and performing complex computational tasks efficiently, together with the support of our dedicated technical staff.
- Professional accreditation – This course is accredited by the British Computing Society (BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT) providing a strong professional focus.
- Thriving technology sector – Being in Manchester puts the largest creative and digital technology sector outside the capital on our doorstep.
- Professional standards – We’re an Academy for the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) - we deliver their partner programme which provides a pathway for students towards a rewarding, high-growth IT career.
- Optional placement year – Boost your career prospects and put theory into practice with the option to take an industrial placement year.
- Learn alongside world-leading research - 86% of our research outputs in Computer Science are rated world-leading and internationally excellent (REF, 2021).
- Institute of Coding - The Department of Computing and Mathematics is part of the £40m national Institute of Coding (IoC). Our students have access to the IoC’s cutting-edge computer lab to hone their skills in this area.
Admissions
Curriculum
Course information
Our MSc Data Science course is made up of nine core units covering topics from the principles of data science, computational mathematics and statistics, to fundamental algorithms and machine learning concepts. You can choose to study the course full-time over one year, or part-time, where you’ll complete the units over two years. You may also choose to take an additional one-year optional industry placement on the full-time route.
You’ll start by learning key processes of data science from an applied perspective, gaining the required skills for operating fluently within a data science environment. From there, you’ll explore aspects and tasks relating to the life-cycle of data in organisations and the wider issues relating to data handling, along with algorithms and data structures used to solve several computational challenges.
You’ll cover fundamental machine learning concepts, mainly from a practical, problem-solving perspective – including foundations of predictive tasks and contemporary techniques for predictive modelling. You’ll then build on your knowledge with an Advanced Machine Learning unit and a Deep Learning unit, which provides you with the required background for operating fluently within a deep learning ecosystem.
In another unit, you’ll gain an understanding of industry-relevant tools and techniques for solving large-scale problems through exploring practical aspects of scalable data processing and efficient problem solving for ‘big data’.
Finally, you will complete an in-depth, independent research project. With the support of our academic and technical team, you’ll undertake a piece of research on a topic of your choice related to your studies. This will involve designing, implementing and evaluating a substantial piece of software and documenting the research through writing a dissertation.
Studying as part of the Department of Computing and Mathematics, you’ll have guidance from an expert team with leading knowledge in the area. Your studies will be rooted in the kind of cutting-edge research that’s addressing societal challenges, making an impact on areas like healthcare, future cities and security.
Year 1
You'll study nine core units, including your individual research project. If you're studying full-time, you’ll complete your units within one year. If you choose to study part-time, you’ll complete all the units over two years.
If you choose to apply to study full-time with an optional industry placement year, the MSc course will be two years and you'll start your placement after completing all the core units in year one.
Core units
- Algorithms And Data Structures
- Principles Of Data Science
- Advanced Machine Learning
- Machine Learning Concepts
- Computational Maths And Statistics
- Deep Learning
- High-Performance Computing And Big Data
- Data Management And Governance
- MSc Project
Placement options
Strengthen your skillset by spending time in the industry on a placement year, applying the skills you’ve learned throughout your academic studies in a practical, real-world environment. It’s an excellent opportunity to develop a professional career development plan and gain transferable workplace skills that can boost your employability.
Upon completion of the taught elements of your MSc course, you can gain additional practice credits by working for a minimum of 36 weeks and a maximum of 42 weeks in an industrial setting, relevant to your course.
It’s your responsibility to search and apply for advertised placement opportunities, but you’ll be supported by academic staff and the University’s Careers and Employability Service to find a placement that is suited to you and your career ambitions. However, not all students can be guaranteed a placement.
All placements are approved and monitored in accordance with the University’s Institutional Code of Practice for Placement and Work‐Based Learning. For international students, this includes additional checks on study visas to ensure the appropriate visa status.
On placement, your academic tutor and workplace mentor will provide support and progress checks. A placement fee of £1,850 applies.
Career Opportunities
With the expertise you’ll develop with us, you’ll be well placed to apply for roles such as data scientist, data architect, database developer, data engineer, big data analyst and decision sciences analyst.
Careers support is available from the moment you join us, throughout your time here, and for up to three years after the completion of your course. We have a range of services available through the Department of Computing and Mathematics and the University Careers Service including dedicated careers and employability advisors.
Professional accreditations and endorsements
The Department of Computing and Mathematics is an educational affiliate of the British Computing Society, the Chartered Institute for IT in the UK (BCS), a member of the Oracle Academy and an Academy for the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).
The Department is an academic partner of the Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) which recognises our expertise in the field of information and cybersecurity.
We’re also part of the Institute of Coding (IoC) and leading the charge to make coding accessible for all, training the North West’s future digital workforce.