Overview
Professionals with the ability to interrogate datasets by applying analytical techniques to describe and predict business performance are in high demand worldwide. Designed to equip you with the technical expertise needed for a career in industry, this course will prepare you for roles in analytics by developing your technical expertise and professional skills in business intelligence.
The first semester modules focus on core topic areas such as statistics, database design and programming, enabling you to gain insights into large multivariate datasets and apply your problem-solving abilities to explore business opportunities and challenges faced by data scientists when using business intelligence systems.
In the second semester you will apply your technical knowledge and further progress your analytical expertise by focusing on specific data science subject areas such as big data, data mining and business intelligence. You will also be encouraged to demonstrate your technical and analytical abilities in response to real-world problems during your final-semester individual project.
Our graduates leave with sought-after skills for business intelligence and data mining roles within any field of data science. Opportunities also exist for further academic study towards a doctorate degree and a career in research.
Key features
- With our 50-year history of teaching computing, you will benefit from established academic expertise, as well as gaining insight into real-world problem solving from our SAS-accredited staff.
- Enhance your employability by developing substantial knowledge and skills in the deployment of SAS industry-standard software.
- Sharpen skills by using software and techniques such as Apache Spark and the Hadoop Distributed File System to demonstrate data mining and machine learning algorithms.
- Access dedicated computing laboratories, fully equipped with HP dual-boot and all-in-one computers and a high-performance file server.
- Gain an insight into real-world issues and solutions through our research groups. You will have the opportunity to attend guest lectures and seminars to expand your understanding of the impact of current research.
- Boost your career prospects through an optional one-year placement year in industry*, where you will be able to build contacts and transferable skills. Past students have completed placements with management consultancies, retailers and companies including Bosch Thermotechnology.
- Applicants will typically hold an undergraduate degree with a minimum pass of 2:2 or equivalent overseas qualification.
- Professional qualifications deemed to be of equivalent standing will be considered on an individual basis.
- Work experience is not a requirement. However, applications from those without formal qualifications but with significant professional experience in the relevant field will be considered individually.
If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.
Course modules
- Statistics
- Business Intelligence Systems Concepts and Method
- Research Methods
- Data Warehouse Design and OLAP
- Business Intelligence Systems Application and Development
- Big Data Analytics
- Data Mining Techniques and Applications
- Analytics Programming
- Individual project
Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.
Teaching and assessments
Teaching will normally be delivered through formal lectures, informal seminars, tutorials, workshops, discussions and e-learning packages. Assessment will usually be carried out through a combination of individual and group work, presentations, reports, projects and exams.
The course is run in association with SAS, the leading independent vendor in the business intelligence industry, and you will gain substantial SAS software skills as part of your study.
First semester modules provide you with fundamental abilities in the use of statistics so that you can gain insights and practice of using business intelligence systems and analytics programming to exploit multidimensional data sets.
In the second semester you are exposed to a variety of business intelligence systems, including those that use big data and data mining techniques. A further module prepares students to undertake an individual research project. This project module allows you to undertake extensive research into an aspect of big data, and/or provides an opportunity to develop and demonstrate your analytical and processing abilities in response to a given practical problem.
Contact and learning hours
You will normally attend 3 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week for each module undertaken during term time, for full time study this would be 12 hours per week during term time. You are expected to undertake around 24 further hours of independent study and assignments as required per week.
Alternate study modes and entry points may change the timetabled session available, please contact us for details.
Industry association
The Data Analytics MSc was developed and is run in conjunction with SAS.
SAS is the world's largest independent business analytics company. It provides an integrated set of software products and services to more than 45,000 customer sites in 118 countries. Across the globe, both the public and private sector use SAS software to assist in their efforts to compete and excel in a climate of unprecedented economic uncertainty and globalization.
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