Data Science and Data Analytics
Data Science and Data Analytics are related subjects but they have distinct differences. Data Science is a broad term for developing and using scientific methods, processes and algorithms to analyse large sets of raw and structured data such as big data. Data scientists look for answers to questions that businesses and organisations don’t know, or establish solutions to problems that haven’t yet been thought of. Data Analytics is more focused and concentrates on carrying out statistical analysis on existing data sets. It can be used to measure events in the past, present, or future. Data Analytics tends to be slightly more business and strategy focused.
Core skills needed in Data Science and Data Analytics include programming, machine learning, statistics and statistical analysis. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also becoming important due to advances in data driven AI.
Data Science and Data Analytics courses
Courses labelled are available for online study only.
| Course | Start date |
|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) Data Science | September 2022 |
| BSc (Hons) Graduate Apprenticeship in Data Science | September 2022 |
| Course | Start date |
|---|---|
| MSc Applied Social Research (Social Statistics and Social Research) | September 2022, January 2023 |
| MSc Artificial Intelligence | September 2022, January 2023 |
| MSc Big Data | September 2022, January 2023 |
| MSc Big Data (Online) | May 2022, October 2022, February 2023, May 2023 |
| MSc Business Analytics | September 2022, January 2023 |
| MSc Business Analytics (Online) | May 2022, October 2022, February 2023, May 2023 |
| MSc Data Science for Business | September 2022, January 2023 |
| MSc Data Science for Business (Online) | May 2022, October 2022, February 2023, May 2023 |
| MSc Finance and Data Analytics | September 2022 |
| MSc Financial Technology (FinTech) | September 2022, January 2023 |
| MSc Marketing Analytics | September 2022, January 2023 |
| MSc Mathematics and Data Science | September 2022, January 2023 |
| Professional Doctorate Data Science | September 2022, January 2023 |
Graduate careers in Data Science and Data Analytics
Demand for workers with specialist data skills like data scientists and data engineers has more than tripled over five years (+231%), according to a labour market analysis commissioned for Dynamics of data science skills (Royal Society May 2019).
As a graduate in Data Science or Data Analytics you’ll be equipped for roles such as Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Enterprise Architect, Machine Learning Scientist and Business Intelligence Developer. A wide range of sectors need data specialists including:
- ecommerce and retail
- digital technologies
- robotics
- healthcare
- financial technology (Fintech)
- legal technology (Lawtech)
- automotive (self-driving cars)
- cyber security
- energy and utilities
- public sector
Data Science and Data Analytics research
Our team of academics from the department of Computing Science and Mathematics are involved in research in areas including complex systems modelling, computer vision, machine learning, optimisation and artificial intelligence.
90 percent of our research in Computing Science and Mathematics is graded as 'Internationally Excellent', with the top five percent judged to be 'World-leading' (Research Excellence Framework 2014).
See more about our Data Science and Intelligent Systems research.
Postgraduate research opportunities
Our Professional Doctorate Data Science is the first industrial doctorate of its kind, and is supported by The Data Lab. See our PhD and MPhil opportunities in: