Data Analytics MSc (PGCert PGDip)

Developed to meet the demand for data science professionals, our postgraduate Data Analytics course enables you to effectively structure, analyse and gain insight from a wide range of complex data across different industries.

Your learning is informed by current business developments through case studies looking at real-world data sets, research questions and scenarios. You have the opportunity to collaborate on projects with our industry partners, and can also use your own data, project ideas and industry links.

You will develop a skill set in specialist data analytics and associated software, quantitative methods and techniques, and business intelligence. Our staff are experts in their field and you have the chance to develop your knowledge in specialist areas where we have ongoing research and expertise, such as sequential forecasting, natural language processing and image processing.

Whether you are a recent graduate or an experienced professional wanting to gain data analysis skills, this course is available on a full or part-time basis to help you manage your studies around other commitments.

Full-time students also have the option to add work experience to their masters through a year’s paid placement in industry.

Course content

The course covers three main areas:

• data management – structuring and manipulating data for analysis purposes
• data interpretation – statistical analysis using advanced features of industry-standard software such as SAS, SPSS and R
• project management – the business-specific and strategic aspects of analytics.

You will learn how to assess project viability, propose sound business cases and strategies for analysis, perform and oversee analysis and manage large data projects successfully as well as developing your critical appraisal and presenting techniques.

Careers

Prepare for your career

In your career you need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.

• With a flexible timetable to suit full-time or part-time students and commuters, and lecturers available to support you in your module choices, there are different study routes available to you.
• Build advanced research, analytical and communication skills through working on your dissertation.
• You will have access to computer and research labs equipped with specialist, sophisticated software including SAS, SPSS Statistics, SPSS Modeller, R, RStudio, Minitab, Maple and Matlab.

Industry links

• The course is designed in close consultation with industry partners including the NHS Business Services Authority, Teradata, BT, SAS, the Pensions Regulator and local Brighton companies.
• Guest lecturers will share their knowledge and expertise with you, such as Tom Khabaza who is a founding chairman of the Society of Data Miners, author of 9 Laws of Data Mining and was involved in designing the course.

Graduate destinations

A wide variety of organisations rely on data analytics specialists to produce valuable information for decision-making, for example commodity price forecasting, customer intelligence, clinical trials, R&D and many other areas utilising large amounts of data.

Graduate destinations include:

• government bodies such as the Pensions Regulator and local councils
• transnational corporations such as Capgemini
• local companies such as iCrossing.