Explore Data Science Masters Programs in the UK
Data science is easily one of the biggest growth sectors when it comes to higher education as well as career prospects. Through data science masters programs, you can crack some of the most exciting job markets, career opportunities, and earning prospects globally. From research to finance, a degree in data science can heavily enhance the professional pathways you can choose from. And studying in the UK, at some of the best universities in the world for data science, only multiplies these opportunities.
What is Data Science All About?
For those hoping to reskill and develop their expertise in data science, a brief introduction is in order. Simply put, data science is the process of managing, analyzing and communicating data. What can be confusing is the huge variety of applications and careers that branch out of and involve the application of data science.
These diverse application needs stem from the universality of data. From the marketing needs of a multitude of businesses to processes in healthcare, finance, education, and more, data is an inevitable part of the 21st century. When studying the intricacies of data science, you need to focus on five stages of handling data:
● Capture: The first stage is capturing the data. You will learn to effectively obtain data from your relevant field.
● Maintain: You need to learn to maintain and store the data.
● Process: This stage involves data mining, clustering and summarizing.
● Analyze: You must analyze the data to extract meaningful information.
● Communicate: Finally, you will report on your data analyses to guide your organization’s decision-making.
Technical Learning as a Data Scientist
Learning data science involves a fair amount of technical knowledge. You will leverage math, statistics, programming languages, analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and so on, to discover actionable strategies within data. Some important technical tools you’ll need to learn to use in data science masters programs for professionals will include:
● Python
● R
● NoSQL databases
● Cloud computing
● Tableau
● Apache Mahout, etc.
Careers in Data Science
You can actually apply your skills in data science to a number of career options and for a variety of organizations. Data science is useful in careers in STEM as well for most businesses that leverage data for effective growth strategies. Some career opportunities in data science include:
| Job Title | Role | Skills You Will Require |
| Data Scientist | Managing data to extract useful insights and conclusions | ● Programming skills (SAS, R, Python) ● Statistical and mathematical skills ● Storytelling and data visualization ● Machine learning |
| Data Analyst | Providing analysis to business strategists | ● Programming skills (SAS, R, Python) ● Statistical and mathematical skills ● Data wrangling ● Data visualization |
| Data Engineer | Managing rapidly changing data | ● Programming languages (Java, Scala) ● NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra DB) ● Frameworks (Apache Hadoop) |
Top UK Universities for Data Science
The UK is a great place to look into data science masters programs to elevate your future career. 57 UK universities rank among the best institutions globally for studying computer science and information technology, according to QS World University Rankings. Six UK universities crack the top 70 globally for data science and artificial intelligence programs specifically. With over a hundred world-ranking universities in the UK, several of which score highly for graduate outcomes, the country is an excellent choice to explore data science programs.
While you may find that the cost of studying in the UK is generally higher than in neighboring countries like Ireland, for example, a degree in data science from one of the world’s top universities can pay back for itself in the long term. Data scientists, engineers, and analysts are not only in high demand in the UK but around the world, and this trend is unlikely to slow down any time soon.
Some of the top universities to consider to get a master’s degree in data science in the UK are:
City, University of London
City, University of London is one of the biggest names to consider in the UK for higher education. Although on the more expensive side, City, University of London is one of the best places to get a degree in data science, ranking among the top 400 global best universities for computer science and information systems.
The program outcomes include building your specialist skills in areas such as data acquisition, extraction, aggregation, representation, and analysis, as well as knowledge extraction and explanation. This course includes a range of seminars and workshops as well as free courses over the summer semester to build your hands-on, industry-relevant experience in data science.
| Degree Name | MSc in Data Science |
| Duration | 12 months/27 months |
| Intakes | September |
| Type | Full-time/Part-time |
| Mode | On-campus/Online |
| Course Fees | £22,940 annually/£11,470 annually |
| English Requirements | IELTS total 6.5, 6.0 in individual sections |
University of Portsmouth
Ranking 27th in teaching among the UK’s universities, the University of Portsmouth is one of the most popular among international students. The university offers a great MSc in Data Analytics, where students will experience hands-on the application of theory for data analysis. Students will learn to handle and analyze data sets from the university’s professional partners, including organizations like IBM or the university’s own research into fields such as health informatics and cybersecurity.
Among the technical skills you will learn in this program are the use of data mining tools, analytics packages, machine learning methods, and big data concepts. The program aligns closely with real-world industry applicability, to support your graduate employability prospects by the time you complete the program.
| Degree Name | MSc in Data Analytics |
| Duration | 1 year/2 year |
| Intakes | September/January |
| Type | Full-time/Part-time |
| Mode | On-campus |
| Course Fees | £19,200 annually/£9,600 annually |
| English Requirements | IELTS total 6.0, 5.5 in individual sections |
Coventry University
Coventry University is another great option for international students. It is one of the top-ranking universities in the UK and is also more on the more affordable side. Coventry is also among the top 10 affordable student cities in the UK, making a world-class degree in data science more accessible.
Coventry University offers an MSc in Data Science ideal for those looking into data science masters programs to transition into this field. The program aims to address the shortage of qualified data scientists in high demand in the industry ecosystem. Among the areas you will be covering as part of this program are skills such as database handling, machine learning, data visualization, big data challenges, high-level programming languages, and more.
| Degree Name | MSc in Data Science |
| Duration | 1 year |
| Intakes | September/January/May |
| Type | Full-time |
| Mode | On-campus |
| Course Fees | £20,050 annually |
| English Requirements | IELTS total 6.5, 5.5 in individual sections |
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is one of the prestigious Russell Group of UK universities, with global recognition as a research-intensive, world-class university with incredible standards of academic excellence. It ranks among the top 10 for graduates most sought after by employers.
Unsurprisingly, the University of Exeter offers a great MSc in Data Science for those without a relevant background hoping to reskill, upskill, and transition into the field. The university is proud to offer this program under one of the top ten faculties for computer science in the UK. As part of the program, you will complete a research project under direct mentorship from the university’s expert faculty, who are active data scientists and leading specialists in the field.
| Degree Name | MSc in Data Science |
| Duration | 1 year/2 years |
| Intakes | September/January/May |
| Type | Full-time/Part-time |
| Mode | On-campus |
| Course Fees | £29,100 annually/£14,550 annually |
| English Requirements | IELTS total 6.5, 6.0 in writing, 5.5 in individual sections |
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University recently earned the students’ choice vote as the #1 university in the UK for employability. This is just one of the reasons behind NTU’s popularity among students. NTU also hosts a vibrant global community of students and is a little more on the affordable side for international applicants.
NTU offers a great postgraduate program in data science which integrates the university’s practical experience and success in upskilling employers in the region in data science and analytics. The MSc in Data Science offers incredible opportunities, such as access to the university’s purpose-built Data Science teaching facility within the ISTeC building, one-year work placement options, and generous scholarship opportunities. To build your confidence in this program, statistics show that almost 100% of postgraduate students successfully enter employment in high-skill roles within 15 months of graduation!
| Degree Name | MSc in Data Science |
| Duration | 1 year/2 years |
| Intakes | September |
| Type | Full-time/Part-time |
| Mode | On-campus |
| Course Fees | £19,500 annually/£9,750 annually |
| English Requirements | IELTS total 6.5, 5.5 in individual sections |
While the above are all excellent options, they are hardly all there is available for data science masters programs in the UK. To explore the list of university courses available in the UK for data science, try out GRADSearch – a comprehensive course database with programs from over 3,000 universities!
Scholarship Options
Studying in the UK can be a little heavy on your pocket and may be holding you back from committing to a degree there. Fortunately, international students can consider applying for a variety of scholarships available for master’s students. These scholarships can be on offer from the universities themselves or through external organizations, including the UK government. Just a few examples you can consider include:
| Scholarship | Value | Eligibility | Provider |
| Vice Chancellor's Global Development Scholarship | £2,500 fee reduction | Students from specific countries | University of Portsmouth |
| Global Excellence Scholarships | £7,500 | International postgraduate students | University of Exeter |
| Postgraduate Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship | £3,000 | International students | Coventry University |
| GREAT Scholarships | £10,000 | Students from one of 15 select countries | UK Government |
| Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships | Full-waiver | Students from commonwealth countries | UK Government |
| Chevening Scholarships | Full-waiver | Students from select countries applying for master’s programs | UK Government |
Rounding Up
Data science is one of the most versatile and in-demand fields today, opening up opportunities to work for organizations as diverse as banks, health industries, and companies like Spotify, Amazon, and Google. Considering the broad applicability of the specialization and the incredible career opportunities stemming from it, it is definitely worth all the hype it gets. If you are hoping to break into this career field yourself, data science masters programs at an excellent UK university are the key!
