Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions

Unlock hidden insights in big data. The bachelor of data science and decisions prepares you for an in-demand profession. Leverage experts from three renowned schools – mathematics and statistics, computer science and engineering, and economics – and graduate with a degree from a global top 20 university. 

Overview

• If you’re thinking about studying data science, you’re probably already aware of its power to shape our world. As billions of devices feed data to central databases, businesses and governments need experts to interpret that data. Data scientists and analysts have become some of the most in-demand professionals globally, with the unique skills to unlock hidden insights within data to improve prediction and decision-making. 
• UNSW’s Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions will prepare you to compile, interpret, and act on data in ways that make a big impact. This three-year degree combines training in mathematical methods, statistics, computing, and business decision-making with communication skills. You’ll gain the theoretical and practical skills required to enter the field of data analysis, where networking, decision-making, strategic thinking, and attention to detail are essential.
• You’ll graduate career-ready with a globally recognised degree from a global top 20 university. Leverage the expertise of three of the best schools in Australia, including the #1 School of Mathematics and Statistics; the School of Computer Science and Engineering, and the #3 School of Economics. Exciting job opportunities, new learning experiences, and high earning potential are just a few reasons to study data and technology.

Key features
In-demand skills and specialist expertise

• Harness the power of three disciplines – Science, Engineering and Business – in the Bachelor of Data Science & Decisions. You’ll gain valuable, transferable skills in mathematical methods, statistics, computing, business decisions, and communication, and choose one of three majors: quantitative, business, or computational data science.

Benefit from industry experience before you graduate

• Fast-track your career with real-world experience. Through Work Integrated Learning (WIL),  you’ll have the opportunity to undertake professional placements at Information Technology (IT) companies, start-ups, government departments, and biomedical and biotechnology companies. You’ll gain professional skills and connections, as well as course credit.

Gain a competitive edge with an industry-aligned degree

• This degree was designed to meet the growing demand for data scientists and analysts. Our graduates demonstrate skills in programming languages, problem-solving, and processing, interpreting, and presenting data using qualitative and quantitative techniques. It will equip you with specialist skills in mathematics, computer science, and business to meet the soaring demands of the industry.

Why study this degree at UNSW?
Study at a global top 20 university

• Graduate with a widely-respected degree from a prestigious Go8 university, ranked equal 19th globally*. UNSW is ranked #1 in Australia (#31 in the world) for Engineering and Technology and #1 in Australia (#44 in the world) for Mathematics.

Unlock exceptional career opportunities

• Set yourself apart with a UNSW degree, where graduates earn some of the highest salaries among Go8 universities^. Recognised as Australia’s Most Employable Graduates,^^ our hands-on, career-focused approach ensures you leave with the skills and experience employers want.

Join a thriving data science community

• Through our Data Science Peer Mentoring Program, you’ll get the opportunity to meet others in the data science community. You can join one of the 16 clubs and societies within the Faculty of Science to grow your network and make lifelong friends, or one of our 300+ clubs and societies university-wide. 

Program structure
The Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions is a three-year full-time degree that can be completed part-time. The program comprises:

• Core courses 
• A data science major
• General education courses
• Free elective courses

This degree explores the methods for organising, modelling and analysing large and complex data for businesses, governments, or other organisations. You’ll study core foundational knowledge combined with a specialisation in quantitative, computational or business data science. When you graduate, you’ll have specialist skills in mathematics, computer science and business to meet the growing demand for data scientists and analysts.

Full program structure

• The Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions contains a total of 144 UOC, which can be completed in three years with full-time study (part-time options available). Students must complete:

Majors

• Computational Data Science – 66 UOC
• Business Data Science – 72 UOC
• Quantitative Data Science – 66 UOC

Core courses – 120 UOC

• COMP1511 - Programming Fundamentals (6 UOC)
• COMP2521 - Data Structures and Algorithms (6 UOC)
• DATA1001 - Introduction to Data Science and Decisions (6 UOC)
• ECON1101 - Microeconomics 1 (6 UOC)
• MATH1131 - Mathematics 1A (6 UOC)
• MATH1141 - Higher Mathematics 1A (6 UOC)
• MATH1231 - Mathematics 1B (6 UOC)
• MATH1241 - Higher Mathematics 1B (6 UOC)
• ECON2112 - Game Theory and Business Strategy (6 UOC)
• MATH2501 - Linear Algebra (6 UOC)
• MATH2601 - Higher Linear Algebra (6 UOC)
• MATH2801 - Theory of Statistics (6 UOC)
• MATH2901 - Higher Theory of Statistics (6 UOC)
• COMP3311 - Database Systems (6 UOC)
• DATA3001 - Data Science and Decisions in Practice (6 UOC)
• ECON3203 - Econometric Theory and Methods (6 UOC)

Free electives – 12 UOC

• Any course (see handbook for details)

General education – 12 UOC

• Any General Education course (see handbook for details)
• Data Science and Decisions majors
• Business Data Science

This major focuses on econometrics and business applications of data science. It involves examining the methods for organising, modelling and analysing large and complex data relevant to businesses, governments, or other organisations. The information from the data analysis is intended to improve business decisions and inform policies. 

Quantitative Data Science

• This major revolves around mathematical and statistical methods to interpret, understand and predict data. The information gleaned from the data analysis is intended to improve business decisions and inform policies. 

Computational Data Science

• This major investigates statistics, computer science, mathematics, and machine learning to identify trends and make predictions based on large data sets. This specialisation enables further study into the manipulation and management of data. 

Future careers

• The demand for data scientists and analysts is soaring, with job growth expected to rise by 23% for data analysts and 11% for data scientists over the next five years*. This degree equips you with the essential programming languages, problem-solving abilities, and skills in processing, interpreting, and presenting data using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. You'll graduate ready to hit the ground running, with a wealth of career opportunities in Australia and around the world.

The era of Big Data

• With quintillion bytes of data generated every day, we’re in the era of big data. Social media, the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and artificial intelligence are driving trends in data and influencing the role of data scientists. The increasing need for people who can interpret and understand data means that data scientists and analysts are in very high demand across a range of industries.

What does a career in this field look like?

• Data science is a multidisciplinary field of study that blends mathematical methods, statistics, computing, business decisions and communication. Data scientists translate user data into insights that help companies understand their audience and personalise their products or services. Uncovering new insights and predicting trends has become vital in the retail, environmental, not-for-profit, IT, and professional services sectors.
• Career opportunities in data science span many industries, from start-ups to established corporations, including Coles, AirBnB, Spotify, Netflix, and Greenpeace, to name a few. As a data scientist, you might be asked to calculate the price of new products for the market, determine warehouse or retail employee schedules, make predictions of environmental phenomena and model the spread of new diseases.

Potential roles

• Explore the potential industries and roles based on different Data Science and Decisions disciplines.

Business Data Science

• Business Reporting And Analytics Manager
• Data Analyst
• Data Migration Specialist
• Market Intelligence Manager
• Pricing Analyst
• Technical Business Analyst

Quantitative Data Science

• Data Consultant
• Data Mining Engineer
• E-Commerce Data Analytics Specialist
• Statistician
• Predictive Model Data Scientist
• Quantitative Researcher

Computational Data Science

• Big Data Developer
• Business Information Analyst
• Computational Data Researcher
• Computational Scientist
• Data Warehouse Architect

Scholarships

• At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.