Data Science (MSc)

This postgraduate masters course is uniquely designed for both computing and non-computing graduates wishing to pursue a career in data science community.

• Data science is at the intersection of the fields of computer science, statistics, and design. In a rapidly evolving world, new types of big data are emerging from mobile devices, sensors, instruments, transactional systems, web logs, social media, the cloud and other sources. Businesses are accumulating big data at a rate that often exceeds their capacity to extract value from it.
• MSc Data Science is ideally placed to provide you with technical knowledge and employer-focused skills required in a data scientist role. The course will develop your specialist knowledge of data acquisition, data cleansing, data analysis, information extraction, prediction, visualization, story-telling and explanation.
• You'll gain hands-on experience using industry standard tools for data science,  business intelligence and analytics including SAS, Tableau MS SQL Server, Oracle Database, and R Programming.
• Work placement options are available from September 2025! The work placement option is seeking accreditation from the British Computer Society  (The Chartered Institute  for Information Technology).

Course Content

• Data Management
• Statistical Analysis and Modelling
• Machine Learning
• Future Internet Technologies
• Data mining 
• Systems:  Cyber Threats, Vulnerabilities and Countermeasures Systems
• Research methods
• Dissertation
• Placement (optional)

Careers
Employability Service

• We are University of the Year for Graduate Employment for the second year in a row - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018, 2019.
• At LSBU, we want to set you up for a successful career. During your studies – and for two years after you graduate – you’ll have access to our Employability Service, which includes:
• An online board where you can see a wide range of placements: part-time, full-time or voluntary. You can also drop in to see our Job Shop advisers, who are always available to help you take the next step in your search.
• Our Careers Gym offering group workshops on CVs, interview techniques and finding work experience, as well as regular presentations from employers across a range of sectors. 
• Our Student Enterprise team can also help you start your own business and develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.
• Career opportunities range from IT services to business consultancy, and this course will prepare you for a career in the business intelligence community working actively with a range of resources including tools from major commercial vendors such as Microsoft and SAS.
• As a graduate of this course you should to be able to work within the areas of business intelligence or business and data analytics, in roles such as a business intelligence specialist, data or business analyst or business intelligence developer.
• Recent guest lecturers include Tom Gilb, author and expert in agile project management, Tony Baker from IBM and Chris Miller from Dell.
• In order to ensure the course runs in accordance with industry recognised standards we are seeking accreditation for both Chartered Engineer (CEng) status as well as Chartered IT Professional (CITP) accreditation by the British Computer Society, the Chartered Institute for Information Technology.
• We are also seeking Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with both the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Engineering Council.

Teaching and Assessment
Subject-related and generic resources available

• Students will have access to approximately 200 PCs in 10 teaching computer labs, running under Windows or Linux. The installed software includes the typical MS Office suite, and a range of programming languages and IDEs.  A cyber security lab is used for specialised modules, and 3 labs sport state-of-the-art workstation with GPUs for running machine learning and deep learning models. A new lab with 90 high specs GPU-enabled workstations will be setup at the beginning of 2023 in the Perry building

Generic resources include:

• Perry library - provides access to traditional books, journal sources, PCs to use and   laptops to borrow. The Perry Library is open throughout the week, and during   the term are staffed from 08.30 until 21.00 from Monday – Thursday, and 10.30   to 16.20 at weekends. There is seating capacity for 600 students in the   library and the book-stock is in excess of 600,000 volumes. The building   provides wireless access.
• The   Students' Support Centre - provides a first stop service for students on   academic, personal and financial matters. It is aimed at improving student   experience and offers LSBU’s best employability, development and student services.   The center also offers home to our Students’ Union.
• Fitness   - there is also a sports hall, fitness suite and gymnasium
• Catering   - there is a large refectory, with a selection of   smaller cafes and eating outlets on campus.

Learning support
Subject-related and generic resources available

• Students will have access to approximately 200 PCs in 10 teaching computer labs, running under Windows or Linux. The installed software includes the typical MS Office suite, and a range of programming languages and IDEs. A cyber security lab is used for specialised modules, and 3 labs sport state-of-the-art workstation with GPUs for running machine learning and deep learning models. A new lab with 90 high specs GPU-enabled workstations will be setup at the beginning of 2023 in the Perry building.

Generic resources include:

• Perry library - provides access to traditional books, journal sources, PCs to use and laptops to borrow. The Perry Library is open throughout the week, and during the term are staffed from 08.30 until 21.00 from Monday – Thursday, and 10.30 to 16.20 at weekends. There is seating capacity for 600 students in the library and the book-stock is in excess of 600,000 volumes. The building provides wireless access.
• The Students' Support Centre - provides a first stop service for students on academic, personal and financial matters. It is aimed at improving student experience and offers LSBU’s best employability, development and student services. The center also offers home to our Students’ Union.
• Fitness - there is also a sports hall, fitness suite and gymnasium
• Catering - there is a large refectory, with a selection of smaller cafes and eating outlets on campus.

We support students throughout their course in many different ways, such as:

• Personal Tutoring
• Support Sessions On Core Math's & Programming Skills Taking Place Weekly
• Peer Student Led Support Sessions
• Practical Skills Workshops
• Labs Equipped With The Latest Hardware And Software
• Lectures, Seminars, Personal Tuition
• Online Learning Materials
• Varied Assessment Methods
• Advice On Work Experience And Career Options
• Opportunities For Internships, Work Placements And Projects With Employers
• Tailored Field Trips
• Training In Research Methods And Assistance With Independent Research Projects.