Did you know that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 27.9% increase in demand for data science skills by 2026? This highlights the growing popularity of data science courses worldwide. Consequently, pursuing a masters in data science in UK is becoming increasingly popular. The UK is a fantastic study-abroad destination, offering excellent research opportunities and housing many of the world’s top universities. Students from around the globe come to the UK for its high-quality education and superior infrastructure.
In this blog, we will come across the masters in data science in UK course details. We’ll cover important aspects of the course to help you make an informed decision among the numerous universities in the country. Besides its renowned educational institutions, the UK is also famous for its stunning landscapes. So, let’s dive into the details of pursuing a master’s in data science in the UK and uncover the unique opportunities and experiences it offers.
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Masters in Data Science in UK: Course Highlights
Data science is about using computers to understand and organize information from big sets of data. These data sets come from all sorts of things, like science, social media, and business. It helps us make sense of the information and use it in different fields, like biology, energy, and healthcare.
This section serves as an introductory section for this course. Here are the course highlights for the masters in data science course in UK:
| Name of the Course | Master’s/MS in Data Science |
| Type of Program | Post-Graduate (Full-time & Part-Time) |
| Program Duration | 01-02 Years |
| Eligibility | Graduate or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field |
| Average Salary After Graduation | Around £59,701 per year (INR 61.12 LPA) |
| Top Recruiters | Amazon, Deloitte, KPMG, British Telecom, etc |
Top Specializations for Masters in Data Science in UK
There are several specializations available in the data science department. Each of the specializations brings expertise in the different domains of the data science. You can choose from the different list of the specializations offered. The list contains numerous specializations, such as:
- Machine Learning
- Big Data Analytics
- Data Engineering
- Business Analytics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Predictive Analytics
These specializations cater to various aspects of the dynamic field of Data Science, allowing students to align their expertise based on their interests and career goals.
Eligibility Required for Master’s in Data Science in UK
If you want to pursue a Master’s in Data Science in the UK, you need to take care of certain requirements to be eligible for admission. Meeting these requirements makes sure you’re well-prepared for the Master’s in Data Science. Some of the general eligibility requirements include:
- A good UK honors degree or an equivalent international degree. This degree should be in a related field like computer science, artificial intelligence, mathematics, or other quantitative disciplines.
- You also need to have experience in computer programming equivalent to an introductory programming course.
- Lastly, you’ve got to be good at math. You should have completed certain credits worth of math during your degree. This includes topics like calculus, linear algebra, discrete math, and probability.
Please note that this is just a general eligibility criteria, taken in reference from the University of Edinburgh. For university-specific requirements, students are advised to check the eligibility criteria of the university they are applying to.
English Language Proficiency Tests
As you would be an international student there, English won’t be your first language of communication. So, you must appear for language tests in order to prove your English proficiency. Some of the general language proficiency tests required are:
- IELTS Academic
- TOEFL-iBT
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE)
- Trinity ISE
- PTE Academic
These language tests required some minimum score/band in order to be qualified. Make sure you check the required band/score of the university you are applying to.
Syllabus for Masters in Data Science in UK
Analyzing the syllabus beforehand helps you get an overview of the course insights that you will be studying in the next one or two years. In this section, we will look at the bifurcations of the MS in Data Science in the UK’s syllabus. The syllabus has generally been divided into five parts, namely:
- Compulsory Subjects
- Group A: Machine Learnings and Statistics
- Group B: Data Management
- Group C: Applications
- Electives
Let’s look at the detailed syllabus of each part one by one.
Compulsory Subjects
The bifurcation of the compulsory subject’s syllabus in MS in Data Science in UK is mentioned in the table given below:
| Course Type | Course Name | Credits |
| Compulsory | MSc Dissertation (Informatics) | 60 |
| Compulsory | Informatics Research Review (IRR) | 10 |
| Compulsory | Informatics Project Proposal (IPP) | 10 |
Group A: Machine Learning and Statistics
The bifurcation of Group A: Machine Learning and Statistics syllabus in MS in Data Science in UK is mentioned in the table given below:
| Course/Subject Name | Credits |
| Reinforcement Learning | 10 |
| Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition | 20 |
| Machine Learning Practical | 20 |
| Probabilistic Modelling and Reasoning | 20 |
| Natural Computing | 10 |
| Machine Learning Theory | 10 |
| Applied Machine Learning | 20 |
| Statistical Methodology | 10 |
| Applied Statistics | 10 |
| Fundamentals of Optimization | 10 |
| Time Series | 10 |
| Large Scale Optimization for Data Science | 10 |
| Bayesian Data Analysis | 10 |
| Statistical Programming | 10 |
| Bayesian Theory | 10 |
| Incomplete Data Analysis | 10 |
| Generalised Regression Models | 10 |
| Integer and Combinatorial Optimization | 10 |
| Targeted Causal Learning | 10 |
Group B: Data Management
The bifurcation of Group B: Data Management syllabus in MS in Data Science in UK is mentioned in the table given below:
| Course/Subject Name | Credits |
| Algorithms and Data Structures | 10 |
| Introduction to Databases | 20 |
| Extreme Computing | 10 |
| Fundamentals of Data Management | 10 |
| Advanced Database Systems | 20 |
| Knowledge Graphs | 10 |
Group C: Applications
The bifurcation of Group C: Applications syllabus in Masters in Data Science in UK is mentioned in the table given below:
| Course/Subject Name | Credits |
| Automatic Speech Recognition | 10 |
| Accelerated Natural Language Processing | 20 |
| Image and Vision Computing | 10 |
| Text Technologies for Data Science | 20 |
| Natural Language Understanding, Generation, and Machine Translation | 20 |
| Bioinformatics 1 | 10 |
| Data-driven Business and Behaviour Analytics | 20 |
| Case Studies in AI Ethics (CSAI) | 10 |
| Methods for Causal Inference | 10 |
| Speech Synthesis | 10 |
| Optimization Methods in Finance | 10 |
| Biomedical Data Science | 10 |
Electives for Masters in Data Science in UK
The bifurcation of the electives syllabus for Masters in Data Science in UK is mentioned in the table given below:
| Course/Subject Name | Credits |
| Level 10 and 11 Courses in Schedules A to Q, T, and W | 0-20 |
This table summarizes the compulsory courses, group options, and electives for the Master’s in Data Science course, including the course names and credits. Keep in mind that this is just a reference of the syllabus for Masters in Data Science from the University of Edinburgh. While the exact syllabus will vary from college to college.
Top Universities for Masters in Data Science in UK
While now you know the insights of the MS in Data Science course, chronologically the next step is to know about the top universities. In this section, we will be listing some of the top universities in the UK, popular courses offered in Data Science or relevant fields, and their average cost of tuition.
| Name of the University | Popular Courses Offered |
| University of Edinburgh | MSc in Data Science MSc in Data Science, Technology, and Innovation Masters in Operation Research with Data Science |
| University of Oxford | MSc in Social Data Science MSc + DPhil in Social Data Science |
| University of Cambridge | Healthcare Data Informatics |
| Imperial College London | MSc Environmental Data Science and Machine Learning MSc Geo Energy with Machine Learning and Data Science |
| University College London | MSc in Data Science MSc in Energy Systems and Data Analytics |
| University of Warwick | MSc in Behavioural and Data Science MSc in Big Data and Digital Future |
| University of Manchester | MSc in Data Science MSc in Health Data Science |
| University of Southampton | MSc in Data Science MSc in Data and Decision Analytics |
| University of Bristol | MSc in Data Science MSc in Environmental Modelling and Data Analysis |
| University of Glasgow | MSc in Data Science |
Tuition Fees for Masters in Data Science in UK
The tuition fees of the top universities for Masters in Data Science in UK depend on several factors. Factors such as the location of the university campus, the duration of the course, the hostel fees, and other expenses play a vital role in calculating all the expenses. However, is we talk about the general range of the tuition fees, it will be somewhere around £20,000 to £40,000 per year.
Other fees include living expenses, accommodation, travel expenses, and miscellaneous expenses. To view the complete breakdown of these expenses, visit our blog Cost of Studying in UK for Indian Students.
Admission Process for Masters in Data Science in UK
You have sailed through the important information regarding admission into Masters in Data Science in UK. Now, it is time to move to the admission process. There are certain pointers that we need to take care of before applying for admission. The steps involved in admission into Masters in Data Science in UK are:
- Firstly, make sure you have a college and course combination ready with you. Pick out the best one from the list of available options.
- Then, you need to check the application deadlines, Intakes in the UK, and other entry requirements before applying for admission.
- After having filled out the application form, check out the eligibility criteria of the course. Make sure you fulfill all the needed requirements including the language proficiency tests.
- Make sure to arrange all the Study visas and financial documents required. This may be asked at the time of immigration or even before.
- After the document verification, pay the required fees for the college and enjoy studying in one of the top colleges across the globe!
This is just a generalized admission process regarding the Masters in Data Science in UK course. For an exact college-specific admission process, students are advised to visit the official website of the colleges they are applying in.
Top Scholarships for Masters in Data Science in UK
Arranging the financial requirements can be a bit challenging for some of the students who are from weak income backgrounds. As learning should not stop, there always comes a way! This section is mainly for students who are from weak income backgrounds and are looking for financial aid. Let’s look at the top scholarships offered along with their respective rewards:
| Name of the Scholarships | Awards Grant |
| AI and Data Science Masters Scholarship | £10,000 scholarships available for 2023 entry |
| John Fisher High-Performance Scholarship | 3 scholarships, for a sum up to £15,200 each |
| King’s International Scholarships | Up to £4,000 |
| GREAT Scholarships | £10,000 towards their tuition fees |
| Think Big Post-graduate Scholarship | Up to £26,000 per year |
Also, read: Scholarships to Study Abroad for Indian Students
These aren’t the only ways to fund your financial requirements. While they offer some relied]f, you can still do other creative stuff to earn a sustainable livelihood there! Please note that the students are kindly requested to check the awarded amount and the eligibility requirements as they keep changing with time.
Job Prospects for Masters in Data Science in UK Course
Data is the future and we all know this today! Lots of companies in the UK need smart people who can make sense of their big piles of data. Big companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are always looking for these smart minds. Banks like Barclays and HSBC are also getting into using data, and cool consulting companies like Accenture and Deloitte are in the mix too.
It’s not just one type of company – from healthcare to finance, everyone wants data scientists. Top recruiting firms like GSK in healthcare and Jaguar Land Rover in cars are also into using data. So, if you’re good at working with data, you’re in a high-demand job market. Big companies in different fields are looking for people just like you!
Popular Job Roles and Salary
In the previous section, you just saw some big names of the popular recruiters who are in search of data scientists. In this section, we will be looking at the top job roles associated with Masters in Data Science in UK course along with their average annual salaries.
| Popular Job Roles | Average Annual Salary |
| Data Scientist | £59,701 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | £70,690 |
| Data Analyst | £40,398 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | £53,834 |
| Data Engineer | £61,155 |
| Statistician | £45,360 |
| Quantitative Analyst | £1,07,614 |
| Research Scientist | £56,471 |
| Database Administrator | £51,846 |
| Data Architect | £94,387 |
Source: GlassDoor
Time’s Up!
Getting a Masters in Data Science in UK isn’t just a fancy degree, it’s like getting a pass to lots of opportunities. In this program, you learn to understand tricky computer stuff and find important info in really big sets of data. Big companies like Amazon and Google are the prominent recruiters there! You have a great chance to work with the data giants.
In the UK, there are heaps of jobs waiting for people like you who know their way around data – in banks, hospitals, and tech companies. So, if you’re up for a journey into the world of data, doing a Masters in Data Science in UK is like your starting point into a world that really needs your data skills.
Still in ambiguity? Why not talk to our highly experienced counselors at iDreamCareer?
Here is our success story out of many:
Ananya Malhotra, hailing from Delhi’s Mother’s International School, achieved her dream of pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy at the esteemed American University for Fall 2023. Her dedication led her to secure a $14,500 scholarship from AU and a 25% scholarship from CMU. Guided by iDreamCareer’s expertise, Ananya’s unwavering spirit paved her path to academic excellence. This transformative journey showcases the fusion of dreams and hard work, inspiring us all.
Useful Links
- Data Science Courses in the UK
- Masters in the UK
- Data Science Courses After 12th
- Top 10 Courses in UK for Indian Students
- Best Data Science Colleges in India
FAQs
The UK is excellent for an MS in Data Science due to its top-ranked universities, strong industry connections, and research opportunities. However, other countries like the US, Germany, and Canada also offer outstanding programs and opportunities.
The cost of an MS in Data Science in the UK varies widely, ranging from £15,000 to £35,000 per year for international students. Fees depend on the university and program. Additional living expenses are typically around £12,000 to £15,000 annually.
Data Science in the UK is worth it due to high-quality education, strong industry ties, and excellent career prospects. Graduates benefit from networking opportunities, cutting-edge research, and competitive salaries, making it a valuable investment for many students.
A Master’s in Data Science in the UK usually takes one year to complete for full-time students. Part-time programs are available and generally take two to three years, allowing for greater flexibility alongside work or other commitments.
Sushant, an accomplished content writer at iDreamCareer, has dedicated his life to the pursuit of writing since childhood. Having earned his education at the prestigious University of Delhi, he possesses a profound understanding of both arts and science in the field of education. Leveraging his professional experience, Sushant brings a fresh perspective to analyzing emerging trends in the realms of writing and education. His youthful mindset, coupled with a positive outlook, is geared towards enlightening students through the impactful delivery of wisdom and knowledge.
