Graduate Certificate in Data Science

Data is a vital asset valued by virtually every organisation in the world.

It provides the basis for sensible, evidence-based decision making, and the ability to manage and make sense of data is a key skill in the modern workplace.

In the last decade, streams of data of various types have grown in volume and velocity such that they require specialist skills in order to get the most value from them.

Data scientists are responsible for building intelligent systems, mastering intuitive processes and bringing structure to the vast quantities of data to unlock the potential for improvement and competitive advantage.

Course Aims

The Graduate Certificate in Data Science is designed for students with a Bachelor degree in a relevant discipline who are seeking to enhance their skills in the analysis and management of large data. The aim of the course is to enable students to enhance their competencies in a range of areas critical to data science and the course will equip graduates with the knowledge and skills required to pursue a range of analytical and data science related career paths or articulate into further studies in the area of data science.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: understand the key tools, methods and theories used to data science to an advanced level of depth and sophistication; synthesise information from data and understand the lifecycle of data within an organisation; apply problem solving skills and specialist knowledge in statistics and software development to implement data analysis solutions for real-world problems; communicate effectively with expert and non-expert audiences to understand issues and gather requirements for the development of data analysis strategies and related systems within an organisation; evaluate information from a range of sources, such as peer-reviewed literature and technical documentation, to understand current developments in the area of data science; and understand and communicate the ethical and legal issues that relate to the practice of data science.

Graduate Attributes

Knowledge of a Discipline Graduates will understand scientific practice and have sophisticated knowledge of the methods, theories and technologies in data science. Communication Skills Graduates will be able to effectively communicate complex ideas and issues to a variety of audiences in order to implement data analysis solutions and present scientific outcomes. Communication skills are developed through a combination of class participation, independent learning and group work. Problem Solving Graduates will be able to apply specialist knowledge in areas of data science, statistics and software development to solve challenging problems. Problem solving is embedded throughout the course and rigorously assessed through structured and open-ended tasks. Information Literacy Graduates will be able to evaluate information from a range of sources, including peer-reviewed literature and technical documentation, to develop their insight within the data science discipline. This key attribute is developed through class participation and individual assessment. Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility Graduates will have a deep understanding of the ethical responsibilities related to the practice of data science. They will be able to assess the impact of their actions on the community and behave in a socially responsible manner in a professional environment. This awareness is developed incrementally within the course to give graduates an appreciation of the ethical and social issues that surround the different aspects of data science. Lifelong Learning Data science is a very rapidly expanding field of study. Students will be provided with fundamental skills which enable them to supplement their knowledge and adapt to the use of new technologies and tools. This will be taught and practised by providing core skills and exposing students to a variety of technologies, environments and specialised systems. Independence and Collaboration Graduates will have the ability to operate individually with a high level of autonomy and effectively as part of a team. These skills are developed through individual assessment, group tasks and class participation.