Data Science MSc

Postgraduate
Conversion course

Students working on desktops in computer suite

Prepare for a data-driven world and develop skills to analyse and visualise complex data, supporting decision-making in diverse industries.

Year of entry

2025-26 2026-27

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
With Professional Placement

Duration

1 year full-time
Up to 2 years full-time with professional placement

Course code

EEST036

Start date

September 2026
November 2026
January 2027
March 2027
May 2027
July 2027

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Postgraduate events

Course overview

This course aims to respond to the ongoing demand for data professionals and prepare you to drive innovation and tackle complex challenges across various sectors.

The course includes:

live coding sessions
hands-on experience with modern data management and analysis tools
problem-based learning
research-informed teaching from research staff within the Centre for Computational Science and Mathematical Modelling
free one-on-one tutoring and resources in mathematics and statistics, ensuring a strong foundation in these essential areas.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Voted 1st in West Midlands for Postgraduate

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025

Ranked 4th for Overall Satisfaction in PTES

Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2025

Why you should study this course

Core data science skills - develop vital data science skills, including database management, ethical considerations, programming in high-level languages, machine learning and tackling big data challenges.
Ethics and bias awareness - explore algorithmic bias and promoting data ethics, which are critical components of the curriculum.
Professional communication skills - strengthen your abilities in question formulation, argument construction, report writing, presentation skills and creative problem-solving.
Future-ready technical experise - integrate technology-dependent practical skills with future-proof knowledge and understanding of specialist methods and algorithms in learning.
Hands-on learning - benefit from our hands-on teaching and learning approach.
Professional placement opportuity - gain practical experience and boost your CV with an additional professional placement. See the modules for more details.²

8th

for overall satisfaction in Computing

Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2025 (ranked out of 67 HEIs)

Accreditation and professional recognition

Chartered Management Institute

The module The Data Science Professional meets the criteria set by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) for the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice. Students who successfully pass this module will be eligible to gain the award as an additional qualification at no additional cost.

What you'll study

Data Science is a broad multidisciplinary field encompassing everything from cleaning and managing data to data visualisation and deploying predictive models.

Modules

Programming for Data Science - 30 credits

Develop the essential understanding and skills in computer programming for data science applications through hands-on problem solving and writing code. You will be introduced to a range of data science tools, libraries, algorithms and applications such as data wrangling, information retrieval and natural language processing. Explore high-level programming languages like Python and apply a range of algorithms and libraries for data science tasks. Gain hands-on experience with tools such as pandas for data wrangling, BeautifulSoup for web scraping and NLTK for natural language processing.⁴

Compulsory

Data Analytics – 30 credits

Build foundational knowledge and understanding of the mathematical concepts, statistical models and data analytics skills at the heart of data science. Use statistical software to work with multivariate datasets from a range of applications and gain experience of communicating results to both experts and non-experts, through data visualisation and data storytelling. Case studies will be used to motivate and explore phases of the data science project lifecycle and give experience with a variety of types of data.

Compulsory

The Data Science Professional – 30 credits

This module aims to provide you with sound knowledge of the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the management of Big Data in centralised and distributed environments. There is a strong emphasis on data engineering, data protection (including GDPR), data governance and data ethics. Develop practical skills in data management (such as SQL and NoSQL databases), cloud and distributed computing, and leadership in a data science context.

This module is designed to include the criteria set out by the CMI for the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice¹.

Compulsory

Machine Learning and Big Data – 30 credits

Examine the practical applications of machine learning in various applied domains such as healthcare, agriculture, bioinformatics, image recognition and natural language processing. Equip yourself with the skills to tackle challenges posed by big data in real-world scenarios. Learn about a range of machine learning models, including supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning and neural networks.

Compulsory

Master's with professional placement

If you successfully secure a placement in industry within your first semester, this master’s with professional placement option allows you to extend your 12-month master’s course up to an additional year to complete the placement before starting your final 60-credit module.

Gain valuable industry insights and skills as you apply your academic knowledge and skills to a professional placement.
The placement must be sourced and secured by you during your first semester. Our careers and employability team are available to support you with the sourcing process.
Start your professional placement after completing the first 120 credits of your course.
The professional placement will be integrated into your course learning and outcomes. This will take the form of a reflective diary demonstrating your learning and engagement with the placement experience.
The professional placement option is subject to additional fees, living costs, visa requirements, availability, competitive application and university approval of the placement.²

For full terms and conditions please visit the enhanced master’s landing page.

Optional

Individual Research Project - 60 credits

Cover the essential stages of research, from conceptualisation to dissemination. Learn about different research designs, data collection methods, and analysis techniques. Examine the importance of ethical research practices and effective time management. Receive guidance on dissertation structure, academic writing, and referencing. You will then conduct your own research and produce a substantial piece of original work.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

Teaching and learning methods may include:

lectures - builds your understanding of core data science theory, analytics techniques and machine learning concepts.
seminars - helps you explore real-world data challenges and discuss emerging trends in depth.
tutorials - provides personalised support to strengthen technical understanding and problem-solving skills.
presentations - develops your ability to clearly explain data insights to both technical and non-technical audiences.
group projects - reflects real industry practice, helping you collaborate on data problems and build teamwork skills.
workshops - offers hands-on experience with data tools, programming and analytical techniques.
practical laboratory sessions - gives you the opportunity to work with real datasets, apply models and build technical confidence.

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time postgraduate student, you will study modules totalling 180 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires a total of 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours, and guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours may vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average you will have between 8 and 12 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the opportunity to attend optional sessions including time with a Success Coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You will be digging deeper into topics, reviewing what you’ve learnt and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress to the end of your studies, you’ll spend more time on independent learning.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods, including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending on the module. Assessment methods may include:

reports
tests
essays
exams
practical coursework
assignments
viva
presentations.

The Coventry University assessment strategy aims to ensure that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

An honours degree 2:2 or above (or international equivalent) in any discipline.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications; speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Typical entry requirements

An honours degree 2:2 or above (or international equivalent) in any discipline.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no component lower than 5.5.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man	£11,700 £1,575 professional placement fee (if placement secured)	Not available
EU	£11,700 per year with EU Support Bursary £1,575 professional placement fee (if placement secured) per year with EU Support Bursary £19,500 per year without EU Support Bursary £1,900 professional placement fee (if placement secured) per year without EU Support Bursary	Not available
International	£19,500 £1,900 professional placement fee (if placement secured)	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees³ and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page and see the University's Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our international scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee, such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Postgraduate Master's Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We assess your fee status using the information in your application. This status determines your tuition fees and the scholarships or financial support you can get. The Department for Education sets the rules for who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees in England.

The regulations list which students can pay the home fee rate. Because these rules are complex, the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides fee status guidance to help you find the right category. If you meet all the criteria for one category, your institution must charge you the home rate.

Facilities

People walking in front of a building which has a big library sign

Lanchester Library

The library is usually open 364 days a year. It’s where you can access your course’s specialist Academic Liaison Librarian. It’s also home to specialist teams which can support you with your academic writing and maths and statistics questions.

Glass modern building with a spire in the background

The Hub

The Hub is the centre of student life on campus. Facilities include a food court, convenience store, multi-faith centre, medical centre, hairdresser, coffee shops and the Your SU offices. It has fully licensed function spaces and a bar.

Two people working together with a laptop in front of them

Careers and employability

Get one-on-one guidance lasting up to 18 months from the end of your course. We’ll help you find placements and graduate roles, offer CV and application checks, mentoring, skills workshops, employer events and more.

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Careers and opportunities

Successful graduates could seek positions as:

Data scientist

How this course helps:
Develop advanced skills in machine learning, statistical modelling and big data analysis. Practical labs and applied projects give you experience working with real datasets and building predictive models.
Data analyst

How this course helps:
Training in data handling, visualisation and interpretation prepares you to turn complex data into clear insights. Presentations and reports help you communicate findings effectively to decision-makers.
Business intelligence analyst

How this course helps:
Learn how to extract actionable insights from organisational data, supporting strategic decision-making. Group projects reflect real business problem-solving environments.
Machine learning engineer

How this course helps:
Hands-on experience with algorithms and programming builds the technical confidence needed to design, implement and optimise machine learning systems.
Data engineer

How this course helps:
Skills in database management, big data technologies and data processing prepare you to design and maintain reliable data pipelines and infrastructure.

How to apply

UK students

To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online. Please read the entry criteria page before applying.

Start your application

For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 6565

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form.

International students

Full-time international students should apply directly to the university. Please read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degrees view our International hub.

You can also download our international mini guide for an overview of study options and why you should study with us.

Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.

+44 (0)24 7765 6565

applications.io@coventry.ac.uk

Complete our contact form.

Disclaimers

Coventry University, Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations, partnerships and memberships

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply. See the relevant body website for more details). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships are subject to successful renewal in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery. If the accreditation, recognition or membership of this course changes, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, guest speakers, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first academic year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees annually, but such increases will be no more than 5% above the inflation rate. If you defer your course start date or extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (for example, to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

⁴Facilities

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2025/2026 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2026/2027 contract will apply for the 2026/2027 intake. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the University.