Overview

Data now drives decisions across nearly every sector, from medicine and government to market research and environmental policy, making the ability to make sense of it a genuinely valuable skill. The BSc (Hons) Data Science and Analytics at the University of Essex blends pure mathematics with statistical, financial and computational methods, taught jointly within the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science and the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering. Students develop programming skills in languages such as Python and SQL, learning to make sense of both structured and unstructured data using the speed and processing power of modern computing. The course suits students with genuine interdisciplinary curiosity, blending maths and computing, with the option to add a placement year or study abroad.

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What You'll Learn

• Mathematical skills underpinning data science and analytics

• Computer science and programming, including Python and SQL

• Statistics, operations research and specific analytic methods

• Artificial intelligence, databases and information retrieval

• Ethical issues surrounding the use and processing of data

• Specialist skills in big data, data analytics and data science

• Data structures, algorithms and information retrieval techniques

• The flexibility to tailor your degree through a wide choice of optional modules

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to apply mathematical, statistical and computational methods to extract meaningful insight from complex, real-world data. They will be equipped to use programming and database skills, including Python and SQL, to build and evaluate analytical solutions to genuine problems. Through interdisciplinary study spanning mathematics and computer science, students will develop the versatile skill set needed to ask smart, unusual questions of both structured and unstructured data. Graduates will leave with strong technical and analytical abilities, well prepared for careers spanning healthcare, government, market research and a wide range of other data-driven industries.