Data Analytics for Decision Making
Discover the fundamentals of data analytics, and start your journey to becoming a top data scientist.
Duration
12 weeksCost
$884
Take the first steps to becoming a highly-skilled data scientist
Learn the fundamental principles of data analytics, working through practical programming exercises in Python to solve basic data analytic problems alongside world-leading experts.
Get data analytics training that matters
From transport to healthcare to shopping, everyday activities are increasingly leaving digital footprints that are transforming the workplace. Data analytics is the study of this ‘big data’.
While the world is becoming ever more data-driven, many employers are increasingly searching for people with the analytical skills who can help them make sense of it by gaining insights and knowledge from the datasets that are generated around us. This is where data scientists come in.
Are data analytics jobs in demand?
Demand for workers with specialist data skills like data scientists and data engineers has more than doubled over five years (+231%) and demand shows no sign of slowing down. This is a highly in-demand jobs market, with new roles opening all the time.
Boost your data science career potential
Alongside world-class computer science experts from Queen Mary, on this microcredential you’ll learn the process for collating and cleansing data. You’ll discover how to interpret and communicate data to others and gain valuable insights to inform your decision-making process.
You’ll also explore the essential ethical and legal issues that need to be considered when generating, analysing, and disseminating data.
Gain data analytics certification
Ultimately, you’ll come away with the accredited skills you need to apply for roles as a data scientist, or to enhance your current organisation’s capacity to interpret and manage data to solve complex problems and predict future trends.
Industry statistics
Median base salary
£45,000UK job openings/month
1,724
What skills will you learn?
- Data analytics: basic principles
- Data processes
- Data visualisation
- Data tool comparison
- Ethical data handling
- Machine Learning modelling
What you will achieve
By the end of the microcredential, you’ll be able to...
- Apply the principles of data analytics to data science problems
- Explore data using visualisation techniques
- Explain the principles and applications of Machine Learning
- Build Machine Learning models from datasets
- Recognise the importance of data ethics and data reliability
- Explore how data impacts business, legal and ethical issues
Are you eligible for this microcredential?
Queen Mary recommends that you have successfully completed a first degree before embarking on this microcredential and that you are prepared for studying and engaging with academic concepts at a postgraduate level.
There are no technical requirements apart from access to a computer and the internet.
As a guidance, we would recommend that you have either studied in an English speaking country and/or your degree was taught in English, and/or that you have achieved an overall English Language IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5, including 6.0 in Writing, and 5.5 in Reading, Listening, and Speaking.
Is this microcredential right for you?
This microcredential would appeal to anyone looking to apply for roles as a data scientist, improve their current organisation’s data analysis, or looking to apply for higher-level study in data science.
If you are new to Python, we do recommend you familiarise yourself with the programming language before starting this course. We can recommend the following introductory courses:
Syllabus
What happens before, during, and after your microcredential
Before learning
You’ll have access to our online welcome area where you’ll be able to start conversations with your fellow learners and read any announcements or additional information relating to your microcredential.
Course 1
From 29 Mar 2021
Data Analytics Fundamentals
This course will cover key topics like ‘What does a data scientist do?’ and ‘How can I look at my data in different ways?’.
4 weeks
12 hours per week
Week 1
Fundamentals of data science
- Welcome to the course
- What are the basic principles of data analytics?
- Setting up your data environment
- Put it into practice: use Python to analyse data
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 2
Data visualisation insights
- Welcome to Week 2
- How can we visualise data?
- The randomness of data
- Put it into practice: produce your own notebook
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 3
Gaining value from data
- Welcome to Week 3
- How might data drive business decisions?
- Applying data processing techniques to make data valuable
- Put it into practice: telling a story through data
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 4
Revision and assessment preparation
- Welcome to Week 4
Course 2
From 26 Apr 2021
Machine Learning Techniques and Methods
Discover what Machine Learning is and how to formulate Machine Learning problems.
4 weeks
12 hours per week
Week 1
Introduction to machine learning and regression
- Welcome to the course
- What are the principles of regression?
- Basic regression models
- Exploring model validation
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 2
Classification
- Welcome to Week 2
- What are the principles of classification?
- Basic classification models
- Exploring classification performance
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 3
Clustering
- Welcome to Week 3
- What are the principles of clustering?
- Basic clustering models
- Exploring clustering further
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 4
Revision and assessment preparation
- Welcome to Week 4
Course 3
From 24 May 2021
Data Science Ethics
Explore the key ethical and legal issues as well as challenges that you might face when working on a data science project.
4 weeks
12 hours per week
Week 1
Data accuracy and validity
- Welcome to the course
- Introduction to data ethics
- Identifying the legal requirements of data use
- Ensuring your data is reliable
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 2
Data analysis ethics
- Welcome to Week 2
- How can I ensure that my data analysis does not infringe on privacy?
- Are there errors in my analysis approach?
- Common fallacies
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 3
Data visualisation ethics
- Welcome to Week 3
- Is there a wrong way to present data?
- Deceptive visualisation techniques
- Ethical principles for visualisations
- Weekly wrap-up
Week 4
Revision and assessment preparation
- Welcome to Week 4
After learning
Once you have successfully completed the microcredential and passed the assessments, you’ll receive 15 UK credits at Postgraduate level and an electronic transcript from Queen Mary, University of London.
What you will receive
15 UK academic credits at Postgraduate level from Queen Mary, University of London
You can use these credits towards study on related Computer Science masters-level degree programmes at Queen Mary, University of London, such as Computing and Information Systems MSc Conversion Programme, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence MSc Conversion Programme, MSc Data Analytics, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law LLM, MSc Business Analytics.
Find out how credits work and where you can use them in our FAQs.
What is a microcredential?
Microcredentials are designed to upskill you for work in rapidly-growing industries, without the time and cost commitment of a full degree. Your microcredential can stand alone as an independent credential, and some also offer academic credit to use towards a degree.
Complete online courses led by experts over multiple weeks with a dedicated group of professionals.
Test your understanding with online tutor-marked assessments and exercises.
Finish your learning and pass your assessments to gain an accredited credential.
Use your microcredential as evidence of your specialised skills and progress further in your industry.
Career-focused learning by Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London is an established university in London’s vibrant East End committed to high-quality teaching and research.
Established
1887Location
London, UKWorld ranking
Top 110Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Career-focused learning by Institute of Coding
The Institute of Coding is a family of learners, businesses and educators creating a new way to develop the digital skills needed at work and beyond.
Delivered by experts
My research interests are within the areas of pervasive and ubiquitous computing. Much of this research is focused on understanding human behaviour from data captured via mobile sensing.
I am a Senior Lecturer in Data Analytics and Programme Coordinator of QMUL's MSc in Big Data Science. My main research interests include computer modelling, machine learning and biomedical technology.
My research focuses on data which can be represented as a graph, applied to studying how large complex systems such as social or information networks evolve over time.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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When would you like to start?
Enrolment for this microcredential is closed. We aim to run our microcredentials every few months. Register to find out more about this microcredential and future start dates.
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FAQ
We can accept payments made by card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) or PayPal via our online system.
You will have 14 days from the day the course starts to apply for a refund. If this Microcredential has any non-refundable costs they will be stated in the ‘Overview’ section above. You can find more information in our cancellation and refund policy.
Microcredentials are designed to fit around your life and timezone.
There may be live events as part of your studies, but these will be recorded and can be watched afterwards if you aren’t online for the live broadcast.
No, microcredentials are designed to be taken anywhere in the world. You won’t need the right to study in the country where the university offering the microcredential is based.
Want to know more? Read the microcredential FAQs, or contact us.