Training the next generation

Essex has a long history of passing on our ground-breaking research methods by training the next generation of data scientists. We're committed to excellence in research and excellence in education. For us, the two are inextricably linked.

Data science transcends disciplines and data scientists contribute to a diverse range of sectors. We ensure our education and training programmes reflect this. 

Our graduates have gone on to careers in industries such as insurance, financial analysis and management, charities and NGOs, and the public sector, while others have started their own businesses and consultancy services. From undergraduate to PhD, our programmes aim to address the global skills shortage. 

Undergraduate courses

BSc Data Science and Analytics

Harvard Business Review recently described the job of data scientist as “the sexiest job of the 21st century”. Data science is about doing some detective work and carrying out the investigations needed to inform important decisions and to predict new trends. Technology is growing and evolving at an incredible speed, and both the rate of growth of data we generate and the devices we use to process it can only increase.

At Essex, we help you to understand how utilising the speed and processing-power of computers can assist in using data to make better decisions. You discover the new methods and the smart, unusual questions needed to make sense of both numerical and textual data. You also have the option to have a year studying abroad or a year in a work placement, giving you the opportunity to improve your skills and enhance your CV.

Masters courses

Our Masters courses offer you the opportunity to obtain advanced knowledge and skills in analytics and data science from different perspectives.

MSc Big Data and Text Analytics

Our modern world is witnessing a growth of online data in a variety of forms, including web documents, blogs, social networks, digital libraries and medical records. Much of this data contains valuable information, such as emerging opinions in social networks, search trends from search engines, consumer purchase behaviour, and patterns that emerge from these huge data sources.

MSc Data Science

If you are interested in solving real-world problems, you like to develop skills to use smart devices efficiently, you want to use and to foster your understanding of mathematics, and you are interested and keen to use statistical techniques and methods to interpret data, the Essex MSc Data Science is for you.

MSc Business Analytics

Our MSc Business Analytics develops your analytical skills so you can solve complex business problems. You’re trained to organise, integrate and interpret data so you can make insightful forecasts into all aspects of business operation and implement appropriate actions.

MSc Finance and Data Analytics

The finance industry needs students who can understand statistical modelling in the context of the growing, and increasingly complex, data available to financial firms. Our MSc Finance and Data Analytics prepares you to work in the financial services organisations of the future, by equipping you with the quantitative, statistical and technical skills needed in a world powered by big data.

Doctoral research

Our expertise attracts major funding from UK research councils to deliver ground-breaking doctoral training programmes in a range of areas including:

  • exploring the most challenging social science issues of the 21st century
  • investigating the interplay between a person's biology, experiences and behaviour
  • artificial intelligence, machine learning, bioinformatics and genomic analysis of big data

To find out more about our PhD options, you can search our PhD course finder and look at our doctoral training partnerships.

Academic and professional summer schools

Summer school

Our Analytics, Data Science and Decision Making Summer School brings together the best minds in data science. From leading global technology companies to established academics, we educate and train graduates, students, researchers, and professionals, in a broad range of data science and analytics at all levels.

Dates: 24 - 28 July 2023 

Applications are closed. 

Short courses

The Institute for Analytics and Data Science is introducing a series of short online courses across the fields of data science, analytics and decision making.

These courses will be taught online only.

For enquiries about future events, please contact: iads@essex.ac.uk