Data Science

MSc

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Full time 1 year, Part time 2 - 3 years

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 51-70 for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

  • State-of-the-art labs and immersive data suite

  • Supported by the Data Science Institute with over £50M funding to support UK research

The MSc Data Science has been designed by leading academics and industry experts to deliver an education that matches the needs of employers. The world of data science and AI is rapidly evolving, and so are we. Lancaster University’s Data Science Institute plays a leading role in UK data science research, which means we continually refine and update our curriculum to make sure you are learning the most modern tools and techniques. As demonstrated by our hundreds of alumni, we develop graduates with the skills and expertise to become professionals that design, test and implement solutions to drive innovation and business decision making. You will gain the confidence to apply data science techniques that enable companies to use artificial intelligence to gain insights and make better decisions.

This flexible Master’s allows you to select modules, guided by pathways, to develop an enhanced understanding of modern data science technologies. The pathways are:

  • Biodiversity
  • Business Intelligence
  • Data Engineering

Who is this programme for?

For those interested in gaining insights from data to provide solutions, this Master’s in Data Science is open to anyone with an undergraduate degree, providing you have a good grasp of statistical analysis, ideally to A level standard. You may be a recent graduate or you may wish for a career change.

Looking ahead to employability

The strength of Lancaster’s MSc Data Science is producing graduates with demonstrable experience on their CV. Throughout the course you will network and interact with data science industry professionals through guest lectures, group projects and professional skills workshops. Crucially, you will have the opportunity to work on a real-time project during your 14-week placement with one of our industry partners, choosing techniques and approaches from your data science toolkit to provide answers to their questions.

You will also:

  • Gain the confidence to successfully speak the language of data science to future employers and colleagues
  • Develop your programming skills in R and Python
  • Graduate with the ability to think critically, design solutions, build a rationale and communicate this effectively

What to expect

Your learning and practical experience is split into three parts.

Study the core modules that span the breadth of data science including the fundamentals of statistics and programming in Python; modern machine learning; and artificial intelligence. This term is essential in providing the foundations for you to advance your knowledge and technical skills in your chosen pathway.

Choose your specialist pathway, selecting optional modules that align with your interests and career goals.

Apply the knowledge and skills you've gained with a 14-week placement or dissertation, either within industry or as part of an academic research project. Our students really value this experience, with many offered jobs at the end. You will develop your ability to formulate a project plan, gather and analyse data, interpret your results, and present findings in a professional environment. This research will be an opportunity to bring together everything you have learnt over the year, expand your problem-solving abilities and manage a significant project.

Three things our students would like you to know

  • The practical elements of this course along with the theory make this like no other!
  • The flexibility of choosing a pathway has allowed me to focus my career options
  • Working with other people on group projects is so diverse and enhances your project management and communications skills

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

A 2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in any discipline, provided that the applicant has had exposure to quantitative methods such as statistics, or mathematical modelling.

Applicants with a 2:2 Hons degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, Physics, Life Sciences, Economics, Finance and Linguistics are strongly encouraged to apply, provided that their undergraduate degree included at least one module in statistics, mathematics, mathematical modelling or machine learning (e.g. Neural networks).

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Optional

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Fees and funding

Location Full Time (per year) Part Time (per year)
Home £14,140 £7,070
International £30,310 £15,155

General fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.