MSc in Data Analytics

This online MSc in Data Analytics will equip candidates with up to date knowledge and practical skills that are increasingly sought after in a wide and growing range of industries.

The course is designed to accommodate those with a specific interest in data analytics, whether that may be of a more technical or a more business focused nature. The course is led by expert faculty and is delivered online using academic research, industry-defined problems and case studies.

Data Analytics is one of the fastest growing areas of IT, across a variety of organisations and industries, and remains critical for businesses as it turns information into an asset for deriving insights and making decisions.

This innovative course is suitable for entrants to the discipline that require a broader range of taught modules to familiarise themselves with the skills and knowledge of the discipline and also for specialist employees who want to up-skill in their specialist areas and require a narrow range of taught modules and more emphasis on the research skills project of the course.

Orientation: January 2025

Start Date: January 2025

Fully Online
Duration: 2 years, part-time
Schedule: Classes are held on two evenings per week.

Time Commitment

Typically, 1 ECTS = 20 – 25 hours of total student effort.

Example Semester 1: 20 ECTS per semester x 25 hours = 500 hours per semester / 16 weeks = 31.3 hours per week (academic week with 5 contact hours + 5 direct learning + 21.3 hours independent learning)

Semester 1 – 3 = 25 – 31.3 hours per week

Semester 4 = 37.5 – 46.8 hours per week

The part-time element is to help busy professionals to study and work at the same time and as the course is designed from an applied perspective, all learnings in the classroom can immediately be incorporated into the work environment. A unique feature of this course is the strong collaboration between industry and academia in its development.

Assessment

The course will be assessed with a blend of project work and exams. This varies between modules but typically assessment is 50% continuous assessment and 50% exam. Please note that in some instances exams may take place in the daytime, evenings and at weekends.

The online MSc in Data Analytics is a 2-year 90-ECTS course. Learners are required to complete 20-ECTS during each of the taught semesters and then a final 6-month semester completing the Research Project and Data Governance and Ethics modules.

Indicative outline below:

Year 1

Semester 1
• Statistics & Optimisation
• Analytics Programming & Data Visualisation
• Data Governance, Ethics & Sustainability

Semester 2
• Business Intelligence & Business Analytics
• Data Mining & Machine Learning

Year 2

Semester 1
• Deep Learning & Generative AI
• Data Intensive Scalable Systems * Elective
• Modelling & Simulation * Elective
• Domain Applications * Elective

Semester 2
• Research Practicum/Internship Part 1
• Research Practicum/Internship Part 2

*Electives will run based on demand and students must choose 2 of the 3 electives listed

Academic Eligibility

Learners must hold an honours (NFQ Level 8) primary degree in Computing or a cognate area, with a minimum 2.2 award or higher. A cognate area refers to a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) discipline. All applicants must also have prior programming and mathematics experience, demonstrated through academic transcripts or recognised certifications. Standard applicants for this programme are those holding computing or numerate degrees.

For learners who do not meet the minimum entry requirements, the National College of Ireland operates a Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) scheme. This allows applicants who do not meet the normal academic criteria to be considered based on relevant work and professional experience.

2025 Course Fees

Full course fee: €3,875 per year

Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet grant: €725 per year

Subsidised course fee: €3,150 per year

Subsidised fees are only available to eligible applicants.*

Funding Eligibility*

Applicants must be residing in the Republic of Ireland and employed in a private or commercial semi-state organisation registered in the Republic of Ireland (e.g., business, consultant, or freelancer) to avail of the grant-aided fees. As a government-funded training network, we can only support those meeting these criteria.

Applicants who do not meet the funding criteria may, in some cases, be able to apply and pay the full fee to NCI. This includes public sector employees, the unemployed, and those working in charitable organisations. For more information, please enquire, providing details of your current employment status and confirmation of meeting the academic requirements.

Once you have received your offer of a place on the course, please be aware that we have a limited number of subsidised places available. Due to high demand, we cannot hold places without payment. To ensure fairness, priority for these places will be granted to those who have both completed full payment of the subsidised fee and are deemed eligible by the college or training provider.

Please click the “Apply Now” button and submit a copy of your CV for the first stage of screening for funding. ICT Skillnet may have additional queries to confirm your eligibility via a form or email.

At the next stage of the application process, you will receive a link from ICT Skillnet to formally apply through the college. At this point, you will be required to submit the following documents to NCI. Please do not send these documents now or to ICT Skillnet—only provide them once you have received the NCI portal link: