Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Science (MSc)
- Duration
- 1 year
- Entry requirements
-
High 2:1 honours degree (or overseas equivalent)
You are expected to have a degree with a substantial proportion of social science content; as a minimum you should have completed two degree level units on topics from any of the following: sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, history, human geography, political science, public health.
The following includes other skills/experience that would increase the chances of being selected:
- Evidence of applying statistical modelling to social sciences
- Non-academic experience with the application of statistical models to social issues
- Experience working on public policy issues or similar
In your application, you should demonstrate aptitude, knowledge and/or interest in three areas:
- data analytics and/or statistics;
- computational subjects; and
- pathway specific requirements.
These can be demonstrated by course units taken at undergraduate level and high school level, or professional experience.
Please see our application and selection page for more detailed information.
- How to apply
- Apply online
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc | Y | N | N | N |
Course overview
- Absorb and focus on data, and what data science can do.
- Develop your team-working skills, and actively study as part of a dynamic group.
- Be inspired by what the interdisciplinary course, drawing on five different disciplines, can provide.
Open days
The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to find out more about our facilities and courses.
On this day, you will find out more about the School of Social Sciences, our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.
For more information, see open days and visits .
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2025, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MSc (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £16,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): £33,500
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for international students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit postgraduate fees .
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
For information on available funding, please see fees and funding or search the University's postgraduate funding database .
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- School of Social Sciences Admissions Office
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 161 306 5500
- pg-soss@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/social-statistics/
- School/Faculty
-
See: School Subjects
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
High 2:1 honours degree (or overseas equivalent)
You are expected to have a degree with a substantial proportion of social science content; as a minimum you should have completed two degree level units on topics from any of the following: sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, history, human geography, political science, public health.
The following includes other skills/experience that would increase the chances of being selected:
- Evidence of applying statistical modelling to social sciences
- Non-academic experience with the application of statistical models to social issues
- Experience working on public policy issues or similar
In your application, you should demonstrate aptitude, knowledge and/or interest in three areas:
- data analytics and/or statistics;
- computational subjects; and
- pathway specific requirements.
These can be demonstrated by course units taken at undergraduate level and high school level, or professional experience.
Please see our application and selection page for more detailed information.
English language
Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:
- IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall with no component score below 6.5
- TOEFL IBT 100 with no score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall and no component score below 70
Pre-Sessional English Courses
We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.
To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:
6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each sub-skill
10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 in three sub-skills, and 5.5 in no more than one sub-skill
If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.
English language test validity
Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.
Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries
If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
In your application, you should demonstrate aptitude, knowledge and/or interest in three areas:
- data analytics and/orstatistics;
- computationalsubjects;
- pathway specific requirements.
These can be demonstrated by course units taken at undergraduate level and high school level, or professional experience.
Staged Admissions
As there is a high demand for our courses, we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.
Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application before the application deadline to avoid a delay in processing.
Applications for 2025 entry:
Stage 1: Application received by 7th December 2024 ; Application update by 21st February 2025
Stage 2: Application received by 2nd March 2025 ; Application update by 1st May 2025
Stage 3: Application received by 4th May 2025 ; Application update by 5th June 2025
Stage 4: Application received by 1st July 2025 ; Application update by 25th July 2025
Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.
Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.
Please note: All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.
Course details
Course description
The range of pathways reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the course and we welcome applications from students with backgrounds in a range of disciplines, including:
- Business and Management;
- Health Science;
- Social Sciences;
- Geography;
- Planning;
- Computer Science;
- Mathematics.
We provide training in core data science skills, embedded in a disciplinary context provided by the pathway, you will develop:
- computational skills;
- data analytical skills;
- data stewardship skills and knowledge;
- project design skills.
Aims
This innovative MSc in Data Science course is an opportunity for graduates from a broad range of disciplines to develop data science skills. Our goal is to help you develop into an agile, skilled data scientist, adept at working in variety of settings and able to meet the challenges and reap the rewards of interdisciplinary teamwork.
Teaching and learning
Teaching and Learning use multiple modes, including:
- Lectures
- Practical exercise
- Individual and teamwork
- Student presentations
Course unit details
Through a set of core units, you will develop a set of key data science skills.
The core units are:
- Machine Learning and Statistics (both semesters);
- Understanding Databases;
- Understanding Data and their Environment;
- Applications in Data Science.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistics and Machine Learning 1: Statistical Foundations | DATA70121 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Statistics & Machine Learning 2: AI, Complex Data, Computationally Intensive Statistics | DATA70132 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Understanding Databases | DATA70141 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Applying Data Science | DATA70202 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Understanding Data and their Environment | DATA71011 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Extended Research Project | DATA72000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Programming in Python for Business Analytics | BMAN73701 | 15 | Optional |
| Topological Data Analysis | DATA70302 | 15 | Optional |
| Privacy, Confidentiality and Disclosure Control | DATA70402 | 15 | Optional |
| Digital Planning - Spatial and Policy Analysis | PLAN60761 | 15 | Optional |
| Displaying 10 of 15 course units | |||
| Display all course units | |||
Scholarships and bursaries
The School offers a number of awards for students applying for master's study.
To find our more, please visit our master's funding opportunity search page.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
The global demand for data scientist talent continues to grow, as a result, our course qualification will provide a strong boost to your employability.
The University also has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.
At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .