fast facts
commencing
- online: january, march, may, july, september, november
- cairns: february, july
fees
$26,400.00^
^estimated annual tuition fee
plus student services and amenities fee
fee deferral and scholarships available if eligible
duration
2 years full-time
or part-time equivalent
2 years, 8 months part-time for online study
entry requirements
aqf level 7 bachelor degree; or minimum five years relevant industry experience in it or data science/data analytics; or equivalent
course code
300604
course detail
jcu students have the advantage of learning how to apply data science skills to tropical, regional, and aboriginal and torres strait islander contexts. benefit from industry expertise with courses taught by data scientists, sas partnership and certification, and access to the sas data science academy. domestic students can choose to complete a master of data science online.
enhance your employability and advance your career in australia and globally through the masters employability program. complete a structured co-curricular employability skills and development program, which runs for the duration of the degree. this includes a tailored plan to support individual employment objectives, beginning from semester one through to graduation.
learn to exercise your professional judgment to suit specific circumstances and have the opportunity to complete a substantial research-based project. your capstone project will allow you to build a portfolio to showcase your expertise.
upon graduating, you will be across recent developments and modern challenges in data science and equipped with skills in key areas including machine learning, data mining, algorithm development, and advanced modelling.
you will have senior industry contacts, experience with real-world projects, and a foundational understanding of technology that allows you to adapt to every innovation. you will know when and how to apply computing languages and computational tools for data acquisition, queries, management, analysis, and visualisation.
you'll experience an innovative delivery method - this degree is broken up into twelve study periods. students must complete an additional subject externally (online) in specified study periods throughout the course duration, in order to complete sixteen subjects in two, full-time years of study.
additional information
about jcu's master of information and data science in queensland
be ready for the jobs of the future with a master of data science (professional) (similar to a masters in data analytics) from james cook university. deepen your knowledge of cutting-edge techniques, industry best practices, and key research methods to progress your current career or open up new opportunities for success.
your world-class education begins here
build your portfolio and professional network as you study your master of data science (professional) degree online or in cairns, queensland. work with, and learn from, leading data scientists in cutting-edge research facilities. build your industry contacts and connect with peers who could become key professional contacts in the future.
study under lecturers committed to student success and in subjects with small class sizes. master the newest innovations in the big-data industry as you grow your skills and practice applying them in real-world settings. choose to study on campus in cairns or online.
be prepared to meet statistical challenges
build a solid foundation for success as you study core subjects. become adept at gathering information and analysing algorithms, then interpreting them at a conceptual level. gain advanced knowledge of the principles of statistical methods, linear modelling, and data visualisation.
strengthen your understanding of the mathematics necessary for data scientists and how to apply these to binary relations and data science problems. learn the latest data mining and machine learning techniques and understand how to make strategic decisions that advance business success or solve issues for society.
master real-world problems
focus your knowledge and learn advanced skills as you progress your data science masters degree.
complete a capstone project to culminate your studies. showcase your advanced skills and ability to apply complex data to real-world problems facing society, industry and science. conceptualise problems in a working environment and then plan and implement solutions that solve them.
study a masters degree in data analytics and develop as a thinker
gain more than just knowledge and industry-specific skills through your information and data science master degree. develop your skills as an independent thinker and as an advanced, analytical problem solver. take the initiative to solve problems quickly and efficiently. apply your knowledge and skills in a variety of social contexts as you gain experience in australia's unique regional and cultural contexts.
become an expert at working with ethical issues of privacy and data security in a way that conforms to regulatory requirements and respects cultural frameworks. develop your skills as an effective communicator and express your ideas to experts and non-specialist audiences alike. collaborate with others and use your data science skills in team settings as a team-member or a leader.
get ahead with a master of data science (professional) from jcu
your masters coursework at james cook university will prepare you to make a difference in society, as it allows you to work for governments, the private sector or research institutes. use machine learning to advance business intelligence for the world's leading tech and finance companies or freelance as a business intelligence specialist. invest in your future today with a degree from jcu.
hide additional information
consult the handbook for more information.
nested qualifications
students taking the master of data science (professional) have the option to exit the course early and receive a graduate certificate of data science after four subjects or a graduate diploma of data science after eight subjects.
master of data science (professional)
handbook year | 2020 |
course code | 300604 |
course type | mcw – masters by coursework (aqf level 9) |
division | tropical environments and societies |
award requirements
admission requirements
course pre-requisites | completion of an aqf level 7 bachelor degree; or five (5) years or more relevant industry experience in it or data science/data analytics; or other qualifications or practical experience recognised by the dean, college of science and engineering as equivalent to the above. entry requirements for this course are consistent with the pathways to qualifications in the australian qualifications framework (aqf level 9) guidelines for masters degrees. |
minimum english language proficiency requirements | applicants of non-english speaking backgrounds must meet the english language proficiency requirements of band 2 – schedule ii of the jcu admissions policy. |
additional admission requirements | mathematics b (or equivalent that includes algebra and elementary differential calculus) together with some background in computing, data analysis or programming is assumed. admission based on relevant industry experience must be supported by a detailed cv and proof of work experience (e.g. a letter from an employer detailing the position and job description). |
special admission requirements | candidates will need to ensure that they have reliable access to internet services and computing resources. |
academic requirements for course completion
credit points | 48 credit points as per course structure |
additional course rules | not applicable |
post-admission requirements | computer and internet access is required. |
course learning outcomes | on successful completion of the master of data science (professional), graduates will be able to:
|
course structure (jcu online)
core subjectssequence 1ma5800:03 foundations for data science ma5820:03 statistical methods for data scientists ma5830:03 data visualisation cp5804:03 database systems sequence 2cp5805:03 programming and data analytics using python ma5801:03 essential mathematics for data scientists ma5810:03 introduction to data mining ma5821:03 visual analytics for data scientists using sas sequence 3ma5851:03 data science master class 1 ma5831:03 advanced data management and analysis using sas ma5832:03 data mining and machine learning ma5840:03 data science and strategic decision making for business sequence 4cp5806:03 data information: management, security, privacy and ethics ma5852:03 data science master class 2 ma5853:03 data science project 1 ma5854:03 data science project 2 |
course structure (cairns)
core subjects ma5800:03 foundations for data science ma5820:03 statistical methods for data scientists ma5830:03 data visualisation cp5804:03 database systems cp5805:03 programming and data analytics using python ma5890:03 professional employability ma5810:03 introduction to data mining ma5821:03 visual analytics for data scientists using sas ma5851:03 data science master class 1 ma5831:03 advanced data management and analysis using sas ma5891:03 professional placement/internship 1 ma5840:03 data science and strategic decision making for business cp5806:03 data and information: management, security, privacy and ethics ma5852:03 data science master class 2 ma5832:03 data mining and machine learning ma5892:03 professional placement/internship 2 |
campus
course available at | notes |
jcu online | this course is 100% online through a continuous delivery model. |
cairns | a full-time student will study up to 25% of this course online. |
candidature
expected time to complete | 32 months of continuous study for jcu online students, 24 months full-time for on-campus students; or equivalent part-time |
maximum time to complete | 5.5 years |
maximum leave of absence | 2 years |
progression
course progression | jcu online students must successfully complete sequence 1, 2 and 3 sequentially before attempting any sequence 4 subjects. to ensure satisfactory progression a minimum of three subjects must be taken in any 12 month period. |
course includes mandatory professional placement(s) | there are no mandatory placements for students admitted to the jcu online campus. this course includes prescribed professional placements for students admitted to the cairns campus only. students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense. |
special assessment | nil |
professional accreditation | nil |
maximum allowed pass | nil |
credit
eligibility | students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the credit transfer procedure credit may be granted for the following:
note: if relevant industry experience without qualifications in a quantitative discipline is used to meet entry requirements, that experience will not also be used to give credit. * cognate disciplines include data science, computer science, it, mathematics, statistics, engineering, physics, economics or finance. |
maximum allowed | 24 credit points, except where a student transfers from one jcu award to another, then credit may be granted for any subjects where there is subject equivalence between the awards. |
currency | credit will be granted only for subjects completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course. |
expiry | credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 15.5 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course. |
other restrictions | credit will not be granted for undergraduate studies or work experience used to gain admission to the course when assessed separately for admission requirements. |
award details
award title | master of data science (professional) |
approved abbreviation | mdatasc(prof) |
inclusion of majors on | not applicable – this course does not have majors |
exit with lesser award | students who exit the course prior to completion, and have successfully completed 12 credit points of appropriate subjects, may be eligible for the award of graduate certificate of data science. students who exit the course prior to completion, and have successfully completed 24 credit points of appropriate subjects, may be eligible for the award of graduate diploma of data science. students who exit the course prior to completion, and have successfully completed 36 credit points of appropriate subjects, may be eligible for the award of master of data science. |
course articulation | not applicable |
special awards | where coursework is completed at a grade point average of 6 or above, the deputy vice chancellor, on the recommendation of the college dean of science and engineering may recommend the award of master of data science (professional) with distinction. |
estimated annual tuition fee: $aud26,400.00
A student services and amenities fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.
a variety of scholarships are available to suit different student types.
consult the admission requirements section in the handbook for prerequisites and pathways into this course.
complete an online application through our online application portal.