Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Data Analytics for Business

The programme comprises six ten-credit modules, delivered over two semesters on a one-year full-time basis. Learners will engage with industry from the outset through their assessments and projects. An intensive Work Placement (or Work-based Project, as an alternative) is included at the end of the second semester. All modules are 100% continuous assessment/project based. Modules include:

Fundamentals and Principles of Data Analytics:

Analytical thinking and data informed decision making are essential in the current digital economy, therefore the demand for individuals to acquire these skills continues to grow at an exponential rate reaching across all industries and professions. This module will provide candidates with the fundamental principles to plan, organise, consolidate, statistically model, evaluate and deploy a data analytics project of any size. Exploring critical data competencies such as governance & ethics, research methodologies and data visualisation will provide participants with an end to end view of the data lifecycle.

Research Methods & Ethics for Data Analytics:

The purpose of this module is to equip students with the necessary skills to carry out effective research in the field of data analytics, using appropriate sources and methods, in an ethically-sensitive manner.

This module aims to provide learners with the knowledge, research skills and competencies required to analyse, plan and implement an advanced data analytics research project from the initial concept phase through to successful completion and communication of results.

It teaches learners how to conduct primary and secondary research in business-appropriate contexts.

Leadership in a Digital World:

This module aims to introduce students to the core theories and concepts of Leadership in an era of technology and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Students will learn about effective leadership strategies and how to apply these within the field of emerging technologies, thus developing and enhancing their own leadership style.

Advanced Data Analytics in Practice:

The need for businesses to make informed decisions based on relevant data is more important than ever, with an ever-increasing number of data sources and data volume. Data analytics enables a business to explore data in meaningful ways, helping it to turn data into valuable information. In this module learners will be able to gather, clean and process large data sets thus ensuring robust and accurate data on which to organise, model, interpret and present the data into useful information that provides value and meaning for a business.

Business Strategy in Context:

This module aims to introduce students to the concept of business strategy. It encourages students to adopt a strategic perspective on their learning thus far within the programme, and to contextualise business strategy within an organisation / industry sector setting.

Work Placement: Adding value and enhancing performance:

The work placement module provides students with the opportunity to test their knowledge and skills in a supported professional environment. Throughout the placement – using a process of ongoing journaling – students will reflect on their personal competences and attributes, and self-assess these against those graduate attributes most valued by employers. Drawing on their reflective journal, students will – at the end of the placement – compile a portfolio of evidence demonstrating how they have achieved the module outcomes

Work-based Project: Adding value and enhancing performance:

In this module learners will produce an industry based, consultancy-style practical research project designed to add real value to their organisation by solving a problem, enhancing effectiveness or exploiting a new opportunity within their particular industry sector. The research will be conducted in line with GDPR regulations, ethical and legal frameworks, and organisational privacy and security policies.

This programme is funded under the HEA Human Capital Initiative Pillar 1 and Springboard.