NTU awarded funding boost to create new MSc Data Science course

Nottingham Trent University is one of only 18 universities to be awarded part of £13 million funding to launch new, innovative postgraduate courses in AI and data science.

Through a combination of specialist teaching and paid work placements, the courses will allow graduates to convert from both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and non-STEM subjects to boost their digital skills and pursue a career in the various specialisations of this rapidly growing sector including Data Architect, Infrastructure Architect, Data Analyst and Data Scientist.

The project at NTU will engage with industries across various sectors, including organisations such as Santander, Nottingham City Council, Ensek, Uniper and Parexel Informatics.

The funding was secured after a successful bidding process run by the Office for Students (OfS) which will deliver the funding on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial (BEIS) and the Office for Artificial Intelligence (OAI).

Those targeted for scholarships will include graduates from backgrounds which are often underrepresented in these industries, particularly female students, black students and those with disabilities. Of the total £13 million funding available, £10 million will be used for scholarships to support students from these underrepresented groups.

Taha Osman, the Postgraduate Courses Manager for Computing & Technology at Nottingham Trent University said: “We are looking forward to using this funding and our experience of working with employers in this sector to create a new course which will upskill students in the exciting and expanding area of data science.

“We will also build on the university’s highly-acclaimed Success-for-All initiative, which commits to ensuring student success regardless of background.”

Full details about the course, its start date and how to apply will be released shortly.

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NTU was named University of the Year 2019 in the Guardian University Awards. The award was based on performance and improvement in the Guardian University Guide, retention of students from low-participation areas and attainment of BME students. NTU was also the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2017, and The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2018. These awards recognise NTU for its high levels of student satisfaction, its quality of teaching, its engagement with employers, and its overall student experience. The university has been rated Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework – the highest ranking available.
It is one of the largest UK universities. With nearly 32,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across four campuses, the University contributes £900m to the UK economy every year. With an international student population of more than 3,000 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook. The university is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and was awarded University of the Year in the UK Social Mobility Awards 2019. A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 87% satisfaction score in the 2019 National Student Survey.
A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 87% satisfaction score in the 2019 National Student Survey.