Course overview
- Description
The Master of Data Science will prepare its graduates for a career in this rapidly expanding field of work. It will equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to understand and apply appropriate analytical methodologies to transform the way an organisation achieves its goals and objectives, to deal effectively with large data management tasks, to master the statistical and machine learning foundations on which data analytics is built, and to evaluate and communicate the effectiveness of new technologies.
- Course title
- Master of Data Science (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
- Award abbreviation
- MDSc
- Course code
- 62530
- Course type
- Master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
- Status
- Current / 2025
- Administered by
- Physics, Mathematics and Computing
- CRICOS code
- 093310E
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year and mid-year
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Articulation
- The Master of Data Science has the following exit awards: 62230 Graduate Certificate in Data Science (24 points) (24 points), 62330 Graduate Diploma in Data Science (48 points) (48 points)
- Credit points required
- 96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 1.5 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 72 points of taught units and 24 points of admission credit, as recognised and granted by the School
- Maximum course duration
- 2 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising up to 96 points of taught study (see Rule 5 for further information)
- Time limit
- 5 years
- Delivery mode
- Internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- Postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Dr Debora Correa
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
Example Study Plans
See study plans for more information.
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- N/A
- not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Students who have completed degree studies in a non-cognate area, or equivalent as recognised by the School, must complete relevant conversion units up to the value of 24 points from this group, as advised by the School.
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | CITS1401 | Computational Thinking with Python | Lectures: 2-hours per week; Labs: 2-hours per week; WorkshopS: 1-hour per week | |
| S1, S2 | CITS1402 | Relational Database Management Systems |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week |
| S1 | STAT2401 | Analysis of Experiments | lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week | |
| S2 | STAT2402 | Analysis of Observations | Lectures: 3-hours per week; Computer Labs: 2-hours per week; Workshops: 1-hour per week |
Take all units (48 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | CITS4009 | Computational Data Analysis |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week |
| S2 | CITS4012 | Natural Language Processing |
| Lectures: 2-hours per week; Laboratories: 2-hours per week. |
| S1 | CITS4407 | Open Source Tools and Scripting |
| |
| S1 | CITS5504 | Data Warehousing | lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week | |
| S1 | CITS5508 | Machine Learning |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week for 11 weeks from week 2 |
| S2 | CITS5553 | Data Science Capstone Project |
| Lectures: 10-hours; Project Mentor Sessions: 4-hours; Project: 60-hours |
| S1 | STAT4064 | Applied Predictive Modelling |
| Lectures: 2-hours per week; Computer Labs: 2-hours per week |
| S2 | STAT4066 | Bayesian Computing and Statistics | Lectures: 2-hours per week; Computer Labs: 3-hours per fortnight; Practical Classes: 1-hour per fortnight |
Take unit(s) to the value of 24 points, including a minimum of 12 points at Level 5.
Note: Enrolment in the Data Science Research Project is by invitation only.
Group A
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | BUSN5003 | Data Storytelling |
| Up to three hours per week. |
| S1 | CITS4402 | Computer Vision |
| |
| S2 | CITS4403 | Computational Modelling |
| |
| S1 | CITS4404 | Artificial Intelligence and Adaptive Systems |
| |
| N/A | CITS4419 | Mobile and Wireless Computing |
| Lectures: 1 hour per week, Labs: 2 hours per week |
| S1, S2 | CITS5014 | Data and Information Technologies Research Project Part 1 |
| |
| S1, S2 | CITS5015 | Data and Information Technologies Research Project Part 2 |
| |
| S2 | CITS5017 | Deep Learning |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; laboratories: 2 hours per week. |
| S2 | CITS5503 | Cloud Computing |
| |
| S1 | CITS5505 | Agile Web Development | Lectures: 2-hours per week; Laboratories: 2-hours per week | |
| S1 | CITS5506 | The Internet of Things | Lectures: 2-hours per week; Labs: 3-hours per week | |
| S2 | CITS5507 | High Performance Computing |
| |
| S2 | ECON5570 | Health Analytics |
| seminars: up to 3 hours per week for 12 weeks |
| S1, S2 | GENG5505 | Project Management and Engineering Practice |
| lectures: 26 hours; practical classes: 13 hours |
| S1, S2 | INMT5526 | Business Intelligence | lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week | |
| S1, S2 | MGMT5504 | Data Analysis and Decision Making |
| lectures/seminars/workshops: up to 3 hours per week |
| S1 | PHYS4021 | Quantum Information and Computing |
| Lectures/Workshop: 3 x 45 minutes per week |
| S1, S2 | PUBH4401 | Biostatistics I |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week |
| S2 | PUBH5769 | Biostatistics II |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week |
| NS | PUBH5785 | Analysis of Linked Health Data | None | offered intensively (1 week full-time) |
| N/A | PUBH5802 | Advanced Analysis of Linked Health Data |
| offered intensively (1 week full-time) |
| S2 | STAT4063 | Computationally Intensive Methods in Statistics | 3-hours per week | |
| S1 | STAT4065 | Multilevel and Mixed-Effects Modelling | Lectures: 2-hours per week; labs: 2-hours per week | |
| S2 | STAT5061 | Statistical Data Science | Lectures: 2-hours per week; Laboratory: 2-hours per week. | |
| NS, S1, S2 | SVLG5001 | McCusker Centre for Citizenship Internship |
| Internship experience: approximately 100 hours; McCusker Centre attendance: approximately 8 hours |
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.
Admission requirements
4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent;
and
(c) completed ATAR Mathematics Methods, or equivalent, as recognised by UWA.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6.(1) This course has the following exit awards:
- 62230 Graduate Certificate in Data Science (24 points)
- 62330 Graduate Diploma in Data Science (48 points)
(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Data Science course before completing it, but after completing Level 4 and Level 5 units to the value of 24 points, may apply to the School to be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Data Science.
(3) A student who withdraws from the Master of Data Science course before completing it, but after completing Level 4 and Level 5 units to the value of 48 points, may apply to the School to be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Data Science.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points (maximum value) which include conversion units to a value of 24 points.
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
(3) Students who have completed a bachelor's degree with a major in a cognate area, or equivalent as recognised by the Faculty are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 24 points.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';
(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).
Additional rules
Collaborative international articulation agreements
14. A student from a cognate background granted admission into the course via a collaborative international articulation agreement is required to complete 96 credit points of the course including units to the value of up to 60 points from Group A of which at least 30 points must be undertaken at Level 5.