Data is a collection of facts and figures in their raw form and a data scientist is a wizard who converts them into insights with the help of several data science processes, tools, and techniques. Data Science applies concepts and practices from different fields such as computer science, statistics, artificial intelligence, and mathematics to interpret data. The proliferation of electronic devices and growth in internet consumption has significantly impacted big data. It will continue to do so in the future, contributing toward the development of the booming IT industry i.e. Data Science and its related fields. Scotland, well-known for its majestic landscapes, is also popular for providing first-class education through the world’s top institutes established there. For in-depth details, this article has shortlisted the top data science courses in Scotland.
Before we learn about the top data science courses in Scotland, let us first understand data science.
Understanding Data Science with The Help of An Example
Imagine scrolling through any social media platform, say Instagram, and showing a keen interest in certain kinds of content, like movies, trekking, and food, by searching and watching posts and reels on those topics.
However, Instagram next personalizes your feed with content that you find entertaining using its algorithm, in this case, movies, trekking, and food.
This personalization is done based on data related to your past behaviour with the application of relevant tools and techniques, further improving your app experience. So, Instagram uses data science to comprehend the patterns its users follow.
Hence, the scientific and thorough study of data is known as data science.
10 Vital Applications of Data Science
The application of data science in various industries is as follows-
Marketing
Data science is used for targeted marketing. It is done based on customer preferences, purchase patterns, and predicted sales trends.
Finance
Here, data science technique(s) are used for-
Identification of financial risks, followed by their analysis & mitigation, and Detection & avoidance of fraudulent activities.
Clinics & Hospitals
Data science is used in healthcare to predict disease outbreaks, improve diagnosis via enhanced medical imaging, and prepare individual treatment plans.
Transport
Data science tools help determine efficient routes, develop self-driving cars and schedule equipment maintenance.
Education
Data science helps customize the learning experience differing from student to student. It also helps with curriculum development.
Entertainment
Data analysis helps the entertainment industry as follows-
Suggest movies, series, and music to the users as per their liking, Optimize budget and schedules to save money and time for everyone involved, and Understand the behaviour of the audience, further creating space for improvement.
Manufacturing
A few of the many advantages of data science to manufacturing units are as follows-
Improvement in product quality, and Implementation of automated systems.
Retail
Retail shops use data science to understand the demand and supply of the stock, optimize prices, and provide personalized recommendations for products to their customers.
Government
The application of data science helps the government make effective policies, improve law enforcement, and eventually develop the country.
Energy
The application of data science tools and techniques helps optimize the usage of energy and reduces costs.
Responsibilities And Skills Involved in Various Data Science Jobs
The list of data science jobs along with the responsibilities involved and skills required are as follows-
Data Scientist
Responsibilities:
Analysis of big datasets, development of machine learning models, interpretation of discoveries made during the analysis, and conversion of raw data into insights for informed decision-making by businesses.
Skills:
R or Python (programming languages), machine learning, statistics, and knowledge of the relevant industry.
Data Analyst
Responsibilities:
Data collection, cleansing, and analysis are performed to identify trends and patterns. Also includes communication of findings discovered to its stakeholders via dashboards and reports.
Skills:
Proficiency in tools like Power BI, Tableau, SQL, Excel, and the basics of statistics.
Business Intelligence (BI) Analyst
Responsibilities:
Preparation and development of dashboards and reports with the help of Business Intelligence tool(s) for strategic decision-making.
Skills:
Proficiency in tools like Power BI, Tableau, Looker, or SQL, and the fundamentals of data visualization.
Data Engineer
Responsibilities:
Creation of data pipelines for collecting, storing, and transforming large datasets.
Skills:
Expertise in Java or Python (programming languages), Hadoop or Spark (big data technologies), and SQL and NoSQL (database systems). Also, the fundamentals of data warehousing.
Machine Learning Engineer
Responsibilities:
Building, optimization, and integration of machine learning models.
Skills:
Proficiency in Python or Java (programming languages), PyTorch or TensorFlow (machine learning frameworks), Azure or AWS (cloud platforms), and software engineering.
Data Architect
Responsibilities:
Designing data lake, data warehouse, and database i.e. the entire data system.
Skills:
Knowledge of database technologies, database architectures, data integration techniques, data security, data compliance regulations, and tools like Visio or ERWin.
Top 11 Data Science Courses in Scotland with Placements
1. IIM SKILLS
IIM SKILLS provides one of the top online data science courses in Scotland. Along with data science, they are also highly recommended for a wide range of skill development courses in sectors like banking, finance, digital marketing, data analytics etc.
They provide an online learning platform having students from worldwide. The courses are 100% certified with guaranteed placements and internship opportunities.
Key Highlights of This Institute:
- One of the top online data science institutes in Scotland.
- 45,000+ students trained from over 35+ countries in the past 8 years.
- 15,500+ trainings held to date.
- Interview assistance across all 35+ countries say India, Singapore, Dubai, etc.
- Training conducted by industry experts with 12+ years of experience.
- Provides certification that is internationally accepted.
- Allows hands-on live projects to comprehend the workings of the real world.
Course Details:
Course Name: Data Science Master Course
Course Fees- 588.80 Pound Sterlling + Taxes
Duration- 11 months
Key Features of the Data Science Master Course:
- 160+ hours of interactive live online training.
- 100+ hours of practical assignments.
- 16+ live projects.
- Theoretical and practical knowledge of tools like R, Power BI, Python, SQL, Jupyter, Tableau, Alteryx, Flask, ChatGPT, and AI.
- Thorough study of the concepts – Statistics, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Artificial Intelligence.
- Lifetime access to session recordings and reading material.
- 100% internship guarantee.
- 100% placement opportunities.
Other Professional Courses from IIM SKILLS
Business Accounting And Taxation Course
Contact Information:
- Phone Number- 9580740740
- Email id- info@iimskills.com
- Website- https://iimskills.com/
2. University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde is located in the heart of Glasgow City and has trained 23,000+ students from over 100+ countries. Areas of science, engineering, social science, humanities, and business are popular study options at this institute.
This University’s Careers Service assists graduates up to 5 years after graduation so that they can have access to the best employment opportunities. This institute has invested £60 million to open the Learning and Teaching Building Centre and £31 million to build a new Sports Centre.
This institute presents its candidates with 5 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from out of which the detailed information about the top 3 is as follows-
MSc in Data Science for Applied Statistics
Duration: 36 months
Fee (per year): £5,083
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: Online/Distance
Curriculum: Data analysis with R and Python, data analysis and reporting with the help of statistical software, big data technologies, problem-solving skills, and systems for cloud storage.
MSc in Politics & Policymaking with Data Science
Duration: 12 months
Fee: £19,600
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Collection and analysis of large datasets; social science advanced training for better policy analysis; assignments, individual and group projects, podcasts, blogs, presentations, and exams.
MSc in Data Science for Advanced Computer Science
Duration: 12 months
Fee: £27,500
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Learning skills to overcome challenges faced due to the data revolution, application of statistical techniques in modern data analysis, and a research project.
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3. University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews is located in St Andrews town and is Scotland’s first university. This institute is smaller in terms of campus and number of admitted students, resulting in personalized attention by the trainers toward the limited number of admitted students making it one of the well-renowned data science institutes in Scotland.
Furthermore, this institute teaches English, chemistry, biology, finance, economics, film studies, art history, and many more subjects. High student satisfaction, world-class degrees, global ranking and reputation, international experience, and amazing location are the five great reasons to study at the University of St Andrews.
This institute presents its candidates with 4 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from which are as follows-
MSc in Data Science
Duration: 1 year (PGCert)/ 2 years (PGDip)/ 3 years (MSc).
Fee (per year): £6,000
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: Online/Distance
Curriculum: Research methods, data mining methods, data visualization, the complete workflow of data science, and optimization techniques.
MSc in Data Science for Health
Duration: 1 year
Fee: £29,950
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Fundamentals of digital health, and medical data analysis with the help of digital technologies to overcome healthcare challenges.
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4. Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University has its roots in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. However, this university is truly ambitious about reaching students globally. It is one of the top-recognized data science institutes in Scotland with campuses across Malaysia, Dubai, and the UK.
STEM, business, and design courses are the specialities of Heriot-Watt University. This institute ranks at the top in the UK for teaching maths, engineering, science, and technology.
As per statistics, within 6 months after graduation, this university’s 95% of graduates move on to further studies or secure employment.
This institute presents its candidates with 8 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from out of which the detailed information about the top 2 is as follows-
MSc in Data Science for Actuarial Management
Duration: 1 year
Fee: £27,200
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Development and application of models, and actuarial subjects- CP3, CP2, CP1, SP9, SP6, SP5, SP4, and SP2.
MSc in Data Science
Duration: 2 years
Fee (per year): £24,496
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Statistical skills required for big data analysis, processing big data efficiently, and data visualization.
5. University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen ranks 4th in student satisfaction, according to the UK National Student Survey. It is one of the top data science institutes in Scotland and is recognized for its remarkable input into dealing with real-world challenges.
This institute has received 2 prizes, one for its global breakthrough in health and science and another one for its world-leading education and research in soil science.
Furthermore, the development of the first colour photography and research for the development of the first MRI scanner took place at the University of Aberdeen.
This institute presents its candidates with 3 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from out of which the detailed information about the top 2 is as follows-
BSc in Data Science
Duration: 4 years
Fee (per year): £24,800
Type: Bachelor’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Data analysis, modelling, and curation; programming and statistics; software engineering; machine learning and deep learning; cybersecurity and distributed systems; and AI.
MSc in Data Science
Duration: 12 months
Fee: £27,000
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Application of logical thinking, computer algorithms, and machine learning; tools like R & Python; and communication, computational, and mathematical skills.
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6. Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University has campuses in the heart of Glasgow and London City. It is one of the leading modern and largest data science universities in Scotland. This institute’s food science program ranks 1st in the United Kingdom.
According to statistics, within 15 months after graduation, 91% of this university’s graduates move on to further studies or secure employment, of which 83% secure jobs in highly skilled occupations.
This institute presents its candidates with 3 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from out of which the detailed information about the top 2 is as follows-
BSc in Data Science and AI
Duration: 4 years
Fee (per year): £15,200
Type: Bachelor’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: In the first two years- Basics of software development, computation, programming skills, and mathematics, and in the next two years- Advanced data science, data visualization, and machine learning.
Engineering with Applied Data Science (MSc)
Duration: 1 year
Fee: £18,800
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: Online/Distance
Curriculum: Development and application of data science tools; predictive analytics; dashboards for data visualization.
7. University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow has taught approximately 28,000 students from over 140+ countries. It also offers 350 internships per year to its students. This institute has made significant contributions toward various health fields like diabetes, cancer sciences, and cardiovascular disorders.
This university is making £1 billion worth of investments for a new campus which will consist research hub and a learning hub. As per statistics, within a year after graduation, this university’s 95.9% of graduates move on to further studies or secure employment.
This institute presents its candidates with 3 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from which are as follows-
MSc in Data Science
Duration: 12 months
Fee: £31,860
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Analysis and usage of large databases, and a research project using data science tools and techniques.
MSc in Geospatial Data Science & Geospatial Modeling
Duration: 12 months
Fee: £28,260
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Specialist programming, analytical, modelling, and geospatial skills; hands-on experience in geospatial statistics; and application of tools like Python.
PhD in Geospatial Data Science
Duration: 3 years
Fee (per year): £30,240
Type: Doctoral Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Innovative research in subjects related to geospatial data science.
8. University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is recognized as one of the leading data science universities in Scotland and worldwide. It is continuously evolving for nearly 150 years now.
As per statistics, within 15 months after graduation, this university’s 90% of graduates move on to further studies or secure employment. Furthermore, it ranks 6th for graduate prospects in Scotland.
Friendly and compact campus; and the closeness of campus amenities, recreational facilities, and accommodations are some of the many perks of this institute.
This institute presents its candidates with 4 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from out of which the detailed information about the top 3 is as follows-
BSc in Computer Science
Duration: 4 years
Type: Bachelor’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Machine learning, natural language processing, data visualization, and statistical modeling for the creation and application of intelligent systems for the analysis of large data sets; and hands-on live projects.
Computer Science with Industrial Placement (BSc)
Duration: 5 years
The course type, mode, and curriculum are the same as the above-mentioned course- BSc in Computer Science.
MSc in Engineering & Data Science
Duration: 15 months
Fee (per year): £26,600
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Fundamentals of data science and data engineering; storage, cleansing, management, and analysis of large data sets; creation of robust data systems with the help of cloud providers like Azure GCloud and AWS; introduction to data modelling and machine learning; and data visualization.
9. University of Stirling
The University of Stirling offers courses in economics, mathematics, history, film and media studies, culture and religion, etc. This university’s 23% student population consists of international students from approximately 100+ countries.
This institute presents its candidates with 4 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from out of which the detailed information about the top 3 is as follows-
MSc in Business with Data Science
Duration: 12 months
Fee: £22,900
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Advanced data analytics for better decision-making by businesses.
MSc in Data Science and Mathematics
Curriculum: Mathematical modelling, data analysis, and computational skills; and data science tools like R, Python, and other advanced techniques like machine learning and AI.
The course duration, fee, type, and mode are the same as the above-mentioned course- MSc in Business with Data Science.
Doctorate in Data Science
Duration: 36 months
Fee (per year): £17,400
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: In the first year, the teaching program is based on the University’s Data Science programs (MSc), and in the next two years, a research program with an industrial partner.
10. The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh is one of the most successful data science universities in Scotland. It offers various courses in several fields at its 3 colleges and 20 schools.
This institute ranks 4th in the UK for its leading research opportunities. Students here have the advantage of working with the most well-learned and influential faculty in the world.
This institute presents its candidates with 17 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from. However, the detailed information about the top 3 popular data science courses in Scotland offered by this institute are as follows-
MSc in Data Science
Duration: 12 months
Fee: £40,900
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Detecting patterns and making future predictions from datasets with the help of machine learning.
PhD in EPCC: Software Engineering; Data Science, and High-Performance Computing & Computational
Duration: 3 years
Fee (per year): £31,500
Type: Doctoral Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Studying subjects related to data science, high-performance computing & computational, sustainability & software engineering, and parallelism.
MSc in Data Science for Operational Research
Duration: 1 year
Fee: £29,900
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Mathematical techniques and their usage, operational research, statistics, and optimization.
11. Edinburgh Napier University
This University started as Napier Technical College in 1964 and later in 1992 expanded into a full-fledged Edinburgh Napier University. The faculty of creative, computing, and engineering industries; business school; and the faculty of social sciences, life, and health are the three most popular faculties at this institute.
This institute presents its candidates with 2 top data science courses in Scotland to choose from which are as follows-
BSc in Data Science
Duration: 4 years
Type: Bachelor’s Degree
Mode: On Campus
Curriculum: Artificial intelligence, coding, data analytics, data engineering, data management, data visualization, machine learning, and statistical methods; and a research project.
MSc in Data Science
Duration: 24 months
Fee (per year): £3,758
Type: Master’s Degree
Mode: Online/Distance
Curriculum: Develop an understanding of the business; computing, statistical, and analytical skills; and a dissertation project.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the average salary of a data scientist in Scotland?
The average salary of a data scientist in Scotland is £42,000 per year.
What are the essential components of good data science training programs in Scotland?
The essential components of good data science courses in Scotland are as follows-
- Fundamental Concepts
- Programming Languages
- Statistical Methods
- Machine Learning
- Data Visualization
- Practical Assignments
- Capstone Project
What are the 5 steps involved in a data science process?
The 5 crucial steps involved in a data science process are as follows-
- Obtaining Data
- Scrubbing Data
- Data Exploration
- Data Modeling
- Interpretation of Results
Conclusion
To conclude, data science combines various fields and skills such as statistics, mathematics, programming, engineering, etc. This is an evolving field in the data-driven world built all around us.
This article majorly covers everything one needs to know about a field before entering it-
- Meaning,
- Its application in various industries,
- Skills and responsibilities involved in data science and related jobs,
- Average salary of a data scientist in Scotland, and
- Top 11 data science courses in Scotland with placements.
Scotland is filled with world-leading universities, and the top data science institutes in Scotland and globally. Suppose you are truly interested in the data science field. In that case, all that is to be done is to choose from the finest data science courses listed in this article as per your convenience and suitability.
Happy Learning!