MSc Big Data Analytics

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on the application of knowledge. You’ll engage with the Hallam community and beyond, collaborating with experts in your areas of interest, and being challenged to think in new ways – all in a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

On this course you’ll gain key skills and knowledge in data collection, storage, processing, analysis and visualisation. Through lectures and practical tutorials, you’ll learn how to apply big data tools and systems to different data tasks and problems – as well as how to analyse and communicate data effectively.

The main aim is to prepare you for employment in big data analytics, so we keep a close eye on industry developments while carefully choosing the topics and technical content of the modules you’ll study. While consulting with our industry partners and connections, we work with subject matter experts to understand the latest industry trends and needs.

As part of the course, you’ll also develop your research skills, preparing to undertake your own significant piece of work in the field as a dissertation project. This allows you to develop and tailor your understanding of a specific data-related topic that’s relevant to your career aspirations. You’ll be supported by a dissertation supervisor who is a subject matter expert.

You learn through:

• lectures
• hands-on lab sessions and tutorials
• regular feedback
• teamwork and group-based learning
• practice-based applied learning
• discussions
• self-study

Key themes

The MSc in Big Data Analytics course emphasises mastering industry-relevant software like SAS, R, Python, and Hadoop. You’ll learn to apply machine learning and AI techniques to large datasets and tackle real-world problems through hands-on projects.

You’ll learn through practice – starting by understanding the organisational data and developing business questions around the ’who, what, where and when’ principles. You’ll then bring together multiple real-time datasets to develop a decision-support system, making recommendations by interpreting the data with Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) tools.

The course also focuses on business intelligence processes, teaching you to interpret data in a business context and make informed decisions. Ethical considerations and effective communication of data insights are integral – you’ll be gaining the skills and knowledge you’ll need for high-demand roles in today's data-driven industries.

Applied learning

Work Experience

This course also has a work experience route that offers a placement in industry of up to 12 months. For further information, please see MSc Big Data Analytics (Work Experience).

Live projects

You’ll use your skills and knowledge to solve data-related problems by working on real-world projects with online data.

For example, you could produce a month-by-month breakdown of flight delays, by destinations, airlines and weather, for a specific date range, to help airports better understand how to make their operations more efficient. Or you could be working with data in relation to policing, energy or road traffic accidents – creating data-driven solutions for everyday real-world challenges.

Networking Opportunities

Throughout the course you’ll have numerous networking opportunities to help you with your career – from career fairs and workshops, to employer presentations and visits, as well as guidance from professional advisers.

Sheffield Hallam University is an SAP Student Academy and a founding member of the SAP University Alliance.

Our MSc in big data analytics is designed to enhance your data analysis skills – providing new personal insights and skill development to help you advance your career. You’ll gain the skills, knowledge and experience that modern organisations seek from their data analysts.

Previous graduates have gone on to develop successful careers in senior roles – in a wide range of opportunities across the world, in fields such as:

• customer insight analysis
• credit risk analysis
• fraud analysis
• forensic analysis
• big data architecture
• business intelligence development
• digital analysis
• data science

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:

• The Bank of England
• HSBC
• Tata Consultancy Services
• HM Revenue and Customs
• Axis Bank