A Content Analysis of Data Science Degree Programmes in the UK

Fabian, Khristin

Abstract

Data science is an interdisciplinary programme of study. Conway’s (2010) data science diagram illustrates that data science is an intersection of domain knowledge, maths and statistics and computing. Just as data science is an interdisciplinary field, the training for data scientists also requires a multi-disciplinary approach. However, the industry reports that those applying for data science roles have technical and non-technical skills gap so, there’s a need to look at the content of data science programmes to identify potential gaps in curricular design. In the UK, there are 152 data science programmes including its named variants from 62 different providers. This study is a content analysis of the curricular offerings of 27 data science undergraduate degrees in the UK based on information available through university websites. This poster presentation shares an early work on mapping the undergraduate data science curricula using Conway’s data science diagram and the EDISON Data Science Framework (2017) as a means to map the curricular offerings. Early findings indicate that while interdisciplinarity is provided in the programmes, the content-focus varies dependent on the department offering the data science degree. For example, a data science programme offered through the maths department will have more modules on advanced maths and statistics whereas programmes offered through the computer science department will focus more on the computing aspect of data science such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. This structure can potentially lead to a fragmented skill set in graduates and gaps in knowledge. Implications for practice will be discussed.

Citation

Fabian, K. (2024, September). A Content Analysis of Data Science Degree Programmes in the UK. Presented at Royal Statistical Society International Conference 2024, Brighton

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Abstract
• Conference Name: Royal Statistical Society International Conference 2024
• Start Date: Sep 2, 2024
• End Date: Sep 5, 2024
• Publication Date: Sep 4, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jan 15, 2025
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• External URL: https://rss.org.uk/training-events/conference-2024/