NCI Course Details

This programme seeks to produce graduates who are able to provide insight, gain value and discover knowledge (at an organisational, societal, or personal level) from data through exercising the skills that are developed through the programmes.

Upon completion of this course, graduates will be able to:

• Develop statistical skills to carry out effective data analyses using descriptive and inferential statistics within a business context.
• Conduct substantial and extensive independent research and analysis in the field of Data Analytics.
• Formulate and implement a novel research idea using the latest industry practices.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge and a critical understanding of data analysis, statistics, and the tools, techniques and technologies of Data Analytics utilised in both technical and business contexts.
• Critically assess, evaluate and communicate business technical strategies for Data Analytics.
• Formulate, design, assess, and implement effective business technical solutions for Data Analytics.
• Critically assess and evaluate security, privacy, sustainability, and ethical issues associated with the storage, transfer, and processing of data for analytical purposes.

The course will be delivered using academic research, industry-defined practical problems, and case studies. This approach will naturally foster a deeper knowledge of the subject area and create transferable skills for work such as critical thinking, problem-solving, creative thinking, communication, teamwork, and research skills. The course is completely delivered by faculty and industry practitioners with proven expertise in data analytics.

This course will appeal to non-technical professionals and college graduates from non-technical disciplines who wish to upgrade their skills or simply advance their career in the domain of Data Analytics. The programme is particularly suitable for those with numeracy and analytical skills. You do not need to have previously studied programming. However, given the content and the timeframe you will need to have a strong commitment to the course and willingness to fully engage with the technical content.

2021 Graduates used the course to upskill or gain employment in roles such as Collection & Payable Analyst, Data Analyst, Business Process & Data Analyst, Junior Data Specialist, Scalability Analyst, OSM Planner, Trading Analyst, Market Specialist, Business Analyst.

Companies who hired from 2022 graduates of the Higher Diploma in Data Analytics include: Central Bank of Ireland (Statistics Analyst), Intel (Optimization Engineer), Commission for Communications Regulation (Business Analyst), Netscout (Principal Service Engineer), Pfizer (Data Scientist),Coinbase (Compliance Analyst), TikTok (Quality Analyst), Global Shares (Business Reporting Analyst), Citi (Digital Client Support), Enterprise Ireland (Senior Technologist), VHI (Data Analyst), Pinergy (Data Analyst).

Applicants will normally have an equivalent to an Irish Level 8 Honours in any discipline will be considered.

IELTS requirement – 6.0. View our English language Requirements for further information.

Please visit NCI's Your Country section to view the specific entry requirements for your region

This programme has a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy. Specifically, students are expected to successfully participate in lectures, laboratories and projects using a laptop computer with a substantial hardware configuration. A suitable configuration is 8GB of RAM (16GB are recommended); a modern 64-bit x86 processor (Intel i5 or superior); 250+ GB of available space in hard disk; WiFi card; and a recent version of Ubuntu, macOS or Windows. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure their laptop is functioning correctly and that they have full administrator rights to the machine. NCI IT does not provide support for personal devices.

This course requires internet access you will be required to ensure you have sufficient broadband speed and reliable connectivity from your place of study.

The Higher Diploma in Science in Data Analytics is awarded by QQI at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.Students who successfully complete this course may progress to a major award at level 9 such as the Masters of Science in Data Analytics.

The fee for this course for international students is €12,000. For more information on international fees, please visit International Fees & Funding and International Scholarships.

Learn more about studying at NCI as an international student.

Semester 1

• Statistics I
• Programming For Data Analytics
• Data Governance
• Career Bridge

Semester 2

• Statistics II
• Databases for Analytics
• Business Intelligence

Semester 3

• Machine Learning
• Project

The course will be assessed with a blend of continuous assessment and exams. This varies between modules but typically assessment is 50% continuous assessment and 50% exam. Please note that in some instances exams may take place in the daytime, evenings and at weekends.

International students joining the full-time version of this programme need to be available 09.00-21.00 Monday - Friday (class days and times vary).

Please note that exams can be scheduled during the morning, afternoon or evening Monday to Saturday.

3 semesters delivered over 1 year - September to December, January to May and May to August.