A Graduate Certificate in Data Science opens the door to lucrative career opportunities. Choose from applied and foundational courses, with options to study for a Graduate Diploma in Data Science or a master's degree.
Build skills for a data science career, including professional and management roles, with a Graduate Certificate in Data Science online. The flexible course prepares you for data scientist jobs and is a pathway to Graduate Diploma in Data Science or a master's degree. Here is a selection of the best data science courses in Australia.
Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Science
To quickly get started on data science projects, a Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Science may be ideal. The 4-subject course uses case studies to develop job-ready skills. Students learn by doing, completing tasks such as cleaning up messy datasets, python programming, and presenting data visually. You still have the option to continue on for a masters.
University of Adelaide Graduate Certificate in Data Science (Applied)
The University of Adelaide’s Graduate Certificate in Data Science (Applied) allows you to build practical skills quickly. Students work with real datasets to complete the kinds of tasks you may encounter as a data science professional. The online course can be completed over 8 months of part-time, flexible study. As a graduate, you will have gained job-ready competencies, with the ability to do things such as clean data and program proficiently in Python.
Graduate Certificate in Data Science
A Graduate Certificate in Data Science consists of 4 subjects from a master's program with 12+ subjects. The grad cert in data science is generally a foundations or introductory course, covering core topics that are essential for mastery in the field. Graduates gain a solid platform for further study.
JCU Graduate Certificate of Data Science
James Cook University's Graduate Certificate of Data Science is a convenient, affordable way to get started in data science. Each of the 4 subjects takes less than 2 months to complete and you have full control over when you study. An intuitive online platform allows you to easily connect with classmates and academic staff. Topics covered include an introduction to the data science discipline and fundamental concepts, statistical methods, visualising big data, and database systems.
Graduate Certificate in Data Science at UNSW Online
Delivered 100% online, the Graduate Certificate in Data Science at UNSW is a 4-subject pathway program for a masters degree. Core topics are programming principles, data science foundations, and statistical inference for data scientists. You can also choose to study database systems or strategic decision making. The course is open to graduates with a relevant degree and/or 2+ years' experience as a data analyst or scientist. Each subject takes just 7 weeks and can be done while you work full-time.
What You'll Study (Course Structure)
As a foundations course, a Graduate Certificate in Data Science typically eases students into the discipline. Your instructors may outline data science methods, introduce programming, explore statistical and data visualisation techniques, and give students the opportunity to do applied projects.
Here are examples structures for the 4-subject online course.
The online Graduate Certificate in Data Science (Applied) from the University of Adelaide consists of 4 subjects:
- Data taming, modelling, and visualisation
- Foundations of computer sciences – Python A
- Applied data science
- Human and ethical factors in computer science
The JCU Online Graduate Certificate of Data Science brings together instruction from across the mathematics, information technology and business domains. The curriculum consists of these four subjects:
- Foundations for Data Science
- Statistical Methods for Data Science
- Data Visualisation
- Database Systems
UNSW Online’s Graduate Certificate in Data Science program is comprised of four online courses.
Core subjects
- Principles of Programming
- Foundations of Data Science
- Statistical Inference for Data Scientists
Electives
- Strategic Decision Making
- Database Systems
Entry Requirements
The entry requirements for a Graduate Certificate in Data Science vary by program. A bachelor degree with solid grades in a cognate (maths-heavy) discipline is generally a sufficient qualification. You may also be admitted based on relevant professional experience and/or evidence of academic ability in mathematics.
Here are examples of course admission requirements. Enquire for further details.
To be eligible for the Graduate Certificate in Data Science (Applied), you need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline with a minimum GPA of 4.5 (7.0 GPA scale).
If English is not your first language of instruction, you must demonstrate that you meet Minimum English Language Requirements.
More informationThe JCU Graduate Certificate of Data Science is open to students who have a bachelor degree plus high-school intermediate-level mathematics (basic algebra and differential calculus) OR five years of relevant work experience (with high numeracy skills).
Applicants from a non-English speaking background must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 2 – Schedule II of JCU's Admissions Policy.
More informationTo be eligible for the Graduate Certificate in Data Science, you must have a bachelor degree in Data Science or cognate discipline (e.g. Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics) OR a bachelor degree in a non-cognate discipline and sufficient Data Science background as indicated by an average of 65 or above across three Level III courses in Mathematics and/or Statistics and/or Computer Science and/or Econometrics OR a degree in a non-cognate discipline and sufficient Data Science background as indicated by 2+ years of experience in a data science or data analytics role.
More informationGraduate Certificate in Data Analytics
A data analytics specialisation may be more suitable if you want to do less coding and be more involved in the decision-influencing side of data science.
Data analysts spend limited time on data mining and other coding-intensive tasks, instead producing statistics for data-driven decision making. At the extremity are business analysts and business intelligence analysts. They pragmatically use well-structured data for tasks such as solving business problems and reporting market trends.
A grad cert in this field may be sufficient for you to start working as a data analyst in Australia... READ MORE
Graduate Diploma in Data Science
A Graduate Diploma in Data Science is a popular extension of the graduate certificate course that provides advanced training in key areas. Data science is a demanding profession in terms of the skillset required and a graduate diploma may offer you the right balance. You gain a strong skills foundation for a career as a data scientist while still leaving room for doing professional development in your own way after graduating.
Graduate Diploma in Data Science at UNSW Online
UNSW Online's Graduate Diploma in Data Science is an 8-subject course consisting of 5 core subjects and your choice of 3 electives. Core topics are programming principles, data science foundations, statistical inference for data scientists, data mining and machine learning, and regression analysis for data scientists. The 3 electives can be chosen from a suite of 9 contained in the data science masters program at UNSW Online. Using UNSW Online's fast-tracked model, you can graduate with your customised graduate diploma in as little as 16 months of part-time study.
