NCI Course Details

Graduates of this course can apply data transformation, modelling, data mining and machine learning techniques to analyse and derive new knowledge and insight from data; understand how to design and implement data science algorithms and applications that solve real-world problems; can effectively visualise and communicate the results of data analysis to support business decision making; and are able to adopt appropriate professional, ethical, legal, security and privacy principles in relation to data science solutions.

Dr. Arghir-Nicolae Moldovan, Programme Director of the BSc (Honours) in Data Science at National College of Ireland, discusses the structure of the course, the benefits of studying data science, the employment opportunities the course offers along with the support the college provides for our students in the video below.

Join us at one of our upcoming CAO Open Day events were you will have the opportunity to chat to lecturers, experience the NCI campus and attend sample classes to get a taste of our CAO courses.

Click on the links below for more information:

• Saturday, November 23rd - 10am-1pm
• Saturday, January 25th 2025 - 10am-1pm
• Saturday, May 10th 2025 - 10am-1pm
• Saturday, June 28th 2025 - 10am-1pm

Year 1

Semester 1

• Computational Thinking
• Discrete Mathematics
• Programming Concepts
• Introduction to Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
• Web Design & Development

Semester 2

• Computer Architecture
• Introduction to Data Modelling & Databases
• The Computing Industry
• Introduction to Programming
• Operating Systems

Year 2

Semester 1

• Advanced Databases
• Object Oriented Programming
• Data Programming
• Web Application Development
• Statistics I

Semester 2

• Innovation & Business Entrepreneurship
• Data Mining & Machine Learning
• Data Visualisation
• Linear Algebra
• Statistics II

Year 3

Semester 1

• Artificial Intelligence
• Advanced Machine Learning
• Data Architecture
• Data Warehousing & Business Intelligence
• Scalable Data Analytics

Semester 2

Students will choose one of the following options:

• Work Placement
• Academic Internship
• Service Learning

Year 4

Semester 1

• Final Year Project
• Governance, Ethics, Security & Sustainability
• Neural Networks & Prescriptive Analytics
• Text Analytics & Natural Language Processing

Semester 2

• Final Year Project
• Applied Deep Learning
• IoT Real Time Analytics
• Time Series & Financial Analytics

Electives may include prerequisites, are subject to change, and availability is subject to class sizes.

For information on the modules taught on this course view our module descriptors.

This course will appeal to students who are interested in developing computing and numeracy skills and pursue a career in data science.

The course is for school leavers, mature students, and graduates of QQI level 5/6 programmes who wish to embark on a course of full-time study.

This four-year undergraduate course is run over eight semesters with continuous assessment held throughout and examinations at the end of each semester. On completion you will receive a QQI BSc (Honours) Degree in Data Science at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications. The course also prepares students for industry recognised certification in leading technologies.

The course is industry focused with a six-month work placement in the third year, which will significantly improve your skills and enhance your employability.

NCI students are highly sought after and complete their work experience in companies like Microsoft, Eir, AIB, Irish Life, Vodafone, Intel, Citi, SAP and Workday.

Graduates from the BSc (Honours) in Data Science go on to work with a variety of organisations including multinationals, financial services and professional services companies. Related data science roles include data scientist, business intelligence analyst, customer insight lead, risk analyst, knowledge engineer, and data programmer.

According to a Higher Education Outcomes Report released by the CSO, ICT graduates in 2010 had the highest median earnings 10 years after graduation compared to other sectors based on the analysis of the destinations of students who graduated between 2010 and 2019

Upon successful completion of the BSc (Honours) in Data Science, graduates can progress to postgraduate courses in computing at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications such as the MSc in Data Analytics, MSc in Cybersecurity, MSc in Cloud Computing, MSc in Fintech or the MSc in Artificial Intelligence at National College of Ireland.

2024 CAO Points Guide :* 260

*For each course we have given a guideline based on our points over the past 3 years. This is a guide only, points vary each year.

The CAO course code is NC025.

Minimum entry requirements are a grade H5 and above in two higher level subjects together with a minimum of O6/H7 in four other subjects. A minimum of grade O4/H7 must be obtained in Mathematics. A minimum of grade O6/H7 must be obtained in English or Irish. These entry requirements are subject to QQI validation and will be confirmed in the coming weeks. 

For applicants whose first language is not English, please note the English language entry requirements.

For international students, please visit NCI's Your Country section to view the specific entry requirements for your region.

Mature applicants, applicants with a disability or those apply through the DARE or HEAR access schemes can find out more information on the application process. 

Applicants from a PLC/further education course must have a full level 5/6 award, three distinctions and meet the CAO points requirement. 

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

NCI strongly advises that all students should have access to a suitable laptop for their course. A student Laptop Loan Scheme may be available for certain eligible students.

The College recommends the following laptop requirements for students joining this course:

Processor:

Intel 7th (or higher) generation processors (Core i-3, i-5, i-7,i-9-7x)
or AMD Ryzen 3rd generation processors, running at 2.0GHz and above (Intel Atom/Celeron or AMD Athlon/Sempron Processors may cost less, but may not meet your requirements)

Random Access Memory (RAM):
8 GB minimum

Solid State Drive (SSD) Capacity:
256 GB minimum

Wireless Card:
802.11 a/b/g/n compliant with Bluetooth Capability (incompatibilities have been noted with the Qualcomm Atheros Wireless Adapters and software device drivers)

Graphics Card:
Direct X9 or later

Supported Operating Systems:
Windows 10 Home/Pro

This course qualifies under the Free Fees Initiative and the Student Grant Scheme.

Did you know you can apply for a Sports Scholarship at NCI?

Watch this video to hear from our current sports scholars Stephen Achukwu (basketball) and Adam Leonard (football):

The fee for this course for international students is €10,000 per year. For more information on international fees, please visit International Fees & Funding and International Scholarships.

Learn more about studying at NCI as an international student.

For domestic students applying through the CAO, this course applies under the free fees initiative. For further information, please see Free Fees Initiative.