Ask an expert in data science and financial technology

“At Stirling, we take a data-driven approach to Financial Technology (Fintech), so the Big Data and Fintech courses share material such as data analytics. Big Data is more focused on technology - such as databases, scripting, machine learning and cluster computing - than Fintech, which has a focus on finance, banking and entrepreneurship. The computing part of the Fintech course is about cybersecurity, mobile apps and blockchain.”

“The courses were designed with one thing in mind: to prepare and qualify students for jobs in data science. We consulted with recruitment agencies and companies who hire data scientists and Fintech professionals, such as HSBC and MBN. Our goal was to give students the best CV that we could, which is why we do our best to find work placements for students during their summer project.

A great advantage of studying big data is the breadth of careers that are available after graduation. Our students have gone on to work in finance, marketing, health, sport, and local government, or in small start-up companies doing interesting things like computer vision and natural language processing.”

“For Big Data, you will need a numerate degree and some experience of either statistics or computer programming. This can be gained from online courses and relevant work experience is also beneficial.

Often, our students arrive with a diverse range of skills from different sectors and backgrounds, and we enjoy the challenge of bringing everyone up to speed and progressing forward as a group.

Yes, all of our data science courses can be studied either full-time for one year or part-time for two.”