Did you know? ‘Data Scientist’ was named the sexiest job of the 21st century by Harvard Business Review. Meanwhile, the very same article tells us that “demand has raced ahead of supply” and that the lack of data scientists “is becoming a serious constraint in some sectors.”
Two years ago, the Data Scientist came in 5th in LinkedIn's 2020 Emerging Jobs Report for Singapore. And with 2022 now upon us, it is still not too late to jump onto the data science bandwagon—education in Singapore certainly has! For this purpose, we’ve gathered the possible options to equip yourself with this skill in Singapore.
Ideally, competitive data science programmes should provide rigorous training in mathematics and statistics, as well as cutting-edge tools used in the industry. Most leading data scientists in the industry today have solid statistics, mathematics, computer science & even economics backgrounds (at the graduate level or above). After all, these are fields where you’re likely to get a strong foundation in quantitative skills.
However, a new breed of data science programmes has arisen globally. This is likely to keep pace with the growing industry demand, perhaps offering unique inter-disciplinary curriculums. Specifically, it is a combination of computer science, statistics, operations research, engineering, business insights & strategy.
Their name? Well, programmes which offer a similar skill-set to data science, but with a greater emphasis on business, usually fall under the title of ‘business analytics’ or just ‘analytics’. Here, we’ve added these programmes to the list to give you another point of view. Oh, and ‘Business intelligence’ is another keyword to look out for!
Without further ado, here's a list of data science offerings in Singapore:
- 4-year honours degree
- Collaboration between the Faculty of Science and the School of Computing within the Faculty of Science, jointly offered by the Department of Statistics and Applied Probability and Department of Mathematics
- Recent programme; the first cohort started in AY2016/2017
- First Data Science and Analytics Degree Programme in Singapore, with the option to specialise in Operations Research or/and Statistical Methodology.
- Industry-driven capstone project
- Modules in mathematics, statistics & computer science
- Per Annum Tuition Fees (for AY2022/2023 only):
- Citizens on MoE TG: S$8,200; PR on MoE TG: S$11,500
- Int’l Students on MoE TG: S$17,550
- Students not on MoE TG: S$38,200
2. National University of Singapore –B.Sc. Business Analytics
- 4-year honours degree
- Offered by NUS’ School of Computing
- Additional participation from Business School, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
- First two years: inter-disciplinary curriculum—mathematics, statistics, accounting, marketing, economics, decision science, industrial & systems engineering, computer science, information systems
- Years3 & 4: Electives such as in logistics, retailing, healthcare,
- Per Annum Tuition Fees (for AY2022/2023 only):
- Citizens on MoE TG: S$8,200; PR on MoE TG: S$11,500
- Int’l Students on MoE TG: S$17,550
- Students not on MoE TG: S$38,200
3. NTU – Bachelor of Business, Business Analytics specialisation
- 3-year honours degree
- Nanyang Business School—one of Asia’s top business schools
- Specialisation starts from Year 2 of the bachelor’s degree.
- Curriculum: business insights, data modelling, data management focus in business operations,
- Tuition Fees per annum (2022/23 rate):
- Citizens on MoE TG: S$9,400; PR on MoE TG: S$13,200
- Int’l Students on MoE TG: S$20,100
- Students not on MoE TG: S$36,830
- Admits 60 students each year
- Career opportunities: management & technology consulting, consumer analytics & marketing, supply chain management, risk management and business forecasting across industries (retail, hospitality, healthcare, finance)
4. James Cook University – Bachelor of Business, Business Intelligence & Information Systems major
- Full-time: 2 years
- Curriculum: Fundamentals of Problem Solving and Programming, Web Design and Development, Information Processing and Management, Database Modelling, Collective Intelligence & Social Networks, e-Strategic Management, Data Mining, Information Security
- Pre-requisites:
- 12 years education OR JCU Singapore Foundation Programme
- IELTS 6.0 OR TOEFL iBT 79 and above OR JCU ELP
- Overall Tuition Fee (including GST, as of 2022):
- Citizens/PR: S$57,264
- International: S$59,832
- Intakes in March, July, November
- Target Careers: business analyst, e-business manager, information systems consultant, project manager
5. Amity Global Institute – Bachelor of Science Honours in Computer Science (Data Science)
- Awarded by University of London
- 3 years (Full time or part-time)
- Curriculum: machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data analytics. Includes a final project.
- Pre-requisites: Local polytechnic diploma in any field of study/2 H2 A-Levels passes and 1 H1 A-level pass with GP or KI/equivalent qualification. Mature students who are at least 30 years of age are also welcome and should have at least 8 years of working experience.
- Fees: $63,500
SIM offers the Master of Science in Data Science awarded by the University of London.
How to choose a
Data Science & Analytics course?
Download this free PDF, 5 steps to choosing a Data Science & Analytics Course from an industry insider's perspective.
- EduTrust PEI – registered with CPE
- 4 months full-time OR 9 months part-time
- Receive statements of attainment from SSG as well as a Diploma Certificate from Lithan Academy
- Curriculum: Azure Machine Learning, Transact-SQL, ggplot2 and more
- Full Programme Fee: S$1,278 – 5,778 depending on applicable grants and sponsorships
- SSG funding for citizens/PR
- Pre-requisites: 3 GCE A-Level passes or its equivalent + minimum 1-year experience in statistics or programming. Applicants should be 21 and above
- Meant for existing IT professionals and non-IT professionals interested in Data Scientist careers
- Job placement assistance available after graduation, helping 500 locals (Singaporeans & PRs) found their dream careers every year.
- Target Job Role: Data Scientist
2. Singapore Polytechnic – Specialist Diploma in Data Science
- 1 year (part-time: 2 days a week, 3 hours each)
- 2 certificates awarded: a Certificate in Fundamentals of Data Science and a Certificate in Data Analytics
- Curriculum: 4 modules covering Statistics for Data Science, Programming for Data Science, Data Mining Techniques and Applied Statistical Methods
- Geared towards working adults in sectors that require knowledge in Data Science, who possess a strong foundation in Math
- Fees range from from S$612.61–5,932. depending on age, citizenship and applicable support schemes.
- Requirements for admission: An engineering Diploma from a polytechnic in Singapore, or any Diploma/Degree from a poly/uni in Singapore (with a minimum grade in Math). Those with relevant work experience are also welcome to apply.
3. Nanyang Polytechnic – Specialist Diploma in Business & Big Data Analytics
- 300 hours, with the number of classes per week dependent on the choices of the Post-Diplomas (PDCs) offered (applicants to choose 2 out of 3). 100% online for day classes, blended learning for night classes
- Curriculum: Choose two out of 3 PDCs (Post-Diploma Certificate in Business Analytics/Post-Diploma Certificate in Big Data Analytics/Post-Diploma Certificate in Big Data Management)
- Geared towards Business Intelligence (BI) practitioners and IT professionals
- Fees start from S$370+ and can go up to S$7000+, depending on which PDCs are chosen and applicable support schemes/subsidies.
- Requirements: A recognized bachelor degree (or higher), preferably in IT, Business, Engineering or Mathematics. Relevant polytechnic diploma graduates with at least 2 years’ related working experience, and working professionals with at least 5 years of relevant experience, would also be considered.
4. Ngee Ann Polytechnic – Diploma in Data Science
- 3 years full-time
- Curriculum: Programming, Data Science, Machine Learning, frameworks, and more. Curriculum includes a Capstone project, industry-driven data training, and a one-year Industry Kickstart Programme. It also includes exposure to national level competitions and the opportunity to pursue additional professional certifications
- Students will be able to receive advanced standing for relevant programmes offered in local universities and overseas
- Fees (AY 2022): S$3,000 for Singaporeans, S$6,200 for PRs, S$11,400 for international students
How to choose a
Data Science & Analytics course?
Download this free PDF, 5 steps to choosing a Data Science & Analytics Course from an industry insider's perspective.
Short courses
1. Vertical Institute – Data Science Bootcamp/Data Analytics Bootcamp
- 21 hours long – 7 lessons of 3 hours each
- Taught online via Zoom
- 1 instructor and 2-3 teaching assistants
- Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) accredited with industry-recognised certification
- Classes conducted by leading experts from Google, Grab, Alibaba and more
- Beginner-friendly, zero background knowledge required
- Apply acquired knowledge and skills to create a capstone project solving a real-world data problem
- Bootcamps: Data Science | Data Analytic | UX design
- Full course fee is $2,675 before subsidies
- Course fee reducible to $267.50 to $802.50 upon IBF subsidy (up to 90%, applicable to all Singaporeans and PRs)
- Remainder can be offset using SkillsFuture Credits and NTUC UTAP
2. SUTD – Foundation of Data Science course
- 4 days, once a week
- By SUTD Information Systems Technology and Design (ISTD) dept
- As the course title says, it is a basic course introducing data science, open to beginners with basic computer knowledge
- Pre-requisites: none
- Curriculum: Introduction to data science, data visualisation, Business statistics, quizzes and project design
- Part of the Skillsfuture series of courses, 2023’s Mar intake is currently accepting applications. There may be course dates for their Introduction to Data Science course.
- Fees: S$4,815, S$544.50 – S$1444.50 depending on receivable grants
3: SUSS – Fundamentals of data mining
- 6 months (part-time)
- The course gives a brief overview of data mining (methodologies, preparations and explorations), and then goes ahead to introduce how these can be applied to business analytics problems.
- Pre-requisites: At least a polytechnic diploma
- Curriculum: Topics include Process of data mining as well as Model evaluation
- Skillsfuture claimable
- Fees: S$1,378.00 (pre-grant)
4. General Assembly – Data Science Course: Singapore
- Taught by data professionals from top companies like Atlassian, Capital One, and Deloitte
- 60 hours of coursework and up to 25 hours of self-paced pre-work. Includes a capstone project.
- 10 weeks online (held in the evenings)
- Fees: S$5,350 without company sponsorship,, with instalment plans available
5. UpLevel – Data Science Project-Based Learning Course
- 4 – 6 weeks of hands-on learning
- Complete your very own data science project
- Curriculum: hard skills and soft skills. Please enquire with them for more information
- Pre-requisites: A basic level of proficiency in Python
- Fees: Credit-based model. Various credit and subscription packages are available
6. Heicoders Academy – Artificial Intelligence Track
- Curriculum is developed by a team of data science professionals who studied and worked in Silicon Valley. Their instructors are data science professionals currently working in large MNCs and tech companies.
- Their artificial intelligence track comprises 2 courses:
- Course duration:
- 24 hours of class time (3 hours/week)
- 15-24 hours spent on weekly take-home assignments and capstone projects (data visualisation project for AI100 and machine learning prediction competition for AI200)
- Curriculum: Python programming, interactive data visualisation, geospatial visualisation, regression and classification models, ensemble learning, clustering models, feature engineering and recommender systems
- Fees: $120–2400, depending on relevant subsidies
7. Hackwagon – Data Science 101
- Curriculum is beginner friendly
- Their data science track comprises Data Science 101, Data Science 102 and Data Science 103
- Course duration:
- 21 hours of class time (3 hours/week)
- 15-24 hours spent on weekly take-home assignments and capstone projects (data visualisation project for AI100 and machine learning prediction competition for AI200)
- Curriculum: Projects, Python expressions, Structures, Collections and Iterations
- Fees: As low as S$200 depending on relevant subsidies (amount may increase after 31 Dec 2022)
Masters
1. NTU – Master of Science in Analytics
- One-year programme by coursework
- Interdisciplinary: School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), School of Computer Engineering, and Nanyang Business School
- Curriculum: statistics, optimization, and data analysis; exposure to software systems, practical applications, and case studies.
- Meant for both fresh graduates and working adults with degrees in quantitative majors
- Industry partners – PWC, Breadtalk, Charles & Keith, JR Group Holdings
- Students will be attached to one of the partners as interns
- Open to fresh graduates and working adults with relevant degrees and working experience. Those who do not have sufficient mathematical knowledge will have to take a bridging module, Mathematics for Artificial Intelligence
- Tuition Fees for AY2022/2023 (inclusive of GST):
- Citizens: S$39,000
- PR : S$46,500
- International: S$58,000
- NTU alumni are entitled to 10% off tuition fees (before GST)
2. SMU – Master of IT in Business, Analytics track
- Full-time 1-2 years; Part-time 2-4 years
- By School of Information Systems
- Meant for professionals with computer science, information systems, engineering or science background
- Pre-requisites: GRE/GMAT; TOEFL/IELTS; bachelor’s degree in fields mentioned above; 2 or more years of relevant work experience preferred
- Curriculum: Analytics Technology & Applications, IT & Project Management, General Management for Technology & Operations, Internship/Capstone Project
- Strong industry links; industry seminar and networking once a month
- Two intakes each year: January, August
- Tuition Fees (Aug 2019 intake onwards): S$48,150
3. National University of Singapore – M.S. Business Analytics
- Part-time (4 semesters or 2 years); Full-time (2 semesters or 1 year)
- Collaboration between NUS Business School (3rd in Asia) and NUS School of Computing (1st in Asia)
- Close industry links – e.g. IBM
- Industry-linked capstone consulting project
- Five essential modules: statistics, deterministic operations research, analytics in managerial economics, decision-making technologies, data management and warehousing
- Pre-requisites: First-year calculus and linear algebra
- Good GRE/GMAT Quants score (some exceptions)
- 2 years’ industry experience
- Overall Tuition Fee (2021/22 intake, pre GST)
- Citizens & PR: S$53,000
- International: S$58,000
4. PSB Academy – Master of Analytics
- Awarded by Massey University, NZ
- Full-time 12 months, Part-time 24 months
- Consists of Finance Track and Marketing Track
- Compulsory modules include Introduction to Analytics, Multivariate Analysis for Big Data, Practical Data Mining, and Applied Econometric Methods
- Applied Analytics Final Project
- Pre-requisites: Bachelors’ Degree with B+ average, an IELTS 6.5 score of no less than 6.0
- Upon completion of this degree, you will receive the globally-recognised SAS certification.
- Fees: S$27,071.00
As always, choose a programme in line with your needs and situation. In the meantime, you can stay updated with the latest happenings in data science by following DataScience SG on Facebook or by attending their events. Specifically, be on the lookout for data science ‘boot camps’ as well as MOOC specializations, though these may not give you the adequate depth to start a career in this field.
Disclaimer: Ultimately, these programmes are listed in no particular order. Next, the fees and other data are accurate as of Nov 2022 unless otherwise reflected. Also, do note that this list is not an endorsement of the programmes within. Naturally, you should always do adequate research to see if a programme is a good fit for you!
Tired of searching and comparing various various data science and analytics courses?
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