BSc (Hons) Data Science with year in Industry Bachelor's degree at the University of Bristol
BSc (Hons) Data Science with year in Industry at University of Bristol. Data science, at its core, is about coaxing knowledge out of data by combining mathematical, statistical and computational approaches, and this course builds a four-year path through those three strands with a full year in industry woven…
About this course
Data science combines mathematical, statistical and computational approaches to enable knowledge discovery from data. From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Data Science with year in Industry is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Bristol. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Computer science graduates from this provider, 86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 90% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £38,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Computer Science, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 86% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
- Mathematical Tools for Data Science
- Advanced Linear Modelling and Classification
- Algorithms and Machine Learning
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The course is built around the three pillars named in Bristol's own description of the field: mathematics, statistics and computation, all aimed at knowledge discovery from data. Early years establish the grounding in these areas, the probability theory, linear algebra and programming skills that everything else depends on, before moving into the methods used to analyse, model and interpret data at scale. As you progress, you'll have the chance to shape your studies toward areas such as Software Engineering, Data Science, AI & Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Web & Mobile, Cloud & DevOps, Games, and HCI. These give the degree room to bend towards what interests you, whether that's building systems, training models, securing infrastructure or designing how people interact with technology. The placement year is the structural centrepiece of the four-year version of the course. It sits between the earlier academic years and the final year, giving you a sustained period in a professional data science or computing role before you return to complete your degree. Coming back to academic study after a year in a workplace tends to change how you approach your final-year project and modules, you've seen how the theory gets used, and you bring that back into the classroom. Because the course is RSS-accredited for Graduate Statistician eligibility, the statistical components are held to a standard recognised by that professional body, which is worth knowing if you're weighing up how the degree connects to statistics as a profession as well as a discipline.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who's genuinely curious about what's hiding inside a dataset, not just comfortable with numbers, but interested in the reasoning behind a statistical model or the logic behind a piece of code, and willing to sit with a problem until it resolves. Most people who end up on courses like this have some background in mathematics or a related quantitative subject; among recent entrants, the majority arrived with A-levels or equivalent, most commonly in the 224–239 UCAS tariff range, though that reflects what past students actually had rather than a fixed bar you need to clear. It also suits someone who wants their degree to include a genuine break from continuous academic study, the year in industry means a chunk of your course will be spent in a workplace rather than a lecture theatre, which appeals to people who learn best by doing and who want to test out what a data science career actually feels like before committing to it. You should be prepared for the shift in gears that involves: swapping the rhythm of term time for the rhythm of a job, then swapping back again for your final year. Expect plenty of self-directed problem-solving, technical depth that builds steadily rather than arriving all at once, and long stretches where you're working independently on code or analysis rather than being talked through it. If you like the idea of specialising, leaning into machine learning, or cyber security, or human-computer interaction, but want a broad grounding first, this kind of structure gives you room to find that out for yourself.
Careers & job market
Nationally, across Computer Science courses, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after finishing, and 75% of those in work are in roles classed as highly skilled. These figures describe outcomes for Computer Science graduates across the UK generally, drawn from Graduate Outcomes and LEO data, rather than results specific to this course or university, but they give a reasonable sense of the landscape graduates in this field are entering. On earnings, national data for the field shows starting salaries (15 months after graduation) typically falling between £25,000 and £35,000. Three years on, the range sits at £23,375 to £33,000, and by five years it moves up to £29,750 to £42,000. Again, these are national figures for the sector as a whole, not a promise tied to this specific degree, and they'll vary depending on role, location and specialisation. The RSS accreditation is one concrete thing this course offers toward career direction: it opens up eligibility for Graduate Statistician status, a recognised step for anyone considering a career built more explicitly around statistics. Beyond that, the breadth of specialisation options, from software engineering through to AI, cyber security and HCI, means graduates head into a fairly wide spread of roles across data-driven industries, tech companies and research settings, with the year in industry often giving graduates a head start in terms of direct workplace experience and professional contacts before they even finish the degree. Nationally, 85% of students on comparable courses continue past their first year, which is a modest signal of how sustainable this kind of degree tends to be once students get into its rhythm.
University & format
This is a full-time course delivered in English over four years, the extra year accounting for the placement built into the structure. It's studied at the University of Bristol, a public, research-intensive Russell Group university founded in 1909, with a total student population of 27,513. The university also maintains its own funding pages covering bursaries and scholarships, worth checking directly if cost is a factor in your decision. Formally, the degree is a Bachelor's award, graded as a BSc (Hons), and it carries the professional accreditation of the Royal Statistical Society. As a UK degree-awarding body, the University of Bristol's qualifications are nationally recognised, and the institution holds a Silver rating for teaching quality under the Office for Students' TEF 2023 framework.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Find out if you are eligible for a contextual offer. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Year in industry. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 70% |
| Other | 15% |
| a Baccalaureate | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Bristol →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Computer Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £38,000 | £34,000 – £47,000 | 25 |
| 3 years after | £48,000 | £39,000 – £65,000 | 75 |
| 5 years after | £72,000 | £49,500 – £98,000 | 85 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate / Junior DeveloperFirst engineering role · 0–2 yrs
- 2Software EngineerShipping features end-to-end · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / Lead EngineerOwning systems and mentoring · 5–9 yrs
- 4Principal / Engineering ManagerArchitecture or leading teams · 9+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Computer Science nationally
National figures for Computer Science graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Computer Science courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,820 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 75% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 85; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is BSc (Hons) Data Science with year in Industry worth it?
Yes, for most students BSc (Hons) Data Science with year in Industry is well worth it. On its graduates’ median earnings, the course is worth about +£440,840 more over the first ten years of work than going straight to a job, after the fees you pay.
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 4 years of wages given up while studying. The line clears zero around year 8.3. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £9,790/yr over 4 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
Job market & outlook
How Computer Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Boilerplate and scaffolding code
- First-pass tests and docs
- Routine debugging and refactors
- Standard data wrangling
More human than ever
- System design and architecture trade-offs
- Reviewing and owning correctness & security
- Translating fuzzy problems into software
- Leading delivery and mentoring
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Computer Science graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Tech companies
- Banks & fintech
- Consultancies
- Government (GDS) & startups
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Computer Science graduates.
Software Developer Placement Programme No experience neededIT Online LearningSoftware Developer - .NET & Azure for Green Energy ProjectsOfgemSoftware Developer Backend (SFIA5)ZaiziSoftware Developer (Mobile Apps) in Guildford - ECM Selection (Holdings) LimitedJava Script WorksSoftware Developer (Contract) – Higher Education Projects (UK)Burman RecruitmentSoftware Developer – Distributed Scheduling & Workload OrchestrationCGG Services (UK) LimitedIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Published home tuition is £9,790/year for this course. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £38,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.7 out of 10: NSS 83.6% · in work or study 86% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Bristol
Computing across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of Bristol
4,849 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Computer Science right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Bristol from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £31,300 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Bristol’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Bristol and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Bristol
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
Request information about BSc (Hons) Data Science with year in Industry
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.