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Computer Science with Data Science

BSc (NFQ Level 8)
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Internships Available
Study Abroad

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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If you have an interest in technology and trends, this degree subject could be for you. At its core, data science is about extracting insights from data that can transform the way a company operates. For example, understanding data can match millions of businesses with new customers around the world in the areas of advertising and e-commerce. Mining large-scale data sets based on our health can inform pharmaceutical companies when choosing new medicines to develop and capturing data streams from wearable devices can improve our understanding of our habits and routines. Agri-food, energy, transport, government and education are all examples of industries on the verge of being transformed by the power of data-driven methods.

About This Course

Computer Science is a common entry course and offers the following two degree subjects:

If you have an interest in technology and trends, this degree subject could be for you. At its core, data science is about extracting insights from data that can transform the way a company operates. For example, understanding data can match millions of businesses with new customers around the world in the areas of advertising and e-commerce. Mining large-scale data sets based on our health can inform pharmaceutical companies when choosing new medicines to develop and capturing data streams from wearable devices can improve our understanding of our habits and routines. Agri-food, energy, transport, government and education are all examples of industries on the verge of being transformed by the power of data-driven methods.

Information on all our courses including pathways, internships and careers information is available in the UCD Science Undergraduate Courses Entry 2025 Brochure (PDF).

Computer Science with Data Science is one of the degree subjects available through the common entry Computer Science DN201 course. This degree follows the same first two years as the BSc in Computer Science, which will give you an excellent foundation in computer science and mathematics. The in-depth focus on Data Science begins in third year, when you will study Statistics, Data Management and Data Analytics. The aim is to provide the technical depth and the practical experience that you will need to stand out in an increasingly demanding market place. Modules will include hands-on experience with contemporary data science tools such as Hadoop, NoSQL, Python, SciPy, SciKit.Learn, Matplotlib, Numpy and Pandas.

This is a sample pathway for a degree in Computer Science with Data Science. Sample topics include Machine Learning, Probability Theory, Introduction to AI, Data Science in Python, Data Mining, Information Visualisation, Programming for Big Data, and Deep Learning.

First Year

Algorithmic Problem Solving • Introduction to Comp Architecture • Formal Foundations • Computer Programming • Functional Programming • Software Engineering Project • Foundations of Mathematics for Computer Science • Statistics with Python • Elective/ Option module

Second Year

Digital Systems • Databases and Information Systems • Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science • Object-Oriented Programming • Computer Networking • Software Engineering Project • Introduction to Operating Systems • Data Structures • Algorithms • Linear Algebra

Third Year

Data Science in Python • Probability Theory • Introduction to Artificial Intelligence • Network Analysis • Data Science in Practice • Information Visualisation • Programming for Big Data • Information Security • Five Month Internship or Software Engineering Project

Fourth Year

Computer Science Project • Parallel Computing • Cloud Computing • Data Mining • Deep Learning • Machine Learning • Human- Centred AI • Generative AI: Language Models • Game Development • Multi-Agent Systems • Spatial Information Systems • Optimisation • Recommender Systems & Collective Intelligence • Connectionist Computing • Information Theory • Distributed Systems • Contemporary Software Development • Digital Media Ethics • Inference for Data Analytics

It is possible to study abroad for a trimester, usually in the third year of the course. Universities that students have visited to date include the University of Auckland, New Zealand, the University of California, Irvine, USA, and Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Graduates with training in Computer Science with Data Science work in fields such as:
• Banking and Financial Services
• Consultancy (e.g. Accenture, Deloitte, PwC)
• Internet companies such as Google, PayPal and Meta
• Established ICT companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Intel
• ICT Start-ups

Graduates can also pursue a range of MSc or PhD programmes such as the MSc Computer Science (Negotiated Learning).

Students have an opportunity to undertake an industry placement for 5.5 months in Third Year from March to August. Assessment is based on a learning journal and a presentation from the student.

Students who do not undertake the longer internship option also have the opportunity to complete a Professional Placement module worth 5 credits. This module provides students with an opportunity to undertake a placement in industry (6-10 weeks) in the summer following Third Year.

Students in recent years have completed internships in Bank of America, Amazon, Stripe, Hubspot, SAP, Deloitte, AIB, Zurich Insurance, Optum and Viasat.

Placements are secured on a competitive basis and are subject to change each year.



More information about the internship module and application process.


Associate Professor Mel Ó Cinnéide
UCD School of Computer Science
askscience@ucd.ie


Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 3 Core Modules
 COMP30030 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
 COMP30760 Data Science in Python - DS Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
 COMP30940 Information Security Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
 STAT20200 Probability Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
 COMP30750 Information Visualisation -DS Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
 COMP30770 Programming for Big Data Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
 COMP30850 Network Analysis Spring  5
Stage 3 Options - A)1 of:
All students should select COMP30780 at the start of the academic year. Students who wish to apply for the Industry Internship module and are successfully placed on an internship will be manually registered by the School Office to COMP30790 and subsequently dropped from COMP30780. Further information is available at: http://www.ucd.ie/science/careers/internships/students/
COMP30790 Industry internship 2 Trimester duration (Spr-Sum)  15
Stage 3 Options - A)1 of:
All students should select COMP30780 at the start of the academic year. Students who wish to apply for the Industry Internship module and are successfully placed on an internship will be manually registered by the School Office to COMP30790 and subsequently dropped from COMP30780. Further information is available at: http://www.ucd.ie/science/careers/internships/students/
COMP30780 Data Science in Practice Spring  15
Stage 3 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may register to 10 elective credits or select additional option module(s) from the list below in order to fulfil their stage requirements.
 COMP30010 Foundations of Computing Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may register to 10 elective credits or select additional option module(s) from the list below in order to fulfil their stage requirements.
 COMP30230 Connectionist Computing Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may register to 10 elective credits or select additional option module(s) from the list below in order to fulfil their stage requirements.
 COMP30250 Parallel Computing Autumn  5
Stage 3 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students may register to 10 elective credits or select additional option module(s) from the list below in order to fulfil their stage requirements.
 COMP30960 Human Computer Interaction Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
 COMP30170 Computer Science Project 2 Trimester duration (Aut-Spr)  15
Stage 4 Core Modules
 COMP30520 Cloud Computing (UG) Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
 COMP40370 Data Mining Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
 COMP47490 Machine Learning (UG) Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
 COMP30930 Optimisation Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
 COMP47580 Recommender Systems & Collective Intelligence Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP30230 Connectionist Computing Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP30250 Parallel Computing Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP30690 Information Theory Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP41400 Multi-Agent Systems Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP41740 Human-Centred AI Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
SCI30080 Professional Placement-Science Autumn  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP30110 Spatial Information Systems Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP30220 Distributed Systems Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP30540 Game Development Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP40660 Advances in Wireless Networking Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP47480 Contemporary Software Development Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP47590 Advanced Machine Learning Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP47650 Deep Learning Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP47700 Speech and Audio Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
COMP47980 Generative AI: Language Models Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
IS30370 Digital Media Ethics (formerly Information Ethics) Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
MATH30250 Cryptography: Theory & Practice Spring  5
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of:
Students must select 4 option modules from the list below.
STAT30280 Inference for Data Analytics (online) Spring  5

Growing up, I loved taking things apart, understanding how they worked and the challenge of putting them back together. Similarly, I enjoyed maths in school and thought computer science might give me an outlet to apply these problem-solving skills in college. The foundational modules offered in the first two years are invaluable to students who opt for the data science pathway. Today, a degree in data science provides endless career opportunities and studying at UCD makes it all the more enjoyable. As a GAA scholar, UCD gave me the best opportunity to perform and succeed with access to worldclass facilities and services.

Chloe Foxe, Graduate

Growing up, I loved taking things apart, understanding how they worked and the challenge of putting them back together. Similarly, I enjoyed maths in school and thought computer science might give me an outlet to apply these problem-solving skills in college. The foundational modules offered in the first two years are invaluable to students who opt for the data science pathway. Today, a degree in data science provides endless career opportunities and studying at UCD makes it all the more enjoyable. UCD’s elective modules provided me with a platform to extend my love for sport to an academic level by completing modules in exercise and performance. As a GAA scholar, UCD gave me the best opportunity to perform and succeed with access to world-class facilities and services.

Chloe Foxe, Graduate

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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Computer Science with Data Science:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceInt CSSA
Computer Science
Bachelor of Science		 Commencing 2024/2025 September Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates		 Closed
showAudience-audienceEU DN201
Computer Science
Bachelor of Science
Full-Time
Commencing 2024/2025 September
 Application through CAO Apply via CAO
* you can change options at the top of the page

Additional special entry route(s) to Computer Science with Data Science:

These options have additional eligibility requirements to cater for specific applicant cohorts. You should not apply via these routes before consulting the requirements or contacting the responsible UCD office.

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt CSSA
Computer Science
Bachelor of Science		 Commencing 2024/2025 September Access Progression Pathway
Access Progression Pathway
Application to this Non-EU Access Progression Pathway is by invitation only. If you are not currently enrolled on an Access programme at UCD, your application will be marked as invalid.
If you are not a current Access student, but you are a non-EU applicant seeking admission to an undergraduate degree, please submit an application via the "Undergraduate Degree (Non-EU)" course type.		 Apply
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