Did you know that Data Science and Data Analytics are two domains that deal with a big volume of data but are different in many ways? Yes, you heard it right! So, read this blog to know the differences between Data Science and Data Analytics, the job responsibilities, popular universities offering courses in Data Science and Data Analytics and their eligibility criteria.

Key Highlights

• What is Data Science?
• What does a Data Scientist do? 
• Data Science - course eligibility 
• What is Data Analytics?
• What does a Data Analyst do? 
• Data Analytics- course eligibility
• Difference between Data Science and Data Analytics 
• Universities offering Data Science and Data Analytics courses 

 

What is Data Science?

Data Science is a multidisciplinary field that aims to analyse structured and unstructured data to extract meaningful information and insights. Data Science is not a part of Data Analytics. In fact, Data Science is an umbrella term encompassing Data Analytics, Machine Learning and other related disciplines. To put it simply, Data Analytics is one of the branches of Data Science that focuses on solving issues Data Science brings forth.

What does a Data Scientist do?

A Data Scientist analyses a large volume of data for actionable insights and performs the following job responsibilities:

• Processing, cleaning and validating the data integrity
• Deriving business insights by using Machine Learning tools and algorithms
• Identifying new trends in data for making business predictions

In a nutshell, a Data Scientist forecasts the future based on past patterns, whereas a Data Analyst extracts meaningful insights from data sources. An interesting fact is that a Data Analyst can become a Data Scientist by upskilling their mathematical and programming knowledge and mastering machine learning algorithms.

Data Science - Course Eligibility

One of the main eligibility criteria for pursuing post-graduate courses in Data Science is a bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering field from a recognised university with a minimum of 50% marks. Do not forget to check the university-specific requirements before enrolment.

What is Data Analytics?

Data Analytics is a process of analysing data and drawing meaningful conclusions and insights that help organisations improve their operational efficiencies. Companies hire Data Analysts for this specific task.

What does a Data Analyst do?

Data Analysts use specialised systems or software programs to perform their job responsibilities. Some of their main job responsibilities are as follows:

• Collecting and interpreting data for analysis
• Identifying relevant patterns in a dataset and translating them into actionable insights
• Presenting findings in an easy-to-understand format for taking informed business decisions.

Data Analytics - Course Eligibility

Having a bachelor’s degree in Science or Computer Science from a recognised university with a minimum of 50% marks is one of the main eligibility criteria for post-graduate Data Analytics courses. It is a wise idea to check the university-specific as well as other course-specific eligibility requirements before enrolling.

Key differences between Data Science and Data Analytics 

Some of the key differences between these two domains are as follows:

 

Basis	Data Science	Data Analytics
Goal	Deals with explorations and new innovations	Makes use of existing resources for identifying actionable insights
Disciplines Involved	Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Information Science, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence	Statistics, Statistical Analysis and Mathematics
Coding Language	Python, R, SAS, SQL, Scala, etc.	Python and R Language
Data Type	Mostly deals with unstructured data	Deals with structured data
Proficiency	Database management, Data wrangling and Machine Learning	Data visualisation

 

Universities offering Data Science and Data Analytics courses

As per the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), the demand for Data Scientists and related occupations between 2021 and 2029 is expected to grow by 30%. Considering the ever-growing demand, many notable universities are offering post-graduate and certification courses in Data Science and Analytics. Some of the top-ranking universities and colleges offering such courses are as follows:

1. Christ University, Bangalore
2. Loyola College, Chennai
3. Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
5. Imperial College London, UK
6. The University of Texas, Austin, US
7. University of Melbourne, Australia
8. University College Dublin, Ireland
9. University of Edinburgh, UK
10. University of Southern California, US

 

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