Graduate Certificate of Applied Data Analytics

Learn vital skills in data and analytics

Are you interested in developing skills – or upskilling – in data analytics?

Learn alongside Australia’s leading analytic experts and help shape our data-driven future with the Graduate Certificate of Applied Data Analytics. You will gain the analytical skills you need to drive informed and strategic decision-making in one of the fastest growing occupations of our time. Learn from industry-leading data experts who are harnessing the potential of data to solve real-world problems.This Graduate Certificate can be completed as a standalone postgraduate qualification or used as a pathway to the Master of Applied Data Analytics.

This program is available for direct admission for domestic students only.

It is also available, for both international and domestic students, as an early exit option if you do not wish to pursue further study in the Graduate Diploma or Master of Applied Data Analytics.

Please visit Programs & Courses for further information.

Program outline

For a program outline list of courses in the program see the Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Analytics on Programs and Courses.

Study plan

Estimated hours

Admission and eligibility

Fees and Commonwealth Supported Places

How to apply

Credit

Enrolment

Pathways to Masters

Frequently asked questions

Admission

What makes the Applied Data Analytics program different to other ANU Masters programs?

The Applied Data Analytics programs at ANU differs from other similar programs in that it offers both a broad-ranging curriculum and an opportunity to develop specialised skills in one particular area. Students enrolling in the Graduate Diploma or Masters are required to complete courses across three different academic disciplines – computer science, social science and statistics. Students cannot complete the program without attaining a certain level of proficiency in all three areas, resulting in graduates with an integrated and well-rounded understanding of cutting-edge data analytics. Masters students are also able to specialise in a discipline of their choosing, taking higher-level courses to give them the expertise they need in their professional fields. The ANU program focuses on real-world applications of data analytics techniques and toolsets, equipping graduates with the academic background to tackle practical problems.

What are the admission requirements for the Graduate Diploma and Masters programs?

Check the 'Admission & Fees' tab of the relevant Programs and Courses page to see the admission requirements for both domestic and international students.

International students are eligible for admission with the equivalent of an Australian Bachelor or Honours degree – subject to the linked GPA requirements – but will be required to submit a CV to demonstrate relevant work experience for admission to the Masters.

All applicants will also need to provide evidence of meeting ANU English language requirements. For international students, this can commonly be met with an up-to-date copy of an approved English language test (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS).

Am I admissible if I don’t have a Bachelor degree?

Domestic applicants who do not have a Bachelor degree may be eligible for admission to the program on the basis of professional equivalency. This means that the applicant has been assessed by the relevant delegated authorities as meeting the academic entry requirements without completing formal university study.

Applicants wishing to discuss whether they are eligible for admission without a degree should consult the program convener, Associate Professor Kerry Taylor (Kerry.Taylor@anu.edu.au).

Is the program open to international students?

The Master of Applied Data Analytics is available to international students. Owing to student visa restrictions, international students are required to study in the traditional on-campus semester mode, and to maintain a full-time study load of four courses per semester.

International students should be aware that the Data Analytics program has a work experience component as part of the admission requirements. This may mean that some international students are not eligible for admission, but students should check with international.admissions@anu.edu.au to be sure.

Finally, international students should note that the Data Analytics program is a 72-unit Masters, which takes 1.5 years to complete in full-time mode. Therefore, this program does not meet the eligibility requirement for students to apply for permanent residency. Students should consult the Department of Home Affairs for further information.

What is the ANU English language policy, and to whom does it apply?

The ANU English language requirements for admission policy applies to all students of the ANU, whether domestic or international.

All applicants to the ANU must meet these requirements requirements, based on citizenship status, prior study, and English language tests.

What is the difference between ‘award’ and ‘non-award’ programs?

Both the Graduate Diploma and the Masters are ‘award’ programs. This means that they are programs of study which enable the student to graduate with a formal academic award, once all requirements are met.

The non-award program enables students to enrol in any course which interests them and for which they meet the pre-requisites. The completion of non-award courses does not enable students to graduate with a Graduate Diploma or a Masters, regardless of how many courses they complete. However, students who have completed non-award courses which are part of the Applied Data Analytics program are able to request academic credit for these courses, should they subsequently enrol in the Graduate Diploma or Masters programs.

The ANU is not currently accepting non-award applications for the Data Analytics program. If you have an enquiry about non-award study, contact StudentAdmin.cecs@anu.edu.au.

What documents do I need to include with my application?

You will need to include colour scans of original academic transcripts, and of any change-of-name documentation (e.g. marriage certificate). Please note that greyscale scans of academic transcripts are not acceptable, nor are colour photographs of original transcripts.

You should also iclude a copy of your curriculum vitae (CV) if you are seeking admission based on a combination of your qualifications and work experience.

How do I know if my application has been successful?

You will receive an email from the ANU Admissions team, to the email address nominated on your application. Depending on the information you provided, you may receive either a full offer for study or a conditional offer for study. Conditional offers for study require you to meet certain conditions before you can accept the offer.

Teaching and assessment

Why does the Applied Data Analytics program teach outside normal university semesters?

The Applied Data Analytics program was designed to be taught in online intensive mode for working professionals. Normal university semesters are not generally suited for this teaching format. Instead of being constrained by fixed dates for Semesters 1 and 2, the Data Analytics program teaches courses staggered throughout the year in the non-standard ANU teaching sessions – Autumn, Winter, Spring etc. This model is also used by other areas in the ANU that teach specialised professionally-focused courses, including the College of Law and the Crawford School of Public Policy.

The courses included in the Data Analytics program are also available in on-campus semester-long mode for international students, and for students enrolled in other ANU programs. For example, COMP8410 (Data Mining) is a compulsory course under the Master Applied Data Analytics and an elective/specialisation course under the Master of Computing.

What is an ‘academic session’?

An academic session is the specific period of the academic year to which a course belongs. The Data Analytics program teaches in both standard and non-standard academic sessions. Non-standard academic sessions are seasonal:

Summer – January to March
Autumn – April to June
Winter – July to September
Spring – October to December

Non-standard seasonal sessions run in parallel with Semesters 1 and 2. Semester 1 runs from January to June, at the same time as the Summer and Autumn sessions; Semester 2 runs from July to December, at the same time as the Winter and Spring sessions.

Students need to know in which academic session their course is being taught, because this is how you make sure you’re enrolling in the right course in your ISIS account. Once you’ve successfully added a course to your enrolment, the course will display on the ISIS home screen under the relevant academic session.

How do online intensive courses work?

Online intensive courses in the Applied Data Analytics program are run over nine weeks. The first four weeks comprise online learning and assessment through the ANU Wattle portal. The fifth week is spent full-time on campus at the ANU. The final four weeks are a further period of online teaching and assessment. We call this mode 4+1+4. Therefore, eight weeks of each course may be completed online from anywhere, and one week must be spent on campus in Canberra.

Can I take two online intensive courses that are running simultaneously?

Students cannot take two intensive courses with same start and finish dates. This is because they will have the same on-campus intensive week, and students can only attend one of these at a time. Where courses are offered concurrently (e.g. Spring – STAT7055 / SOCR8202), students will be required to choose one or the other.

Can students complete the program in full-time mode?

At present, it is not possible for students to undertake the online intensive program in full-time mode. The maximum number of online intensive courses available is five per annum – this is slightly more than a 50 per cent study load.

Students who would like to enrol in a mixture of online courses and traditional on-campus semester-long courses are able to complete the program in full-time mode. For advice about how to mix on-campus and online courses, please contact StudentAdmin.cecs@anu.edu.au. Please note that mixing on-campus and online courses is only available to domestic students; international students are required to study on campus and to maintain a full-time study load.

Is the on-campus intensive week compulsory?

Yes, the on-campus intensive week is compulsory for all students. Exceptions will be made only in the case of serious and unforeseen circumstances (e.g. sudden illness, accident or bereavement). Otherwise, all students are expected to participate in all aspects of the on-campus intensive week, and students will not be given exemption on the grounds of professional workload. The intensives are a crucial part of learning development and cohort-building for all courses, and students should fully consider this expectation when choosing to undertake the program.

How do I know what the pre-requisites are for any particular course?

Pre-requisites and any assumed knowledge are detailed on the Programs and Courses entry for each course. Below is a table of the pre-requisites for the courses included in the Applied Data Analytics program.

Please note that these pre-requisites only apply to students enrolled in the Applied Data Analytics program. Students enrolled in other programs may be subject to other pre-requisites, as detailed on Programs and Courses.

	Course	Required prior courses
Stage One	STAT7055 Intro Stats for Business
	STAT7001 Applied Statistics	STAT7055
	COMP7230 Programming for Data Scientists
	COMP7240 Introductory Databases
Stage Two	SOCR8201 Introductory Social Science
	SOCR8202 Using Data to Answer Policy Questions
	STAT6039 Mathematical Statistics	STAT7055 or STAT7001
	STAT7026 Graphical Data Analysis	STAT7055
	COMP8410 Data Mining	COMP7230 and COMP7240
	COMP8430 Data Wrangling	COMP7230 and COMP7240
Stage Three	SOCR8203 Advanced Social Science Techniques	SOCR8201 or SOCR8202
	SOCR8204 Policy Development and Service Delivery	SOCR8201 or SOCR8202
	SOCR8006 Online Research Methods	SOCR8201 or SOCR8202
	SOCR/DEMO8082 Social Research Practice	SOCR8201 or SOCR8202
	STAT7016 Bayesian Data Analysis	STAT7001 and STAT6039
	STAT7030 Linear Models	STAT7001
	STAT7040 Statistical Learning	STAT7001 and STAT6039
	STAT8002 Applied Time Series Analysis	STAT7001 and STAT6039
	COMP6490 Document Analysis	COMP7230 and COMP7240 and COMP8410 and STAT6039
	COMP8420 Bio-Inspired Computing	COMP7230 and COMP7240, plus either COMP8410 or COMP8430
	COMP8600 Machine Learning	COMP7230 and COMP7240 and COMP8410 and STAT6039

What is the assessment structure for each course?

The assessment structure varies from course to course, depending on the individual convener and the material being taught. However, all ANU courses include multiple forms of assessment, both formative (identifying areas of academic strength and weakness) and summative (finding out how well you’ve achieved the learning outcomes of the course). You can expect to be assessed in different ways throughout the course, not just at the end. Many courses will include some form of group assessment, reflecting the real-world concerns of the program, because large-scale data analysis is often performed in a team environment.

How do I find out if a particular course is suitable for my skillset?

We recommend you view the relevant Programs and Courses entry for the course in question. These will provide a summary of the course material, and of the learning outcomes for the course. You may also consult the convener for the relevant course, who will be able to answer specific questions and to provide you with a course outline.

Fees

How much will my degree cost?

For comprehensive information on other fees, funding, and payments, visit Fees and payments

Academic tuition fees are charged on an individual course basis. Students will receive an invoice for each semester or session they enrol in. Indicative annual program tuition fees are published on Programs and Courses (see the 'Admissions and Fees' tab). You can also see the latest individual course fees on the relevant Programs and Course course page (see the 'Fees' tab). does not include the cost of any textbooks (which not all courses will require), or the cost of travelling to and attending the on-campus intensive component.

What scholarships are available?

The College has a small number of scholarships available to postgraduate students, including a 25 per cent fee reduction for domestic coursework students. Some scholarships will require an application, while others will be available for automatic consideration.

More information: Find a scholarship

Are there any Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) for this program and how do I apply?

Postgraduate Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) are limited in number, based on academic merit, and highly competitive. There is no application process for a CSP as domestic students who have received an offer of admission to a CSP-eligible postgraduate program are automatically considered prior to commencement each semester.

More information: Postgraduate commonwealth supported places

Is this program eligible for a FEE-Help loan?

Australian citizens enrolled in this program are eligible to defer their tuition fees through a FEE-Help loan. New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents can access FEE-Help in certain specific situations, outlined on the Study Assist website.

International students are not able to access FEE-Help, and will be required to pay tuition in full at the start of each semester.

What is the ‘census date’ for each course?

The census date for a course is the date at which students are regarded as liable for their tuition fees, regardless of whether they complete the academic requirements of the course. Up to census date, students can ‘drop’ a course online through ISIS without incurring any financial penalty. Students dropping a course after census date will remain liable for the tuition. The only exception to this is students who are approved for late withdrawal from a course. Late withdrawals apply to students who encounter sudden and unexpected circumstances which prevent them from completing the course (e.g. serious illness, accident or bereavement).

The census date for a course is determined by its start date. The census date occurs roughly a third of the way through the course.

For courses taught in typical semester-long on-campus mode, census dates remain the same every year: 31 March for Semester 1 courses, and 31 August for Semester 2 courses. More information: see University calendar

How can I organise for my employer to pay my tuition fees?

Students whose employers wish to pay their tuition invoices need to set up a tuition sponsorship through the ANU Student Finance team. Sponsored students will not receive a tuition invoice through their ISIS accounts – the invoice goes straight from ANU Student Finance to the nominated contact at the sponsoring organisation. Students who have a tuition sponsorship will not be charged late fees if their sponsor does not pay by the due date on the invoice – the ANU Student Finance team negotiates directly with the sponsor for payment.

Students who choose to download their invoices from ISIS and to provide these to their employers for payment should note that the student will be charged late fees if payment does not arrive by the due date. This is because the above arrangement does not constitute a tuition sponsorship, even if the student has provided the invoice to their employer. From the ANU point of view, students are considered to be self-funded unless they have an official ANU tuition sponsorship in place.

Students who do not wish to set up a tuition sponsorship are recommended to pay their own tuition by BPay or credit card through their ISIS account, and then to seek reimbursement from their employer. This arrangement minimises the chance that students will be left with additional fees if an employer does not pay the invoice on time.

How do I view and pay my tuition fee invoice?

From the home screen in ISIS, students should select ‘check your invoice’ to see their most recent outstanding invoice. Students wishing to consult previous invoices should click ‘invoice history’ for a full list.

Am I Centrelink-eligible while studying in the Applied Data Analytics program?

The Applied Data Analytics program is not considered an approved coursework Masters program for the purposes of student-support payments from Centrelink. However, students who believe they qualify for Austudy or for Youth Allowance (Student) should contact the Department of Human Services directly for clarification.

General questions

Do I need a student card if I am a domestic intensive student?

Students who do not reside in the ACT and who do not intend to use ANU infrastructure during their degree may not need a student card. However, we recommend that all students acquire a student card just in case. You can arrange this in person during one of your on-campus intensive weeks. Student cards are available over the counter with approved photo identification (e.g. passport, driver’s licence) from the ANU Student Central.

Please note that students must have accepted their offers for study and be enrolled in a course before they are eligible to hold a student card. Interstate students can request that a student card be mailed to them, subject to certain restrictions.

Students who reside in the ACT and wish to use ANU library or computer laboratory facilities will need a student card to access the relevant buildings.

What are the arrangements for the on-campus intensive week for each course?

Arrangements for the on-campus intensive week vary from course to course, but students should expect to be on campus every day (Monday to Friday) from 0900 to 1700. Details of the building locations and timetables for the intensive weeks will be emailed to all enrolled students one week in advance, along with maps of the ANU campus and other information to assist those new to Canberra and to the ANU.

Can I get recognition of prior learning (RPL) for some of my previous university study?

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning (RPL) if you have completed related studies in a previous university degree. At the ANU, RPL is called academic status and takes two forms – credit and exemption.

As described in the above tab labelled ‘credit’, students who are awarded credit will have their total academic program shortened by the number of course for which they are granted credit. In other words, they are regarded as having completed the courses in question.

Students who are granted exemption do not have to take the course for which they have been granted exemption, and are permitted to replace the exempted course with another course of their choosing, from an approved list of program enclosures. A student who receives exemption does not have their program shortened.

For more information about the restrictions on the awarding of academic status, please see section 3.1 of the Coursework Awards Rule: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2016L01980

Some examples of credit and exemption scenarios:

Student A has worked in the Australian Public Service for 15 years but has no formal qualifications. He has had significant experience in programming and is able to demonstrate this. On the basis of his work experience, he is admitted to the Master of Applied Data Analytics. He does not receive any credit, so the duration of his program remains the same. Due to his experience in programming, he is able to get an exemption for COMP7230, a compulsory course, which he chooses to replace with another course under the ‘Data Science’ category.
Student B has worked in the Australian Public Service for 5 years and has completed a Bachelor of Economics within the last 10 years. After submitting a credit application – including his transcript and course outlines – he is granted credit for STAT7055. He is not required to replace this course with another and so his program is shortened by one course.
Student C applies to study three courses included in the Master of Applied Data Analytics as a non-award student. She has completed a Master of Computing within the last 10 years. She is not able to receive credit as she is studying as a non-award student. However, as she is considering applying for the Master of Data Analytics later, she seeks advice regarding the credit she would be eligible for. She is told that she would receive credit for COMP7230 and COMP7240 and so does not have to complete these courses. When she transfers into the Masters program, the duration of her course will be shortened by two courses, plus whatever courses she has undertaken as a non-award student.

Does the ANU consider MOOCs for admission and/or recognition of prior learning?

If the MOOC for which the student is seeking credit is determined to be equivalent in learning and assessment to a 6-unit ANU course, then the ANU may choose to grant credit, at the discretion of the program convener. For a MOOC to be credit-eligible, it must be taught by a reputable university, as defined by the Australian government Department of Education and Training’s policy on the recognition of overseas qualifications.

Can I appeal a decision about academic credit?

If you are unhappy with the decision regarding your application for academic status, you can appeal to the Associate Dean (Education) for the relevant College. The Data Analytics program teaches across three ANU Colleges – Business and Economics, Engineering and Computer Science, and Arts and Social Sciences – and each College has its own AD(E).

Applications to appeal a credit decision must be submitted in writing to StudentAdmin.cecs@anu.edu.au, and the Data Analytics team will identify the correct College for the resolution of your appeal.

Information for members of the Australian Public Service (APS)

Do I need departmental support/endorsement to enrol in this program?

You do not need departmental support to enrol in the Data Analytics program – if you meet the admission requirements, then you are eligible.

However, if you wish to access study leave or other flexible arrangements through your employer, then the ANU recommends consulting your professional development or learning support contacts before enrolling in the program.

If my department has encouraged me to apply for this program, and has coordinated my application process, does this mean my tuition is fully funded?

Students should not assume that their tuition is employer-funded unless they have specifically consulted their employer about tuition arrangements, and have received written assurance that the employer has entered into a tuition sponsorship with the ANU. The ANU will not solicit tuition sponsorships on behalf of students. It is the student’s responsibility to secure the employer’s financial support, at which point the Data Analytics team (StudentAdmin.cecs@anu.edu.au) is happy to assist with the logistics of setting up the sponsorship.

Students should check their ISIS account regularly to see whether they have any invoices owing. Even if you are a sponsored student, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for invoices, because an unexpected account is a sign that something may not be functioning correctly with your sponsorship.

Can APS students access FEE-Help?

APS students can access FEE-Help, provided that they are Australian citizens. Permanent residents and New Zealand citizens are able to access FEE-Help in certain limited situations.

Glossary of useful ANU terms

Award	A qualification conferred by the University and certified by a testamur. Award names and relevant specialisations appear on a graduate's testamur. Different plans may lead to different awards though some lead to the same award.
Program	In an academic sense , a program is a structured sequence of study - normally leading to the Award of one or more degrees, diplomas or certificates. In a system sense, a program is a grouping of one or more academic plans around a particular theme, Awards, or set of admission requirements.
Course	A subject of scholarly study taught: in a connected series of lectures or demonstrations by means of practical work including the production by students of essays or theses or case studies, or the attendance and participation by students in seminars or workshops. Each course requires a course outline. A four character alphabetic subject area code and a four digit numeric catalogue number identify each course. The first digit denotes the state/year of the program in which the course is normally taken. Each course is normally assigned a unit value that is a measure of the proportion of the academic progress that a course represents within the total credit for the program
Unit	This is an indicator of the value of the course within the total program. Most courses are valued at 6 units. Units are used to track progress towards completing a plan. Full -time students normally undertake 24 units of courses each semester.
Non - award study	Study that does not lead to the award of a degree, diploma, or certificate, but consists of a course or work requirement that may be at undergraduate or graduate coursework level. [Note: non- award study does not include studies undertaken on a non- award basis within the meaning of HES Act.]
Credit	The granting of credit is an evaluation process that assesses the individual's prior formal, non- formal, and informal learning to determine the extent to which the individual has achieved the required learning outcomes, competency outcomes, or standards for entry to, and/or partial or total completion of, a qualification.
Exemption	Some students may be exempt from undertaking a compulsory c ourse for the program on the basis of previous completion of the course, or an equivalent course. However, a course of equivalent unit value must be substituted. An exempted course counts towards program requirements and satisfied pre- requisite requirement s for other courses but the unit value of the exempted course does not count towards the units taken towards the program.