What is Data analytics?
This course is the OCR Cambridge Advanced National in IT: Data Analytics, an Alternative Academic Qualification (AAQ) the same size as one A level. It introduces you to data analytics and prepares you for the growing demand for data skills across many industries.
Through a mix of theory and practical work, you will learn how to handle, analyse and interpret data, and use it to solve real problems. Whether you are aiming for a career in technology, business or data science, it gives you a strong base.
Why study Data analytics?
The world increasingly runs on data, and knowing how to analyse and interpret it is a valuable skill in today’s job market. Data skills are used in almost every sector, including healthcare, finance, marketing and technology. The course builds your problem-solving and critical thinking, and opens doors to careers in data science, business intelligence, software development and analytics.
Is Data analytics right for you?
This course suits students who enjoy technology and solving complex problems, and who are interested in how data shapes decisions. You need grade 4 in GCSE maths, but no further maths background. Logical thinking and an interest in technology matter more.
What will you study?
Fundamentals of data analytics
The difference between data, information and knowledge, what big data is, and how data is captured, stored, classified and accessed across platforms. Also covers the law, job roles and skills.
Big data and machine learning
How big data has evolved, its characteristics and purpose, how it is prepared and stored, and how machine learning and AI work with it.
Spreadsheet data modelling
How and why spreadsheets are used, and how to plan the design of a spreadsheet’s appearance and functions.
Data and the Internet of Everything
How devices are linked together and how data is transmitted between them.
Data and digital marketing
How data is used in digital marketing.
What happens outside lessons?
Learning goes beyond the classroom. Through the year there are educational trips and talks from guest speakers, including industry professionals and former students, who share their experience and advice. These help you see how data is used at work and start building useful contacts.
“I really enjoyed doing this course as it has introduced me to new topics that were interesting and unique from other subjects, the topics in question include big data, how data has to be processed and transferred lawfully and the individual processes/stages of data. IT has also introduced me to different opportunities after college and into work environments as it goes over what jobs you could (or tend to) get from completing the IT course, such as data scientist, data architect, data administrator and many more. I have also enjoyed the course because of new people that I have met, it made the course more enjoyable and engaging.”
Where can Data analytics take you?
Students can go on to university or into careers such as data analyst, data scientist and software engineer. Data analysts help organisations make informed decisions, data scientists use advanced techniques to find patterns in data, and software engineers build the systems that manage and analyse it.
What subjects go well with Data analytics?
This course pairs well with computing, mathematics and business at A level, and with business (BTEC).
How will you be assessed?
Assessed through two exams and three coursework units, known as non-exam assessment (NEA). The exams are fundamentals of data analytics, and big data and machine learning. The coursework units are spreadsheet data modelling, data and the Internet of Everything, and data and digital marketing.