MSc Health Analytics and Technologies
Course Overview
Health data is big business. The global health analytics market was valued at over $43 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow by over 20% between 2024 and 2030 (1). Healthcare providers seek to streamline healthcare processes and maximise patient and user experience. Governments need to make life-saving public health predictions. Digital technologies are accelerating discoveries by medical research organisations. All these organisations need highly skilled professionals to process and interrogate healthcare data to identify trends, patterns, and root causes. By studying the University of Bolton's MSc Health Analytics and Technologies degree you can develop essential knowledge and understanding of data analysis methods and the associated technological principles and practices while experiencing life at our supportive, student-focused, multicultural campus.A distinctive feature of this programme is the development of essential computer programming and data analytics skills; no prior expertise is assumed. We offer the knowledge and skills needed to interrogate and make sense of data, unlock vital insights and communicate your discoveries, so you can help turn healthcare data into actionable insights that support good decision-making in the health sector. Our expert and dedicated team will cover essential computing, data analytics, business, marketing, and life skills, including leadership, advanced analysis, creativity and problem-solving techniques. We'll support you as you learn to provide insight and analysis through clear visual, written and verbal communication.
Within each module, we'll explore relevant issues, strategies and practices, using live case studies, guest speakers from industry, and the latest research evidence. You'll have a choice of option modules covering specialist topics, and you'll agree on a capstone project with your supervisors that is completely tailored to your experience and specialism.
We focus on helping you develop industry-relevant knowledge and skills so that you are well-prepared for a career in healthcare data analytics and technologies. We'll also support you in building lifelong learning skills so you can take ownership of your professional development for the future and maximise your potential for success.
1) https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/healthcare-analytics-market accessed on 30 November 2023
Highlights
- Bolton University's Master's in Health Analytics and Technologies emphasises working collaboratively with industry partners and offers a comprehensive programme of relevant topics.
- We continually monitor and update the content of our MSc programmes so they offer the best preparation for the industry.
- The success of our postgraduate students is directly related to the practical research aspects covered in the course laboratory work.
- For the coursework elements of the degree, you'll consider realistic scenarios that help prepare you for your postgraduate career. Completing this work will develop your understanding of the technical concepts underpinning health analytics and technologies and the outputs required by employers, such as reports to management.
- Completing a dissertation will build your subject specialist knowledge and understanding and provide a showcase of your skills, ready to impress employers.
Key Features
- Teaching and supervision are delivered by dedicated staff chosen for their expertise and experience in fields relevant to health informatics and big data, relevant technologies and your professional development needs.
- We offer an engaging programme of visiting speakers so you can enjoy masterclasses with industry professionals, gaining insights into contemporary issues, developments and practices in health data analysis, digital technologies and the broader commercial environment.
- Industry partners provide relevant, up-to-date input to our teaching and live student projects. Our team of highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturers offer face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support, ensuring you can access help and advice when you need it.
- Upon graduation, you'll be able to showcase your expert knowledge to employers through your Professional Dissertation. This independent and substantial body of work will demonstrate your mastery of an aspect of health analytics and technologies, as well as your postgraduate-level skills in research and critical thinking.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- You should have at least a lower second class (2.2) honours degree (or equivalent) in any subject or five years of relevant work experience. You do not need prior experience in computer programming or data analytics.
- You must also have GCSE Mathematics at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9. Please get in touch with us for details of other acceptable qualifications. You'll need to attain a minimum mark in a diagnostic mathematics test if you don't have an acceptable mathematics qualification.
- If you wish to gain admission on the basis of five years of relevant work experience, you'll be required to attend an online or face-to-face interview and present evidence in the form of a portfolio of work and examples that demonstrate your suitability and aptitude for the course. The evidence should be presented in electronic format and attested by an independent person. The independent person could be a current or former lecturer or an employer with a more senior role than yourself. The University is looking for candidates who can demonstrate a clear style and commitment to their professional practice and who will benefit from experiencing this area of study.
- We'll consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Data is rewriting the rules of many industries, and healthcare is no exception. Employers such as the NHS, the government, private healthcare providers, and biotechnology giants are scrambling to recruit professionals to help them make sense of it. The demand for workers with specialist health analytics and technologies skills is growing and highly-skilled, competent, creative professionals are needed by organisations across the healthcare spectrum.
Our MSc in Health Analytics and Technologies offers a postgraduate route into this in-demand and varied career. It's an ideal bridge into health data analysis and technologies whatever your undergraduate degree specialisation. Additionally, it's an excellent option if you've worked in a relevant field, gaining degree-level knowledge through experience and self-study rather than formal education.
As a graduate of this master's degree, you'll possess a solid theoretical and practical understanding of health analytics and technologies. You'll be able to demonstrate essential interpersonal and people skills, such as collaboration and teamwork, coupled with commercial awareness and healthcare business-relevant knowledge. You'll also possess high-level academic skills in research, critical thinking and curiosity. Moreover, you'll have the lifelong learning, problem-solving and decision-making skills needed to adapt to new challenges throughout your career.
What can I do with this qualification?
Health data analysts are in high demand, and health analytics roles are diverse. Big data has intensified the need for health analysts who can create data dashboards, graphs and visualisations to communicate insights. You may find employment looking for trends and patterns that help healthcare providers make business decisions or predict demand for services. You could seek a career in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical research industries mining and analysing large datasets, drawing conclusions and presenting actionable insights to managers so that they can drive the business forward. Alternatively, you might work for the government or a national institute exploring population health and the links between genetics, the environment and disease through data science.
Alternative career options
Depending on your prior qualifications and experience, after graduation, you can also use this master's degree as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include:
- Leadership and management
- Use of technology in enhancing business and industrial processes
- Solutions driven business and industrial investigation
- Marketing and public relations
- Social media management
- Information systems management
- Cyber security
- Social enterprise
- Policy management
- Education and teaching
- Advising and consultancy
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
Call Admissions
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
International Applicants
The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world. We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.
This course is not currently accepting international online applications.
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Teaching & Assessment
We use a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face sessions and practical work as appropriate. You can expect lectures, seminars, tutorials, discussion groups, guest speakers and master classes.
We'll also expect you to undertake considerable guided independent study; for instance, background reading, online activities, assessment work and preparation for sessions. We're committed to supporting you throughout your learning journey. Over time, our guidance will purposefully become less structured and prescriptive. This will encourage you to develop confidence and independence in your studies and take responsibility for managing your own learning time as you increase in autonomy.
Regarding assessment, you can expect a combination of written coursework, project work, oral assessments and portfolios. Summative assessments contribute to your final marks and are your chance to show you've met the learning outcomes for the course. Formative assessments, on the other hand, feature throughout your studies. While they don't contribute to your module or final marks, they inform and support your development by helping you build on your strengths, overcome any perceived weaknesses, and find the study strategies that best support your ultimate success.
This programme adopts a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.
We take our social, public and ethical responsibilities very seriously. All our student project work conforms with the University's policies on ethics and uses the University's research ethics procedure before work commences.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Professional Practice
- Research Methods
- Project
- Programming for Data Analytics
- Digital Transformation in Health
- Health Informatics
- Data Analysis and Visualisation
- Data Mining and Machine Learning
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 83% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 17% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
