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Course type: Certificate

Certificate

Widely recognised qualification.

Equivalent to the first third of an honours degree.

Study for interest or career development.

Shows that you can study successfully at university level.

Count it towards further qualifications such as a foundation degree, DipHE or honours degree.
Credits: 120

Credits

Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.

One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.

You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.

For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Study method: Distance learning
Entry requirements: Find out more about; Entry requirements

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Certificate of Higher Education in Data Analysis

: Course code: T42

Computing and data analysis play an important role in almost all private and public sector employment. The need to understand how to use IT and data to inform business decisions has never been more important. This qualification introduces you to some basic skills in exploring and analysing data sets and solving practical problems using mathematics, statistics and computing. It forms a foundation for further study or employment in the fields of mathematics, statistics, computing or data science.

Key features

Introduces mathematical, statistical and computing techniques
Covers basic use of a range of appropriate software, including writing code in the Python language
Provides experience of carrying out data analysis and commenting on the results
Builds a solid foundation on which to continue on to a higher qualification in data science or employment in a wide range of sectors, including finance, government, health, education, the voluntary sector, business and commerce

This Certificate of Higher Education is the same as Stage 1 of our Diploma of Higher Education in Data Analysis (W77) and BSc (Honours) Data Science (R38).

Course type

Certificate

Credits

120

How long it takes

Part-time study – 2 years

Full-time study – 1 year

Time limit – 7 years

Study method

Distance learning

Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

Ask a question

Course details

This data analysis certificate has one stage, comprising 120 credits.

You’ll study four 30-credit modules.

You’ll study four 30-credit modules.

Stage 1 modules
Modules	Credits
You'll study the following:
Introducing statistics (M140)	30
Introduction to computing and information technology 1 (TM111)	30
Essential mathematics 1 (MST124)	30
Introduction to computing and information technology 2 (TM112)	30

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 18 March 2025.

Accessibility

We make all our qualifications as accessible as possible and have a comprehensive range of services to support all our students. The Diploma of Higher Education in Data Analysis uses a variety of study materials and has the following elements:

studying a mixture of printed and online material – online learning resources may include websites, audio/video media clips, and interactive activities such as online quizzes
using mathematical and scientific expressions, notations and associated techniques
using and/or producing diagrams and/or screenshots
undertaking practical work
using specialist software, including tools for programming languages
finding external/third-party material online
online tutorials
continuous and end-of-module assessment in the form of short and long answer questions, and in some cases an examination
using feedback: continuous assessment involves receiving detailed feedback on your work from your tutor and using this feedback to improve your performance
engagement with learning and assessment within a pre-determined schedule or timetable – time management will be needed during your studies and the University will help you to develop these skills throughout your qualification.

For more detailed information, see the Accessibility Statements on individual module descriptions. If you feel you may need additional support, visit Disability support to find more about what we offer. Contact us as soon as possible to discuss your individual requirements, so we can put arrangements in place before you start.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:

Knowledge and understanding.
Cognitive skills.
Practical and professional skills.
Key skills.

Read the detailed learning outcomes here

Credit transfer

If you’ve already completed some study at another university, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – reducing the number of modules you need to study.

You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. Just tell us what you studied, where and when, and we’ll compare this against the learning outcomes for your chosen course.

For more details and an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

On completion

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Certificate of Higher Education in Data Analysis.

International recognition

If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Find out more about international recognition of Open University qualifications.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Certificate of Higher Education in Data Analysis

Entry requirements

There is no formal pre-requisite study, but you must have the required mathematical skills to study the compulsory module Essential mathematics 1 (MST124), including:

algebraic manipulation and solving equations
quadratics and parabolas
geometry and trigonometry
exponentials and logarithms.

You can check you’re ready for MST124 and see the topics it covers here.

If you don’t feel you have the required mathematical skills, you can study an additional module, Discovering mathematics (MU123), to give you the knowledge and skills you need.

Ideally, you’ll also have some basic knowledge of computing.

How much time do I need?

This depends on your level of prior knowledge of mathematics and, in general, it is recommend that you build up your pace of study slowly to ensure you gain a good understanding of the more basic topics. How many credits you can complete in a year will depend on your study situation, and this qualification is designed to enable you to vary your study intensity from year to year.

Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week.

Find out if you have enough time to study with our time planner

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
support from a dedicated team throughout your study
detailed written feedback on your work.

The Access module we’d recommend studying in preparation for this qualification is our:

Science, technology and maths Access module

What you will study

This multidisciplinary module is an ideal starting point if you have little or no previous knowledge of the sciences, technology and mathematics. It’ll help develop your study skills in advance of your OU qualification, and you get to explore a number of STEM subjects including science, engineering and design, environment, mathematics, and computing and IT.

View full details of Science, technology and maths Access module

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Fees and funding

Compare the cost of studying at the OU with other campus-based universities in England.

Qualification	Total cost at campus university*	Total cost at The Open University**	Saving with The Open University
Honours Degree	£28,605	£23,352	£5,253 (18%)
Diploma of Higher Education	£19,070	£15,568	£3,502 (18%)
Certificate of Higher Education	£9,535	£7,784	£1,751 (18%)

Honours Degree

Total cost at campus university* £28,605

Total cost at The Open University** £23,352

Saving with The Open University £5,253 (18%)

Diploma of Higher Education

Total cost at campus university* £19,070

Total cost at The Open University** £15,568

Saving with The Open University £3,502 (18%)

Certificate of Higher Education

Total cost at campus university* £9,535

Total cost at The Open University** £7,784

Saving with The Open University £1,751 (18%)

*Based on maximum chargeable fees for 25/26 academic year.

**The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to the part-time fee limit, as set out in section 5 of the University's Fee Rules.

How you'll study

How will I study this course?

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

a week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
details of each assignment and their due dates
a tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
online versions of some printed module materials and resources.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

Tutor support

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
guide you to learning resources
support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms and are sometimes recorded.

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
If a module has an in-person exam (that you must take at one of our exam centres) or is invigilated online, we’ll make this clear in the module description.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.
Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
free Microsoft Office 365 software
IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

Careers

Skills for career development

The ability to write computer programs, develop software and to analyse data are much sought after skills in the modern workplace. This Certificate will equip you with a foundation knowledge of some topics from statistics, mathematics and computer science. In addition you will develop important transferable skills such as communication, time management and problem solving.

Career relevance

Data analysts and programmers are highly sought after in virtually all work places. The use of data analysis in social media, online commerce and government has revolutionised the digital economy, with employers across both the public and private sectors now recruiting data analysts and programmers to identify and solve complex business problems at the heart of strategic and operational decision making. With further study or practical experience, students are well placed to develop their expertise in all areas of employment including business intelligence, management, biology, economics, education, engineering, environment studies, finance, government, logistics, medicine, meteorology, market research, sport and multinational businesses.

In addition to improving your career prospects, studying with the OU is an enriching experience that broadens your horizons, develops your knowledge, builds your confidence and enhances your life skills.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice – including online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime, if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point (note that some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree):

applied mathematician
business analyst
business manager
computer scientist
data analyst
data architect
data engineer
data officer
data scientist
information manager
machine learning application developer
marketing and commerce practitioner
software engineer
statistician

Register for this course

Start dates

Oct 2025 - Registration closes 11/09/2025
Feb 2026 - Registration closes 08/01/2026
Apr 2026 - Registration closes 12/03/2026

Credit transfer: apply by 14/08/2025

Credit transfer: apply by 04/12/2025

Credit transfer: apply by 12/02/2026

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