COMP326Data Science Foundations

Module 6 · 3 units · 24 tutorials · Weeks 13–14

Professional Data Science Practice

Ethics, governance, storytelling — and bringing everything together in the capstone. What separates a competent analyst from a trusted professional.

Module overview

What this module covers

Module 6 closes the course by addressing the professional and ethical dimensions of data science. It covers the legal and ethical obligations that come with handling data, the craft of communicating findings to non-technical audiences, and the planning work needed to deliver an end-to-end capstone project.

The three units work together: without ethics you cannot be trusted, without communication your analysis has no impact, and without planning your capstone will not come together in time.

Capstone preparation is embedded

Unit 18 is not an afterthought — it is the structured preparation for the 25% capstone project.

At a glance

Units
3 (U16–U18)
Tutorials
24
Weeks
13–14
Assessment
3 unit quizzes · Assignment 5 due Week 14 · Capstone in exam period
Key tools
Matplotlib, Seaborn, dashboard tooling, LaTeX or Word

Learning outcomes

By the end of Module 6 you will be able to

Act ethically

  • Identify ethical issues in data collection and use.
  • Apply privacy and consent principles.
  • Recognise regulatory and governance obligations.

Communicate

  • Analyse your audience and tailor your message.
  • Develop a data narrative with a clear structure.
  • Design and deliver a professional presentation.

Deliver

  • Plan an end-to-end data science project.
  • Write a professional analytical report.
  • Publish a reproducible analysis.
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