The University of Birmingham is the first university to launch a Master's level qualification that brings together law and data science – MSc Responsible Data Science. With industry partners including Accenture, the Black Solicitors Network and leading law firms, and with backing from the Office for Students, the new programme addresses the data science skills gap in the legal profession.

The MSc Responsible Data Science combines data science with the capacity to understand and critically reflect upon the social, ethical, and political implications of data-driven applications. The one-year programme, which includes a fully-funded semester in industry, ensures graduates will be career-ready with a unique set of skills and experiences.

To help improve diversity within legal and data science roles, and to reduce common barriers to postgraduate education, the OfS is funding scholarships worth £10,000 to support under-represented groups to access the course. In total, 16 full UK-fee scholarships are available to those who identify as female, BAME, or with a registered disability over two years.

Applications are now open to students with a background in the legal profession or formal legal education and ideally an A Level or equivalent in Maths.