Data Governance and Ethics
Master legal and ethical data management for responsible digital leadership in business
Navigate regulatory compliance and ethical data practices
Learn to manage data responsibly, ensuring legal adherence and ethical integrity in business operations.
This module covers key aspects of managing data within legal and ethical boundaries. Students will learn to evaluate different frameworks for acquiring, storing, and transforming data. They will understand the legal and ethical issues involved in data management and develop strategies for handling business data responsibly.
The course also explores the role of artificial intelligence in data analysis, ensuring students grasp both the technical and legal aspects. This module prepares students for responsible leadership in the digital business world by emphasising ethical and societal impacts.
Innovative online learning with future-facing approaches
This fully online module uses innovative teaching methods, combining learning with expert tutorship. Students engage in synchronous lectures, asynchronous study, and lab activities. Key strategies include problem-based learning, gamification, and flipped classroom approaches.
Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, enhance the digital learning experience. These methods ensure a dynamic and interactive environment, promoting deep understanding and practical skills. The course culminates in a proctored written test and a final exam, each accounting for 50% of the grade, ensuring comprehensive mastery of the material.
Assessments are ongoing and final, including exams, assignments, and projects. The assessments are 50% Project and 50% Proctored Written Exam.
Time commitment
Classroom and demonstrations: 24 hours
Practical work/tutorials: 24 hours
Independent learning: 77 hours
Total: 125 hours
Credit points
5 ECTS
Full course breakdown
Subjects covered:
Data Governance and Ethics is a 5 ECTS module delivered over 4 hours per week (2 hrs sychronous live class time, 2 hrs asynchronous content to be done in the students own time) for 12 weeks. An indicative schedule of topics to be addressed each week is outlined below:
- Data Governance and Ethics
- Module objectives, Module contents, Overview of data governance and ethics, Why data governance is important, Data governance definitions
- Data and Metadata
- Introduction to data and metadata, Structured and unstructured data, Metadata types and roles, Data lifecycle, Data quality introduction
- Data Risks, Integrity and Security
- Understanding data risk, Data integrity and information assurance, Organisational challenges, Data security, Cyber attacks
- Data Governance Principles and Frameworks
- Principles, policies, processes, procedures, rules, standards, Operating models, Roles and responsibilities
- Execution Models and Metadata
- Decision-making in data governance, Execution models and scenarios, Data architecture, Metadata for governance
- Data Regulatory Compliance, Privacy and Data Protection
- GDPR overview, Key concepts and definitions, Roles and responsibilities, Articles of relevance, Controllers vs Processors
- Individual Data Rights and Data Breaches
- Data subject rights, Right to be forgotten, Right to data portability, Breach notification procedures, GDPR Articles
- Ethics and Data in the Organisation
- Ethical frameworks, Corporate data ethics, Bias and discrimination, Data ethics in governance
- Data Strategy and Value
- Developing a data strategy, Value creation from data, Strategic objectives and performance, Data as an asset
- Implementing Governance
- Planning for implementation, Capability models, Barriers and drivers, Implementation lifecycle
- AI Governance and Risk
- Overview of AI Governance, Risks from AI in data practices, Bias and discrimination, Regulatory frameworks
- Future Trends in Data Governance
- Emerging technologies, Regulatory evolution, Cross-border governance, Evolving data roles
Learning objectives
This module covers data management, focusing on legal, ethical, and regulatory compliance. Students will learn to assess frameworks, handle data responsibly, and understand the impact of artificial intelligence in data analysis. Here’s what you’ll achieve:
- Assess and critically compare data governance and regulatory processes for data acquisition, storage, and transformation in diverse business contexts.
- Design and propose solutions to business challenges using data governance strategies, emphasising regulatory compliance and ethical considerations.
- Assess and implement effective data governance practices by applying appropriate methodologies such as gap analysis and risk assessment.
- Communicate complex data governance and ethics issues effectively to diverse stakeholders, promoting ethical practices within organisations.
- Enhance transparency and explainability of AI-generated data insights.
Unlock career opportunities with ethical data management and compliance expertise
This course is designed for business professionals who need to navigate the complex landscape of data governance, privacy, and regulatory compliance in a digital age.
It will benefit managers, analysts, and decision-makers seeking to understand how data can be managed ethically and strategically to support organisational goals. The course also offers valuable insights for tech-savvy professionals, data scientists, and IT teams working at the intersection of compliance, innovation, and data-driven business.
Download the prospectus
Shaping tomorrow’s digital leaders with Digital4Business
This module is included in the EU-funded Digital4Business programme, an online master’s aimed at cultivating future digital leaders. Discover how digital transformation fuels business innovation and efficiency, providing you with the crucial skills to excel and lead in the fast-changing digital landscape.
FAQ
Minimum B2 English proficiency, plus 2 years' work or education in an English-speaking environment. IELTS: 6.0; TOEFL PBT: 600; TOEFL CBT: 200; TOEFL iBT: 100. Alternatively, proficiency may be assessed via a test or interview
Relevant EQF Level 6 qualification required in a relevant field including but not limited to: computer science, IT, engineering, maths, business, or economics. Without this you will have an interview and assessment to evaluate certifications, qualifications or professional experience.
This EU co-funded programme is open to all EU27, EEA, UK and Ukrainian nationals with a passport or valid ID from one of these countries.