Certificate in Business Analytics
Elevate your ability to discern meaningful insights from your organization's data with a Business Analytics Certificate. This program is uniquely designed for non-data scientists who seek to leverage big data for practical, impactful decision-making.
Participants will develop the skills to harness the power of big data, moving beyond traditional data processing methods to extract valuable, actionable insights. In today’s data-driven world, the ability to navigate and interpret large volumes of data is essential. However, the true challenge lies in transforming this data into timely, actionable business insights—a primary objective of our Business Analytics Certificate.
The certificate program addresses this challenge through comprehensive training in data collection and visualization, predictive modeling, and effective communication. Led by industry experts, the curriculum ensures that you gain in-demand skills crucial for bridging the gap between technical data analysts and other stakeholders within your organization.
Key Features:
- Focus on Non-Data Scientists: Tailored for professionals who are not data scientists but need to consume and communicate data effectively.
- Industry Expert Faculty: Learn from leading experts who bring real-world experience and insights to the classroom.
- Flexible Asynchronous Schedule: Study at your own pace with a schedule designed to accommodate working professionals.
Upon completion of the Business Analytics Certificate, you will be well-equipped to translate complex data into strategic business advantages, helping your organization make informed, data-driven decisions.
This certificate bridges the technical world of data analysis and the strategic needs of your organization, empowering you to turn data into a powerful tool for business success.
Upcoming Sessions
| Spring 2025 | Registration deadline: |
|---|---|
| BUS_ANLY 201-DL Intro to Business Analytics | March 30, 2025 |
| BUS_ANLY 204-DL Data Visualization, Communication, & Storytelling | March 30, 2025 |
About the Certificate in Business Analytics
- Program Goals
- Business Analytics Audience
- Program Courses
- Business Analytics Certificate Requirements
- Tuition and Financial Aid
- Business Analytics Career Options
- SHRM Recertification Credits
- Related Professional Development Programs at SPS
- Find out more about Northwestern's Certificate in Business Analytics
- Contact an Enrollment Adviser
- Business Analytics Course List
- Graduate-level Corporate Data Science Training
Program Goals
In this certificate program students gain a practical understanding of how to use the business analytics process to harness the power of big data to gain actionable business insights.
Goals of the Business Analytics Certificate Program include:
- Synthesize the lifecycle process engineering of data management and predictive analytics including defining a problem, analyzing and solving the problem, and communicating and acting on results
- Develop skills to apply predictive analytics techniques to gain powerful business insights
- Interpret insights into the latest market trends using illustrative examples that depict real world cases
- Explore the art and science of smart visualization techniques of large-scale data objects
- Explain in a broad sense data governance and management issues affecting privacy, security, compliance, audit, storage and ownership
- Frame business problems in analytical terms and formulate the deliverables commensurate with an affinity for analytical thinking, data metrics, process engineering and visualization
- Identify required skills in strategy development, project management, execution, decision making and presentation applicable to business analytics.
Business Analytics Certificate Audience
The Certificate in Business Analytics Online Program is designed for professionals and managers who regularly consume analytics in their normal course of business, work with partners that create or utilize analytics, or manage a team of analytics professionals, but may not be an analyst themselves. Students in the program's business analytics courses will learn the foundations of business analytics at the strategy level, basic statistics and modeling concepts, and how to effectively present results and tell a story with data. There will be no programming required for the curriculum, but supplementary coding material will be provided for those who are interested in exploring those details as well.
Upon completion of the Certificate in Business Analytics program, students will be able to:
- Apply analytics tools to real-world business scenarios for improved decision-making
- Assess the strengths and limitations of various analytics and predictive modeling techniques for different business applications and varying data conditions
- Acquire hands-on experience working with leading statistical tools and software packages in predictive modeling and the visual analysis of results
- Effectively communicate the actionable insights stemming from analytical work to multiple stakeholders
- Strategically navigate technology tools and trends to solve big data and analytics problems
- Manage data strategies and analytical projects
Program Courses
Explore all the Business Analytics Courses for detail on the program's offerings.
Business Analytics Certificate Requirements
To earn a Certificate in Business Analytics students must complete three online core courses. You must take Intro to Business Analytics (BUS_ANLY 201) and Modeling Concepts (BUS_ANLY 202) in order, but may take Data Visualization, Communication, and Storytelling (BUS_ANLY 204) whenever it is offered.
Business Analytics Courses
- Introduction to Business Analytics (BUS_ANLY 201-DL)
- Modeling Concepts for Business Analytics (BUS_ANLY 202-DL)
- Data Visualization, Communication, and Storytelling (BUS_ANLY 204-DL) - can be taken out of sequence)
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for each course in the Business Analytics certification program is $2,075. The total tuition for the three core courses is $6,225. Complete details can be found on the Business Analytics Tuition and Financial Aid page.
Business Analytics Career Options
Read more on the Business Analytics Career Options page.
SHRM Recertification Credits
Some courses in this program are valid for PDCs for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®. Refer to each course description for requirements and the number of PDCs awarded.
Related Professional Development Programs at SPS
Learn more about the Certificate in Agile Practices.
Find out more about Northwestern's Certificate in Business Analytics
Contact an Enrollment Adviser
An Enrollment Adviser at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies can help with any inquiries regarding our certificate programs.
Graduate-level Corporate Data Science Training
- Let us assess your training needs. We will work with you to evaluate your needs and tailor a program that meets your schedule and budget.
- Your team members will learn together in small online classes and build the skills needed to implement consistent, high-level best practices across your organization.
- You can increase the decision-making and forecasting ability of your organization without adding new positions.