Course Overview for the Predictive Business Analytics Certificate, Northwestern University School of Professional Studies - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

Program Courses

To earn a certificate in Business Analytics, you must complete the three core courses (BUS_ANLY 201, BUS_ANLY 202, and BUS_ANLY 204).* There is no admissions process for the Certificate in Business Analytics. Start the path toward your certificate by registering for your first course below.

* Students who began the program prior to the fall 2021 term must complete four courses to earn their certificate: BUS_ANLY 201, BUS_ANLY 202, BUS_ANLY 203, and BUS_ANLY 204.

PDP courses are offered online, remotely, and on-campus. Please refer to the Schedule Notes for course delivery information.

IMPORTANT: The registration process for all professional development courses requires you to (A) register for your course, (B) complete an acknowledgment of Northwestern University's Student Expectations and COVID-19 Code of Conduct in CAESAR, AND (C) update your emergency contact information . Current students with an active NetID must complete their student acknowledgment in CAESAR before registering for courses. New students must complete their student acknowledgment in CAESAR within 48 hours of enrollment before official registration can be finalized.
Please contact pdp@northwestern.edu for assistance.

BUS_ANLY 201-DL : Intro to Business Analytics

Description

Data and analytics are fundamental in the solving of business and organizational problems. Mastering these practices requires a well-rounded introduction, regardless of whether you are performing the analysis or implementing the results. Introduction to Business Analytics provides a solid foundation by beginning with basic principles in data modeling and intelligent information. We then continue with how to define business goals, various techniques for collecting and preparing data, different types of analysis and predictive models, and effective ways of communicating results.

The course will discuss many of the latest technology trends applicable to big data and predictive analytics, and includes examples from real use cases to provide a comprehensive, innovative, and practical approach to tackle business analytics problems. Students will also learn strategies to successfully approach stakeholders within an organization with analytic information while navigating the ethical, regulatory, and compliance issues related to the use of data analytics.

Content / Topics

Analytics Terminology, Methodology and Tools (with Statistical Concepts)
Descriptive, Prescriptive, and Predictive Analytics
Business Intelligence vs Business Analytics
Data Collection, Sampling, Preprocessing, Typing, and Governance
Designing a Data Analytics Study
Analytics Project Lifecycle
Implementation / Application of Business Analytics
Latest Analytical Technologies

Registered students can access their online course site here. An activated NetID and password is required for login. *Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to be added to the online course platform.