If you’ve been considering a future career in a field that combines data analytics and business processes, then business analytics could be an excellent option. A degree in the subject will allow you to work in many industries while contributing to strategy and growth. We’re here to help explain more about the subject and degree, what you’ll learn, where you can study and how to gain entry into a course.
What is Business Analytics?
Business analytics is the process of collecting and analysing business data and reviewing this information to make informed decisions that benefit the future of a company or organisation. Major corporations globally have used business analysts for decades to create data-driven strategies for growth and success.
A postgraduate course in business analytics will teach you the best and most current methods of collecting, understanding, and transforming all types of data, from statistical and numerical information to customer reviews or social media posts. You will learn how to apply this data to the future and instigate meaningful roads towards change.
A business analytics course will help you understand businesses and organisations using the most up-to-date approaches and advanced technological tools. Our website lists more than 150 institutions offering Business Analytics courses abroad.
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Best country to study business analytics courses
According to the QS Business Masters Rankings 2025, the best country to study business analytics is the USA, followed by the UK and France. Home to numerous tech companies, these countries offer a wide range of competitive degree options and high graduate salaries.
- 70 universities from the USA are listed in the QS Business Masters Rankings 2025 for Business Analytics.
- The UK has 24 universities on the ranking list and
- 12 universities from France made it to the list.
Top universities for studying business analytics courses
According to the QS Business Masters Rankings 2025, the best business schools, universities, and colleges for business analytics degrees are:
1. MIT (Sloan School of Management), USA
2. UCLA (Anderson School of Management), USA
=3. ESSEC/CentraleSupélec, France
=3. Ecole Polytechnique/HEC Paris, France
5. London Business School, UK
6. Columbia Business School, USA
7. Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business, USA
8. Imperial College Business School, UK
9. ESCP Business School, France
10. IE Business School, Spain
11. Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper School of Business), USA
=11. National University of Singapore (NUS) NUS Business School, Singapore
12. The University of Texas (McCombs School of Business), USA
14. University of Southern California (Marshall School of Business), USA
15. Melbourne Business School, Australia
16. University of Toronto (Rotman School of Management), Canada
17. University of Warwick (Warwick Business School), UK
18. McGill University (The Desautels Faculty of Management), Canada
19. Erasmus University (Rotterdam School of Management), Netherlands
20. University of Manchester (Alliance Manchester Business School), UK
What is taught in business analytics courses?
Business analytics degrees vary in content. However, most courses include a broad selection of core modules to help you gain a broad theoretical and practical understanding of the subject. These typically include areas such as:
- Business forecasting
- Business research
- Computer algorithms
- Econometrics
- Machine learning
- Maths and statistics
- Network analytics
- Optimisation
- Predictive modelling
- Visualisation
Many of the top business analytics courses also include a selection of elective modules, so you can tailor your degree in a way that matches your interests or career goals in a particular area, for example, digital marketing, finance or even healthcare.
Eligibility criteria for studying business analytics abroad
Eligibility criteria for business analytics degrees vary between courses and institutions. As such, students are advised to check entry requirements carefully before application.
Although it is usually beneficial for students to hold an undergraduate degree in a closely related subject, it may not be necessary if you have acquired significant relevant professional experience.
As a general guide, students applying to study a business analytics course must have achieved at least one of the following:
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75/4.00
- Bachelor’s degree with second-class honours
- Average GPA of at least 3.00 for the last two semesters of undergraduate study
- Graduate GPA of at least 3.00 for a minimum of 12 hours of graduate work completed at other institutions.
English language proficiency
Students for whom English is not a first language will typically require an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5 with no band score lower than 6.0, or an equivalent qualification.
Specialisations in Business Analytics
Marketing Analytics, Financial Analytics, Supply Chain Analytics, Healthcare Analytics and Risk Analytics are some of the specialisations that you can pursue under Business Analytics. Popular course options include:
- MSc Business Analytics: typically a one-year course, a master’s degree in business analytics covers descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive methods of analysis. You will also learn about forecasting and visualisation, as well as quantitative methods, data science and programming skills.
- MBA Business Analytics: usually a one to two-year course, an MBA in business analytics goes a step further than a standard master’s degree, providing a broader overview of how business analytics and IT fit into the world of business and business administration, whilst still having a detailed focus on data analysis.
- Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics: a one-year professional qualification, a PGCert in business analytics will equip you with data collection, processing, and analysis foundations.
- PhD Business Analytics: typically at least four years, a PhD in business analytics builds on existing knowledge of the subject through extensive, dedicated research projects.
There are several types of business analytics courses to choose from at the postgraduate level. In addition to studying full-time, many universities offer more flexible part-time and distance-learning options. Some business analytics courses may include work placement opportunities.
Career opportunities
A degree in business analytics will provide a solid foundation to begin or advance your career in business and economics. With the current boom in the tech sector, business analysts are in high demand globally and are employed by the world’s top companies.
Due to the level of demand and advanced skill set required, a degree in business analytics can lead to highly paid professional roles in the business sector. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), management analysts in the USA earn an average salary of USD 95,290 per year.
Business analytics graduates often go on to work in business management, marketing, mathematics, or statistics. As well as becoming a business analyst or management analyst, some other jobs that you can fulfil with a business analytics degree include:
- Business architect
- Data scientist
- Logistician
- Management consultant
- Market research analyst
- Systems analyst
