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Top 10 Business Analytics Online Certifications, Courses &

Trainings in 2020
Are you looking for Best Business Analytics Course and Certification Program?
Choose from our list of best courses on Business Analytics compiled by industry
experts and take your skills to another level.

May 6, 2020, 5:43 am

 5.7k Views

With the in ux of data in the 21st century, the demand for business professionals
who can collect and analyse this data has increased manifold. According to a 2016
report by McKinsey and Company, the data doubles in volume every three years. 
 There is a shortage of 1.5 million managers skilled enough to use this data to
make sound business decisions. Knowledge of business analytics helps to turn
data into actionable intelligence, thus making it quite crucial to the success of any
organisation. Business Analysts use a range of statistical and quantitative
methods, tools and predictive models to gain insights and make data-driven
decisions.

Here is our list of top-ten picks for best online courses and specialization programs
that will help you understand the fundamentals of business analytics and equip
you with necessary knowhow about right tools and techniques. These will open the
gateway of better opportunities for all learners. This list of Best Business Analytics
Courses, Tutorials and Certi cations available online includes both free and paid
resources. While most of these can be taken up by complete beginners, a few are
advanced level courses that require some prior knowledge.

1. Wharton’s Business Analytics Specialization (Coursera)

2. Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization by Duke University
(Coursera)

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3. Advanced Business Analytics Specialization by University of Colorado (Coursera)
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Menu4. Data Analysis and Presentation Skills: the&PwC Approach Specialization (Coursera)
Explore, Learn Master Any Skill
5. Business Analytics – Nanodegree Program (Udacity)
6. Business Analytics Fundamentals by Babson College (edX)
7. Business Analytics for Data-Driven Decision Making by Boston University (edX)
8. Statistics for Business Analytics and Data Science A-Z™ (Udemy)
9. Business Analytics MicroMasters Certi cation by Columbia University (edX)
10. Strategic Business Analytics Specialization by Essec Business School (Coursera)

1. Wharton’s Business Analytics Specialization (Coursera)

The Wharton School has designed this Business

Analytics specialization for anyone interested in
understanding how business decisions are made
using big data. You’ll learn how data analysts

describe, predict, and inform business decisions. This program aims to promote
deep understanding of how big data and analytics are used in four key areas:
marketing (customer analytics), human resources and talent management (people
analytics), operations, and nance. This knowledge will help learners to create new
data-driven business strategies, participate in conversations about analytics,
transition to a new career path, or improve their own business.

This program comprises of 4 targeted courses – Customer Analytics, Operations

Analytics, People Analytics, and Accounting Analytics and culminates with a
Business Analytics Capstone project. This hands-on project requires learners to
apply the business analysis skills learned to a real problem faced by tech giants
like Yahoo, Google and Facebook. This capstone project is designed with Yahoo to
provide invaluable experience to learners and reinforce their skills of making
decisions based on data.

No prior knowledge or experience of business analytics is required for this

program. Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel’s basic functions will be an
advantage.

Key Highlights

Achieve uency in business data strategies

Explain how data is used for recruiting and performance evaluation
Model supply and demand for various business scenarios
Develop an analytic mindset to help solve business problems with data-driven
decision-making
Learn the tools used to predict customer behaviour
Several exercises and examples to enhance understanding of the topics
Capstone project to apply skills to a real world data set

Duration : 20 weeks, 2 to 5 hours per week

Rating : 4.6
Sign up Here

2. Excel to MySQL: Analytic Techniques for Business Specialization
by Duke University (Coursera)

This Specialization is offered by the

most prestigious Duke University in
partnership with Coursera. It is
intended for anybody who is
interested in data analysis and its
applications in decision making. In
this program, you will learn to use
powerful tools and methods such as
Excel, Tableau, and MySQL to analyze data, create forecasts and models, design
visualizations, and communicate your insights.

It includes 4 industry relevant courses followed by a capstone project that requires

learners to apply data analysis principles and recommend methods to improve
pro ts of residential rental property company. This capstone project has been
designed with help of Airbnb (Capstone’s o cial sponsor).

The course begins with introduction to best practices for using data analytics,
identifying key metrics etc. It also covers data analysis techniques used by giants
like Amazon, Airbnb and Uber and how these techniques help them in their
respective industry. Then it dives into Excel, Tableau, and MySQL, followed by
practices to translate and persuasively communicate insights into actionable
recommendations for decision-makers. This course can be taken by beginners
with no prior knowledge of business analytics.

Key Highlights

Learn to recognize the most critical business metrics and distinguish them from
regular data
Understand how companies like Amazon, Uber and Airbnb use big data and data
analytics to out-compete traditional companies in their industries
Prepare to design and implement realistic predictive models based on data

 Learn effective data visualization with Tableau
Understand how relational databases work
Hands-on project to apply the techniques learnt to real world problem

Duration : 5 courses, 4-6 weeks each course, 3-5 hours each week
Rating : 4.7
Sign up Here

3. Advanced Business Analytics Specialization by University of

Colorado (Coursera)

This Specialization is based on

summer boot camp that is run as part
of Masters of Business Analytics
Program at the University Of Colorado
Boulder Leeds School Of Business.
The focus of this program is to teach
real world business analytical skills
so that you can leverage data to solve
complex business problems. In addition to learning about how to think about
business analytical problems, you will learn practical skills such how to extract and
manipulate data using SQL code, how to execute statistical analysis for
descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analysis, and how to discuss, interpret and
predict analytical results.

There are ve courses in this specialization –

1. Introduction to Data Analytics for Business
2. Predictive Modeling and Analytics
3. Business Analytics for Decision Making
4. Communicating Business Analytics Results
5. Advanced Business Analytics Capstone

This is an intermediate level course and requires some background in statistics. It

is suggested that learners have a working knowledge of Excel and high-level 
understanding of programming instructions.

Key Highlights

Understand the entire business analytics process, from data capturing, extraction,
analysis, modeling, and presentation of ndings
Extract and manipulate data stored in large databases using SQL
Identify and apply statistical models that are commonly used to implement
descriptive analytics
Learn to use Excel-based tools to construct models based on regression,
simulation, and data mining
Learn to use Excel-based tools to construct models pertaining to linear
programming, integer programming, and simulation-optimization methods
Capstone Project related to nancial loans to help with the investment decisions of
an investment company

Duration : 4-5 months, 3-5 hours per week

Rating : 4.6
Sign up Here

4. Data Analysis and Presentation Skills: the PwC Approach

Specialization (Coursera)

This specialization by PWC is

designed to provide you with practical
training of data analysis, so you can
understand data, apply data analytics
tools and create effective business
intelligence presentations. You’ll learn
how to use Microsoft Excel,
PowerPoint, and other common data
analysis and communication tools.


This course has been designed for learners who are new to the eld of data and
analytics. So, no prior knowledge or background in business analytics and
statistics is required. You will need PowerPivot and MS Excel to complete some of
the exercises in the course.

There are ve courses in this specialization:

1. Data-driven Decision Making – Here you will be introduced to big data, how it is
used and a framework for conducting Data Analysis and tools and techniques that
are commonly used
2. Problem Solving with Excel – Here you will learn the basic functions of excel
through guided demonstration
3. Data Visualization with Advanced Excel – Here you’ll learn PowerPivot, Excel’s
built in tools, how to visualize data, dynamic dashboards etc.
4. Effective Business Presentations with PowerPoint – Here you’ll learn to present
your data in an engaging manner
5. Data Analysis and Presentation Skills: the PwC Approach Final Project – This
will bring together all the new skills and insights you’ve learned through the four
courses

Key Highlights

Understand how to use the data and analytics framework to develop a plan to solve
a business problem
Learn to use PowerPivot to build databases and data models
Learn to use Excel to analyze data using formulas and present a series of
visualizations
Create a dynamic data dashboard in Excel that accepts inputs and refreshes with
new data
Capstone Project to apply data analysis and presentation skills to solve a real-
world client problem
Learn best design principles for effective visuals and slides
Iterative peer feedback to complete assignments and projects

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Duration : 21 weeks, 3-4 hours per week
Rating : 4.6
Sign up Here

5. Business Analytics – Nanodegree Program (Udacity)

In this Business Analytics

Nanodegree specialization, you will
master foundational data skills that
apply across several functions and
industries. It mainly focuses on how
to collect and analyze data, model
business scenarios, and
communicate your ndings with SQL,
Excel, and Tableau.

The curriculum has been developed in collaboration with Tableau and Mode, with
the needs of the industry in mind. It is divided into following parts –
1. Welcome to the Program – Introduction & orientation to the program
2. Introduction to Data – Learn to use statistics and build models with Excel
3. SQL for Data Analysis – Learn to extract and analyse data using SQL
4. Data Visualization – Learn to build meaningful data visualizations and data
dashboards

This is an introductory level program with no prior experience requirement. It is

suitable for beginners in data analysis or anybody who wants to learn techniques
to complete small scale data analysis and exploration. The main focus of the
program is on projects where learners implement the techniques learnt and
strengthen their skills.

Key Highlights

Learn exploratory data analysis with small to mid-sized datasets

Real-world projects and content created in partnership with top companies 
 A very interactive learning environment provided by Udacity with great student
community for support
Individual 1-on-1 mentorship provided
Taught by industry practitioners with curriculum developed by industry experts
Projects reviewed by quali ed instructors, instead of automated or peer reviews
Personalized feedback, career coach & career services

Duration : 3 months, 10 hours per week

Rating : 4.6
Sign up Here

6. Business Analytics Fundamentals by Babson College (edX)

This Certi cation program on

Business Analytics Fundamentals
aims to provide principles and
practical applications of business
analytics. It imparts foundational and
practical skills and knowledge to
analyse and understand data, present
your ndings effectively and draw
meaningful conclusions about data. It covers latest modelling techniques and
advanced Excel functions.

The key areas covered in this course are Data Collection, Data Visualizations,
Descriptive Statistics, Basic Probability, Statistical Inference, and Creating Linear
Models. You will learn basic data types, sampling methods and surveys. Real-life
data sets are used throughout the program with plenty of exercises and projects.
The lessons are structured well and paced perfectly to make them easier to grasp.

This course provides a hands-on approach to anyone looking for better handle on
business analytics. Since it’s an introductory level course, no prior background or


skill set in business analysis is needed. Only working knowledge of Excel is
suggested.

Key Highlights

Learn to recognize, interpret, summarize data and offer valuable insights

Learn descriptive statistics and basic probability concepts
Cover Inferential statistics such as con dence intervals and hypothesis testing
Learn to build basic Excel models for revenue, cost, and pro t
Understand how to apply fundamental analytics to common business decisions
Option to pursue a veri ed certi cate at a small fee

Duration : 4 weeks, 4-6 hours per week

Rating : 4.5
Sign up Here

7. Business Analytics for Data-Driven Decision Making by Boston

University (edX)

The aim of this course is to help you

make better business decisions using
analytic methods. You will learn to
reframe a business question as an
analytics question, to decide what
data you need and where to obtain it,
and to prepare that data for analysis.
You will practice how to create
compelling data visualizations and learn about the tools to achieve that. You will
also understand how to infer and present insights from the analysis. Thus this
course teaches the complete end-to-end process of making effective data-driven
and evidence-based decisions.

This course is a part of two MicroMasters programs – Digital Product

Management and Digital Leadership. It is an advanced level course and lists 
elementary knowledge of statistics as a prerequisite for taking this course. It is
designed for those who need to manage teams of business analysts and data
scientists or wish to perform analysis of data themselves.

Key Highlights

Hands-on introduction to the concepts, methods and processes of business

analytics
Exposure to concepts and practices of building predictive models using machine
learning algorithms
Learn how companies can use analytics as the basis for creating value
Understand how to effectively interact with data analyst teams
Learn to translate data analytics results into sound business strategies
Several examples and demonstrations to explain complex analytical models
Free access to course content, veri ed certi cate can be added for a fee

Duration : 8 weeks, 3-6 hours per week

Rating : 4.6
Sign up Here

8. Statistics for Business Analytics and Data Science A-Z™

(Udemy)

Statistics is a skill that is very under

rated in a business setting, but is
highly important. The results of any
data analysis should be statistically
reliable, only then can sound
decisions be taken on their basis.
This course will help you master the
core statistics knowledge for a career
in data science. It is not a regular course on statistics but a very hands-on and
practical training of stats from a business perspective. It includes real-world
examples of business challenges to show you how you could apply this knowledge 
to boost your career. You will master topics such as distributions, the z-test, the
Central Limit Theorem, hypothesis testing, con dence intervals, statistical
signi cance and many more.

This course is for anybody wanting to learn stats from ground up. It is very well
suited for individuals who are working as data scientists or business analysts and
need a refresher course on statistics. The instructor Kirill Eremenko is a very
popular teacher on Udemy with a rating of 4.5 and has taught almost 900,000
students. He delivers the lessons in a fun way and tons of examples included make
it easy to understand complex concepts.

Key Highlights

Understand the practical approaches to solving business problems with large

datasets
Understand the difference between a normal distribution and a t-distribution
Understand the Central Limit Theorem and its application
Learn to use the Z-Score and Z-Tables, t-Score and t-Tables
Understand and apply statistical signi cance
Learn to apply Hypothesis Testing for Means and Proportions
Create con dence intervals
Understand the potential pitfalls of overusing p-Values

Duration : 7 hours on-demand video

Rating : 4.4
Sign up Here

9. Business Analytics MicroMasters Certification by Columbia

University (edX)

This MicroMasters program in Business Analytics is a professional and academic

credential offered by Columbia University on edX platform for online learners. It is a
series of 4 graduate level courses that empower learners with the skills, insights
and understanding to improve business performance using data, statistical and 
 quantitative analysis, and explanatory
and predictive modelling to help make
actionable decisions.

The 4 Masters level courses cover the

following topics – Analytics in
Python; Data, Models and Decisions
in Business Analytics; Demand and
Supply Analytics; Marketing Analytics.
All these courses include video lectures, quizzes, programming assignments, peer-
reviewed assignments, and community discussion forums.

Learners need to complete all the 4 courses to earn MicroMasters program

certi cate from ColumbiaX. This certi cate counts as 7.5 course credits towards
any one of Columbia University’s following online or on-campus Masters programs
– MS in Management Science & Engineering, MS in Operations Research, MS in
Business Analytics and MS in Marketing Science.

Key Highlights

Learn how to harness the power of analytics to make better business decisions
and advance your career
Apply methods, tools, and software for acquiring, managing/storing, and accessing
structured and unstructured data
Apply descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics to business modeling and
decision-making
Gain the ability to explain complex analytical models and results

Duration : 4 courses, 12 weeks per course, 8-10 hours per week per course
Rating : 4.5
Sign up Here

10. Strategic Business Analytics Specialization by Essec Business

School (Coursera) 
 This Specialization is designed for
students and professionals interested
in practical applications of business
analytics techniques and big data. It
covers a wide variety of analytics
approaches in different industry
domains including media,
communications, public service etc.

Learners who complete this specialization will be fully accomplished experts in big
data management, with a robust understanding of how data can be used to
leverage strategic value. They will be able to combine and manipulate data sets,
and interpret them. The courses also prepare them to present their interpretations
and value case to potential stakeholders successfully.

There are 4 courses in the program – (i) Foundations of strategic business

analytics, (ii) Foundations of marketing analytics, (iii) Case studies in business
analytics with Accenture and (iv) Capstone Project.

This is an advanced level program and requires a good statistical background. It is

suggested that learners have knowledge of R programming language and analytics
to complete the coursework. Some experience with SQL and machine learning will
be useful too.

Key Highlights

Hands-on case studies in real business contexts: examples include predicting and
forecasting events, statistical customer segmentation, and calculating customer
scores and lifetime value
Understand text mining, social network analysis, sentiment analysis, real-time
bidding, online campaign optimization etc.
Earn a Specialization Certi cate from one of the world’s leading business schools
Capstone project to apply and test the skills acquired in the program
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Duration : 16 weeks, 2-5 hours per week
Rating : 4.4
Sign up Here