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Business Analytics

Business analytics takes a data-driven approach to the world of business, using statistics and data modeling to develop new business insights. As a business analytics major you will learn the scientific process of using data to make better decisions in various areas of organization, not-for-profit and government entities.

The analytics courses offered at Grand View are taught by industry-experienced professionals to ensure that students learn problem solving skills, translation of business problems into analytical frameworks, business intelligence and predictive analytics – all skills that are sought after by employers.

You will learn to address real-world problems and challenges. After graduating, you will be equipped with the skills needed to become an in-demand data-driven decision maker. The analytics programs at Grand View feature 1-1 mentorship and support from faculty, the building of an analytics portfolio and a capstone project.

A degree in Business Analytics emphasizes skills in business, computer science, communication and statistics.

You will be ready to succeed in our data-driven world!

Degree Level:

Undergraduate Programs

Program Type:

Major

Format:

Full Time, Online

Program Catalog Visit Apply Contact

Compare Analytics Programs

	Bachelor's	Certificate	Certificate
Format	Full-time	Full-time	Part-time
Location	Des Moines, Iowa	Des Moines, Iowa	Des Moines, Iowa
Program Length	4 years	2 semesters	3 semesters
Degree Checklist	VIEW	VIEW	Same as full-time certificate

Wondering whether you should pursue business analytics, computer science, or management information systems?

Explore the differences

Why Grand View?

Business analytics is one of the fastest growing occupations in Iowa (Iowa Workforce Development)
There are more business analytics jobs available than data science jobs
A solid mix of core competencies the industry seeks both in business analytic and application perspectives
An interdisciplinary program with faculty collaborating across departments
Valuable internships in Des Moines

Degree Combinations

Program Details

The Business Analytics major is designed for students interested in learning about the scientific process of using data to make better decisions in various areas of organization, non-profit, and government entities. Students in this major will be prepared to succeed in a data-driven world, providing exposure to software platforms and techniques used to store, transform, manipulate, analyze, and interpret small and large sets of data.

By using data analysis, optimization techniques, and modeling tools, students have the opportunity to make sense of big data across multiple functions of the business. The major in Business Analytics will prepare students in the business, mathematics, and computer science disciplines of data analysis and optimization to think critically about data and use data in meaningful ways. Business Analytics focuses on using mathematical approaches to help improve decision making and performance in business. To better understand business situations, students focus on collecting and analyzing data, drawing on probability and statistics. In order to improve an organization’s performance, students work with the vast amount of Big Data to help discover trends and make predictions, and then make strategic, data-driven decisions.

Course Requirements (48 credits & 11-12 Prerequisite Credits

Prerequisites for courses for the major:

BSAD/CPSC 241- MATH 095, 096, 116, or satisfactory score on Math Placement.
CPSC 260- MATH 095 or 096 with a grade of C minus or above, or satisfactory score on Math Placement.
CPSC 310- includes MATH 331.
STAT 239- Math ACT of 22 or above, Math Placement, or completion of either an introductory or intermediate algebra course
with a C minus (C-) or above or a course meeting the quantitative reasoning requirement with a C minus (C-) or above.
STAT 241- MATH ACT of 22 or above, Math Placement, Math 095 or 096 or 105 with a grade of C minus (C-) or above.
STAT 261- MATH 121.
STAT 341- MATH 095, 096, or 105, and STAT 239, 241, or 261.
DATA 437- includes BSAD 217.

Prerequisite courses for the major: These prerequisites will not be included in the major GPA but must be taken for the major

ACCT 211	Financial Accounting	3 credits
BSAD 295	Careers in Business (will be excused for students earning their degree fully in the online and/or evening formats)	2 credits
DATA 101	Introduction to Data Analytics	3 credits
BSAD/STAT 239 or STAT 241 or STAT 261* †	Statistics for the Social Sciences or Principles of Statistics or Applied Statistics	3 credits or 4 credits or 3 credits

Requirements for the Major: 48 semester credits including a 15-credit business core, a 24-credit analytics core, and 9 credits of electives

Business Core Courses

BSAD/CPSC 241	Computer Science I	3 credits
CPSC 242	Computer Science II	3 credits
CPSC 260	Fundamental Programming for Data Mining and Analysis	3 credits
DATA 321	Data Visualization	3 credits
BSAD/CPSC 421	Databases	3 credits
STAT 341	Applied Regression Analysis and Modeling	3 credits
DATA 445	Applied Statistical/Machine Learning	3 credits
DATA 454	Business Analytics Capstone	3 credits

Electives - take 9 credits from the following:

DATA 433	Finance Analytics	3 credits
DATA 435	Marketing Analytics	3 credits
DATA 437	Sport Analytics	3 credits
DATA 448	Predictive Analytics	3 credits
CPSC 310 †	High Performance Computing for Big Data and AI	3 credits

These courses will be counted in computing the 2.20 GPA for the major.

* A student double majoring in Applied Mathematics is required to take STAT 261.
† A student double majoring in Computer Science is strongly advised to take STAT 261, MATH 331 (prerequisite for CPSC 310), and CPSC 310.

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Tuition & Scholarships

At Grand View University, your tuition supports instruction delivered by knowledgeable and experienced faculty who uphold our tradition of exceptional teaching. Additionally, we are dedicated to offering a high-quality education at the most affordable cost.

Transfer Credits

No matter what major you’re thinking about, you may be able to transfer in as many as 75 credits from a community college or junior college. If you have an A.A. or A.A.S. from an Iowa community college, you will be automatically admitted at junior status.

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Career Growth

The demand for professionals with business analytics skills is growing, fueled by four main trends:

A shift toward data-driven organizations and data-driven decision-making (commonly reported as “big data" initiatives)
The exponential growth of structured and unstructured data due to widespread usage of mobile devices, cloud computing and social media
The shift in business computing from "transaction processing" to "interaction processing," whereby customer and business partner engagement is facilitated by a growing array of IT-based platforms and associated experiences
Significant improvements in data software and systems

Businesses and governments need sharp, savvy professionals such as data scientists, data architects, data modelers, data visualizers, and data infrastructure operators who can help them manage and provide clarity to a potentially overwhelming volume of data. The starting annual salary for a business analyst has averaged around $65,000 in recent years.

Did You Know?

If you pursue a career in business analytics, your role will not be the same as a data scientist!

A data science position, such as business intelligence architect, systems analyst, data engineer, data warehouse specialist, or data mining analyst, requires more technical skills. A data scientist’s main goal is to ask questions and locate potential avenues of study. They predict potential trends and find better ways to analyze information, accomplishing this by using techniques that combine computer science, statistics, and machine learning to parse through and explore massive, disparate, and disconnected data sets.

A business analyst concentrates on processing, analyzing, and visualizing information. Their main goal is to discover actionable insights for current problems in a number of business areas like HR, marketing, customer service, and operations.