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Data Analytics – M.S.

MASTER OF SCIENCE Master's in Data Analytics

A master of data analytics that prepares you to take raw data and turn it into critical information in an exciting, lucrative career. A master's in data analytics built for you.

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Named a "Best Value School" by University Research & Review year after year.

Best Value School according to University Research and Review

A master's in data analytics that helps you take the lead. Success is your dataset.

Data makes the world go round, and the demand for candidates to fill analytics leadership roles is far greater than the number of qualified analysts available. With this master's degree in data analytics, you’ll become a data mining, management, mapping, and munging expert, allowing you to increase your earning potential and maximize opportunities for career advancement. This data analytics degree program focuses on theory and application, allowing you to learn by doing as you complete full data analytics projects in stages. We utilize cutting-edge technology to help you learn about AI, machine learning, modern analytic tools (Python, R, SQL, and Tableau), and more. Additionally, this unique program allows you to choose from a variety of datasets around an industry-specific theme to completely customize your degree. Learn exactly what you want and need for your career.

With WGU, you can earn while you learn. Our unique education model means you can continue to work full-time while you're earning your degree. Continue to make money while enhancing your career offering with the help of a master's degree in data analytics. Nothing is in your way when you choose WGU—our unique education model lets you move through courses as soon as you can master the material. This means that nothing is in your way—you can graduate faster and boost your résumé sooner.

70% of graduates finish within

22 months

WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
See career outlook

Tuition per 6-month term is

$3,940

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. Finish faster, pay less!
See how time is money

Certifications that may transfer:

1

Your Oracle SQL Expert cert may waive course requirements.
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Tuition as of August 1, 2021.
Become a master of data analytics and lead teams to success.

When properly analyzed, every transaction—commercial, medical, social, or academic—can help lead to better business decisions and outcomes in your industry. And as the amount of data rapidly increases, so does the need for qualified data analytics leaders. Students who earn a master’s degree in data analytics will be prepared to maximize leadership opportunities in careers including:
Data analyst

Data administrator

Business analyst

Data engineer

Business intelligence analyst

Information research scientist

Advanced analytics expert
Learn about our grads' careers
A data analytics degree focused on relevant curriculum, developed by data experts.

Our goal is your success. That's why our data analytics curriculum focuses on the key competencies you need to succeed. This data analytics degree program was designed using the most important and impactful training to ensure that you have the tools you need to become a great data analyst.

Download Program Guide

The WGU M.S. Data Analytics degree program was designed, and is regularly updated, with input from the experts on our Information Technology Program Council. This ensures that you learn best practices for the latest developments in data analytics.
Key Subject Areas

Your program consists of courses focused on making the most of data, including:

Representation and Reporting

Data Analytics Graduate Capstone

Advanced Data Analytics

Data Cleaning

Predictive Modeling

Exploratory Data Analysis

The Data Analytics Journey

Data Mining II

Data Mining I

Data Acquisition

Advanced Data Acquisition

See all courses
A Respected Degree

Discover how WGU can offer respected credentials.

Respect. An online master's degree in data analytics at WGU features the skills and credentials your employer will respect. With top accreditation and recognition, you can be sure that your degree is valuable.

Completely online. This master's degree in data analytics is 100% online, so you can keep working full-time and keep up with your other responsibilities all while going to school.

Explore the curriculum
Micro-credentials

You can earn valuable micro-credentials within this degree:

Data Preparation: Covers skills such as data acquisition, wrangling, cleaning, and feature engineering.

Data Analytics Fundamentals: Includes the use of data analytics tools to conduct exploratory data analysis, regression, data mining using supervised models, and reporting.

Advanced Data Modeling: Exposure to cutting-edge analytic techniques in current market demand, including advanced data acquisition, unsupervised data mining, and natural language processing.

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A supported, personalized experience.

WGU is different from other online universities—in the best possible ways! Take a look at what we mean:

Faculty Learning Assessment Capstone Alumni Support

Faculty

SUPPORTING YOU: Faculty focused on students.

An entire team of faculty members has one goal in mind: your success. Your Program Mentor is your individually assigned faculty member, providing regular program guidance and instruction from the day you start, to the day you graduate. In addition, Instructors provide regular, subject-matter instruction and support, typically one-on-one, throughout each course you take.

Learning

YOUR ROADMAP: A personalized learning plan.

Your program is made up of a series of courses, each a personalized journey toward subject mastery. A preassessment provides insight into what you already know. You’ll then learn what you still need to learn, using online learning resources—available 24/7—along with one-on-one or cohort-based faculty instruction.

Assessment

PROVE IT: Show you know your stuff.

WGU measures learning, not time, so each course in your program culminates in an assessment—a test, paper, project, or presentation that allows you to prove what you know. As soon as you’re ready, you take the assessment. Take proctored exams from the comfort of your own home—via webcam, any time of day!

Capstone

APPLY IT: Solve a problem.

Throughout your program, you will focus on acquiring and proving specific competencies. At program’s end, you’ll complete a final capstone project that allows you to show off everything you’ve learned by proposing a solution to a relevant issue in your industry. Your mentor can help you select your capstone topic.

Alumni Support

ALWAYS a Night Owl.

Continued support after you graduate includes many opportunities for professional development and enrichment, career support, and networking. Night Owls may be independent learners, but they also become highly engaged in our active alumni community through apps, groups, and events.

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The accreditation you need, plus industry respect and recognition.

Accredited

Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which provides the accreditation of many other major institutions, such as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, Gonzaga University, University of Utah, University of Idaho, and Brigham Young University, to name just a few.

Respected

Recognized

“I’m impressed by the results in places like Western Governors University. Its low-cost online programs rely on competency-based progression, not class time or credit hours. It uses external assessments to evaluate student proficiency.”
Bill Gates
“Why American Colleges Have to Change”

Accredited

Respected

Recognized

Our programs check all the boxes. If this degree is your goal, get started toward becoming a student today—programs start the first of each month.

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When we say affordable, we mean it.

$3,940

Tuition per 6-month term

+

+$295

Resource and Program Fees, per term

=

=$4,235

TOTAL PER TERM

+$65

One-time application fee

Apply FREE this week

Tuition rate effective August 1, 2021. $295 per-term fees include Resource Fee of $145 (covers all e-books and learning resources, saving you hundreds per term) and Program Fee of $150 (covers additional costs specific to this program).
Control the cost of your program: Our tuition links cost to time.

By charging per term rather than per credit, WGU empowers students to get the most for their education dollars. You can accelerate through material you already know or are able to learn quickly, allowing you to control how much your degree will ultimately cost. Use the slider below to estimate your tuition costs at current rates:
Flat-rate tuition of $4,245 per term links cost to time.

By charging per 6-month term rather than per credit hour—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or can learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.

Adjust the time and see your costs change

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There's help if you need it.

Financial aid is available.

WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.

View more about financial aid.

WGU students borrow less than half the national average.*

Our goal: You graduate with little or no debt.

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2019 (among those who borrowed) was less than half the national average. WGU’s three-pronged approach to keeping your debt low and your return on investment quick: One, provide useful information and advice on responsible borrowing before enrollment. Two, keep tuition low while you're enrolled. And three, offer degree programs that lead to better-paying jobs after graduation.

Read about our Responsible Borrowing Initiative.

*WGU data: 2019 Annual Report. National data: The Institute for College Access & Success and Student Loan Hero.

Degree Cost Comparison

For-Profit Online University

Other Nonprofit Online University

WGU

A master’s degree in data analytics for about half what you’d pay elsewhere.

Low tuition and the ability to accelerate make WGU more affordable than most other schools. When you compare us with other programs, WGU’s Master of Science Data Analytics degree program offers rigorous curriculum with competitive post-graduation results for about half what you'd pay at another university—or even less.

*WGU average annual bachelor’s tuition rates are 57% the national average, compared to national rates reported by IPEDS. WGU average rate does not include rates for WGU B.S. Nursing Prelicensure program. Learn more about WGU's tuition and how it compares.

Transparent fees and no hidden costs.

The cost of attending college often includes much more than tuition and fees. WGU is designed to be a different kind of university, and that translates to cost savings everywhere from books to babysitting.

Other universities bury you in unexpected costs. Not WGU.

Click to explore the extra costs:

Tuition Books

Parking Gas

Library / resource fees Babysitter every week for
nighttime classes

WGU

Other online college

Traditional
4 year school

This demonstration shows how various costs—including official fees and incidental costs of attending school—can add up in different learning environments. It's meant as an illustration only.

Scholarships make our already-low tuition even more affordable.

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Here are a few you may be eligible to apply for:

$2,500

Master Your Future Scholarship

$5,000

Leadership Scholarship

$2,000

WGU Alumni Master's Scholarship

The affordable, flexible programs offered at WGU put high-quality education within your reach. Start working toward your future.

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Curriculum that ensures you’ve mastered the things employers want you to know.

Program consists of:
11 Courses
Total courses in program

An unofficial estimated 0 courses are fulfilled by your associate degree leaving 11 courses.
I have an associate degree Download Program Guide

At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to ensure your degree is proof you really know your stuff.

Every course focuses on a set of clearly defined competencies that you must prove you’ve learned—through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career is at the heart of WGU’s M.S. Data Analytics curriculum.

That means what you learn is often directly applicable the next day at work—and it means what you’re doing at work frequently informs the work you’re doing in your courses. It’s all about real-world applicability so every moment spent studying is time well spent.

Courses in this degree program.

This information technology degree program is composed of the following courses. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.

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Data Visualization

Representation and Reporting

Representation and Reporting focuses on communicating observations and patterns to diverse stakeholders, a key aspect of the data analytics life cycle. This course helps students gain communication and storytelling skills. It also covers data visualizations, audio representations, and interactive dashboards. The prerequisite for this course is Data Mining I.

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Capstone

Data Analytics Graduate Capstone

The Data Analytics Graduate Capstone allows students to apply the academic and professional abilities developed as a graduate student. This capstone challenges students to integrate skills and knowledge from several program domains into one project. Advanced Data Analytics is a prerequisite for this course.

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Data Analytics

Advanced Data Analytics

Advanced Data Analytics prepares students for career-long growth in steadily advancing tools and techniques and provides emerging concepts in data analysis. This course hones the mental and theoretical flexibility that will be required of analysts in the coming decades while grounding their approach firmly in ethical and organizational-need-focused practice. Topics include machine learning, neural networks, randomness, and unconventional data sources. Data Mining II is a prerequisite for this course.

Data Cleaning

Data Cleaning continues building proficiency in the data analytics life cycle with data preparation skills. This course addresses exploring, transforming, and imputing data as well as handling outliers. Learners write code to manipulate, structure, and clean data as well as to reduce features in data sets. The following courses are prerequisites: The Data Analytics Journey, and Data Acquisition.

Predictive Modeling

Predictive Modeling builds on initial data preparation, cleaning, and analysis, enabling students to make assertions vital to organizational needs. In this course, students conduct logistic regression and multiple regression to model the phenomena revealed by data. The course covers normality, homoscedasticity, and significance, preparing students to communicate findings and the limitations of those findings accurately to organizational leaders. Exploratory Data Analysis is a prerequisite for this course.

Exploratory Data Analysis

Exploratory Data Analysis covers statistical principles supporting the data analytics life cycle. Students in this course compute and interpret measures of central tendency, correlations, and variation. The course introduces hypothesis testing, focusing on application for parametric tests, and addresses communication skills and tools to explain an analyst’s findings to others within an organization. Data Cleaning is a required prerequisite for this course.

The Data Analytics Journey

The Data Analytics Journey gives an overview of the entire analytics life cycle. Learners gain fluency in data analytics terminology, tools, and techniques. The course contextualizes the data analytics journey firmly with organizational metrics and requirements to position graduates to answer key questions for businesses and other employers. This course has no prerequisites.

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Data Mining

Data Mining II

Data Mining II adds vital tools to data analytics arsenal that incorporates unsupervised models. This course explains when, how, and why to use these tools to best meet organizational needs. The prerequisite for this course is Advanced Data Acquisition.

Data Mining I

Data Mining I expands predictive modeling into nonlinear dimensions, enhancing the capabilities and effectiveness of the data analytics lifecycle. In this course, learners implement supervised models—specifically classification and prediction data mining models—to unearth relationships among variables that are not apparent with more surface-level techniques. The course provides frameworks for assessing models’ sensitivity and specificity. D208 Predictive Modeling is a prerequisite to this course.

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Data Management

Data Acquisition

Data Acquisition builds proficiency in Structured Query Language (SQL) and the initial stages of the data analytics lifecycle. The course introduces relational databases. Students gain concrete skills in data transference and database manipulation. There are no prerequisites.

Advanced Data Acquisition

Advanced Data Acquisition enhances theoretical and SQL skills in furthering the data analytics life cycle. This course covers advanced SQL operations, aggregating data, and acquiring data from various sources in support of core organizational needs. The prerequisite for this course is Representation and Reporting.

Plan to work hard: Program requirements and expectations.

The M.S. Data Analytics degree program is an all-online program that you will complete through independent study with the support of WGU faculty. You will be expected to complete at least 8 competency units (WGU's equivalent of the credit hour) each 6-month term. (Each course is typically 3 or 4 units).

The first person you speak with at WGU will be your Enrollment Counselor, who can explain requirements and expectations in more detail. You can also read more about each course in the Program Guide.

Request info from an Enrollment Counselor.

Download the Program Guide.

Special requirements for this program:

Capstone project: At the end of your degree program, you will complete a capstone project that represents the culmination of all your hard work—a project that allows you to take what you’ve learned and apply it to a real-world situation, proposing a solution to an actual issue you face in your place of business

Give your résumé the boost it needs!

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Quality you can trust: Curriculum developed with guidance from IT leaders and experts.

Program councils—teams of industry and academic experts—drive the creation of our degree programs, providing input on the competencies a successful graduate needs to have mastered.
Competency-based education puts working IT professionals in the driver’s seat of their education.

One of the things that makes WGU a different kind of university is competency-based learning. Competency-based degree programs allow you to speed up your progress—no waiting for other class members, no waiting for a new semester to start.

Already familiar with a subject? Review the material, take the assessment, and move on. Taking a course in a subject that’s new for you? Maximize all available resources and ensure you’re comfortable with the material when you take the assessment.

“The competency model made all the difference. The fact that I could go in and prove what areas I have mastery in by taking the pretests. Going in, taking the pretests, finding which areas I was knowledgeable in, finding which areas I needed to work on, drilling down to those areas, really focusing on them and then taking the preassessment test. It was the absolute modus operandi for how I went through the program.” Bill Burn,
BS Information Technology

Designed for working professionals.

At WGU, you’re not committed to attend class at a set time, complete homework on a professor’s schedule, or log “attendance” hours. You’ll earn your degree by proving what you know. Whether you’re a quick-study, have extra time to dedicate to your program, or can draw on your years of data experience, you can put these advantages to good use: graduating faster.

When you’re comfortable with a course’s material, you’ll prove your competency through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments, earning respected credentials designed to prepare you prepare for increased success and career advancement.

Competency-Based Education (CBE)

How it helps you

Efficient

Save time and money by focusing your efforts where they matter the most.

Because all of WGU’s M.S. Data Analytics courses are online with no set meeting times, you can study whenever and wherever works best for you. Early in the morning, on weekends, or even at your child’s soccer practice. Earning a degree will take hard work, but you can fit your study around your existing commitments, not the other way around.

Flexible

Learn on your own terms.

Some people do their best studying in the early mornings, before going in to work; others are most energized when they come home in the evenings. Sometimes work gets crazy; and sometimes, it gets really crazy—deadlines loom, you hit the busy season, and then you enjoy the relative quiet of “down time.” While you will be required to maintain a base level of consistent progress through your program, WGU is designed to empower you to maximize your personal schedule by allowing you to build a study plan that fits into your life—not one that requires you to rearrange it.

Results

Know you’re learning real-world skills.

You will frequently find that what you learn in your courses can be directly applied to what you are doing at work, which can improve your effectiveness as well as expand your education.

Finish courses by proving what you know, when you’re ready.

With competency-based education at WGU, success is measured by actual learning, not class time. You advance by demonstrating that you've mastered the course subject matter—whether you learned it through your study at WGU or picked up that knowledge through years of work experience.

Your progress through a course is driven by you.

How quickly you learn

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The time you devote to studying

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How much previous knowledge you bring

Your experience pays at WGU.

Why start from square one when you could already be well on your way to a degree?

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Set goals. Get results. Data leadership careers start with a master’s degree in data analytics.

Our economy runs on data, and the amount of data we use is growing at an unprecedented rate. Every industry from advertising to zoology is going digital, and almost all organizations need experts who can maximize that data. When you have completed your data analytics degree program online, your skills will already be in high demand. The knowledge and techniques you’ll gain as you complete your degree will provide you with all the tools necessary for a for a successful career.

The number of positions for operations research analysts is projected to grow by an astounding 25% from 2019 to 2029.
—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Become an expert in data analytics.

Get salary info, job and industry outlook, work environment description, and more.

More about careers
WGU is a university committed to producing successful grads.

The ultimate test of your degree's value is whether it helps you become an outstanding employee and advance your career. Our happy grads—and their happy employers—confirm that WGU is the path to that kind of degree.
Happy employers

Happy grads

They're Prepared.

Employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.

They Perform.

Employers rated WGU graduates' job performance as very good or excellent.

They Wow.

Employers said their WGU graduates have exceeded their expectations.

They're Confident.

Graduates said the majority of their coursework was related to their jobs.

They're Working.

Graduates are working full-time.

They're Satisfied.

Graduates said their degrees were worth the cost of their education.

Source: 2018 Harris Poll survey of 300 employers; 2018 Harris Poll Online survey of 1,374 new college graduates nationwide compared with survey of 1,147 WGU graduates; Gallup-Purdue Index 2018
“As employers, we look for men and women who can do the job well and can do it effectively. WGU’s competency-based model means graduates have the skills and knowledge required for success in a cost-effective and efficient manner.” Brian Standing
President, CenturyLink – West Region

Close the gap between you and your dreams.

Online degree programs start every month.

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Your master's degree is within reach—start by completing your admissions application today.

Next Possible Start

Start dates are the 1st of every month. Meet requirements by the 15th to start next month. Discuss steps and deadlines with your Enrollment Counselor.
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Get your questions answered and take the next step: Talk to an Enrollment Counselor.

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Your Enrollment Counselor is there to help you make an informed decision.
The first step toward change can be the hardest—we get it. Your "welcoming committee" at WGU is made up of Enrollment Counselors, Admissions Specialists, and faculty members. Your initial interactions at WGU will be guided by an Enrollment Counselor who specializes in the programs you're interested in.

Your Enrollment Counselor is ready with as much help as you may need:

Get your cost and admissions criteria questions answered.

Assess WGU's fit with your career goals.

Get started toward enrollment!

Contact an Enrollment Counselor.
Admission requirements unique to this degree.
To be considered for enrollment in this program, you must:

1. Possess a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field, Business degree (Quantitative Analysis, Accounting, Economics, Finance, or degree with similar quantitative focus).

OR

2. Possess any bachelor’s degree PLUS one of the following:

Two years of related work experience

Relevant and current IT certification

Related IT coursework

NOTE: You do not need to take the GRE or GMAT to be admitted to this program. Learn why we don't require these tests.

View general admission requirements
Making an informed admission decision.

WGU seeks to admit individuals who have the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program…and graduate. The admission process is designed to help you and the university reach an informed decision about your likelihood of success.

At WGU we want you to graduate, not just enroll. Consequently, not every applicant is admitted because not every individual has the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program.
Your existing IT certifications may transfer to WGU.

See which certs transfer.
Common questions about enrolling in a College of IT degree program.
What if I can't meet the eligibility requirements to enroll in the IT program I am interested in?

You should speak with an Enrollment Counselor. WGU can often provide advice or resources to help a prospective student fulfill enrollment prerequisites.

Why are certifications and other prerequisites required?

When you enroll in a WGU degree program, our goal is to see you through to graduation. Admission requirements are designed to increase your likelihood of success. Years of data and experience with the nontraditional students WGU serves have shown us how various types of academic and professional experience can be highly important in helping a student persist to graduation. Industry certifications are one of many ways a student can meet eligibility.

Why doesn't WGU accept certifications that are older than five years?

WGU has an obligation to our graduates—and their current and future employers—to ensure WGU alumni have mastered the most up-to-date, current competencies and skills needed in the workplace. Recency of certifications helps us ensure that students have demonstrated competency in skills as they are needed in today's working world.

Is this program truly "at your own pace"?

As a full-time student, you will be required to maintain a minimum pace of 12 competency units (CUs) per term for undergraduate programs or 8 CUs per term for graduate programs. However, there is no maximum speed—once you complete a course, you move immediately to the next, and you complete a course not by waiting for the syllabus, the professor, or the rest of the class. You progress by learning the material and proving it—so you can move through your coursework at the speed of your own learning and experience.

If there aren't classes or lectures, what role do Course Instructors play?

Course Instructors are highly educated, experienced experts in the subject matter of a course. Unlike in a traditional university where going to class means listening to an instructor lecture while you take notes and try to learn in a group setting, WGU's Course Instructors provide one-on-one instruction and support when you need it—tailoring the instruction to your precise needs when you need it. Course Instructors also provide additional resources, lead topical discussions in online communities, and find countless other ways to bring a specific course to life for students.

Are master's in data analytics worth it?

Absolutely. Data makes our world go round, and every business in every industry needs data to help make decisions. You can work in any field with the help of a degree in data analytics. A master's in data analytics will prepare you to convert raw data into meaningful information that can help business leaders make decisions. Become a great influence with the help of an master's degree in data analytics.

What is MS in data analytics?

An MS in data analytics is a Master of Science in Data Analytics. This degree helps students learn how to do the many tasks associated with taking raw data and turning it into meaningful information. This includes data mining, programming, analyzation, and more.

Will a master’s degree in data science help to start my career?

A master's degree in data science or data analytics is a great option for IT professionals who are looking to take their career to the next level. Experience in the IT field will be extremely helpful as you pursue a master's degree in data analytics. If you're looking to start a career in IT, a bachelor's degree or certifications can help you begin.
What jobs can you get with master's in data analytics?

Common careers for those with a master's degree in data analytics include:

Data analyst

Data administrator

Business analyst

Data engineer

Business intelligence analyst

Information research scientist

Advanced analytics expert
Is MS in Data Science tough?

A master's degree in data science or data analytics can be challenging, but if you have a solid background and understanding in IT, you'll be able to excel. Experience, education, and certifications in IT can help you be better prepared for this master's degree.

Have more questions? We're here to answer them!
Speak with an Enrollment Counselor.
“From the very beginning, the whole process was very smooth. My enrollment counselors were knowledgeable and helpful. If I did run into any kind of little snag, somebody was always there to help me.” Cindy Krupinski
B.S. Information Technology

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