What are the Key Differences of a Master’s in Data Analytics vs Business Analytics?

Master’s in Data Analytics focuses on data operations, including advanced analytics and substantial mathematical focus usually geared for professionals with a STEM background whereas Master’s in Business Analytics focuses on transforming data into insights and competitive business advantages and builds corporate communications skills needed to effectively convey findings to senior leadership and various stakeholders.

Afia Azmi

4 min read

Updated On 6th Mar 2023

Difference Between MS in Data Analytics or Business Analytics

Q: What does a Master’s in Data Analytics entail?

Master's in Data Analytics will teach you how to gather, organize and analyze data in or outside of a business context. You will learn to become a systems architect, who prepares data for advanced analytics and focus on gaining mastery with the tools and techniques used for data governance and analysis. Curriculum of MS in Data Analytics will give you hands-on experience with analysis techniques such as multiple regression and logistic regression, teaching you how to find critical patterns within datasets. You will also acquire skills needed to extract meaning from raw data, develop analytic dashboards for non-technical users as well as build charts and other infographics to thoroughly explain your finding.

163 zettabytes of data will be created by 2025, which is 10 times more than that in 2016.

Hence, companies world over will undoubtedly have a considerable need for professionals, who can take care of and assess the vast amount of data they collect.

One one hand, companies in every industry would need to hire professionals with a master’s in data analytics who are skilled at data management and governance.

One the other hand, those companies would also need Business Analytics Professionals with comprehensive communication and technical skills. Business analytics professionals bring the multifaceted talent required to both manage and govern data as well as use it to drive business decisions and actions.

Eventually, both types of professionals – one with a degree in Business and the other with a degree in Data Analytics – are needed in the work environment.

Hence, students who are aiming for a Master’s degree in Data Analytics or Business Analytics are uniquely positioned for success.

Based on your desired skillsets and career goals, you can chose to pursue a Master’s in either of Data Analytics or Business Analytics.

Almost 40% of advance data and business analytics positions would need a master’s degree or Ph.D., according to research from IBM.

When choosing between MS in Data or Business Analytics, consider your long-term career goals. Think about how your goals might be attained with the successful completion of a Master’s in Data Analytics or Business Analytics.

What are the Key Differences of a MS in Data Analytics vs Business Analytics?

Master’s in Data Analytics

Courses focus on data operations, including advanced analytics
Substantial mathematical focus usually geared for professionals with a STEM background
Develops system architects to prepare data for advanced analytics

Master’s in Business Analytics

Advanced analytics courses focus on transforming data into insights and competitive business advantages
Builds corporate communications skills needed to effectively convey findings to senior leadership and various stakeholders
Appeals to a STEM audience but also tailored to varying professional backgrounds

What does a Master’s in Data Analytics entail?

If you have an engineering background but you no more want to venture into core engineering jobs, MS in Data Analytics is an excellent choice for you.

You would learn how to gather, organize and analyze data in or outside of a business context.

You will learn to become a systems architect, who prepares data for advanced analytics and focus on gaining mastery with the tools and techniques used for data governance and analysis.

Curriculum of MS in Data Analytics will give you hands-on experience with analysis techniques such as multiple regression and logistic regression, teaching you how to find critical patterns within datasets.

You will also acquire skills need to extract meaning from raw data, develop analytic dashboards for non-technical users as well as build charts and other infographics to thoroughly explain your finding.

A Data Analytics MS program typically focuses on mathematical and programming skills and tools.

You will get the knowledge you need to transform your organization’s data into a usable asset.

What does a Master’s in Business Analytics entail?

As a Business Analytics professional, you will use analytical tools for improved business decision making.

You typically will start working on a specific business application, for which you would identify which data and methodologies are best suited to approach the problem at hand.

Like your counterparts in a Data Analytics Master’s program, you will learn how to discover data trends.

However, you not only learn the tools and techniques for analyzing both small and large data sets, you do so within specific business domains, and recognize which analytical tool is most effective for solving a given business problem.

During your Master’s, you would take courses that provide a comprehensive set of both technical and business skills, including management and communications.

So you would become proficient with state-of-the-art technologies such as machine learning and optimization, while also learning how to best communicate your ideas to the rest of your organizations as well as clients and other stakeholders.

So if you are someone who thrives in an environment where you would be required to use a blend of creative, technical and communication skills, go for Master’s in Business Analytics.

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