Overview

In a business world increasingly defined and dependent on data, having a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities within business analytics is a great way to set yourself apart from others in your industry and to improve your ability to drive effective change within your company.

This short postgraduate course is designed for professionals who want to understand the uses of data within marketing, sales, customer service, market development, finance and much more. It will increase your confidence working with different types of data as well as give you a grounding in general management techniques.

This focused course explores many of the key areas of business analytics and business management, including:

• the theory underpinning data and knowledge management
• the applications of statistics in contemporary management and decision making
• the craft of visualisation and when, what and how to think about visualisation decisions
• the need for rigour, precision and ethical concern when collecting, organising and using data

Once you have completed your course, you have the opportunity to advance onto a full degree in business analytics.

Teaching methods

Studying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.

Our courses are delivered through a virtual learning environment (VLE) instead of a traditional campus. This means you will have access to your study materials 24/7, including:

• multimedia lecturecasts made up of written content, short videos, animation, audio recordings, infographics, short tests and mini-assignments
• discussion forums for you to chat about the course content with fellow students
• live Q&A sessions with your tutors
• a comprehensive eLibrary of textbooks and academic journals
• support from academic staff and your dedicated Student Support team

To ensure you receive the support you need from your tutor, we cap our class sizes at 20 students.

In order to meet the technical requirements for this course, students will need access to Microsoft Excel or an equivalent program.

Assessment methods

Rather than fretting about exams, you will be assessed exclusively through assignments. This can be by engaging in discussion forums throughout your modules, completing reflective journal entries, or by submitting longer written pieces.

We are committed to providing frequent and transparent feedback through the following ways:

• Our assessment criteria are designed to be simple and transparent.
• You will always be aware of your current provisional grade, right from the start of the programme.
• You will be able to view your marks clearly in your gradebook whenever you log onto the learning platform.
• There is a 7-day turnaround for marking and feedback of assessed work.
• You will have regular contact with your Student Support team, with whom you can discuss any concerns as soon as they arise.

Career prospects

This degree is ideal for anyone looking to bring a solid grounding in data analysis to their future career, whether within their capacity as a manager, business owner or C-level executive, or within a data specific role such as data officer, finance analyst, marketing analyst or more. With businesses increasingly relying on the data they gather to serve their customers better than their competitors do, the skills and knowledge gained will be invaluable to any growing business.