All - I think my son may be interested in Business Analytics or Data Science. We’re thinking that schools with a Business Analytics degree, heavy on stats and tech (ie using Tableau for example) would be a good foundation. We’re also looking at University of North Carolina at Charlotte and NC State. Any thoughts on this major and longevity? Plus any feedback on these schools?
Business Analytics is a huge deal right now (and will be going forward). It’s used in so many business forms such as digital marketing, marketing, operations. Lots of schools are crafting a major to address this topic. They typically combine math / stats, CS, and business. It’s literally evolving before our eyes. Heavy quant based business degrees are in demand. Can’t speak to your schools specifically accept I know NC State has a great engineering program so I would imagine they would have / be building a solid analytics track.
I’m in the big data field. My S20 is thinking digital marketing. He’s whittled his school list to about 5.
On our visits I’m shocked how some B-schools haven’t updated their websites and offerings for analytics. They aren’t even current on the technologies. Ideally they would offer it within the business school but some still split between business and Arts/Sciences.
A double major in business and stats will work. High end analytics requires a Masters or PhD in some type of math.
I love NC State. Thought my son would apply but no luck. Their stats program is highly ranked.
It is in huge demand and will be even more so going forward. Business schools that don’t currently offer it are behind the curve.
How does the “information systems” area overlap with “business analytics”? Or does it?
@amsunshine IMHO business analytics should be in the business school. The better business schools offer an analytics/data science BS from the business school. Other schools make you jump through hoops and take business classes from the business school, math/stats from art/science school, and any programming from CS school. Of the schools my S20 applied I liked UMiami, Drexel, Northeastern, and Temple. They seemed to have an integrated approach and at least appeared to be seamless.
Look at Temple’s Fox School of Business website. They have majors and minors for data analytics and statistical science and it’s under the business school, not CS, IS, or Sciences.
In almost 30 years of data management experience I’ve found that the best data analysts come from just about any background other than CS. When you get to high-end analytics then an advanced degree in math, stats, econ, etc. is required.
Check out Lehigh and Wake Forest. They both have interdisciplinary programs. Wake’s is housed in the business school (Mathematical Business degree) and is heavy stats / analytics based. Lehigh has several tracts that combine math / engineering with business.
What about SJSU, i heard they have a business analytics program too? Is it any good?