So I'm making my own major....Data Analytics/Business Analytics Major

College Majors
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I go to a tech school, but we don’t offer a Data Analytics major…we do now offer a minor for it. So I was thinking- I’m interested in two areas- Computer science, business (finance specifically), and math…so why not combine it to make it a Business Analytics major. MIT offers such a major. http://mitsloan.mit.edu/undergrad/15-2-business-analytics/
Ohio State also has a data analytics major with concentrations including business. https://data-analytics.osu.edu/major/specialization/business-analytics

I was originally considering double major + minor or just one major and three minors (Data Analytics, Business, Math)…but it was stretching myself thin personally and some of the courses involved were not ones I was interested in taking. Business minor doesn’t have too many Finance courses and it would be just namesake to show I have a minor. Math, I’m already going to get since it’s an extra 3 courses on top of my major requirements (I would take stuff I want to as well). The Data Analytics minor and Finance minor- could be done so the two would overlap…but I wouldn’t take some courses I wanted to.

So I’m thinking I might make a Data Analytics major or a Business Analytics major. In my initial planning, I would be having more math in the Data Analytics major and less finance…versus the Business Analytics major which has more finance and less math. Whichever option I pursue, I will still be getting a math minor because I want to take two additional math courses I would not include in the major. Which do you think would be more useful- more math focus or more finance focus? I could try to make it more equal…but the question remains- what would be more valuable?

I have yet to speak to my adviser since he will only discuss registration issues rn. I will see him the second week of November. My adviser is the faculty coordinator for the Data Analytics minor so I think he would probably be able to point me in the right direction and discuss whether a major is possible to make. My school does advocate for students making their own major if they do not like the choices offered.

If I get the okay to make my own major., then should I or should I consider…
(2) Computer Science major with 3 minors (Data Analytics, Math, Business) …OR…
(3) Computer Science major with 2 minors (Data Analytics and Math) ?

Options 2 and 3 would still result in me taking extra classes to incorporate some classes I would like to take.

But what looks better to employers?

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I can’t advise either way but having a computer science background can never hurt. My S is a junior and after attending several recruiting events on campus decided to major in math and minor in analytics and business. All the recruiters he discussed it with said he would be very marketable when it came to employment. Maybe option 2 if you can swing it. Analytics and math although not the same are very similar. There is some definite overlap there. Having the business and/or computer science will add another layer to your marketability. Good luck!

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Employers are not really going to care how many minors you have. What they are going to care about are the skills you have acquired through the courses you took - in other words, what you know how to do. So you should focus your courseload and selections on what you want to know how to do to compete in the job market. If you need two or three minors to make it work, that’s a sign that you should probably just create your own major.

Also, you don’t need to minor in something to take classes in it - you don’t need a minor at all. Given your interests and what you want, it actually may be better for you not to pick a minor so that you have the flexibility to take the classes you need/want to take, rather than trying to satisfy minor requirements.

“Data analytics” is simply using math/statistics/data analysis to make business decisions. The underlying foundation is the math/statistics/data analysis; the computer science helps you use tools to run the models, since those use CS to run; the business classes help you have a foundation or basis from which to make recommendations to business with which you work. So focus on having a strong foundation in the math/statistics, with a robust build of computer science and some business classes to round it out. Focus on constructing your own major with the courses you actually need. To that end, I think more of a math focus, vs. more of a finance focus, is more valuable (unless you want to do financial analysis/quantitative finance).