online phd business analytics

15 Best Online PhD in Business Analytics & Intelligence [2024 Guide]

If you’re interested in furthering your expertise and advancing your career in mathematics, business operations, and research and data analysis, then pursuing an online PhD in Business Analytics may be the right path for you.

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With a PhD in Business Analytics, you may be equipped for a rewarding career across a variety of industries and positions, from teaching and research in academia to roles in management and business operations, data science, economics, and leadership.

Universities Offering Online PhD in Business Analytics Degree Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

1. American Public University

American Public University’s Doctor of Strategic Intelligence program is an option for students interested in careers in analytics and intelligence.

The curriculum focuses on the organizational, cultural, and intellectual barriers in the field. Students learn about both domestic and global intelligence through a mixture of research, hands-on practice, and multidisciplinary studies.

• Doctor of Strategic Intelligence

APUS is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

2. Capella University

The Doctor of Business Administration in Business Intelligence program at Capella University is accredited by the ACBSP and features a diverse faculty of distinguished scholar practitioners.

The program consists of 8 core courses and 4 specialized courses, and students must complete a doctoral research project to graduate. There are also 2 required residencies.

• DBA in Business Intelligence

Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

3. Capitol Technology University

Students in Capitol Technology University’s PhD in Business Analytics and Data Science program can tailor their elective courses to reflect their own personal career goals.

The curriculum includes courses such as management theory in the global economy, analytics and decision analysis, professional research theory and practice, and management of information.

• PhD in Business Analytics and Data Science

Capitol Technology University  is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middles States Association of Colleges and Schools.

4. Colorado Technical University

Colorado Technical University’s Doctor of Computer Science in Big Data Analytics program includes symposium experiences, an online curriculum, and a residency component.

The program can potentially be completed in 3 years, and grants and scholarships are available for qualifying students. There is an emphasis placed on research, and the curriculum reflects that.

• Doctor of Computer Science – Big Data Analytics

Colorado Technical University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

5. Dakota State University

Dakota State University’s PhD in Information Systems program teaches students to develop, support, master, and maintain new innovations in the field of information technology.

The program is flexible and can be undertaken part- or full-time, either on campus or online. There are also three concentration options: health care, security, and analytics.

• PhD in Information Systems – Analytics

Dakota State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

6. George Fox University

Students enrolled in George Fox University’s Doctor of Business Administration can choose from three concentrations: accounting, management, or marketing.

In addition to concentration-specific courses, students will also take core business courses, education and teaching courses, and courses concerning doctoral research and their dissertations. The degree program requires 56 credits for completion.

• DBA in Management – Strategic Management

George Fox University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

7. Grand Canyon University

The Doctor of Business Administration in Data Analytics degree at Grand Canyon University is a quantitative research degree that equips students to create, interpret, and share data in professional settings. Students should gain foundations in analytics and prescriptive modeling and come to understand emerging issues in finance.

• DBA in Data Analytics

Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

8. Liberty University

Liberty University’s Doctor of Business Administration in Strategic Management program is 100% online, is accredited by the ACBSP, and provides students with the procedure and policy skills necessary for business leadership positions.

Notable courses include ethical leadership, strategic leadership and management, organizational and executive coaching, and workforce planning and employment.

• DBA in Strategic Management

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

9. National University

National University offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Data Science that can typically be completed in 40 months. The program requires the completion of 20 courses for a total of 60 credits.

The curriculum explores topics such as predictive analytics, data visualization, data curation, critical analysis, and quantitative research.

• PhD in Data Science

National University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

10. Regent University

Regent University offers a Doctor of Strategic Leadership degree program that takes a Christian approach to structure, leadership, communication, cultural understanding, and team building.

There are ten concentrations from which students can choose, including an individualized concentration that allows them to customize their curriculum to meet their unique career objectives.

• Doctor of Strategic Leadership

Regent University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

11. South Dakota State University

The PhD in Computational Science and Statistics program at South Dakota State University features a concentration in Data Science for students interested in business analytics.

Applicants are encouraged to have strong quantitative, communication, and problem-solving skills as well as the ability to unravel complex situations. Statistical methodologies and research are key curriculum components.

• PhD in Computational Science and Statistics – Data Science

South Dakota State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

12. Southeastern University

Southeastern University’s strategic leadership doctoral program features mostly online coursework with a few one-week intensives mixed in as well.

Courses in this program include leadership theory, situational and transformational leadership, cultural intelligence, followership, teamwork dynamics, and servant and authentic leadership. The university accepts financial aid and offers payment plans to students who qualify.

• Doctorate in Strategic Leadership

Southeastern University  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

13. Temple University

Students interested in business analytics at Temple University can enroll in the PhD in Business Administration program and select the Strategic Management concentration.

The program has AACSB accreditation and must be undertaken in a full-time capacity. It generally takes 7 years for completion, and financial aid and assistantships are available for qualifying students.

• PhD in Business Administration – Strategic Management

Temple University  is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

14. University of Central Florida

University of Central Florida’s PhD in Big Data Analytics provides students with statistics foundations and teaches them to analyze large amounts of data. Students should learn about data mining, statistical analysis, computer science and text, and predictive analytics. After graduating, students should be equipped for careers as data analysts and scientists.

• PhD in Big Data Analytics

The  University of Central Florida  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

15. Walden University

Walden University offers a PhD in Management Information Systems with a concentration in Management.

It examines business organizations from every aspect, including management, technology, processes, systems, and the people who work there. Course topics include cloud computing, strategic direction, big data, systems integration, and systems architecture. Four residencies are required.

• PhD in Management – Information Systems Management

Walden is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.

Online Doctorate in Business Analytics Programs

A doctorate in business analytics is considered a Big Data PhD. You may be required to complete a variety of advanced-level courses that cover topics such as supply chain management, business analytics, business operations, and project management.

Other courses may cover research methodology, empirical analysis, data modeling, and advanced statistics. In addition to standard coursework, some PhD programs in business analytics may require you to complete a research-based dissertation in order to complete the program and obtain your degree.

With a PhD in Business Analytics, you may be prepared for a rewarding career in academia as a professor, a researcher, or even both. As a professor, you would instruct students in various content areas related to your business analytics specialty and participate in the development of the course curriculum.

Choosing a career as a researcher may allow you to conduct research, collect and analyze data, report research findings to various stakeholders, and contribute to growth and progress in your field.

There are also a number of positions outside of the realm of academia that may be open to you with a doctorate in business analytics. These positions include economist, management analyst, data scientist, statistician, mathematician, and actuary. You may also qualify for top-level executive positions, such as a chief data officer.

In these positions, you may be responsible for analyzing data using statistical and analytical software and making recommendations to business leaders based on data, trends, and forecasts in relation to business operations.

With a PhD in Business Analytics, you may also lead the collection, analysis, evaluation, and reporting on various types of data within a business.

The evaluation of risks faced by businesses concerning finance and operations, the creation of statistical models for use in data analysis, and the implementation of information systems may also fall under your job description.

Business Analytics Careers & Salaries

Positions for business analytics expertise exist within a diverse range of industries, including academia, finance and business firms, and public and private businesses. You may even become an independent consultant operating your own business.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , there are a number of career options to choose from if you pursue a PhD in Business Analytics.

A number of positions that suit a PhD in Business Analytics are forecast to see significant job growth over the coming decade. For example, job growth is predicted for financial analysts (5%), postsecondary teachers (9%), management analysts (11%), economists (14%), and actuaries (18%).

Careers including operations research analysts and mathematicians or statisticians are expected to experience remarkable growth, with increases over the next several years projected at 25% and 33%, respectively.

PhD in Business Analytics Curriculum & Courses

A doctorate program in business analytics will include coursework that covers advanced mathematics, business operations, decision-making, and data analysis and visualization.

Courses included in a doctoral business analytics program may include those listed below:

• Supply Chain Analysis : An in-depth look at supply chain management strategies, decision-making, planning and forecasting, and asset control systems
• Microeconomics : Analysis of decision-making within businesses, utilizing various economic theories
• Multivariate Statistical Analysis : An overview of several multivariate methods and the hands-on application of related techniques, building on existing knowledge of mathematics, statistics, and algebra
• Data Structures : Analysis of different data structures and the ideal uses for each structure type within a business.
• Advanced Decision Technologies : Review of available decision support technologies, including a look at the limitations of use and possible alternatives
• Management Theory in a Global Economy : Exploration of management theories in relation to existing business practices and in the context of global trade and economics
• Decision Analysis : Overview of predictive analytic methods, data mining, and a review of technologies used in the analysis process
• Data Visualization : A review of data modeling methods and best practices, the use of R software for data analysis, and approaches for the presentation of data and findings
• Professional Ethics : Exploration of ethical practices in business and the impact decisions have in a cultural, legal, and social context
• Information Systems Implementation : Exploration of organizational change management practices in relation to design, implementation, and use of new information systems to improve organizational performance

While the specific structure of each degree program differs, earning your PhD in Business Analytics may also require you to complete a significant amount of research and to complete a formal dissertation.

Admissions Requirements

Admission requirements for online PhD in Business Analytics programs vary from school to school, but they may include the items listed below.

• GMAT or GRE scores, if required : Schools may require your GMAT or GRE score, and in some cases, they may have specific score thresholds or requirements for admission.
• Letter of recommendation : One or more letters of recommendation may be requested to provide detail around your strengths, weaknesses, and experience in relation to the program.
• Interview : An in-person interview may be required to assess your fit for the program, along with your overall purpose and motivation for enrollment.
• Transcripts : Transcripts from previous studies in a bachelors or masters degree program may be requested to verify the quality of your previous education.

Similar to a masters in business analytics online , additional admission standards may be required depending on the schools you’re applying to. Other requirements may include a statement of purpose, your resume, or a verification of English proficiency.

Accreditation

Regional accreditation certifies that the quality of an academic program meets a predetermined set of standards. The overall regard of an academic program, including the ability to transfer credits completed in that program, is impacted by its accreditation status.

Accreditation may also be an important consideration for employers, playing a key role in hiring decisions made by the recruitment team or hiring manager. Additionally, various certification associations or professional societies may require members to hold a degree from an accredited institution in order to be eligible for membership with the association.

Before applying to or enrolling in a doctoral program in business analytics, you may consider reviewing the accreditation status of the program via the website for the US Department of Education .

Financial Aid and Scholarships

While pursuing a PhD in Business Analytics may be a costly undertaking, you might be eligible for financial aid and scholarships that can help ease the financial burden of your degree.

You may qualify for federal or state aid programs in the form of loans and grants. While loans generally require repayment after a certain time period, grants usually do not need to be repaid once your studies are completed.

Additional funding support may be available to you in the form of scholarships, which can be offered by private organizations to fund your studies and do not require repayment. Some schools may offer funding packages to help cover the cost of your doctorate.

The structure of funding packages and eligibility may vary from school to school, but they often include coverage of tuition fees, a stipend for living expenses incurred while completing your degree, and access to health and dental benefits.

You can explore various financial aid and scholarship opportunities via the Federal Student Aid website, and here you can also fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

What Can You Do with a PhD in Business Analytics?

With a PhD in Business Analytics, you may be qualified for a career in various sectors, such as academia, public or government organizations, private businesses, financial firms, insurance agencies, consultancies, and more.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in the field of business analytics may include actuary, mathematician, economist, management analyst, business operations specialist, and data analyst.

Earning your PhD in Business Analytics online may also allow you to become a faculty member within a postsecondary institution. As a member of the faculty, you would be a professor in content areas related to your expertise.

How Long Does It Take to Get an Online PhD in Business Analytics?

If you enroll in a full-time PhD program in business analytics, it may take between 3 to 5 years to obtain your degree. The length of a program will vary from school to school and depend on the overall program structure and graduation requirements.

Some schools and programs may allow you to complete your PhD on a part-time basis. This may increase the amount of time it takes for you to complete your degree. In some cases, part-time studies in a PhD program may take 6 to 8 years to complete.

A beneficial move may be to first earn an on-campus or online graduate certificate in business analytics, which is earned after completing a masters degree, to see if this field is the one you want to pursue. In many cases, the credits earned in a certificate program will transfer to a doctorate program.

Certain PhD programs may require you to finish all program components within a specific time frame in order to obtain your degree, so it may be strategic to review all school and degree details before enrolling in a program.

What’s the Difference Between Business Analytics vs. Business Intelligence?

An online business intelligence degree program uses descriptive analytics and places importance on the collection and storage of data and information. Business analytics, on the other hand, focuses on the use of that information to make informed decisions for a business.

Both business intelligence and business analytics are used to help organizations make better decisions. The key difference is that business intelligence uses past and current data while business analytics uses predictions and future case analysis.

Due to the intricate nature of business intelligence and analytics, an online PhD in Business Intelligence may be a stand-alone program or part of a comprehensive doctoral program in business intelligence and business analytics.

What’s the Difference Between Business Analytics vs. Data Analytics?

Business analytics places greater emphasis on the role of data within a business or organization for decision-making. This includes those related to supply chain management, market trends, business operations, and project management.

Data analytics refers to the technical process of working with data and preparing it for the business analytics and decision-making process. Data analytics is also used more broadly than business alone and plays an important role in science, healthcare, and government organizations.

What’s the Difference Between Business Analytics vs. Data Science?

Data science involves the analysis of data and information using mathematical and statistical methods and programs. Unlike business analytics, data science does not narrow in on the use of that data in decision-making for a business.

In contrast, business analytics incorporates the analysis of data using statistical approaches with insights gained from the analysis process to help make better and more informed business decisions.

Business analytics can contribute to decision-making in relation to management and business operations, logistics, economics, market trends, and financial risk.

Is a PhD in Business Analytics Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Business Analytics is worth it for many students. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, business and financial jobs are set to grow at 5% over the next 10 years, faster than the average for all occupations.

Common business analytics careers in this field include postsecondary teachers, economists, researchers, statisticians, and business operations specialists.

In a business analytics career, you may work on projects that require regular use of mathematical expertise, business operations knowledge, research skills, and advanced understanding of data analysis practices.

Getting Your Doctorate in Business Analytics Online

Earning a PhD in Business Analytics may offer you a challenging opportunity to advance your career and expertise in mathematics, research, and data analysis. You could grow your skill set and explore the impact that data has on the decision-making process within a business or organization.

Accredited PhD programs in business analytics may include coursework that covers data analysis and visualization, statistical and mathematical analysis, business operations, management theory, and use and implementation of information systems.

Positions in the field of business analytics offer an above-average annual salary and are predicted to see significant growth over the coming years. Earning your doctorate in the field of business analytics may allow you to lead a rewarding career in academia, research, business, and public or government institutions.

Tippie College of Business

Phd in business analytics - phd programs.

PhD in Business Analytics

Data science. machine learning. optimization..

Data—namely, the generating of data—has exploded. All that data creates a great challenge. Businesses need better ways to get insights from the data. We help make that happen.

Here at Tippie, we’re a leader in business analytics research and education. In 2021 the Business Analytics Department won the prestigious UPS George D. Smith Prize that is awarded annually by INFORMS, the largest international association of analytics and operations research professionals.

For decades, we’ve been wrangling volumes of data, solving the most complex analytical puzzles. We did big data before big data was cool. And now that the world has caught up, we’re riding the front edge of an exciting wave.

Working hand-in-hand with our faculty, you’ll take your analytical and modeling skills to the next level through one of three specializations. Our grads are in high demand by academia, sure, but the private sector is also clamoring for business analytics PhDs. That means you can map out your own perfect-fit career path.

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STEM designation

The PhD in business analytics carries a STEM designation, which is particularly good news for international PhD candidates. Typically, after completing the degree, those in the U.S. on a student F1 visa have 12 months to work without an employer-sponsored visa. This period is called Optional Practical Training (OPT). The STEM designation extends OPT from 12 to 36 months.

Three specialization areas

Thanks to Tippie’s rich faculty roster, the PhD program in business analytics provides multiple areas in which you can choose to concentrate:

Information systems

Identify patterns and insights in data, like user behavior in Twitter or Facebook posts; identifying business competitors by mining webpages; and using health data to diagnose medical issues.

Faculty researching in this area include Patrick Fan , Nick Street , Kang Zhao , and Gautam Pant.

Quantitative methods

Develop tools to find optimal strategies to tackle mathematical problems, including "big data" problems. Quagmires like monitoring physician performance, identifying players to select in the NFL draft, and balancing cost and risk in trade.

Faculty in this area include Jeff Ohlmann , Sam Burer , Qihang Lin , Kurt Anstreicher , and Beste Basciftci .

Operations management

Use analytical tools to make data-driven business decisions, like routing vehicles to nail same-day delivery deadlines, strategizing a sugar cane harvest, or designing supply chains to mitigate risk.

Faculty studying operations include Ann Campbell , Barrett Thomas , Phil Jones , Jennifer Blackhurst , and Renato de Matta .

Big data, big market demand for analytics PhDs

Analytics expertise is in big demand at top universities and companies around the world.

Recent grads have joined as tenure-track assistant professor or post-doc at universities including:

• University of Arkansas-Little Rock
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of Tennessee
• University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Others have taken positions as analysts and data scientists at companies including:

• Delta Air Lines

“Being able to leverage data to make really informed decisions gives a company an edge on competition. Analytics is becoming very key in managing a world-class supply chain, and it touches all aspects of a business.” Jen Blackhurst, Business Analytics Professor & Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Programs Read Jen's story

Guided by great

When you come to a place like Tippie, full of faculty leading a fast-growing field, you might think they’re too busy to mentor students. Not so.

Iowa's PhD in business analytics maximizes mentorship and collaboration. Besides your designated advisor, you’ll meet with six more professors your first semester to talk about research interests you share. Leading thinkers and researchers—including INFORMS fellows and National Science Foundation award winners—will guide you from day one through graduation.

Thinkers like Ann Campbell , an international expert in vehicle routing. Or Kang Zhao , whose social network analysis has uncovered the secret to finding your perfect online date. Or Nick Street , a pioneer in using machine learning algorithms to make medical diagnoses. (Bonus: get more from our experts on our Twitter feed .)

Suffice to say, you’re in good hands. Correction: you’re in great hands.

See faculty research

If you've got a technical background, like engineering, math, and computer science, and want to develop analytics skills and solve real-world business problems, this is your place. Our program is small—just two to four students start each year—and accordingly competitive. We give preference to those with strong GPAs, prior graduate work, and research experience in a relevant field.

First, you need to meet the minimum PhD admission requirements . Other criteria for admission include:

Academic record

The minimum GPA is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. We also consider the rigor of your undergrad or master's institution(s) and grades you earned in quantitative courses.

GMAT or GRE score

There isn't a specific minimum score, but successful applicants typically have very strong quant and analytical scores.

Financial support

To ensure that you have more than enough time to focus on your research, each admitted student is guaranteed a  research-assistantship (RA) or fellowship funding for at least six fall and spring semesters during their first five years in the program.

Letters of recommendation

We're interested in their assessment of your strengths, weaknesses, motivation, and ability to succeed.

Statement of purpose

Content and overall seriousness are considered.

English proficiency

This requirement applies only to international applicants whose native language is not English. We follow the Graduate College's  English proficiency requirements . 

Curriculum and sample plan of study

The PhD in business analytics requires 72 semester hours of credit, in addition to a dissertation. The typical time to complete the degree is five years.

The plan of study is very flexible. You can take elective coursework in any year of the program. The outline below is a sample for demonstration purposes; we'll work with you to outline a plan of study that aligns with your goals.

Business Analytics Department Handbook

Undergraduate

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• Academics Overview
• Collaborative Research

The PhD Program in Business Analytics and Operations focuses on research in areas such as supply chain management, business analytics, operations, and project management. Research foci include methodology development, empirical analysis, and analytical modeling. Tools from a broad base such as operations research, probabilistic modeling, statistics, econometrics, and data mining are utilized to address real-life operational issues. Students are expected to develop a strong foundation and publish in top journals. The program mentors students with an apprenticeship model, providing an early start in independent research as well as joint work with faculty.

We are a small, highly selective program, and work closely with our students to make sure that those who join our program complete it successfully and are placed appropriately.

Katz offers a breadth of research topics–many students can find a home here. Recent PhD dissertation topics have included:

• Revenue Maximization Using Product Bundling
• Business Analytics for Non-profit Marketing and Online Advertising
• The Analytic Network Process Applied in Supply Chain Decisions, in Ethics, and in World Peace
• Modeling Patient Flow in a Network of Intensive Care Units (ICUs)
• Managing Outsourcing Decisions: Government Policy, Firm Options, and the Economic Impact
• Applications of Revenue Management in Healthcare

Our collaboration frequently results in articles that are published in top journals .

External Funding

Since 2010, our program has had very close ties with the Veterans Health Administration, and has engaged in a wide variety of healthcare analytics projects with them. FY 2018 funding on VHA projects exceeds $995,000.

We are a leading program with respect to placement. Over the last decade, all students who actively sought university positions obtained them, and our recent alumni were placed as faculty members at major universities in the U.S. and Canada, and in research positions in the industry. 

Year 1 Curriculum: Fall Term

An exploration of critical thinking.

Year 1 Curriculum: Spring and Summer Terms

A thorough examination of research methods.

Year 2 Curriculum: Fall Term

A continued study in critical thinking and research methods.

Year 2 Curriculum: Spring Term

A further dive into major concentrations, critical thinking, and research methods.

Year 2 Curriculum: Summer Term

A comprehensive independent study.

Year 3 Curriculum: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms

Fully concentrated work on dissertation and service as teaching assistant.

Curriculum: Years 4 and 5

Teach and enter the job market to defend your dissertation.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

My advisors unselfishly devoted their time and energy to mentor me, but also gave me the freedom to pursue the ideas I was curious about and develop myself as an independent researcher. I could have not asked for a better start to my career than my time as a PhD student at Katz.

Coughlin Sesquicentennial Assistant Professor of Marketing at Boston College

If you’re naturally curious, observing phenomena, and wondering when they occur and what drives them, a PhD can let that curiosity become your full-time job.

is Gerald I. Susman Professor in Sustainability Professor at Penn State University

Where To Earn A Ph.D. In Data Science Online In 2024

Updated: Apr 3, 2024, 2:15pm

Data science is among the most in-demand skill sets in the modern economy. Data science professionals help businesses make decisions by creating analytical models, combining elements of math, artificial intelligence, machine learning and statistics.

If you want to pursue a high-paying data science career or teach data science at the college level, you may want to earn a terminal degree in the field. Online Ph.D. in data science programs allow you to advance your career while balancing other responsibilities at work or home.

We found two online data science programs that met our ranking criteria. Read on to learn more about these schools and find answers to frequently asked questions about data science.

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Online Ph.D. in Data Science Option

Capitol technology university, national university.

Located just outside Washington, D.C., in South Laurel, Maryland, Capitol Technology University offers an online doctoral degree in business analytics and data science. The program includes a limited residency requirement: Students must complete a course in contemporary research in management on campus, during which they take a qualifying exam. The degree requires 54 to 66 credits, and students can graduate within three years.

All students must also complete a dissertation and an oral defense of their work. The program costs $950 per credit for both in-state and out-of-state learners. Retired and active duty military receive a tuition discount.

At a Glance

• School Type: Private
• Application Fee: $100
• Degree Credit Requirements: 54 to 66 credits
• Program Enrollment Options: Part-time
• Notable Major-Specific Courses: Management theory in a global economy; analytics and decision analysis
• Concentrations Available: N/A
• In-Person Requirements: Yes, for residency

Based in San Diego, California, National University (NU) offers a variety of online programs, including a Ph.D. in data science. NU’s program requires 60 credits and takes an estimated 40 months. NU aims for flexibility, delivering coursework asynchronously and offering a new start date each Monday. The curriculum comprises 20 courses covering data science principles and data preparation methods.

NU runs on the quarter system and charges $442 per quarter unit for graduate courses. The program does not include any in-person requirements.

• Application Fee: Free
• Degree Credit Requirements: 60 credits
• Notable Major-Specific Courses: Principles of data science, data preparation methods
• In-Person Requirements: No

How To Find the Right Online Ph.D. in Data Science for You

Consider your future goals.

A Ph.D. in data science makes sense if you want to become a college professor , conduct original research or compete for the highest-paying and most cognitively demanding business analytics and machine learning positions. If you plan to pursue other careers, you may not need a terminal degree in this field.

If you want to work in academia, make sure your chosen doctorate in data science includes a dissertation requirement. A dissertation allows you to perform original research and contribute to scholarship in your field before you graduate. In turn, you’ll get a sense of your chosen career and a head start on professional publication.

Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options

Per-credit tuition rates for the programs in our guide ranged from $442 to $950. A 60-credit degree from NU totals about $26,500, while the 66-credit option at Capitol Tech costs more than $62,000.

Private universities, including NU and Capitol Tech, tend to cost more than public schools. Graduate students at nonprofit private universities paid an average of $20,408 per year in 2022-23, according to the National Center for Education Statistics . Over the course of a typical three-year Ph.D. program, this translates to about $61,000. This roughly matches Capitol Tech’s tuition, while NU offers a more affordable program.

While a Ph.D. might help you land a lucrative role in the long run, the upfront investment is still significant. Make sure to fill out the FAFSA ® to access federal student aid. This application is the gateway to opportunities like scholarships, grants and loans. You can pursue similar opportunities through schools and nonprofit organizations.

As a doctoral student, you may be able to access graduate assistantships or stipends, but these are often reserved for on-campus students who teach undergraduates or assist professors with research.

Should You Enroll in a Ph.D. in Data Science Online?

Pursuing a Ph.D. in data science online suits a specific kind of learner. To decide if that’s you, ask yourself a few key questions:

• What’s my budget? In some cases, public universities allow students who exclusively enroll in online courses to pay in-state or otherwise discounted tuition rates. Even if you have to pay full price, distance learners generally save on costs associated with housing and transportation.
• What are my other commitments? Distance learning is often a good fit for parents and students who need to work full time while pursuing their degree. Learners with outside responsibilities might pursue a program with asynchronous course delivery, which eliminates scheduled class sessions.
• What’s my learning style? Distance learning requires a great deal of discipline, organization and time management. If you need external accountability or prefer the structure of a peer group or physical classroom, on-campus learning might offer a better fit.

Accreditation for Online Ph.D.s in Data Science

There are two important types of college accreditation to consider: institutional and programmatic.

Institutional accreditation is essential; it involves vetting schools to ensure the quality of their finances, academics, and faculty, among other areas. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and U.S. Department of Education oversee the regional agencies that administer this process.

You should only enroll at institutionally accredited schools. Otherwise, you will be ineligible for federal financial aid. You can check a school’s accreditation status on its website or by visiting the directory on CHEA’s website .

Individual departments and degrees earn programmatic accreditation based on their curriculum, faculty and learner outcomes. However, this process has not been widely established for data science programs, so it shouldn’t make or break your enrollment decision. However, you can still keep an eye out for accreditation from the Data Science Council of America (DASCA).

Our Methodology

We ranked two accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online Ph.D.s in data science in the U.S. using 15 data points in the categories of student experience, credibility, student outcomes and affordability. We pulled data for these categories from reliable resources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites.

Data is accurate as of February 2024. Note that because online doctorates are relatively uncommon, fewer schools meet our ranking standards at the doctoral level.

We scored schools based on the following metrics:

Student Experience:

• Student-to-faculty ratio
• Socioeconomic diversity
• Availability of online coursework
• Total number of graduate assistants
• Proportion of graduate students enrolled in at least some distance education

Credibility:

• Fully accredited
• Programmatic accreditation status
• Nonprofit status

Student Outcomes:

• Overall graduation rate
• Median earnings 10 years after graduation

Affordability:

• In-state graduate student tuition
• In-state graduate student fees
• Alternative tuition plans offered
• Median federal student loan debt
• Student loan default rate

We listed the two schools in the U.S. that met our ranking criteria.

Find our full list of methodologies here .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Earning a Ph.D. in Data Science Online

Can i do a ph.d. in data science online.

Yes, you can. National University and Capitol Technology University both offer Ph.D. programs in data science that you can complete mostly or entirely online.

Is a Ph.D. worth it for data science?

It depends on your goals and circumstances. A Ph.D. in data science may be a good fit if you want to pursue a career in research or academia or compete for advanced, lucrative positions in business analytics, artificial intelligence or machine learning.

Is it okay to get a Ph.D. online?

Yes, as long as the program is accredited. Distance learning requires strong motivation and self-discipline, so it suits some students better than others.

Can you become a professor with an online Ph.D.?

Yes, you can. Online diplomas feature the same coursework and degree requirements as in-person degrees, and your degree won’t say “online”.

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• Degrees and Programs

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Analytics and Data Science

• Request Information

Earn a doctorate degree in business analytics and data science, advance both your scholarly research and your career

In a competitive world, success depends on finding and maintaining an edge – and that requires making data-driven decisions. Organizations in an ever-expanding array of industries – from sports, to health care, to cybersecurity – are seeking out professionals with the expertise needed to utilize data effectively.

The Ph.D. in Business Analytics and Data Science program is designed to prepare accomplished professionals for senior positions in either public or private sectors. The mission of the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Analytics and Data Science degree is to enable professionals from the field to understand and evaluate the scope and impact of decision sciences and associated technology from the institutional as well as from an industry and global perspective. The program will provide the student an academic environment to support the development of high-level critical thinking and leadership skills as they relate to management and decision sciences, to develop high-level decision science technical skills, and to provide doctoral level research experience allowing innovative and practical contributions to the management and decision sciences body of knowledge.

Why Capitol?

Learn around your busy schedule

Our low residency requirement takes in consideration the time commitment of your established career.

Online format

The majority of our business analytics and data science doctorate is offered online.

Our classes are taught by working professionals

Capitol’s faculty are working professionals in the field – subject matter experts who apply their knowledge on a daily basis and are up to speed on emerging developments.

Key Faculty

Associate Dean

Adjunct Professor

Dissertation Chair

Career Opportunities

Market demand for business analytics and data science (PhD)

You’ll have the necessary credentials to lead local, national or global organizations & provide expert guidance on using organizational information assets.

A degree that is relevant to any and every organization

This doctorate will teach how analytics helps shape strategic plans in whatever business you are involved in.

Degree Details

This program may be completed with a minimum of 60 credit hours, but may require additional credit hours, depending on the time required to complete the dissertation/publication research. Students who are not prepared to defend after completion of the 60 credits will be required to enroll in RSC-899, a one-credit, eight-week continuation course. Students are required to be continuously enrolled/registered in the RSC-899 course until they successfully complete their dissertation defense/exegesis.

The Doctorate degree in Business Analytics and Data Science is a total of 54-66 credits, which covers a literature review, professional research and theory, professional ethics and leadership, dissertation preparation, and other topics. Students can select from several electives based on their personal focus.

Doctor of Philosophy - 54 credits

Please check with an Academic Advisor to confirm degree requirements and program electives.

Educational Objectives:

• Students will integrate alternate, divergent, or contradictory perspectives or ideas fully within Decision Science.
• Students will present scholarly data presentations via appropriate communication channels.
• Students will demonstrate advanced knowledge and competencies in data handling.
• Students will analyze various information to draw data-supported conclusions.
• Students will execute a plan to complete a significant piece of scholarly research in data analytics.
• Students will synthesize various sources of data to produce robust conclusions.
• Students will apply data analysis to determine the validity of data
• Students will compare data to determine the trends and spurious results

Learning Outcomes:

Upon graduation:

• Graduates will evaluate the legal, social, economic, environmental, and ethical impact of actions within business and data science, and demonstrate advanced knowledge and competency to integrate the results in the leadership decision-making process.
• Graduates will demonstrate the highest mastery of traditional and technological techniques of communicating ideas effectively and persuasively.
• Graduates will evaluate complex problems, synthesize divergent/alternative/contradictory perspectives and ideas fully, and develop advanced solutions to business analytic and decision science challenges.
• Graduates will contribute to the body of knowledge through data analysis.
• Graduates will apply leading edge theories to data analysis.
• Graduates will disseminate knowledge to their peers from research.
• Graduates will lead the development of data analysis to the broader community.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates are subject to change.

The following rates are in effect for the 2024-2025 academic year, beginning in Fall 2024 and continuing through Summer 2025:

• The application fee is $100
• The per-credit charge for doctorate courses is $950. This is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.
• Retired military receive a $50 per credit hour tuition discount
• Active duty military receive a $100 per credit hour tuition discount for doctorate level coursework.
• Information technology fee $40 per credit hour.
• High School and Community College full-time faculty and full-time staff receive a 20% discount on tuition for doctoral programs.

Find additional information for 2024-2025 doctorate tuition and fees.

I was drawn to the practical and goal-oriented approach, which also seemed like the natural next step in my academic career. Ultimately, my aim is to pursue teaching and research work in the future.

-James Tankard PhD in Business Analytics and Data Science

Need more info, or ready to apply?

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AnalyticsDegrees.org

PhD in Business Analytics Programs

On This Page:

You’re a business analytics professional who aspires to become a university professor. You’re thinking of a PhD in Business Analytics , but wondering if it’s worth the effort. Use our PhD guide to evaluate timelines , coursework , and the dissertation process . Compare different types of business analytics doctorates . Learn if your experience matches up to typical admissions requirements . Explore funding options and employment avenues . Find answers to questions on online degrees and FAQ . Or jump ahead to listings of all the PhD in Business Analytics programs in the country.

What Are PhD in Business Analytics Programs?

A PhD in Business Analytics or a closely related field is a specialist doctorate focused on the intersection of original and groundbreaking research in applied statistics, analytics & business studies. It is almost always offered by a School of Business. Doctoral students who choose this pathway:

• Learn how to deploy sophisticated statistical & analytical techniques to address major corporate challenges
• Specialize in making complex, data-driven decisions in specific realms of business (e.g. marketing, finance, operations management, etc.)
• Become business analytics professors at universities and top-level researchers in the private sector

Can You Earn a PhD in Business Analytics?

Yes. Doctoral programs in business analytics exist, but they are academically-focused and research-driven. A PhD in Business Analytics is not a workplace qualification like an MS in Business Analytics or an MS in Data Science or a practical business administration degree like an MBA or DBA . Most PhD programs in our listings are specifically designed to help students become university professors.

Types of Business Analytics Doctorate Programs

Doctoral programs in this field tend to fall into two main categories: Business Analytics or Operations Management (or a combo of the two). Once you’ve highlighted a few programs, you can use the curriculum links in our listings to dig down into the coursework and explore faculty research interests.

PhD in Business Analytics

At the doctoral level, a PhD in Business Analytics has many of the same hallmarks as a PhD in Data Analytics . It will often involve high-level training in areas such as applied statistics, statistical programming, data mining, simulation, data science, optimization, and decision analysis. You’ll be required to apply all of those skills to a specific area of business research (e.g. marketing, economics, finance, operations, management, etc.). See the Dissertation section for examples of projects.

PhD in Operations Management

A PhD in Operations Management (OM) is focused on optimizing business processes from production through to distribution. Think of supply chains, operations planning & control, distribution networks, pricing, and inventory management. Using your skills in business analytics (see above), you could be challenged to develop theoretical models, conduct empirical studies, and run complex data analyses to find ways to improve these interconnected parts.

PhD in Business Information Technology (or Similar)

Some universities also offer “build your own” doctorates with an interdisciplinary feel. You’ll be able to combine coursework from the School of Business and technical departments. With an interdisciplinary doctorate, you can concentrate your research on whatever you please—operations management, information systems, business & data analytics, or even security & privacy.

Note: If none of these programs feel right, consider a PhD in Data Analytics . You may be able to customize your doctorate with corporate coursework (e.g. econometrics) and industry projects with the School of Business.

How Doctorates in Business Analytics Work: Curriculum & Dissertation

Degree structure.

Doctoral students go through 6 key stages to earn a PhD in Business Analytics—you have to finish one stage (e.g. core coursework) before you can progress to the next one (e.g. qualifying exam). On a full-time schedule, the entire doctorate might take 4-5 years.

Core Coursework

Qualifying/comprehensive exam, dissertation proposal, dissertation, dissertation defense.

• Year 1: Core coursework and first-year research papers. Assignment of a faculty mentor.
• Year 2: Core coursework, electives, second-year research papers, and the qualifying exam.
• Year 3: Any remaining coursework. Preparing research projects for publication. Dissertation proposal.
• Year 4: Dissertation work under the guidance of a dissertation advisor and advisory committee.
• Year 5: Dissertation work. Research papers & conference submissions. Dissertation defense.

Sample Curriculum

The first two years of your PhD in Business Analytics will contain a set of mandatory research & business courses. These credits are designed to equip you with all the skill sets you might need for your dissertation . Here are a few samples of real course titles from doctoral programs:

Research Methodology & Technical Skills

• Probability & Statistics
• Linear Algebra
• Applied Stochastic Process
• Multivariate Analysis
• Linear Programming
• Data Structures

Business Concerns

Operations Management

• Management Information Systems
• Microeconomics
• Information Analysis for Managerial Decisions
• Supply Chain Operations and Information

You can see how PhD programs in business analytics draw on high-level coursework from the Departments of Statistics & Computer Science and coursework from the School of Business. The mix will vary depending on the title & focus of the PhD. Visit the curriculum links in our listings to learn more about each program’s unique approach.

In addition to core coursework , your doctorate will almost always contain electives. You’ll be allowed to choose your own subjects and customize your degree to suit your research goals.

At the doctoral level, electives can be super-specialized. Here are a few examples of electives from PhD programs in Business Analytics & Operations Management:

Business Analytics

• Data Structure & Algorithms
• Machine Learning
• Markov Decision Processes
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Game Theory
• Scheduling Theory
• Service Operations

Once you’ve completed your core coursework , you’ll be required to pass a comprehensive exam. The exam is designed to test your knowledge and prepare you for top-tier research projects.

The qualifying exam for a PhD in Business Analytics can take a number of forms. For instance:

• At the University of Cincinnati, the PhD in Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Systems qualifying exam consists of a written exam and a oral presentation.
• At the University of Oregon, the PhD in Operations and Business Analytics qualifying exam involves a test and a second-year paper that must be presented at a departmental seminar series.

After you’ve passed the qualifying exam, you can focus on developing the idea for your dissertation under the supervision of a dissertation advisor/faculty mentor. You may wish to work on a research-based dissertation, which explores new theories & models, or a project-based dissertation, which involves exploring real-life business problems.

You’ll assemble these ideas into a proposal and present your proposal to a dissertation advisory committee. The committee will be composed of experienced faculty members and—occasionally—outside experts.   If the committee accepts your proposal, you can get to work on your dissertation.

A PhD dissertation is defined as a work of original research that makes a significant contribution to the theory & practice of a field. Your goal is break new ground in business analytics—new theories, new practices, and new data-driven approaches. 

Dissertation Titles

Here are a few examples of real-life PhD dissertation titles in business analytics & closely related fields:

• Revenue Maximization Using Product Bundling
• Estimating the Statistics of Operational Loss Through the Analyzation of a Time Series
• Performance Improvement Through Better Understanding of Supply Chain Resilience
• Managing Outsourcing Decisions: Government Policy, Firm Options, and the Economic Impact
• Applications of Revenue Management in Healthcare
• Three Essays on Optimization and Decision-Making Solutions in Retail Operations

In tandem with your dissertation, you may also be writing up research papers to submit to peer-reviewed journals and industry conferences.

The defense is the final stage of your PhD. You’ll be challenged to present your findings to the dissertation advisory committee and defend your research in an oral & visual presentation. The committee will then ask you questions and discuss your work.

If you have a strong dissertation advisor, you’ll be more than ready for the defense! You’ll know your research backwards and forwards and you’ll be prepped to answer likely questions. You can improve your odds even further by observing other student defenses, practicing with mock presentations, and researching the work of committee members.

PhD in Business Analytics: Admissions

Doctorate in business analytics: what it takes to get in.

PhD programs in business analytics are 1) rare; and 2) typically fully funded . That also means they’re extremely competitive! Some Schools of Business may only accept 2-3 candidates per year. Follow the admissions links in our listings to get a sense of the university’s expectations.

Not sure if you have what it takes? Take a moment to:

• Assess your application to see if you can compensate for weak spots (e.g. GPA) with strengths (e.g. research projects, teaching experience, published papers, etc.)
• Make sure that your research interests would be a good fit with the PhD program’s faculty, departments, and facilities (e.g. Operations Research Center)
• Talk to current PhD students and recent alumni about their experiences with admissions, research work, and employment after graduation

Degree Requirements

For a PhD in Business Analytics, universities will want to see candidates who have a degree in business or a related technical discipline (e.g. data analytics, data science, statistics, etc.). The standard GPA requirement is 3.0 GPA or higher.

• Bachelor’s Degree Entry:  A number of schools are willing to consider applicants with a bachelor’s degree. However, they may give preference to candidates with prior graduate-level coursework.
• Master’s Degree Entry:  Some doctoral programs in business analytics are only open to candidates with a master’s degree.

Are you a bachelor’s degree candidate who’s interested in a PhD with a master’s degree entry? Talk to the program coordinator. You may be able to earn a graduate degree at the same university before transferring into the PhD track.

Skills & Proficiencies

A PhD in Business Analytics or a closely related field is a highly technical degree, so universities will often want to see evidence of skills & proficiencies in:

• Calculus and linear algebra
• Computer programming
• Quantitative fields (e.g. maths, statistics, operation research, supply chain management, etc.)

But they will also be looking for skills that all academic professors must have, including:

• Oral & written competencies
• Teaching & research talents

General Requirements

In addition to your academic transcripts, be prepared to submit:

• GRE or GMAT scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• TOEFL scores for non-English speaking international applicants

In particular, universities will be looking for candidates with strong quant & analytical scores on the GRE or GMAT.

PhD in Business Analytics: Tuition & Funding

How to fund the phd.

Doctorates in business analytics can be grouped into 2 categories:

• Fully funded PhD programs
• Tuition-driven PhD programs

Fully funded PhD programs are the norm in this field—they’re designed to prepare graduates to become academic professors.

Fully Funded PhD Programs

A fully funded PhD in Business Analytics means that the university pays for your education. They will waive all tuition costs and provide you with a living stipend as compensation for teaching & research activities.

• Assistantships: Most PhD in Business Analytics students work as Teaching Assistants (TAs), Research Assistants (RAs), or course instructors during their studies.
• Scholarships & Fellowships: Some high-potential candidates will also receive additional monetary awards on top of the standard living stipend.

Talk to the PhD program coordinator to learn more about funding packages. You may (or may not) qualify for:

• Conference stipends, travel support, research-related expenses & other perks
• Campus housing
• University health insurance
• Fee waivers
• Summer fellowships & financial support
• Professional membership dues

Most universities will cover funding for Years 1-4 of your degree. With certain PhD programs, Year 5 support will be conditional on strong academic performance.

Tuition-Driven PhD Programs

You’ll occasionally run into a doctoral program in business analytics that is tuition-driven. That means the university expects you to pay for the degree by yourself. A PhD in this category could cost between $50,000-$96,000.

• Be very cautious about this route! If you can’t get into a fully funded PhD program, consider a master’s degree in a relevant field of interest (e.g. MS in Business Analytics ) or a more flexible doctorate.
• You don’t need a PhD in Business Analytics to work in an industry role. It’s only going to be useful if you wish to become a university professor or top-level researcher.

Online PhD in Business Analytics Programs

Can you earn an online phd in business analytics.

Yes—with a caveat. Capitol Technology University offers an Online PhD in Business Analytics and Data Science , but we would classify this more as an “industry” data science degree than an “academic” business analytics doctorate. And you will have to pay for it.

Why Are Online PhD Programs in Business Analytics Hard to Find?

Quality control. Top-tier research universities and high-ranking Schools of Business want to ensure that doctoral students:

• Take full advantage of all of their campus facilities (e.g. research centers, labs, and technical infrastructures)
• Learn how to teach undergraduates in actual classrooms
• Collaborate with faculty, fellow students, and their dissertation advisor on a regular, in-person basis
• Be present for seminars, workshops & networking events with visiting experts

We back them up on this matter. If you’re going to commit to a PhD in a niche topic like business analytics, choose one that is fully funded and on-campus.

Career Prospects for PhD in Business Analytics Graduates

As we mentioned, a PhD in Business Analytics or a closely related field is a super-specialized and research-focused degree. It will prepare you for a couple of roles:

• Assistant Professor or Post-Doc Position: You’ll be teaching business analytics at the university level to undergraduates.
• Senior Research Position: Some niche positions in fields like finance & economics will require top-level research skills (e.g. Senior Statistician).

However, you don’t need a doctorate in business analytics to pursue a senior-level position within the industry:

• Many analytics experts simply have an MS and industry certifications .
• Many managers & CEOs have an MBA or DBA .

PhD Business Analytics FAQ

What should i look for in a business analytics doctoral program.

Start with our program listings . You can use the curriculum & admissions links to evaluate your degree options and create a shortlist of likely candidates. Once you have some names in mind, consider the following factors:

• Funding Package: Almost all PhD programs will be fully funded , but some will have better benefits than others. Ask about perks like health insurance, travel stipends, fellowship awards, and the like.
• School of Business Reputation: A PhD in Business Analytics will almost always be offered by a School of Business. Look for Schools that are AACSB-accredited , nationally ranked, and well-regarded in the academic community.
• Department Reputations: Investigate each department that’s offering PhD coursework & electives. What kinds of research labs & facilities do they have? Are they working on industry partnerships with the School of Business? Are they exploring new frontiers in analytics?
• Faculty Expertise: Faculty profiles will be featured on the PhD program website. These people will be your mentors & advisors, so get to know them. Read through their bios, meet them for a virtual coffee, and learn more about their research interests.
• Career Preparation: What kinds of Teaching Assistantship (TA) opportunities will you be offered? Will you be able to submit your PhD research papers to academic journals? Will you be encouraged to present at major business & analytics conferences?
• Academic Placements: The vast majority of PhD graduates in business analytics will go on to teach in universities. So find out where alumni have ended up. Some PhD programs provide a list of recent academic placements.
• STEM Designation:  International students who wish to work in the States after graduation should check and see if the doctorate is a STEM-designated program . This designation is needed to extend the OPT period for students on an F-1 Visa.

You may also want to look up past winners of the  UPS George D. Smith Prize from INFORMS. This prize is given to an academic department or program that prepares students to be good practitioners of operations research, management science, or analytics.

What is a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)?

Like a PhD, a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a terminal degree that includes a dissertation. However, the DBA focuses on applied research instead of original research. DBA students use existing practices and theories and apply them to real-world business problems. Examples of DBA offerings include:

• DBA in Business Intelligence
• DBA in Data Analytics
• DBA in Business Analytics

DBA vs. PhD

DBA students tend to be working professionals who want to explore an area of analytics or BI research that can be applied to their current jobs. They’re willing to pay for a 3-year doctorate that may be online or part-time. And they often secure consultancy & leadership positions within their industry.

PhD in Business Analytics students aspire to become academics, professors & top-level researchers. They’re willing to commit to 5 years of rigorous, in-person study and they’re happy to teach undergraduates, publish papers in academic journals, and live in a world of theoretical research.

What is AACSB Accreditation?

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) is a global non-profit association that provides specialized accreditation to Schools of Business.

• Schools of Business must go through a stringent assessment process to earn AACSB accreditation. The AACSB evaluates the School’s mission, faculty qualifications, curricula, and ability to provide quality programs.
• You can use the AACSB’s handy tool to search for AACSB-accredited schools and filter by location, delivery, format, and even field (e.g. Operations Management, Data Analytics, etc.).

What is a STEM Doctorate?

A STEM doctorate is typically defined as any PhD that contains at least 50% of coursework in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

• Are you an international student hoping to work in the States? Ask if the PhD has a “STEM designation” from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Students on an F-1 Visa can apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation. With a STEM-designated degree, the OPT period can be extended from 12 months to 36 months.
• STEM programs often receive financial support from the government and private industries. That means universities may be able to offer more fully funded PhD programs in STEM fields.

Not all Business Analytics programs are STEM programs! For example, Pitt’s PhD in Business Analytics & Operations contains a lot of business coursework and is classified as a doctorate in Business Administration. Check with the PhD program coordinator before you make a choice.

Is a PhD in Business Analytics Worth It?

Only if it aligns with your career goals in research & academia. A PhD in Business Analytics or a closely related field is an intense, 5-year doctorate that prepares graduates for jobs as university professors & top-level researchers. It’s not designed for professionals who want a practical industry qualification.

Wondering whether to make the leap? Ask recent PhD graduates about their experiences. You’ll find them on LinkedIn, at industry conferences , and within faculty directories on university websites. Be ready to answer questions about your research interests & teaching aspirations. 

All Phd in Business Analytics Programs

University of south alabama.

Mitchell College of Business

Mobile, Alabama

Phd in Business Administration - Business Analytics Concentration

University of delaware.

Graduate College

Newark, Delaware

Ph.D. in Financial Services Analytics

Phd in financial services analytics (fsan), phd in hospitality business analytics, florida international university.

College of Business

Miami, Florida

PhD in Business Administration - Information Systems and Business Analytics

Georgia state university.

Robinson College of Business

Atlanta, Georgia

PhD in Business Administration & Digital Innovation - Data Science & Analytics

University of illinois at urbana-champaign.

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Champaign, Illinois

PhD in Mathematics with a Concentration in Actuarial Science and Risk Analytics

Iowa state university.

Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business

PhD with a Specialization in Information Systems and Business Analytics

University of iowa.

Tippie College of Business

Iowa City, Iowa

Massachusetts

Bentley university.

McCallum Graduate School of Business

Waltham, Massachusetts

PhD in Business, Concentration in Business Analytics

Cuny bernard m baruch college.

Zicklin School of Business

New York, New York

PhD in Operations & Decision Analytics

University of cincinnati.

Carl H. Lindner College of Business

Cincinnati, Ohio

PhD in Operations, Business Analytics and Information Systems

University of oregon.

Division of Graduate Studies

Eugene, Oregon

PhD in Operations and Business Analytics

Pennsylvania, drexel university.

LeBow College of Business

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

PhD in Business - Business Analytics Specialization

University of pittsburgh-pittsburgh campus.

Katz Graduate School of Business

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

PhD in Business Analytics and Operations

The university of tennessee.

Haslam College of Business

Knoxville, Tennessee

PhD in Business Analytics & Statistics

2024 Best Online PhD in Business Analytics and Intelligence [Doctorate Programs]

To study the latest innovations in data analysis and business decision-making, consider earning your PhD in Business Analytics.

This degree program can help you advance to the top of this field and prepare you for exciting job opportunities in business or academia.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

Business analytics professionals know how to evaluate data and base sound decisions on their findings. It’s a skill that’s greatly in demand in today’s business world, so earning this doctoral degree may help you qualify for a position in a top school or a leading organization.

Online PhD in Business Analytics Programs

Experts in business analytics use data to inform business decisions. They work with large sets of data, run analyses, and produce models.

The idea is to gain information that will lead the best decisions about future growth and development. For example, business analytics may help leaders make decisions about workflow schedules, transportation routes, cost management, and advertising strategies.

If you want to be a business leader in this field, an analytics master’s degree can help you achieve that goal. But perhaps your ambition is to be on the cutting edge of business analytics research. In that case, you may want to earn a Ph.D. in Business Analytics instead. Having a doctoral degree could help qualify you for a variety of leading academic or research positions.

Your areas of study for this degree might include:

• Academic writing
• Business intelligence
• Data science life cycle
• Data structures
• Decision-making
• Information systems
• Quantitative analysis
• Research skills

As you go through a PhD program, you may have the opportunity to specialize in a particular area of this field. Some people focus on business analytics for certain industries, such as manufacturing, construction, or healthcare.

Others want to learn as much as they can about optimizing a certain aspect of business, such as personnel management or supply chains. It’s very common to complete a dissertation as part of this degree program. You’ll likely conduct an original research project, write an extensive paper on your findings, and present your research to a panel of academics. This impressive undertaking may span several years.

Business analytics PhD programs are available online. With distance learning, you might be able to divide your time between working and going to school. Your program options might include fully online studies as well as hybrid programs that include some on-campus requirements. No matter which approach you choose, you’ll likely have opportunities to take interesting classes, engage with faculty, and connect with industry leaders.

Your primary goal with this degree may be to work as an academic—such as a college professor. Some graduates choose to keep working as practitioners with leadership roles in a large corporation.

Business Analytics Careers and Salaries

Earning a PhD can help prepare you for a career in academia. Most universities require that level of education for tenure-track positions. Your job responsibilities as a college faculty member might include both teaching and research opportunities.

You don’t have to work at a university to become a researcher, though. Data scientists may work for tech companies, research and development firms, insurance companies, and corporations. The job may involve collecting data, analyzing it, and visualizing the findings.

While a PhD is often considered an academic degree, that doesn’t mean you can only choose a teaching or research career if you have this job. Your advanced credentials can also be applied to a variety of business leadership roles.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , management occupations overall produce a median annual salary of $107,360. While that’s certainly not the only job category in which graduates can work, it is a popular one.

Many management roles call for industry experience as well as advanced education. Many organizations hire various analysts, and business analytics experience could make you a fit for one of those roles. For example, there are management analysts, operations research analysts, and market research analysts.

Often, analysts don’t just evaluate data. They also make decisions based on their evaluations, or they share their recommendations with those who will make the final decisions. Operations management and project leadership are other places where people with this degree can shine.

Possible operations roles could include production manager, logistics manager, operations manager, or chief operating officer (COO). Someone interested in project leadership might work as a project management specialist or director.

Business Analytics PhD Curriculum & Courses

You’ll probably take classes for a few years before focusing all of your attention on your PhD dissertation. Doctoral students often have a lot of flexibility in course selection, but your curriculum may include some of the following classes:

• Applied Statistics : In this advanced statistics course, you’ll cover regression analysis, statistical computing, model diagnostics, and statistical inference.
• Big Data : As a business analytics student, it’s beneficial to learn how to work with, organize, and glean information from large data sets.
• Data in Decision-Making : You can take a class that equips you for conducting predictive analysis—making decisions about the future based on past data.
• Decision Technology Platforms : As you check out decision technologies on the market today, you’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of this type of software.
• Doctoral Research Methodologies : This course, which will cover both quantitative and qualitative research, can help you prepare for your dissertation.
• Data Visualization : You can learn how to turn sets of data into graphs and other visual models.
• Econometrics : The field of econometrics uses ideas from math and statistics to conduct economic analyses.
• Information Security : The focus of this class is on protecting data and making sure that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
• Mathematical Programming : You’ll use what you know from calculus and linear algebra to produce linear programming models.
• Microeconomics : While you may have studied this topic during earlier programs, your PhD-level microeconomics course will explore advanced theories and applications.

Your program might include a smaller research project in addition to your major dissertation.

PhD in Analytics Admissions Requirements

Getting into a PhD program can be competitive. It’s beneficial to present a strong application packet that showcases why you would be a good addition to the program. Common admissions requirements include:

• GMAT or GRE scores (not required by all colleges)
• Recommendation letters from professors or supervisors
• Resume that shows your professional experience
• Transcripts from all colleges you have attended
• Written statement about why you have chosen to apply

It’s helpful to pay attention to the application deadline so that you can submit your materials well ahead of time.

Accreditation

It’s beneficial for your business intelligence and analytics PhD to come from a regionally accredited college . That’s the best way of ensuring that you will receive a respected education, whether you enroll online or in a campus-based program.

Regional accreditation may have a say in whether you qualify for scholarships or other financial aid. It can affect whether your coursework transfers or you get into a post-doc program as well. Also, regionally accredited degrees are typically preferred by employers and can make a difference in getting the job that you want.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

With the right financial aid in place, PhD programs in business analytics may be more affordable than you’re expecting.

One thing to remember is that many PhD candidates are able to study for free in exchange for teaching or research help. Colleges may even provide a stipend. This arrangement is more likely for students who are attending school on-campus, but some online programs may offer such benefits as well.

If you need alternative funding, government loans, whether state or federal, may be able to help. You can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to learn more about your eligibility. Some students also get scholarships or fellowships. Scholarship money might go toward your tuition costs.

Fellowships could help pay for your research or another educational endeavor, such as travel or conference registration. You can also look into whether your employer is willing to cover any of your costs.

What Is a Business Analytics PhD Degree?

A PhD in Business Analytics degree is a terminal degree for students who want to investigate the idea of using data to inform business decisions.

Big data is emphasized in this program. Students study topics like regression analysis, linear programming, and data visualization. Completing a PhD usually requires undertaking a major research project. Students often have to write and defend a dissertation.

As a research-focused program, this degree often leads to a future in academia. It could also be a useful degree for business analysts or managers, particularly those in operations or project leadership.

What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Business Analytics?

Business analytics PhD programs are beneficial for people who want to teach at the college level. This terminal degree puts some students on the path to becoming tenured professors. Working as a data scientist is another possibility.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people in this math-heavy line of work often earn above average salaries. The expert knowledge acquired in a PhD program could also be useful for the field of business operations—such as an operations analyst, a production manager, or a chief operating officer. Other ideas include working in management analytics or market research analytics.

Can You Get a PhD in Business Analytics Online?

There are online programs available for students who want to study business analytics at the doctoral level. You can look for fully online programs, or you can consider ones with limited on-campus requirements. In that case, you’d do most of the work online but might occasionally go to campus for intensive courses, face-to-face meetings, or your dissertation defense.

This PhD program is not as common as others, though. If you’re having trouble finding the business analytics program that’s the perfect fit for you, you might consider a related field, such as data science or business intelligence.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD in Business Analytics Online?

It might take you around 5 years to earn an online business analytics PhD. There’s variation, though. Some students get done in about 3 years. Others take more than 5 years, especially if they are part-time students.

Typically, students spend about 2 to 3 years doing coursework. The next year is focused on preparation for the dissertation. It may take a few years beyond that to carry out and complete the project. While it’s not a guarantee, online classes sometimes help students get through the coursework portion more quickly.

Should I Get a PhD in Business Analytics?

If you want to be thought of as an expert in the field of business analytics, then this could be a strategic degree for you. It can take a lot of work, though, so it’s necessary to be willing to commit for several years. Also, having math and programming skills can benefit you a lot.

This degree is aimed toward people who want to work in academia. If your main goal is to be a manager or a business executive, then your preferred role might not require as much training. A master’s degree is often sufficient for such roles.

What’s the Difference Between a PhD in Business Analytics vs. Data Analytics?

If you want to work with data, then you may be thinking about studying either business analytics or data analytics.

If you want to be directly involved in the decision-making process, then you might consider a degree in business analytics.

What’s the Difference Between a PhD in Business Intelligence vs. Business Analytics?

Before deciding whether to get your PhD in the field of business intelligence or business analytics, you may want to make sure you understand how these two areas differ.

Business analytics is a newer field than business intelligence.

What’s the Difference Between a PhD in Business Analytics vs. Data Science?

Business analytics experts often use data science techniques, but PhDs in these two areas have slightly different areas of focus.

If you want to be a decision-maker, then business analytics could be a fitting choice. If you want to be a technical expert, then you might consider a data science degree.

Is a PhD in Business Analytics Degree Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Business Analytics degree is worth it for many students. This is an up-and-coming field with a good deal of growth potential. Many cutting-edge companies are eager to hire business analytics professionals.

For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 23% growth rate for operations research analyst positions over the next ten years. Also, if you want to become an academic in the field of business analytics, it may be necessary to have this degree. Most full-time university teaching and research positions require holding a doctorate.

Universities Offering Online PhD in Business Analytics Degree Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

Belhaven University offers a Doctor of Business Administration. Concentrations are available in Business Intelligence and Analytics, Cybersecurity, Health Administration, Human Resources, Project Management, and Strategic Management. Classes meet fully online and are 7 weeks long. The program requires 12 credits in the chosen concentration and 60 total credits.

Belhaven University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Capitol Technology University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in Business Analytics and Data Science. This curriculum aims to teach the skills applicable to a broad range of industries and fields. Depending on prior education, the program requires 54 to 66 credit hours to graduate. On average, the required coursework can be completed in 3 years.

Capitol Technology University is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Universities and Schools.

Colorado Technical University offers a Doctor of Computer Science in Big Data Analytics. Potential courses include Futuring and Innovation, Tools for Big Data Analytics, and Qualitative Research Methods. The curriculum is 100% online and requires 100 credits. Incoming applications are reviewed 3 times each year in summer, fall, and winter terms.

Colorado Technical University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

George Fox University offers a Doctor of Business Administration. Those passionate about leveraging data to innovate and grow business may find an ideal fit in the Business Analytics concentration. Classes meet online, though periodic on-campus residencies may be available. On average, the 56 required credits can be completed in 3 years.

George Fox University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Golden Gate University offers a Doctor of Business Administration. The program can be customized with concentrations in Business and Data Analytics, Digital Strategy, Finance, Leadership and Strategy, and Marketing. The curriculum consists of 56 credits. Classes can be attended asynchronously online or traditionally in-person.

GGU  is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Grand Canyon University offers a Doctor of Business Administration in Data Analytics. Common careers for graduates include chief data officer, data scientist, business intelligence director, or strategic innovation manager. Classes are entirely online and are 8 weeks long. Up to 9 credits may be transferred into the program.

GCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Indiana Wesleyan University offers a Doctor of Business Administration in Data Analytics. The curriculum covers topics like business writing, ethical leadership, marketing, research methods, data mining and visualization, and analytic systems. The program consists of 20 courses that meet conveniently online. On average, the required coursework can be completed in 36 months.

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Marymount University offers a Doctor of Business Administration in Business Intelligence. This program boasts a convenient online learning format, numerous networking opportunities, and expert faculty. Potential courses include Strategy in Changing Business Climate, Ethical Leadership for Success in Uncertain Times, and Maximizing Digital Transformation. The program requires 36 credits.

Marymount University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The University of Oklahoma offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Data Science and Analytics. The curriculum covers key concepts like statistical analysis, intelligent data, metaheuristics, computing structures, algorithm analysis, and database management systems. The program is entirely online. Up to 30 of the 90 required credits may be transferred into the program.

The University of Oklahoma is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The University of the Southwest offers a Doctor of Business Administration in Data Analytics. To qualify for admission, applicants must have more than 3 years of industry experience, a master’s degree, and a 3.0 GPA or higher. Classes meet primarily online with the option to attend residencies or 8 week seminars on campus.

The University of the Southwest is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Getting Your PhD in Business Analytics Online

Business analytics is a growing field that requires expert leadership. If you are interested in studying data, performing statistical analyses, and making business decisions, then you may want to earn your PhD in Business Analytics.

You could put your education to work for you in an academic career or as a business leader. You don’t necessarily have to leave the workforce to earn your PhD. Rather, you can choose an online program for your doctoral studies. You can get an online degree in business analytics through an accredited school.

You can check out prestigious online PhD programs today and start imagining where this degree could take you.

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Program overview.

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Rigorous, discipline-based research is the hallmark of the MIT Sloan PhD Program. The program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their fields of research—those with outstanding intellectual skills who will carry forward productive research on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

Start here.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and find answers to common questions.

Admissions Events

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Start Your Application

Visit this section to find important admissions deadlines, along with a link to our application.

Click here for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous:  MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

PhD Program curriculum at MIT Sloan is organized under the following three academic areas: Behavior & Policy Sciences; Economics, Finance & Accounting; and Management Science. Our nine research groups correspond with one of the academic areas, as noted below.

MIT Sloan PhD Research Groups

Behavioral & policy sciences.

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the Operations Research Center .  

PhD Program Structure

Additional information including coursework and thesis requirements.

MIT Sloan Predoctoral Opportunities

MIT Sloan is eager to provide a diverse group of talented students with early-career exposure to research techniques as well as support in considering research career paths.

Rising Scholars Conference

The fourth annual Rising Scholars Conference on October 25 and 26 gathers diverse PhD students from across the country to present their research.

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The goal of the MIT Sloan PhD Program's admissions process is to select a small number of people who are most likely to successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

What We Seek

• Outstanding intellectual ability
• Excellent academic records
• Previous work in disciplines related to the intended area of concentration
• Strong commitment to a career in research

MIT Sloan PhD Program Admissions Requirements Common Questions

Dates and Deadlines

Admissions for 2024 is closed. The next opportunity to apply will be for 2025 admission. The 2025 application will open in September 2024. 

More information on program requirements and application components

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a fellowship stipend and/or TA/RA salary. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget.

Funding Information

Throughout the year, we organize events that give you a chance to learn more about the program and determine if a PhD in Management is right for you.

PhD Program Events

September 12 phd program overview.

During this webinar, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process.

DocNet Recruiting Forum at University of Minnesota

We will be joining the DocNet consortium for an overview of business academia and a recruitment fair at University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management.

September 25 PhD Program Overview

Docnet recruiting forum - david eccles school of business.

MIT Sloan PhD Program will be joining the DocNet consortium for an overview of business academia and a recruitment fair at Utah, David Eccles School of Business.

Complete PhD Admissions Event Calendar

Unlike formulaic approaches to training scholars, the PhD Program at MIT Sloan allows students to choose their own adventure and develop a unique scholarly identity. This can be daunting, but students are given a wide range of support along the way - most notably having access to world class faculty and coursework both at MIT and in the broader academic community around Boston.

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Profiles of our current students

MIT Sloan produces top-notch PhDs in management. Immersed in MIT Sloan's distinctive culture, upcoming graduates are poised to innovate in management research and education.

Academic Job Market

Doctoral candidates on the current academic market

Academic Placements

Graduates of the MIT Sloan PhD Program are researching and teaching at top schools around the world.

view recent placements 

MIT Sloan Experience

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The PhD Program is integral to the research of MIT Sloan's world-class faculty. With a reputation as risk-takers who are unafraid to embrace the unconventional, they are engaged in exciting disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that often includes PhD students as key team members.

Research centers across MIT Sloan and MIT provide a rich setting for collaboration and exploration. In addition to exposure to the faculty, PhD students also learn from one another in a creative, supportive research community.

Throughout MIT Sloan's history, our professors have devised theories and fields of study that have had a profound impact on management theory and practice.

From Douglas McGregor's Theory X/Theory Y distinction to Nobel-recognized breakthroughs in finance by Franco Modigliani and in option pricing by Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, MIT Sloan's faculty have been unmatched innovators.

This legacy of innovative thinking and dedication to research impacts every faculty member and filters down to the students who work beside them.

Faculty Links

• Accounting Faculty
• Economic Sociology Faculty
• Finance Faculty
• Information Technology Faculty
• Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) Faculty
• Marketing Faculty
• Organization Studies Faculty
• System Dynamics Faculty
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management (TIES) Faculty

Student Research

“MIT Sloan PhD training is a transformative experience. The heart of the process is the student’s transition from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. This involves learning to ask precise, tractable questions and addressing them with creativity and rigor. Hard work is required, but the reward is the incomparable exhilaration one feels from having solved a puzzle that had bedeviled the sharpest minds in the world!” -Ezra Zuckerman Sivan Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Entrepreneurship

Sample Dissertation Abstracts - These sample Dissertation Abstracts provide examples of the work that our students have chosen to study while in the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

We believe that our doctoral program is the heart of MIT Sloan's research community and that it develops some of the best management researchers in the world. At our annual Doctoral Research Forum, we celebrate the great research that our doctoral students do, and the research community that supports that development process.

The videos of their presentations below showcase the work of our students and will give you insight into the topics they choose to research in the program.

Attention To Retention: The Informativeness of Insiders’ Decision to Retain Shares

2024 PhD Doctoral Research Forum Winner - Gabriel Voelcker

Watch more MIT Sloan PhD Program  Doctoral Forum Videos

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Harvard Business Analytics Program / Program Overview

Harvard Business Analytics Program

The Harvard Business Analytics Program is offered through a collaboration between Harvard Business School (HBS), the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

Designed for aspiring and established leaders in any industry, the program leverages a rigorous cross-disciplinary curriculum to help students not just analyze data but also understand it, translate it, and incorporate it into strategy at the top levels of their organizations. Students benefit from world-class instruction in courses designed by esteemed Harvard faculty and collaborate with diverse peers in highly interactive online classes. In addition, students attend two in-person immersions hosted at Harvard Business School, where they formulate solutions to real-world business scenarios and develop a network of data-minded business leaders. Students emerge from the program poised to advance into analytics-focused leadership roles and drive disruptive innovation through data.

Program Structure

6 Core Courses

Online, eight weeks each

Online, two weeks each

2 Immersions

On campus, three days each

Class cohorts begin four times per year in January, April, July, and October. The program can be completed in nine months.

Program Fees

The total fees for the Harvard Business Analytics Program is $51,500.

Program fees will be paid incrementally each term based on the number of courses taken. Financial aid is not available for certificate programs.

Note that all quoted rates are based on the 2019 – 2020 academic year and are subject to change without notice.

Curriculum and Learning Outcomes

Designed for experienced professionals who are realizing the impact of data and analytics on business strategy and operations, the Harvard Business Analytics Program explores new ways to analyze, interpret, and take advantage of data to drive competitive business advantages.

Courses and Seminars

• Digital Strategy and Innovation
• Programming and Data Systems
• Leadership and People Analytics
• Operations and Supply Chain Management
• Foundations of Quantitative Analysis
• Data-Driven Marketing
• Data Science Pipeline and Critical Thinking
• Leadership, Innovation, and Change

Read full descriptions of each Harvard Business Analytics Program course.

Learning Outcomes

The Harvard Business Analytics Program helps students build capabilities in technical, analytical, and operational areas. As a student, you will

• sharpen your core data analysis and management skills;
• explore emerging technologies and practices in next-generation analytics, such as blockchain, digital strategy, and AI/ML; and
• learn how to interpret your findings and use them to uncover valuable business insights.

Learning Experience

Attend weekly live classes hosted in an interactive online classroom.

Complete coursework on your time via web or mobile app.

Attend on-campus immersions to network and apply new skills firsthand.

Learn more about the Harvard Business Analytics Program learning experience.

World-Renowned Faculty

Study with top faculty members from HBS, SEAS, and FAS who are accomplished leaders and innovators in their fields.

Meet the faculty members and learn more about their accomplishments.

Admissions Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• No minimum experience (however, curriculum is designed for experienced professionals)
• Proof of English language proficiency
• World Education Services transcript evaluation (for international applicants only)

Explore the full breakdown of admissions guidelines.

Application Requirements

• Transcripts from all degree-granting institutions you have attended (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
• At least one letter of recommendation, preferably from a professional contact (maximum of two letters accepted)
• Current professional resume
• One essay explaining your objectives and goals as they relate to attending this program
• Application fee of $75

View the full requirements and upcoming application deadlines.

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Business Analytics

Business analytics specialization,  “in the 21 st century, it’s not what you know that matters—it’s how you use what you know that will determine your success in business and in life.”.

– Geoffrey Garrett, Former Dean of The Wharton School

Wharton’s online Business Analytics Specialization  arms managers and leaders with the tools needed to break away from the pack. Learn how to turn data into a competitive advantage for your organization, and in the process develop valuable skills that can help you reach new levels of success in your career.

The Business Analytics  online program provides an introduction to big data analytics for all business professionals, including those with no prior analytics experience. You’ll learn how data analysts describe, predict, and inform business decisions in the specific areas of marketing, human resources, finance, and operations, and you’ll develop basic data literacy and an analytic mindset that will help you make strategic decisions.

Why Enroll in a Business Analytics Online Program?

• Organizations that leverage customer behavioral insights outperform peers by 85% in sales growth and more than 25% in gross profit. 1
• In 2018, 62.5% of leading blue-chip firms in banking, insurance, credit, and asset management said that their organization had appointed a Chief Data Officer (CDO) 2
• By 2021, 69% of employers expect candidates with data science and analytics skills to get preference for jobs in their organizations 3

Program Details

Start Dates:  Start Immediately

Duration: 4 weeks per course

Commitment: 2-3 hours per week

Program Format: 100% Online

Program Tuition: $79/month

READY TO START?

Watch the video to learn about the power of this Wharton Certificate.

Video transcript.

Georff Garrett: “Hi, I’m Geoff Garrett, Dean of the Wharton School, and I’m thrilled to introduce Wharton’s Business Analytics Specialization—the first comprehensive set of online courses to teach you how to use big data to make better business decisions. In the 21 st Century, it’s not what you know that matters; it’s how you use what you know that will determine your success in business and in life. No business school is better placed than Wharton to help you take charge of information, not be overwhelmed by it. Because no one does data and analysis better than the Wharton School. Our search is cutting edge, but we always have our eyes firmly focused on practical uses in the real world of business. Questions like, how can analytics help you predict the future better? And how can analytics help you make better business decisions? That’s what Wharton’s Business Analytics Specialization is all about. No surprise from Wharton, we’ll teach you how to use financial analytic tools, but we’ll also show you how to manage people through people analytics. We’ll help you understand customers and markets through customer analytics. And we’ll help you master logistics and supply chains through operation analytics. The principles you’ll learn are simple, but they’re so powerful. These courses will feature some of Wharton’s most acclaimed professors, all leaders in their fields. Major corporations take full advantage of their expertise; in this specialization, you can too. Nothing could be more valuable to your business education than the Wharton Business Analytics Specialization. Enroll now. You won’t regret it.”

Business Analytics Certificate Program Courses

CUSTOMER ANALYTICS

$79/month Duration: 4-6 weeks (5-6 hours/week)

In this course, Wharton’s top marketing professors will provide an overview of key areas of customer analytics: descriptive analytics, predictive analytics, prescriptive analytics, and their application to real-world business practices including Amazon, Google, and Starbucks to name a few.

Full Course Description

OPERATIONS ANALYTICS

$79/month Duration: 4 weeks (2-3 hours/week)

Recent extraordinary improvements in data-collecting technologies have changed the way firms make informed and effective business decisions. The course on operations analytics, taught by Wharton’s leading experts, focuses on how data can be used to profitably match supply with demand in various business settings.

PEOPLE ANALYTICS

$79/month Duration: 4 weeks (1-2 hours/week)

For the first time in history, business leaders can make personnel decisions based on deep analysis of data. In this course, Wharton’s top professors and pioneers in the field of people analytics will explore the state-of-the-art techniques used to recruit and retain great people, and demonstrate how these techniques are used at cutting-edge companies.

ACCOUNTING ANALYTICS

$79/month Duration: 4 weeks (3-5 hours/week)

Accounting Analytics explores how financial statement data and non-financial metrics can be linked to financial performance.  In this course, taught by Wharton’s acclaimed accounting professors, you’ll learn how data is used to assess what drives financial performance and to forecast future financial scenarios.

BUSINESS ANALYTICS CAPSTONE

$79/month Duration: 4 weeks (4-5 hours/week)

The Business Analytics Capstone Project gives you the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned about how to make data-driven decisions to a real business challenge faced by global technology companies like Yahoo, Google, and Facebook. At the end of this Capstone, you’ll know how to use data effectively to address business challenges of your own.

Ready to get started? Enroll Now

Key certificate program takeaways.

In the Business Analytics online program, participants will learn how to:

• Take full advantage of analytics to create effective data-driven business decisions
• Model future demand uncertainties and predict outcomes of competing policy choices
• Use hard data to make soft-skill decisions about hiring and talent development
• Analyze financial data to forecast events, optimize operations, and determine strategy
• Devise a plan of action for collecting, interpreting, and optimizing data

Business Analytics Faculty

The online Business Analytics Specialization is led by some of the foremost experts on statistical and operations analysis. Their research has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of the American Statistics Association, Marketing Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management , and the Journal of Consumer Research , and they have been quoted or featured in outlets like The Economist , New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. They have also authored books on business analytics such as Customer Centricity  and The Customer Centricity Playbook .

Faculty research interests include:

• Performance measurement
• Marketing analytics
• Revenue management
• Sales forecasting
• Operations strategy
• Organizational behavior

Christopher D. Ittner, PhD

EY Professor of Accounting; Chairperson, Accounting Department, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Cost accounting, intangible assets, performance measurement

See Faculty Bio

Ron Berman, PhD

Assistant Professor of Marketing, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Online marketing, entrepreneurship, marketing analytics, search engine marketing, game theory, industrial organization

Anheuser-Busch Professor of Management Science; Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions; Department Chairperson, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Service operations, stochastic processes, the control of queueing systems

Sergei Savin, PhD

Associate Professor of Operations, Information, and Decisions, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Capacity and patient flow management in health care operations, diffusion models for new products and services, revenue management

Senthil Veeraraghavan, PhD

Professor of Operations, Information, and Decisions, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Empirical operations management, operations analytics, operations management, operations strategy, pricing and revenue management, service operations management, supply chain management

Eric T. Bradlow, PhD

The K. P. Chao Professor; Professor of Marketing; Faculty Director, Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative; Chairperson, Wharton Marketing Department; Professor of Economics; Professor of Education; Professor of Statistics, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Marketing research methods, missing-data problems, psychometrics

Raghuram Iyengar, PhD

Miers-Busch, W’1885 Professor, Professor of Marketing; Faculty Co-Director, Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative (WCAI), The Wharton School

Research Interests: Pricing, social influence, social networks

Matthew Bidwell, PhD

Associate Professor of Management, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Human resource management, knowledge workers, worker mobility

Peter Fader, PhD

Frances and Pei-Yuan Chia Professor; Professor of Marketing, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Lifetime value of the customer, sales forecasting for new products, behavioral data

Martine Haas, PhD

Research Interests: Global collaboration, teamwork, knowledge sharing, information-technology use, human and intellectual capital

Brian Bushee, PhD

Geoffrey T. Boisi Professor of Accounting, The Wharton School

Research Interests: Corporate disclosure, institutional investors, stock market anomalies

Cade Massey, PhD

Practice Professor, Operations, Information and Decisions, The Wharton School

Research Interests: People analytics, judgment under uncertainty, organizational behavior

The Wharton School is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU.

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Find the latest PhD in Business Analytics Programs

Alex Gurevich is the CEO of FinalStepMarketing, a full-service marketing and business consulting firm.

This guide is an overview of all of the opportunities available with a PhD in business analytics. It covers why professionals and students might pursue a PhD in business analytics, the usual steps or processes to get the degree, and potential outcomes or career paths.

For business purposes, professionals interested in executive-level or senior management positions in business analytics or operations might typically need only to obtain a master’s degree in a data-related area to reach their goal.

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In most cases, a master’s would be a terminal degree for those seeking to reach the highest levels of management within a corporate setting.

But what of those looking for advanced careers outside the business world? Those interested in pursuing a career in business academics or research in big data analysis, data modeling, business forecasting, or operations might consider earning a PhD in business analytics.

Doctoral studies in this area will provide a deeper look at, among other areas, statistical analysis, data-driven decision-making, probability, and research theory.

Rather than focusing on applying business analytics concepts, a PhD in business analytics will provide more discussions on the “how’s” and “why’s” of this area of study:

• How are data technologies used to make decisions?
• Why are statistical analysis methodologies used to analyze data?
• How is organizational software employed to improve databases and other business systems?

Since most individuals who pursue business analytics studies are of the mind to apply what they have learned in a corporate setting, how common are PhD in business analytics programs? In what format are such programs offered? How long might it take to earn such a degree, and how much might it cost?

These are among the questions you’ll find answered regarding the PhD in business analytics in the following article. There’s also a FAQs section at the end to cover other information, so you’ll come away with a thorough understanding of what you’ll learn, why you might consider such a program, and what you could expect to do career-wise with this PhD.

What is a Business Analytics PhD Degree?

Few schools offer a PhD in business analytics program, as the field is still emerging and developing. Of these, even fewer are dedicated business analytics programs; instead, many PhD in business analytics programs pair business analytics with other areas, such as operations and information systems.

You might find a few institutions offering data analytics or business intelligence as an area of specialization within the Doctor of Business Administration.

Concepts you are likely to study in a PhD in business analytics program include:

• Data mining
• Data analytics
• Data structures
• Applied statistics
• Multivariate analysis
• Applied optimization
• Advanced decision technologies
• Advanced programming techniques

Other subjects likely to be addressed in business analytics PhD programs include mathematics, operations management, and microeconomics. Some courses in a PhD program might be presented in a seminar format.

In contrast, others might give case study examinations to help students better understand the application of concepts discussed in the program. You can also expect to spend time analyzing and studying research methodologies and applying these to the research and development of a dissertation.

The dissertation process typically unfolds throughout the program. You would work closely with a dissertation coordinator or other faculty member as you conduct ongoing research, present a thesis proposal, develop a defense of that proposal, complete the written project, and present the dissertation. 

In some programs, you will be required to pass a comprehensive exam that could combine both written and oral formats; this exam is usually administered after completing your coursework and before the final two years of the dissertation process.

While some courses could be taken online, the dissertation might require regular meetings with a committee or advisor to develop your proposal, argument, and thesis.

In addition to business analytics, you might find doctoral programs in business administration or management courses in data science, data analysis, data mining, business intelligence, or operations that touch upon or delve into key points addressed in a PhD in business analytics program.

Best PhD in Business Analytics Degree Programs for 2024

Capitol technology university, drexel university, the university of iowa, the university of tennessee, knoxville, university of cincinnati, university of pittsburgh, university of south alabama.

These rankings were compiled from data accessed in December 2023 from Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator (both services National Center for Education Statistics). Tuition data was pulled from individual university websites and is current as of December 2023. If available, we also use additional criteria such as accreditation or designations by outside organizations or agencies.

Online PhD in Business Analytics Programs

PhD in business analytics programs are not conducted 100 percent online due mainly to the dissertation component of the program. Some schools, such as Capitol Technology University, might offer more online courses, while others could be fully on-campus. These programs are flexible, but the vast majority do require at least some in-person work. 

Ph.D. in business analytics programs are also typically full-time, four to five years in duration, so you should be prepared to devote the necessary time to complete these studies. In particular, completing the dissertation over the final two years of the program generally needs a full-time focus.

While these PhD programs certainly require much focus and dedication, completing a PhD in this field can certainly help an individual stand out since these programs are rare and challenging.

It can be expensive to obtain a PhD in business analytics, with tuition including fees ranging between $24,000 and $30,000+ per year. If applicable, factors impacting the costs include in-state or out-of-state residency and possible distance learning fees.

These tuition figures would not reflect the additional cost of room and board and any materials needed for coursework, which would vary between schools and locations. Application fees also apply and also vary among institutions.

Career Paths and Outcomes

If you are applying your advanced skills and knowledge in a business setting, you might have the opportunity to increase your earnings and responsibilities through career advancement.

According to statistics supplied by Salary.com , business analytics managers with a PhD could earn between $133,414 – $141,947 per year. Operations research analysts, who are involved in business analytics processes, are expected to be in demand throughout the next decade, with a 23 percent job growth projection according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .

The BLS shows that these professionals earn a median annual wage of $85,720, with the upper ten percent realizing more than $149,000 annually. Those holding a PhD in business analytics might also consider pursuing work as a consultant.

As reported by the BLS, the projected job growth rate for all management analysts , including business analytics managers and management consultants, is 10 percent over the 2022-2032 decade.

This job growth rate is much faster than average, making it an appealing prospect for young professionals within the field. If a career in academics interests you, the BLS reports that post-secondary business teachers can expect an 8 percent increase in opportunities through 2032. As of May 2022, the median annual wage for post-secondary business teachers is $80,840.

Frequently Asked Questions

Since PhD in business analytics programs are not extremely common, it might be possible to find a related PhD program and align the research components with business analytics. Similar degrees include PhD programs in data science, big data analytics, business data science, management science, management analytics, operations, and information management, and business administration such as information and decision sciences.

Yes, a master’s degree in business is often required to enter this type of PhD program. You should also have a strong background in STEM-related subjects, possess strong computer and analytical skills, and be interested in learning about theory.

Some programs might require managerial experience before enrollment. You may also work in the field while obtaining your PhD, particularly before beginning your dissertation. Discussing potential employment or work experience with your prospective departments and programs is always advisable.

Most programs require at least a 3.0 GPA. As with many programs, the higher your GPA, the better your chances of getting accepted.

Yes, this PhD program is typically designated as a STEM program.

No, these programs are currently only full-time.

Related Resources

• Data Science PhD Programs
• PhD in Data Analytics Programs
• Tech Degrees
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• What is Business Analytics?

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Ph.D. in Analytics, Information and Operations

Program information.

Faculty research often is motivated by challenges faced by firms across diverse industry sectors such as military, airlines, television, technology, digital marketing, social networking, insurance and healthcare.

Analytics, information and operations faculty are highly regarded for their research productivity and placement of doctoral graduates.

Application deadlines

Priority: December 15

Final: January 10

• Application requirements

Students begin their own research during the first year of the program and often present to faculty and other doctoral students early in their second year. Many of these papers are eventually published in academic journals.

Part of our mission is to develop effective teachers. To that end, all doctoral students are required to teach at least two sections as independent instructors. The school and university prepare and reward doctoral students for excellence in teaching through various programs and awards.

Program details

View degree requirements and a detailed list of courses in the KU Academic Catalog .

Requirements

Area of concentration.

Most students admitted in analytics, information, and operations typically will select that area as their concentration. However, an aspirant, with the assistance of his or her faculty advisor and the area faculty, may propose an interdisciplinary area of concentration that is a combination of the traditional business disciplines of accounting, finance, human resource management, marketing, organizational behavior, and strategic management. An aspirant may also propose an interdisciplinary area of concentration that includes emphases such as international business, law, and economics. The aspirant must take at least five advanced courses in the area of concentration. 

Supporting Areas

Coursework in the area of concentration is supplemented and strengthened by study in one or two supporting areas. A supporting area is one that supplements and complements the area of concentration. The aspirant will satisfy the supporting area requirement by taking at least four advanced courses in the supporting areas (at least two courses in each of two supporting areas, or at least four courses in one supporting area). The typical supporting areas for analytics and operation students are marketing, economics, finance, etc. Courses recommended for preparation for the qualifiers may not be included in satisfying the supporting area requirement.

Research Methodology

For successful qualifier assessment, the student’s program of study should include adequate preparation in research methodology. A sound research is always grounded on sound methodology. A doctoral student in analytics and operations has the opportunity to develop methodological skill in probability and statistics, optimization, uncertain reasoning, game theory, and econometrics. A typical doctoral dissertation often utilizes one or more of the following research methodology: empirical, analytical, behavioral, and computational.

Coursework and research

Comprehensive exams and research

Dissertation proposal and job market

Dissertation defense

Note: Some students complete the program in four years.

Program faculty

• Associate Professor
• Anderson Family Fellow
• Analytics, Information, Operations academic area

• Assistant Professor

• Davis Area Director, Analytics, Information, Operations
• Ronald G. Harper Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Information Systems

• B. Allen and Dorothy V. Lay Professor

• Jack and Shirley Howard Mid-Career Professor

Analytics, information, and operations doctoral students

• Ph.D. Student
• Analytics, Information and Operations Management academic area

PhD in Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Systems

The University of Cincinnati Department of Operations, Business Analytics and Information Systems (OBAIS) seeks exceptional students with interest in a wide range of research topics who seek careers as academic researchers, including university professors or applied researchers in academic settings such as research hospitals or public labs and research institutions.

The department's PhD program admits students into its three disciplines, but our students often work on multi-disciplinary problems with both our OBAIS faculty and with faculty from other areas.

• Business Analytics focuses primarily on three methodological aspects of analytics: applied statistics, simulation, and optimization and decision analysis. Our faculty develop, improve, and apply cutting-edge statistical, simulation, and optimization methods such as data mining, longitudinal and nonparametric analysis, discrete-event and agent-based computer simulation, integer programming, and stochastic optimization to a wide variety of problems and industries.
• Information Systems focuses primarily on behavioral and technical/computational issues. Lindner's Information Systems faculty members research topics related to how humans adopt, use, and adapt to technology, how organizational software can use information more effectively, and how databases and other technical systems might be improved, automated, or deployed more effectively.
• Operations Management  focuses on research into how production and service systems transform inputs into outputs. This includes a diverse set of topics, such as inventory and supply chain management, transportation networks, service operations, quality, healthcare delivery systems, operations strategy, and developing policies and processes for matching capacity with demand.

OBAIS PhD graduates have been highly successful in both academic and academic-style industrial positions. Our course work includes mathematical programming, stochastic models, and applied statistics along with seminars on the latest developments in the field. Our students are encouraged to take courses from across the University of Cincinnati that combine to best meet their unique educational goals.

While each student enters with a unique background, a typical sequence of matriculation is as follows:

First, our students take 18-24 months of coursework in order to learn advanced research methods as well as deep topical content, such as fundamental concepts and contemporary theory, in their fields.

During the second year of their study, our students undertake the second-year paper, which is usually each student's first attempt at executing a scientific research project from start to finish. This is done under the close supervision of one or more of our faculty advisors.

After all the coursework is completed, our students sit for the written portion of their comprehensive exams. This often occurs during the summer after their second year of classes. The oral portion of the comprehensive exam is to present the second-year paper. This step typically happens within a few months of the written exam. Upon passing the comprehensive exam, our PhD students enter into candidacy and each student begins working on his or her dissertation.

The dissertation is a large work of original research performed primarily by the PhD student with guidance from his or her dissertation chairperson and committee. Typically, between six and 15 months into the dissertation work, students defend their dissertation proposals, which describe the work being carried out, before their committees. Then, upon completion of the dissertation work, students defend their dissertations, again in front of the committee. The dissertation work normally takes two to three years, making the entire program typically require four to five years of full-time work. The OBAIS department does not accept part-time doctoral students.

Each PhD student in Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Systems works individually and closely with a faculty advisor to develop a personalized curriculum uniquely suited to help him or her learn the methods and core knowledge needed to begin a productive and rewarding research career. No two students' research interests are identical so, within the overall structure of the Lindner College of Business PhD program, we seek to customize our doctoral students' programs of courses and matriculation schedules in order to best meet their individual needs and aspirations.

Our academic environment is collegial, engaging, dynamic, and supportive. Those who commit to their doctoral studies will find an extensive and dedicated community to help ensure their academic and professional success. From our cohort of PhD students to intellectually engaged faculty to helpful staff, the community works together to foster student success.

Many of our faculty are leaders in their respective research fields. They have published extensively in peer-reviewed, scientific journals, have won awards for their research and graduate-student teaching and have been invited to serve on the boards of key academic professional societies. They also author industry-leading textbooks and engaged with industry to support businesses' use of analytics and advanced research methods to solve real-world problems. Because of this vigorous intellectual and community engagement, the OBAIS department has been recognized as one of the university's Centers of Excellence through the State of Ohio Academic Excellence Program.

The city of Cincinnati is a metropolitan hub that is home to more Fortune 500 companies per capita than New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Seven Fortune 500 companies have their global headquarters located less than three miles from the University of Cincinnati's campus. The city is home to vibrant entertainment and cultural opportunities and offers a variety of affordable living options.

Recent graduates of Lindner's PhD in Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Systems program have accepted positions at:

• Drexel University
• Elon University
• Ivey Business School
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kansas University
• Lehigh University
• McGill University
• Miami University
• Michigan State University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Towson University
• University of Dayton
• University of Louisville
• Xavier University

Names of Lindner faculty appear in bold. Names of Lindner PhD candidates are underlined.

Li, S., Zhu, X ., Chen, Y., & Liu, D . (2021) “PAsso: an R Package for Assessing Partial Association between Ordinal Variables” (Accepted by The R Journal).

Rea, David , Craig Froehle , Suzanne Masterson , Brian Stettler, Greg Fermann, Arthur Pancioli, (2021) "Unequal but Fair: Incorporating Distributive Justice in Operational Allocation Models,"  Production and Operations Management , 30(7), 2304-2320.

Green Brittany , Lian Heng, Yan Yu , Tianhai Zu . (2021). “Ultra high‐dimensional semiparametric longitudinal data analysis”, Biometrics , 77(3), 903-913.

Li Z, Wang S, Li W, Zhu T, Fan Z , Xie X., (2021). “Droplet dynamics in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell flow field design with 3D geometry”, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy , 46(31),16693-16707.

Jablokow, K. W., Zhu, X ., & Matson, J. V. (2020). “Exploring the diversity of creative prototyping in a global online learning environment”, International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation , 8(2).

Schneider, M. J., Jagpal, S., Gupta, S., Li, S . , and Yu, Y . (2018). A Flexible Method for Protecting Marketing Data: An Application to Point-of-Sale Data", Marketing Science , 37(1), 153-171.

Windeler, J ., Chudoba, K., and Sundrup, R . (2017). Getting Away from Them All: Managing Exhaustion from Social Interaction with Telework. Journal of Organizational Behavior , 38(7): 977-995.

Sundrup, R., Froehle, C ., & Windeler, J.  (2017). Evaluating Effects of Information Incongruence and Gender on Online Review Helpfulness. Proceedings of the 23th Americas Conference on Information Systems, August 10-12, 2017, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Schneider, M. J., Jagpal, S., Gupta, S., Li, S ., and Yu, Y. (2017). Protecting Customer Data: Marketing with Second-Party Data, International Journal of Research in Marketing , 34(3), 593-603.

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Business Analytics

Key concepts, who will benefit, college students and recent graduates, those considering graduate school, mid-career professionals.

What You Earn

Certificate of Completion

Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online

Earn by: completing this course

Credential of Readiness

Prove your mastery of business fundamentals

Earn by: completing the three-course CORe curriculum and passing the exam

Describing and Summarizing Data

• Visualizing Data
• Descriptive Statistics
• Relationship Between Two Variables

Featured Exercises

Sampling and estimation.

• Creating Representative and Unbiased Samples
• The Normal Distribution
• Confidence Intervals
• Amazon's Inventory Sampling

Hypothesis Testing

• Designing and Performing Hypothesis Tests
• Improving the Customer Experience

Single Variable Linear Regression

• The Regression Line
• Forecasting
• Interpreting the Regression Output
• Performing Regression Analyses
• Forecasting Home Video Units

Multiple Regression

• The Multiple Regression Equation
• Adapting Concepts from Single Regression
• Performing Multiple Regression Analyses
• New Concepts in Multiple Regression
• The Caesars Staffing Problem

Advance Your Career with Essential Business Skills

Our difference, about the professor.

Janice Hammond Business Analytics

Dates & eligibility.

No current course offerings for this selection.

All learners must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course.

Learn about bringing this course to your organization .

Learner Stories

Business Analytics FAQs

How does the business analytics certificate program relate to the credential of readiness program.

In addition to being a standalone certificate program, Business Analytics is also one component course of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program , which also includes Economics for Managers and Financial Accounting . Designed for those interested in learning business fundamentals more broadly, CORe program participants progress through the three courses in tandem, and the program concludes with a final exam.

What are the learning requirements in order to successfully complete Business Analytics, and how are grades assigned?

Participants are expected to fully complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner. This will mean meeting each week’s deadline to complete a module of the course and fully answering questions posed therein, including satisfactory performance on the quizzes at the end of each module (earning an average score of 50% or greater). This helps ensure your cohort proceeds through the course at a similar pace and can take full advantage of social learning opportunities. A module is composed of a series of teaching elements (such as faculty videos, simulations, reflections, or quizzes) designed to impart the learnings of the course. In addition to module and assignment completion, we expect participation in the social learning elements of the course by offering feedback on others’ reflections and contributing to conversations on the platform. Participants who fail to complete the course requirements will not receive a certificate and will not be eligible to retake the course.

More detailed information on individual course requirements will be communicated at the start of the course. No grades are assigned for Business Analytics–participants will either be evaluated as complete or not complete.

For more information on grading, please refer to the Policies Page .

Are there grants for Business Analytics? How do I qualify?

Business Analytics participants may be eligible for financial aid based on demonstrated financial need. To receive financial aid, you will be asked to provide supporting documentation. Please refer to our Payment & Financial Aid page .

What materials will I have access to after completing Business Analytics?

You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final deadline in the program. At the end of each course module, you will be able to download a PDF summary of the module’s key takeaways. At the end of the program, you will receive a PDF compilation of all of the module summary documents.

How should I list my certificate on my resume?

Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Business Analytics [Cohort Start Month and Year]

List your certificate on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page:

School: Harvard Business School Online Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program] Degree: Other; Certificate in Business Analytics Field of Study: Leave blank Grade: Complete Activities and Societies: Leave blank

For the program description on LinkedIn, please use the following:

Business Analytics is an 8-week, 40-hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. Business Analytics introduces quantitative methods used to analyze data and make better management decisions. Participants hone their understanding of key concepts, managerial judgment, and ability to apply course concepts to real business problems. Business Analytics was developed by leading Harvard Business School faculty and is delivered in an active learning environment based on the HBS signature case-based learning method.

How does HBS Online Business Analytics relate to the Harvard Business Analytics Program?

HBS Online Business Analytics and the Harvard Business Analytics Program are completely separate programs.

HBS Online Business Analytics consists of approximately 40 hours of material delivered entirely online through the HBS Online course platform over an eight-week period.

The Harvard Business Analytics Program is an online certificate program offered through a collaboration between Harvard Business School, the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The program consists of six core courses, two seminars, and two in-person immersions, and can be completed in as little as nine months.

How does Business Analytics differ from Data Science Principles and Data Science for Business?

These three courses cover different topics related to data and analytics and do so in different ways.

Business Analytics teaches participants to apply basic statistics to real business problems and includes hands-on practice implementing analyses in Excel. The course covers descriptive statistics, sampling and estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis. The course is intended for individuals at all stages of their careers who would like to strengthen their analytical skills, including college students and recent graduates without a background in statistics, those considering an MBA or other graduate program, or professionals seeking data literacy.

Data Science Principles introduces key concepts in data science—such as prediction, causality, visualization, data wrangling, privacy, and ethics—but does so without coding or mathematical application. The course is intended for organizational leaders and managers to be prepared to act on data analysis and to decide whether data science applications are appropriate tools for their businesses or organizations. The course is also well suited for business operations specialists to understand the building blocks of basic data visualization.

Data Science for Business moves beyond the spreadsheet and provides a hands-on approach for demystifying the data science ecosystem and making you a more conscientious consumer of information. Starting with the questions you need to ask when using data for decision-making, this course will help you know when to trust your data and how to interpret the results. By the end of the course, you should understand how to create a data-driven framework for your organization or yourself; develop hypotheses and insights from visualization; identify data mistakes or missing components; and, speak the language of data science across themes such as forecasting, linear regressions, and machine learning to better lead your team to long-term success. You will learn how to create a compelling story that uses proven, collected data to make core business decisions, and explore coding environments such as R and visualization software.

Can I take CORe if I've taken Business Analytics?

By enrolling in the Business Analytics certificate program, participants will be ineligible to enroll in the CORe program. By enrolling in the CORe program, participants will be ineligible to enroll in Financial Accounting.

Related Programs

Credential of Readiness (CORe)

Designed to help you achieve fluency in the language of business, CORe is a business fundamentals program that combines Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting with a final exam.

Financial Accounting

In this accounting fundamentals course, discover what's behind the numbers in financial statements, such as balance sheets and income statements.

Economics for Managers

See the world through the lens of economics and gain the knowledge and skills to craft successful business strategy.

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Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has four areas of study: Accounting and Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

Accounting & Management  

Business economics  , health policy (management)  , marketing  , organizational behavior  , strategy  , technology & operations management  .

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Ph.D. in Analytics

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The core mission of the Mendoza PhD in Analytics is to develop thought-leaders in the analytics space that are engaged in impactful, cutting-edge scholarly research that considers the ethical dimension of data and its usage. Graduates of the PhD program are well-positioned to attain academic jobs at top business schools, where they can pursue successful careers in data analytics intensive domains such as business analytics, data science, information systems, operations, and computational social science, conducting research that is impactful and supports human flourishing.

Why Attain a PhD in Analytics?

The PhD degree is intended for those interested in the pursuit of knowledge – creating knowledge through research and disseminating new knowledge to students in the classroom. The field of analytics is without question one that is having a profound impact on business and society. There is a need for new professors capable of pursuing knowledge related to themes such as leadership in an AI-enabled world , ethical human-centered analytics , impactful computational social science , and next generation digital experimentation . These are just a few examples – we encourage our doctoral students to pursue whatever topics they’re passionate about and support them throughout their journey.

Why Notre Dame?

The Department of IT, Analytics, and Operations ( ITAO) is one of the premiere analytics departments, with world-class faculty, cutting-edge research labs, unparalleled industry connections, and access to a large network of Notre Dame alumni that are eager to support analytics thought-leadership.

Faculty Productivity and Reputation

The ITAO department encompasses a diverse set of faculty with significant research capabilities and extensive editorial board experience. ITAO faculty members currently serve in 10+ editorial roles at major journals related to analytics, information systems, and operations; and others have served in similar positions at quality journals previously. In recent years, ITAO faculty have won research awards at top journals and associations such as AIS, INFORMS, POM Society, and the IEEE.

Research Labs and Centers

The ITAO department has multiple analytics-focused research labs, including the Gaming Analytics Lab ( GAMA ) and the Human-centered Analytics Lab ( HAL ). Department faculty are also actively involved with the Notre Dame Technology Ethics Center ( ND-TEC ) and the Lucy Family Institute for Data and Society. Additionally, the Mendoza College of Business has a full-time dedicated data science team that supports data acquisition, collection, and wrangling as part of the Mendoza Behavioral Lab ( MBL ).

Partnerships with Industry

Our faculty routinely collaborate with various industry partners and federal agencies, including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, eBay, Oracle, and NASA. The department is also actively involved with Notre Dame California ( ND California ), iNDustry Labs , and the Applied Analytics and Emerging Technology Lab (AeTL).

Cutting-edge Curriculum

It is essential that Ph.D. programs equip their graduates with the thorough, current training demanded by today’s market. Our analytics PhD program is well-positioned to produce “T-shaped” scholars that receive a foundation comprising select theories and ethics coursework, and depth via analytics methods courses and seminars. We see an opportunity to develop multi-dimensional scholars well-versed in contemporary analytics methods while also being adept at framing problems, thinking critically about the logic and flow between a problem and proposed solution, and capable of extrapolating their work to the bigger picture.

Institutional Prestige

Notre Dame is a Top 20 US News university with an international reputation and brand. A PhD from Notre Dame therefore sets our graduates up for success in academia at elite private schools or flagship state universities. Some of our graduates are also well-positioned for industry-oriented research roles.

The IT, Analytics, and Operations (ITAO) faculty use contemporary analytics methods such as machine learning, econometrics, statistics, and analytical modeling to study an array of research topics including ethics and privacy, health, sports and gaming, AI business applications, digital experimentation methods, and e-commerce:

• Ahmed Abbasi (AI, machine learning, text analytics, user modeling)
• Corey Angst (health analytics, ethics, privacy, security)
• Nicholas Berente (digital innovation, managing AI, institutional change)
• Francis Bilson Darku (sequential analysis, nonparametric statistics, econometrics)
• Jeff Cai (statistical learning, network analysis, data science)
• Sarv Devaraj (business analytics, healthcare management, supply chains)
• Rob Easley (economic modeling, Internet auctions, e-commerce)
• Ken Kelley (psychometrics, statistical methods, human-centered analytics)
• John Lalor (machine learning, natural language processing)
• Junghee Lee (innovation/technology in supply chains, healthcare operations)
• Kirsten Martin (technology ethics, privacy, business responsibility)
• Alfonso Pedraza-Martinez (humanitarian operations, disaster management, analytical modeling)
• Xinxue (Shawn) Qu (innovation diffusion, data management, predictive analytics)
• Sriram Somanchi (machine learning, event and pattern detection)
• Yoon Seock Son (econometrics, mobile strategy, AI business strategies)
• Daewon Sun (pricing strategies, resource management, economics of IS)
• Margaret Traeger (computational social science, social networks, health analytics)
• Katie Wowak (supply chains, traceability in global networks)
• Yang Yang (machine learning, network analysis, computational social science)
• Zifeng Zhao (statistical methods, large-scale forecasting, risk monitoring)

Program Structure

The program is designed to be five-years, full-time, in-residence. Click below for a year-by-year breakdown of how the program is structured.

In the first year, you will learn foundational theories, concepts, and methods related to analytics. ITAO seminar courses will include Human-centered AI, Philosophy of Science, and Computational Social Science. Methods related coursework will include classes related to machine learning, data science, statistics, and/or econometrics. Based on prior coursework, some students might be able to opt out of certain courses. In consultation with the program director, you will form a plan of study for methods courses and electives that align with your research interests.

At the beginning of the first year, you will also be assigned a faculty mentor that will guide your efforts related to the first-year research paper – the purpose of the first-year paper is to demonstrate the potential to produce high-quality scholarly manuscripts.

In year 2, you will continue to broaden and deepen your understanding of the analytics space with ITAO seminars related to Human-centered Statistics, Mathematical Modeling for Consumer Analytics, Operations and Prescriptive Analytics, and Data and Technology Ethics. At the end of the second year, you will have an examination requirement (in the form of an exam or paper). This examination will test your knowledge of ITAO seminar courses taken over the first two years. Your second-year faculty mentor will offer guidance on the paper.

You will wrap up any remaining coursework and turn your attention to pushing research projects towards publication.

In addition to managing your research portfolio, you’ll focus on finalizing your dissertation topic and defending your proposal.

The final year will involve interviewing for open positions, completing dissertation chapters, and having your final defense. And then, onward and upward into your exciting new career!

Marialena Bevilacqua received a BA in Math with a minor in Statistics from the College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts, where she was class president and captain of the field hockey and lacrosse teams. She attained an MS in Business Analytics from Georgetown University. Marialena was a brand operations analyst and manager plus “rookie of the year” at Thrasio.

Ryan Cook received a BS in Analytics with a minor in Philosophy from Notre Dame, and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked as a research scientist in Notre Dame’s Human-centered Analytics Lab and Center for Computer Assisted Synthesis, supporting projects related to NLP and network analysis. Ryan was also previously an analyst at EY in Chicago.

Jiehui Luo attained dual bachelor’s degrees from Dartmouth College (Computer Engineering) and Mount Holyoke College (Computer Science with a minor in Math). She received her MPhil in Computer Science and Engineering from HKUST. Her research interests relate to human-computer interaction and human-centered AI. Jiehui was previously a product manager at Tencent.

Alyona Nefedova majored in Math at the Higher School of Economics. Her thesis examined classification and discovery of R-matrices. She received the Governor’s medal for academic excellence. Alyona explored trading models at the Center for Mathematical Finance, and assisted with cognitive science projects at the fMRI Lab. She previously taught middle school math and volunteers at Canada/USA Mathcamp.

Kezia Oketch attained a BS in Computer Science from Spelman College and an MS in Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship from Notre Dame. She was a Gold Scholar at the Grace Hopper Conference and co-founded a research startup focused on technology-based solutions to the cancer crisis in Kenya. Kezia was also a software engineer at an Ohio-based tech company.

Sunan Qian double majored in Economics and Math, and minored in French, at Mount Holyoke College. She received an MS in Finance with a minor in Quantitative Methods from Carnegie Mellon University – her thesis explored the impact of environmental regulation on firms’ carbon emissions and market value. Sunan was a digital consultant for Accenture in Tokyo.

Will Stamey was a double major in Economics and Math at Baylor University, with a minor in Philosophy. He was a Baylor Fellow and Crane Scholar, and completed the health economics sequence. Will’s honors thesis explored the impact of online education on academic outcomes. He was also a researcher at the Colorado Summer Institute in Biostatistics.

Becky Zhang double majored in Computer Science & Economics, and Applied Math, at Washington University in St. Louis. She received an MS in Computational and Applied Math from the University of Chicago – her thesis explored methods for stochastic non-linear optimization. Becky’s industry experience includes internships as a research analyst and data scientist at major software and technology companies.

Xinyuan Zhang completed her undergraduate coursework from the University of Sydney, where she double majored in Finance and Statistics and researched sentiment analysis in the Computing Finance Lab. Xinyuan received an MS in Statistics from UCLA – her thesis explored preference models for two-sided platforms. She was also a researcher in the Trusted AI Systems Lab at Nankai University.

As Director of the Analytics PhD program, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about our program (or a PhD in general). Feel free to email me at [email protected].  I look forward to connecting with you.

Our application deadline for the Fall 2025 incoming cohort is January 7, 2025 . You can apply using the “APPLY” button in the side menu (also appearing in the menu at the top of the page).

Ahmed Abbasi

Frequently Asked Questions

All students who are admitted to the program will be given a full tuition waiver. So the program is essentially tuition-free, with the only direct costs being miscellaneous university fees. In addition, all PhD students are paid a stipend of $42,000 a year. That stipend serves as compensation for your research activities (and for the teaching you would do in years three and four).

We require either the GRE or the GMAT, and have no preference between the two. If you’ve previously taken one of those tests, we require a score that is less than five years old. Unfortunately, the admissions committee will not waive the GRE/GMAT requirement under any circumstances.

It’s hard to say, as that is a function of a given application cycle, along with the rest of an applicant’s admissions portfolio. Most years, however, verbal and quantitative percentiles in the 80’s or above will be needed to advance to the short list.

Yes, if English is not your native language, or if English was not your language of college instruction. We accept either the TOEFL or the IELTS. If you’ve previously taken one of those tests, we require a score that is less than two years old.

You’ll fill out an online application form that will be linked on this site. And you’ll provide your resume, a statement of purpose/intent, three letters of recommendation, and unofficial transcripts of college (and any masters) degrees.

No. This sort of degree is best thought of as a research apprenticeship—where you are learning research skills in collaboration with faculty. That sort of collaboration requires a full-time, five-year, in-residence commitment.

Yes. While the program will prepare graduates to work in teaching institutions, government, and industry, the priority will be to prepare students for faculty roles so that they can be thought-leaders involved in teaching the next generation of analytics students and working to advance analytics-oriented research. Typically 80-90% of PhDs in Analytics take academic positions, while 10-20% pursue careers in industry (e.g., Silicon Valley, Wall Street, Think Tanks, etc.).

No. This is—first and foremost—a research degree. Teaching is part of the degree, as teaching is an important part of a professor’s career. But, if teaching or administration are your main focus, you might do a search for teaching-oriented PhD programs or Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programs, which are sometimes also called Executive Doctorate programs.

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Phd in big data analytics.

The PhD in Big Data Analytics is an interdisciplinary STEM PhD program focusing on systems and technologies for processing data and information. Unlike pure data science programs, this program includes the human and social implications of information and technology, bringing in critical components of cognition, ethics, biases and storytelling into a strong, big data analytics curriculum.

This program will graduate advanced big data practitioners, researchers and scientists who can work with large data, write code, develop models and build systems, and do so while acutely aware of potential biases and ethical uses issues. Students will develop theoretical and applied skills, including how to design, implement and evaluate information-focused big data technologies that support decision-making across social and organizational contexts.

Why the focus on an interdisciplinary program? Many existing PhD programs offer training in all of the stand-alone scientific fields such as statistics, mathematics, computer science, or information systems, but they do not unify the salient ideas from these fields.

In that sense, graduates become experts in a relatively narrow area in, for example, statistical modeling of data, but are inexperienced and unaware of how to parse and store data or how to code “apps” and develop solutions that automatically make decisions based on the data models or how to evaluate the human and societal impact of the developed data solutions and systems.

This PhD program combines human and technical skills with analytical abilities required to support decision-making by today’s leaders and innovators. A big data analytics PhD will introduce students to a truly interdisciplinary program and diverse perspective to important problems and opportunities for society that are driven by the availability of big data.

Why now? An increasing number of companies are looking for professionals with experience in big data analytics, and they are hard to find, especially in the educational spectrum, i.e. at the expert/PhD level. In addition, there is an increasing demand for faculty with PhDs in this field. This program is timely as we are seeing deep problems in society  (polarization of society, fake news, algorithmic bias) where analytics-driven solutions alone struggle to be sufficient — problems where the broader perspective of building intelligent systems by being aware of broader issues and human aspects becomes increasingly important as well.

Programs that bring together curriculum and faculty expertise from multiple areas (such as information systems, mathematics, psychology, computer science, etc.) will play a critical role in this broader context.

Application deadline is February 1. 

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Phd in Business Administration Business Analytics Concentration

Business Analytics is a fast-growing interdisciplinary field of business studies that combines data mining, statistical programming, applied statistics, optimization and data science to extract valuable information from business data and guide managerial decisions. Business Analytics is the only track of the MCOB PhD program with the STEM designation which allows International Students to extend the Optional Practical Training (OPT) from 12 to 36 months.

Students in the Business Analytics track of the MCOB PhD program gain competency in business analytics and have the opportunity to apply their skills and cooperate in an interdisciplinary fashion with faculty from other areas of business such as Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Real Estate. Students are expected to produce high quality (publishable) research manuscripts and encouraged to present their research at regional and national conferences.

 Typical Research Areas

As an emerging field, business analytics research topics are a rapidly evolving field. Examples of potential topics include:

• How does data analytics improve the operations management function in organizations?
• Does a data analytics approach result in competitive advantages for family firms?
• Can predictive modeling improve management decision making?
• Does business analytics reduce supply chain interruption risks?
• Using business analytics to understand and improve organizational decision making.
• Can data analytics improve the performance of small businesses?
• What is the relationship between a business analytics approach and organizational survival?
• Does a business analytics approach lead to more innovative business solutions?
• Can business analytics can help managers assess employee skill deficiencies?
• Which of these business analytics components – data generation, data acquisition, data storage, and data analytics processes – influence firm performance the most? 

Opportunities for Management Concentration Graduates

Academia According to the AACSB’s database of programs, 220 business schools worldwide offer over 400 business analytics curricula. With this increasing trend, we anticipate our graduates will have multiple opportunities of employment in public and private research and teaching institutions. This is a rapidly emerging field in academia and most graduates are likely to find academic opportunities in traditional information systems, operations research, finance and marketing departments.

Several academic-like industry opportunities are available for Business Analytics graduates. Business Analyst has been rated among the top jobs in the U.S. by Glassdoor’s jobs in America. These positions are in high demand from most of the High Tech companies, including: Kforce, Deloitte, Google, McKinsey & Company, Cisco Systems, Intuit, Apple, and American Express.

View the course sequence for Business Analytics

Business Analytics Graduate Certificate

Program highlights.

• 11 Credit Hours
• 100% online
• Taught by acclaimed Daniels School of Business faculty
• Credit earned towards online MS/MBA degree
• Graduate Certificate is an earned academic credential that enhances ROI

As a top-ranked business school operating within a university at the forefront of STEM education, we offer an analytical, problem-solving brand of business education along with a pragmatic approach to academics. Businesses are collecting more data than ever before and using that information to make better-informed decisions is of paramount importance in today’s global business environment. Our Business Analytics Graduate Certificate program educates students in the use of analytical tools and techniques to analyze data in a business context.

The curriculum requires that students choose a programming track, either Python or R.

Students will apply unique techniques of data collection, manipulation, optimization, analysis and visualization to solve real-world business problems.

Applications are accepted for the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters.

The Business Analytics Graduate Certificate program requires the completion of the outlined curriculum of 11 credit hours with at least a 2.70 GPA to receive the Business Analytics Graduate Certificate.

*Students are encouraged to start this certificate with MGMT 67000 and take the other two required courses as early as possible.

* Students can take both programming languages as electives with advisor approval.

*Estimated plans of study listed below are not guaranteed. Completion time and course offerings are subject to change.

The Business Analytics Graduate Certificate can be completed in 3 to 4 semesters. 

If you would like to receive more information about the online Business Analytics Graduate Certificate program at Purdue, please fill out the form and a program specialist will be in touch.

We also have availability to meet with you virtually to discuss how our curriculum, research and outcomes align with your goals. Let's determine if Purdue is the right fit for you!

Schedule an Appointment...

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MS Business Analytics Decision Science Track LP (COMP)

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Become a Pivotal Player in Transforming Data into Action

Students in the MSBA Decision Science Track graduate with the ability to distill comprehensive decision science analytics, process analytics and performance prediction insights for strategic decision-making and operational improvements.

Apply Now      Inquire About the Program

"I chose Leeds MSBA because it was a fastpaced 10-month program which would help me accelerate in my career." - Himani Porwal     (MSBA ‘24)

Program Details

Starts in July.

GMAT/GRE test scores are optional.

The full-time, in-person program is 10 months. The part-time, online program format takes two years to complete.

Automatic admission is granted to recent Leeds graduates and CU graduates with a Business Minor with at least a 3.0 GPA.

No coding or technical background is required.

Technical, quantitative and statistically intensive. Learn data architecture, functional analytic problem-solving and soft, durable skills.

Learn more about the MSBA Decision Science curriculum here and learn more about MSBA Decision Science Track costs and tuition here.

Apply Now     

Careers in Decision Science

The Decision Science Track prepares students to accelerate their careers in the high-demand, decision science field. Employment growth and demand for marketing analytics experts is high, and Leeds' students find jobs with companies like Dish Network, EKS&H, First Bank, Hunter Douglas, IBM and Johns Manville.

Professionals in decision science apply the concepts and tools to design and manage business processes in forecasting, risk management, performance evaluation and other areas is shaping the future by extracting insights to make informed strategic choices.

Common job titles include Data Strategist and Statistical Analyst.

More About MSBA Decision Science Careers     

• Data Strategist
• Data Scientist
• Statistical Analyst
• Operations Performance Analyst

Be prepared to work with divisional marketers to interpret and analyze digital marketing data, then provide insights and action plans to help business partners drive performance against key performance indicators. Requires understand and fluently uses company technology & analytics tools to measure & analyze online marketing performance; works with business partners to establish digital Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) & metrics and works across organization and Areas to create consistent calculated metrics.

Leverages business acumen and data science skills to extract insights and solve complex problems.

Analyzes data using statistical methods, generates reports, and identifies trends for business decisions.

Optimizes business processes by analyzing data, identifying inefficiencies, and recommending improvements.

Decision Science Track Faculty

Meet our award-winning faculty, recognized for their innovative teaching approach and their cutting-edge research in top academic journals.

Thomas Vossen

Associate Professor and Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations PhD Program Director

STRATEGY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND OPERATIONS

Vossen uses computer simulation and optimization models to figure out practical solutions to everyday business problems like air traffic delays. “It is fun to really figure something out, to understand connections and how they impact each other. There is a puzzle factor to it that makes it interesting,” he says.

His 2006 paper, “Slot Trading Opportunities in Collaborative Ground Delay Programs”, examined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airlines system for dealing with delayed flights. Airlines are often aware of flight delays hours in advance, so they ground flights rather than circling a congested airport because it is cheaper and safer. Through the FAA these grounded flights may switch arrival time slots. Building off of this idea, Vossen developed a computer optimization model to maximize on-time performance of flights and minimize passenger delays in as fair and equitable way as possible. Link to bio .

Assistant Professor and Information Analytics PhD Program Director

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND INFORMATION ANALYTICS

Huanan Zhang

Assistant Professor and Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar

STRATEGY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND OPERATIONS

Associate Professor and Faculty Director of MS in Business Analytics

Gain a Competitive Edge

Best Public Business School in Colorado U.S. News & World Report (2023)

Top Research School in North America UTD Top 100 Business School Research Rankings (2018-2022)

STEM-designated degree program

Meet the MSBA Team at Leeds

Leeds' team of dedicated professionals help you maximize your experience in the MSBA program. Our student success team and career development coaches provide highly curated support to ensure you have everything you need to succeed.

Alysson Biermaier

John Helmers

Patti Martinez

Kristi Ryujin

Application Deadlines

Round 1:  Oct. 2, 2023

Round 2:  Dec. 4, 2023

Round 3:  Feb. 5, 2024

Final International Deadline:  April 15, 2024

Final Domestic Deadline:  May 13, 2024

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The online certificate in Graduate Data Analytics is designed to allow professionals with bachelor’s degrees to acquire knowledge, experience, and a solid foundation in data mining and analytics in an organization.

Note:   Students in the graduate certificate in Business Data Analytics may enroll in the Master of Business Administration at UW-Whitewater if they meet the normal criteria for that program. Certificate courses that are part of the MBA program can count toward completion of that degree at a later date.

Individuals that complete the Data Analytics graduate certificate will be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Understand the role and application of data analytics in an organization.
• Be able to identify the appropriate tools needed to analyze business data.
• Be able to apply some of the common analysis tools.
• Be able to explain the managerial practices and processes used to successfully use data analytics in an organization.
• Understand how to communicate in the context of the business results of data analytics.
• Understand the social and ethical issues related to security and privacy of data.

Certificate Requirements:

The graduate certificate in Business Data Analytics requires completion of five courses (15 credits) that are available online. For course list and descriptions, visit the Graduate Catalog .

Admission Requirements:

No GMAT required.

To qualify for admission to the certificate program in good standing, you must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution with an overall grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.75 or above.

What if you do not meet the admission requirements? Please email or call us at (262) 472-1945 to see if you could be admitted on a conditional basis.

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Graduate Programs

Take your education to the next level.

Pursuing a graduate degree at The University of Scranton is not just about earning a credential—it's about transforming yourself into a more knowledgeable, skilled, and confident professional prepared to make a meaningful impact in your field. 

Why Scranton?

Whether you prefer to study full-time or part-time, on campus or online, Scranton provides opportunities to earn your degree while accommodating your personal and professional commitments.

• Our 30+ programs are designed to provide the necessary foundation and expertise to advance in your current field or transition to a new one.
• With classes capped at 20 students, you’ll join a community of highly motivated peers, as well as study alongside faculty who are experts in their fields and bring real-world relevance, industry connections, and mentorship and guidance to every class.
• Our commitment to the Jesuit values of ethics and social responsibility not only shapes the educational experience at Scranton but also prepares graduates to lead meaningful lives of purpose, service, and leadership in their chosen fields and communities.

It's a significant investment in yourself that can lead to increased marketability and earnings, as well as open doors to new career possibilities.

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"I learned so much during my time at Scranton that I was able to use immediately in my current position. All of the professors were very helpful, and my advisor was amazing - always quick to respond and give helpful advice." – KRISTA PANCO, G'22

Explore Fields of Study

Business analytics, finance / accounting, health administration, health informatics, health sciences, human resources.

Learn how to succeed and drive your organization’s HR performance in areas, such as decision-making, strategic planning, compensation, benefits, and more.

Operations Management

Learn about forecasting, staffing, work measurement, capacity/aggregate planning, inventory management and more from faculty with years of experience in their fields.

Social Sciences

Gain knowledge that will enable you to better understand the depths of the human condition through our graduate programs in the social sciences. 

Conduct research while working closely alongside faculty members who are leaders in their fields, in top-notch facilities, such as the state-of-the-art Loyola Science Center.

Accreditations and Accolades

The University of Scranton was named a   Best College for 2024   (ranked No. 5) by   U.S. News & World Report   and has been among the 10 top master’s universities in the North for more than 30 consecutive years.

Scranton is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education   (MSCHE).   The University has been recognized for its excellence by numerous national publications and organizations.

Scranton’s Kania School of Management is accredited by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business   (AACSB) , a distinction received by only five percent of business schools worldwide.

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We understand that choosing a graduate school is a big decision, often influenced by various factors, including financial considerations. We're here to help you understand all of your options.

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As you enroll and pursue your degree, you’ll have help from our dedicated support team. They will provide you with a consistent, personal bridge to the school, answering any questions you have and helping you achieve your goals while pursuing your degree.

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