PSEO/Early college online classes
125 credits
125 credits
required for program
PSEO/Early college online classes
Department of Computing, Data, & Mathematical Sciences
Data Analytics
Department of Computing, Data, & Mathematical Sciences
Data Analytics
- Bachelor of Science
- Undergraduate
Make businesses smarter by using large amounts of information to find new opportunities, maximize profitability, and optimize resources. The data analytics program teaches you to research and analyze large data sets to forecast business strategy success rates, find correlations, and identify trends. This degree lays the foundation for you to work in finance, technology, and other business fields.
Why study data analytics at Northwestern?
The Twin Cities of Minnesota is a hub of headquarters—from 3M and Best Buy to General Mills, Medtronic, and more! The connections of our professors and alumni means regular visits to major corporations and learning from their business leaders.
We require students to participate in internships to help translate classroom lessons into practical work experience, with more than 60% of internships resulting in job offers. With campus so close to downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, students can take advantage of opportunities in Minnesota’s thriving data analytics industries.
Our small class sizes allow faculty to work with you individually to inspire you to bring your biblical and ethical principles into the workforce.
If you have strong math skills, enjoy analyzing information, finding patterns, problem-solving, using logic, and are interested in a career that offers the flexibility to work in a variety of fields, this might be the right degree for you.
What will you learn?
You will develop strong communication and analytical skills and manage large data sets to solve critical business problems.
Some classes include:
- Business Analysis
- Data Mining
- Statistics
- Forecasting
- Business Ethics
There’s a huge shift taking place; companies have a lot of data that is not getting used. The next generation of business leaders need to know how to mine and use data to inform key business decisions.
Careers in business data analytics
There are a variety of career and academic pathways that begin with a degree in data analytics.
What types of work are related to this degree?
- Data Collection/Data Mining
- Information Technology
- Data Analysis
- Decision Analysis and Modeling
- Predictive Analytics
- Customer Loyalty and Selection Programs
- Marketing Strategy Development
- Fraud Detection
- Applied Statistics
- Process Optimization
- Operations Research/Management
- Manufacturing Design
- Supply Chain Management
Who employs people with this degree?
- Software and technology
- Telecommunications
- Financial services and banking
- Insurance
- Manufacturing/Consumer products
- Transportation
- Consulting
- Entertainment
- Hospitality
- Healthcare
- Government/Public sector
- Nonprofit organizations
91%
%}
of data analytics students find employment in their field
99%
of seniors are able to discuss their major through a biblical worldview
60%
of internships result in job offers
Preparing for a Career
College graduation rates continue to increase each year making competition for jobs even greater. Set yourself apart from the crowd with the following strategies for getting started, networking, and gaining experience.
Strategies for success:
- Gain relevant experience through an internship in an industry of interest.
- Learn relevant software or tools such as Apache Hadoop, SQL, and SPSS. Earn industry certifications, e.g. SAS and Google
- Develop excellent information technology, database management, and programming skills.
- Learn to work effectively on interdisciplinary teams and how to communicate data intensive information to colleagues.
- Conduct informational interviews with professionals to learn about various industries or functional areas because business analytics professionals can fit into a wide array of positions.
- Get involved in campus organizations and seek leadership roles.
Discover the Department of Computing, Data, & Mathematical Sciences
Professors at Northwestern are focused on their students first. Our faculty include experts in their respective fields who want to help you grow in your faith while you earn your degree.
Meet the staff Explore the department