There will be a shortage of talent necessary for organizations to take advantage of big data. By 2018, the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills as well as 1.5 million managers and analysts with the know-how to use the analysis of big data to make effective decisions.

"Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity." McKinsey Global Institute, May 2011

MSc Business Analytics

The course aims to build a combination of soft consultancy skills and practice-oriented, data-driven business analytics skills. This area is seeing rapid growth and demand in industry, as illustrated by the McKinsey study referred to above.

Business analytics is mainly about gaining insights and understanding from large data sets, often by using statistical methods. Application areas include e.g. forecasting, pricing or text analytics.

It is important to enhance the technical skills with soft consultancy skills, including an understanding of the role of the analyst in the organisation, business acumen and communication skills. The programme hence covers aspects from both disciplines to provide an optimal stepping stone to your career.

Many students get the opportunity to work on real projects for companies.

More information on the course, including a description of its content, is available on the WBS website.