What Could You Do with a Data Analytics Degree?

A degree may open the door to a variety of opportunities and diverse career paths. The degree programs offered at CTU will not necessarily lead to the featured careers. This collection of articles is intended to help inform and guide you through the process of determining which level of degree and types of certifications align with your desired career path.

What Is Data Analytics?

Data analytics—a broad term that describes the science of examining, analyzing and interpreting data to develop insights or identify trends—is useful to businesses and organizations because it can help them improve their processes and performance. There are different types of data analytics career paths that focus on solving different types of issues—some data analysts might focus on identifying and solving supply chain issues, while others might evaluate data to figure out how to better retain and attract customers. And these are only a couple possibilities—you could probably think of more.

What Is a Degree Program in Data Analytics?

When it comes to data analytics, there are a few degree program options that can be pursued. Some institutions offer data analytics degree programs, while others offer degree programs in a different field of study, like business administration or computer science, that come with the option to concentrate or specialize in data analytics. Both kinds of data analytics programs are designed to provide an opportunity to study skills and techniques that can help you prepare to pursue a career path in the field.

Data Analytics Degree Program vs. Data Analytics Concentration: An Overview

Data Analytics Degree Programs

Data analytics degree programs are focused on the hard and soft skills involved in collecting and analyzing data. These degree programs typically offer courses on data mining, data management, predictive analytics, and visualization of data and data analysis techniques, just to name a few. If you’re pursuing a bachelor’s degree in data analytics, you’ll find that the program requires a number of general education classes as well. As is typical of graduate programs, master’s in data analytics and doctorate in data analytics programs won’t have such general education requirements, although they could have other requirements, such as a thesis or other final research project.

Degree Programs with Data Analytics or Data Science Concentrations

Undergraduate business administration degree programs may offer a concentration in data analytics. These programs will be made up of general education courses and core courses covering business administration topics as well as concentration courses that pertain to the field of data analytics. Such programs might be a good fit for those who want to work to strengthen their general business skills and knowledge but who are also interested in how data insights can impact an organization’s decision making.

Undergraduate computer science degree programs offering a concentration in data science or data analytics will also have general education courses as part of their curricula. However, their core focus will be on different types of programming languages, computer algorithms and operating systems. The data science concentration courses might provide coverage of machine learning, data analytics and data warehousing.

Graduate degree programs can be an option for those who have a background or an interest in studying data analytics and who already possess a bachelor’s degree. As with undergraduate data analytics degree programs, a master’s or doctoral degree program in data analytics will have data analysis as its primary focus. An MBA or a computer science program with an option to concentrate in data analytics will include data analysis-related courses that complement the core curriculum.

Data Analytics vs. Data Science

Despite some similarities, there is a difference between data science and data analytics. To illustrate, let’s compare data analyst vs. data scientist responsibilities.

What Does a Data Analyst Do?

Data analytics practitioners or professionals are broadly referred to as data analysts. Operations research analysts, management analysts and computer and information research scientists are a few examples of occupations involving data analysis. Generally speaking, data analysts use data analysis tools to make sense of large amounts of data—they identify trends and create forecasts and data visualizations to tell a compelling story. From their analyses they develop actionable insights that help managers and other stakeholders make informed business decisions.¹

What Does a Data Scientist Do?

Data scientists build models and algorithms and design the frameworks for collecting and analyzing data. They often begin a project by gathering or identifying relevant data sources using a variety of data-collecting methods.2 They apply a combination of techniques like data mining, data modeling, natural language processing and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets.³ Like data analysts, data scientists utilize data visualization to help them clearly communicate their analyses to colleagues, managers and clients.²

CTU Degree Programs Concentrations in Data Analytics

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Data Analytics

The CTU Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with a concentration in Data Analytics degree program is designed to allow students to explore how data collection and interpretation can be used to create better informed business decisions. While the core courses focus on the development of foundational business skills, knowledge and techniques, the courses in the data analytics concentration provide an opportunity for students to work to develop various data analytics fundamentals, including how to carry out data classification and how to utilize insights discovered through data analysis to identify areas of opportunity and risk and make informed business decisions.

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science—Data Science

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) with a concentration in Data Science degree program is designed to provide an opportunity for students to study fundamentals of data analysis. The BSCS degree program focuses on algorithmic programming techniques used in the development of software solutions and how to design different types of computer software. The program also covers an array of knowledge, skills, techniques and processes that may be useful in designing computer software.

Master of Business Administration—Data Analytics

Students who want to explore big data’s role in the evaluation of business performance and in organizational or strategic decision-making might consider pursuing CTU’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Data Analytics. The core of the online MBA degree program is designed to allow students to explore and develop fundamental business skills and knowledge, while the online data analytics degree concentration offers an opportunity to study the ways in which analytical insights can be used to bring about optimized, data-driven decision-making in an organization.

Doctor of Computer Science—Big Data Analytics

The Doctor of Computer Science is a terminal degree program for computer science professionals, consultants and academics. The professional doctoral degree program is designed to encourage students to think and act strategically and to make positive contributions in their area of expertise. The Doctor of Computer Science (DCS) with a concentration in Big Data Analytics degree program is intended for leaders, data analysts and data scientists who want to explore how to develop and use different tools and techniques to analyze and draw meaningful insights from large amounts of raw data.

Other Career Paths Involving Data Analysis

Database Architects

Database architects design and build databases for systems and applications. Before creating models for building a database, they conduct research to determine an organization’s technical requirements. They then code the new data architecture and check for errors or inefficiencies.4 They also set database development standards for database operations, programming, query processes and security. Some of their tasks and work activities may include:⁵

Collaborating with system architects, software architects and design analysts regarding business or industry requirements
Developing data models for applications, metadata tables or related database structures
Designing computer modeling or simulation programs
Analyzing data to identify trends or relationships
Analyzing market or customer data

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of database administrators and architects is projected to grow 8 percent from 2022-2032.*,⁴

Explore CTU’s Business Administration and Computer Science programs today, or apply now.

¹ CompTIA, “Data Analytics vs. Data Science,” http://www.comptia.org/content/guides/data-analytics-vs-data-science (last visited 6/19/2024).
² Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Data Scientists,” http://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/data-scientists.htm (last visited 6/19/2024).
³ National Center for O*NET Development, “15-2051.00 Data Scientists,” O*NET OnLine, http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-2051.00 (last visited 6/19/2024).
⁴ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Database Administrators and Architects,” http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm (last visited 6/19/2024).
⁵ National Center for O*NET Development, “15-1243.00 Database Architects,” O*NET OnLine, http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1243.00 (last visited 6/19/2024).

*Colorado Technical University cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. REQ1963883 6/2024
The list of career paths related to this program is based on a subset from the Bureau of Labor Statistics CIP to SOC Crosswalk. Some career paths listed above may require further education or job experience.

Jan 07