What Degree Do You Need to Become a Business Analyst?

If you are interested in pursuing a career as a Business Analyst, you may wonder if you need a degree in business or a related field to do so. This article will explore whether it’s essential to have a degree to be a Business Analyst, as well as what other types of training you could pursue to begin a career in this field.

Do I Need a Degree to Become a Business Analyst?

Although job requirements vary depending on the employer, most Business Analysts, at a minimum, possess a bachelor’s degree in a business-related field. Some examples of typical bachelor’s degrees for aspiring Business Analysts are information technology, finance, business administration, or marketing. These fields all provide valuable skills for those interested in a business career. Having a bachelor’s in one such major is a great first step toward becoming an entry-level Business Analyst. 

In addition to a bachelor’s in a field related to business, some employers seek candidates with an advanced degree, such as an MBA. Not only does graduate study indicate that you have acquired additional business-related skills and training, but it also shows that you can use your skills in a demanding, intensive environment. In particular, if you are interested in securing a management-level or higher business analytics position, most employers will search for candidates with master-level training. Along with this training typically comes higher pay rates.

Common Degrees for Business Analysts

It’s common for Business Analysts to have a background in fields like computer science, finance, or business. According to Zippia, nearly three-quarters of Business Analysts have a bachelor’s degree, and 18% have master’s degrees. In addition, an estimated 7% hold associate degrees, and 2% have “other” degrees. At the undergraduate level, 29% of degrees are in business, 10% in computer science, 9% in finance, 7% in accounting, and 45% in other majors.

Other Ways to Become a Business Analyst

Pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a business or a related field isn’t the only way to demonstrate to employers that you’d make a good Business Analyst. The following are other learning options that can provide you with the skill-set for working in business analytics:

Online Courses

If you are interested in studying business analytics but prefer to learn from the comfort of your own home or office, many online courses are available from top educational providers and universities. Universities such as Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania each provide online business analytics courses in topics like Systems Analysis, Business Analytics Foundations, and Customer Behavior & Analytics. 

Online business analyst learning options are also offered from providers such as Coursera, EDX, and Udemy that teach core business concepts, such as user interface, project management, Microsoft Visio, and Process Modeling. The specificity of courses such as these allows interested learners to tailor their education around their professional needs and goals, as well as to fill in gaps and acquire skills that will be valuable to employers.

One of the benefits of enrolling in online study is that the courses typically last only weeks and cover a range of topics and tools relevant to the business world, like working with spreadsheet data and using warehouse inventories. Most online coursework is self-paced in the form of modules, which makes it possible to balance online study with other professional and personal commitments.

Certifications in Business Analytics

The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) offers several business analytics certifications that are achieved by passing an exam. Certification in business analytics is beneficial for those who have not pursued master’s-level study in this field, as it indicates a student has accumulated industry-relevant knowledge. Three core certifications are currently available from IIBA: Entry Certificate in Business Analysis, Certification of Capability in Business Analysis, and Certified Business Analysis Professional. In addition, Business Analysts can earn specialty certificates with a focus on topics such as business data analytics, agile analysis, and cybersecurity.

In addition, two industry-standard certifications are currently available for aspiring Business Analysts:

• Certified Scrum Master (CSM): This certification is designed to help individuals use Scrum so that their projects can succeed. Scrum is a framework that allows individuals, teams, and entire organizations to find adaptive solutions to complicated problems. Those with CSM certification can understand and apply Scrum concepts to projects, which indicates a level of training beyond what many Project Managers typically hold. 

• Certified Business Analysts Professional (CBAP): This reputable designation is achieved by those with extensive business analytics experience. Earning CBAP certification demonstrates that an individual has at least 7,500 hours of hands-on training in business analytics.

Certificates in Business Analytics

Another great option for learning more about business analytics is to enroll in a certificate program such as Noble Desktop’s Business Analyst Certificate. This 63-hour certificate will cover the gamut of tools and training needed to be a successful Business Analyst. Those enrolled will learn to work with PowerPoint, Tableau, SQL, and Excel. This hands-on course provides students with training in industry-relevant skills like data visualization and data analysis. Students also learn how to create engaging and accessible presentations.

Demonstrate Your Business Analytics Skills

No matter which educational route you pursue, whether a traditional four-year degree in business followed by an MBA, or a certificate or certification in this field, you will have to show employers that you have acquired the necessary business-related skills to succeed. The following are some of the most critical skills needed to be a successful Business Analyst:

Hard Skills

• Microsoft Excel
• Data mining
• Data visualization with software like Tableau
• Database design
• SQL & database querying languages
• Survey & query software
• Programming skills with languages such as Python
• Business intelligence software, such as Microsoft Power BI
• Statistical analysis software, like SAS or SPSS

Soft Skills

• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Self-motivation to work independently
• Negotiation
• Attention to detail
• Written and verbal communication 
• Collaboration initiative
• Patience in seeing projects through from conception to completion

Learn Business Analytics by Enrolling in Hands-on Classes

If you are looking for additional study options in business analytics, over 140 live online classes in business analytics are currently listed by top educational providers around the US. These classes offer an excellent opportunity to study essential business concepts and skills like PowerPoint, Tableau, SQL, and Microsoft Power BI.

Those interested in finding learning options close to home can also use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool to browse through more than 250 live online and in-person business analytics courses in topics such as SQL, PowerPoint, and Excel for Business, among others.