The top data analysis courses in Australia. Learn AI, business analytics, data science, and more.
Data analytics training is the foundation for a career in data-driven decision making. Analysts bring expertise in technology, statistics and business together to extract value from data assets. Here are the best types of university courses.
Course Types
Data Analysis Courses in Australia
Australian university courses for data analysts include bachelor degrees, graduate certificates, graduate diplomas, and masters. They cover data analytics, data science, AI management, and business analytics, with varying levels of technical and business skills required. Online courses are flexible, allowing you to customise your learning experience.
You can earn a Bachelor of Data Science or equivalent degree. Typically, data majors are available in undergraduate computer science or IT programs.
Gain important core skills to set up your career. Almost every analyst and data scientist has a bachelor degree of some kind, usually in a technology field. Most programs are flexible and allow you to adjust your study direction from year to year. You can also combine disciplines.
Learn how to harness the potential of AI with a Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence Management. Knowing when and how to solve a business problem using AI starts with understanding data analysis. You can then deploy machine learning to generate artificial intelligence.
A graduate certificate course could provide early mover advantages for managers with technical aptitude. You'll be able to grasp AI opportunities that competitors may overlook or struggle to implement.
The Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics is a postgraduate course to develop analytical skills. Learn to use data and technology to understand what happened, why it happened, and what to do next. The program has four subjects to meet learning goals.
Graduates are able to synthesise data, perform descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, and use data to recommend business solutions. Jobs include business analyst, data analyst, HR analyst, market analyst, and digital marketing analyst.
RMIT Online - Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics
The Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics from RMIT Online gives essential training to start your career. This 100% online course includes 3 core subjects: Business Analytics, Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics, and Visualising and Communicating Insights. Choose an elective on analytics strategy, consumer data, workforce analysis, supply chains, or financial analytics. Complete it part-time in 8 months. Entry requires a bachelor degree or equivalent experience.
The Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics is versatile, offering foundation studies in data analysis or advanced training in chosen subjects. Participants also gain entry into masters programs. It is a nationally recognised form of data analytics certification for Australia.
This data analyst course is typically open to graduates (any bachelor degree) or professionals with relevant experience. You need strong math ability to do well.
UNSW Online - Graduate Certificate in Analytics
The Graduate Certificate in Analytics from UNSW Online offers choice and flexibility. Choose four subjects from a selection of 14 in the master's program, all completed part-time in 7 weeks each. Finish the course in under 8 months without taking time off work. Subjects include data analysis, marketing analytics, social media, managing customer analytics, big data management, and data visualisation. Open to graduates and professionals with 3+ years of experience.
The data science graduate certificate is often a pathway course. Significant further training should follow to develop the advanced analytical skills that data science requires.
To be admitted, you need a relevant technology or business degree or, alternatively, professional experience as a data analyst or data scientist.
RMIT Online - Graduate Certificate in Data Science
The Graduate Certificate in Data Science from RMIT Online is ideal for business professionals working with data. Learn analytics, data wrangling, programming, and data visualisation to enhance your data skills and solve business problems. Complete this accelerated online course in 8 months part-time. Graduates can continue to a master's focused on strategy and leadership.
JCU Online - Graduate Certificate of Data Science
The Graduate Certificate of Data Science from JCU Online is a convenient, affordable way to get started in this field. Each of the 4 subjects takes less than 2 months to complete and you have full control over when you study. An intuitive online platform allows you to easily connect with classmates and academic staff. Topics covered include an introduction to the data science discipline, statistical methods, visualising big data, and database systems.
UNSW Online - Graduate Certificate in Data Science
The Graduate Certificate in Data Science at UNSW Online is a 4-subject pathway to a master's degree. Core topics include programming principles, data science foundations, and statistical inference, with options to study database systems or strategic decision making. Open to graduates with a relevant degree or 2+ years' experience as a data analyst or scientist. Each 7-week subject fits into a full-time work schedule.
Halfway in duration between a graduate certificate and masters, the Graduate Diploma in Analytics may be just the right course for you. Consisting of 8 subjects, you can finish a graduate diploma over 16 months of part-time study.
An advantage of this type of program is that you can take a deep dive exclusively into the topics that interest you. Skip those subjects from the master's degree that you feel carry least value for you. Specialise in data analytics, business analytics, or a combination of disciplines.
UNSW Online - Graduate Diploma in Analytics
The Graduate Diploma in Analytics from UNSW Online lets you design your own program. Choose 8 subjects from the 14 in the UNSW master's degree, with options for majors like Marketing Analytics and Human Resources Analytics. Each part-time subject takes 7 weeks. Topics include big data management, managing people and change, analytics and business, and data visualisation.
A cool late-stage application of data analytics is to produce artificial intelligence or AI. You can learn when and how to generate AI with a Masters in AI Management program.
An AI management program is a technology course with low to moderate technical content. You should have analytics aptitude and be willing to dive into technical content as required. But, ultimately, you're developing an ability to initiate and manage AI projects.
A masters degree in analytics allows you to develop the breadth of skills required to excel as a data analyst. It's a great way to extend your capabilities and always be in high demand.
Masters degrees go by different titles, including Master of Analytics, Master of Business Analytics, and Master of Data Analytics. Most programs are 12 subjects long but also allow you to start (and potentially finish) with a 4-subject graduate certificate course.
UNSW Online - Master of Analytics
Fast-track your data analytics career with the Master of Analytics from UNSW Online. Complete this 12-subject program in 2 years part-time. Core courses include Programming, Data Analysis, Analytics and Business, and Data Visualisation. Specialise in Human Resource Analytics, Marketing Analytics, or customise your electives. Prepare for roles like Analytics Manager, Business Analyst, and Data Engineer.
A Masters in Business Analysis is a data analysis program that you can expect to be free of the heavy programming you might find in a data science course. As well, there should be ample opportunity to learn how to apply data analytics to decision-making in business.
Demand for business analysts is high across Australian industries, with companies wanting to exploit burgeoning volumes of commercial data.
A master's degree in data science is a powerful way to start or boost a career in the boom field of big data. Students gain better foundation training than the majority of current data scientists.
Career opportunities abound for people with the maths and coding talent to generate business value from information assets. An IT background is highly advantageous for postgraduate courses.
UNSW Online - Master of Data Science
The Master of Data Science at UNSW Online develops your ability to organise, analyse, and use data to inform strategies and solve problems. Complete 12 courses in 7-week blocks and graduate in two years. Core courses include Foundations of Data Science, Principles of Programming, and Data Mining. Specialise in machine learning, database systems, or decision making.
JCU Online - Master of Data Science
The Master of Data Science from JCU Online is flexible and career-focused. Start with a 4-subject graduate certificate, then move to an 8-subject graduate diploma, and complete the 12-16 subject master's degree. Study topics like data visualisation, database systems, machine learning, and big data. Complete each subject part-time in 7 weeks, finishing in 24 months. Entry requires a bachelor's degree or relevant experience.
RMIT Online - Master of Data Science Strategy and Leadership
The Master of Data Science Strategy and Leadership from RMIT Online is for business graduates to develop technical and leadership skills. This 12-subject program, completed in 7-week blocks, covers topics like AI, practical data science, consumer analytics, and machine learning. Study year-round while working full-time and become a manager ready to lead data-driven innovations.
Marketing is fertile field for data analysis. You can use analytics to help find potential customers, quantify the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, adapt your messaging based on customer responses, and so forth.
With marketing being a vital business function, demand is high for marketing analytics professionals. You can develop and demonstrate your ability to interpret data with a Masters in Marketing Analytics.
UNSW Online - Master of Analytics (Marketing)
The Master of Analytics (Marketing) from UNSW Online offers marketers advanced data analysis skills. This 12-subject course covers marketing analytics foundations, programming principles, customer analytics, social media analytics, and big data. Designed for full-time workers, each subject is delivered in 7-week blocks. Enhance your ability to handle performance stats, customer info, and social media data to become a high-value analyst and strategist.
One of the least technical master's degrees in the field is an MBA in Business Analytics. The course develops your management and leadership skills while imparting knowledge for working with data.
Managers need data analysis skills if for no other reason than to better interpret analytics presented to them. But there is also the potential to commission, lead or supervise data-orientated projects. A Business Analytics MBA is highly relevant given the growing significance of analytics in decision making.
UTS Online - MBA (Business Analytics)
The MBA with a Business Analytics specialisation from UTS Online develops leadership and analytical skills for evidence-based decision-making. Open to professionals from all backgrounds, the program balances management education with analytical subjects. The accelerated course includes 8 core subjects and 4 electives, covering customer analytics, visual analytics, predictive modelling, and delivering organisational value.
JCU Online - MBA Global (Data-Driven Decision Making)
Gain valuable data analytic skills with the MBA Global from JCU Online, specialising in Data-Driven Decision Making. Explore data analysis, decision modelling, information management, analytics technology, and data security, privacy, and ethics. Learn to harness data for informed management decisions. This flexible, affordable degree is 100% online, allowing you to study while working.
Why These Programs Are Worthwhile
Doing a data analysis course is worth it. With increasing amounts of data being generated, the demand for analytical skills is rising. Studying online gives you access to job-relevant courses with high potential returns.
Universities in Australia offer a range of online postgraduate courses to improve your analytical skills, from graduate certificates to masters degrees. It is recommended that you start with a graduate certificate, which is a shorter course and pathway to further study if you wish.
There are good reasons to learn data analytics. You can enter into a rewarding profession, qualify for more jobs, boost your salary, access professional resources, and receive comprehensive, structured training. The value of the opportunities created can easily exceed your study costs.
Related: Data Analyst: A Good Career for the Future
What You'll Study (Course Structure)
Programs may cover core topics such as data handling, analysis techniques, visualisation and communication. Aside from that, the structure tends to vary depending on whether data science and programming are emphasised or business analytics.
Course duration is 16 subjects (including electives) for a bachelor degree, 12 typically for a masters and 4 for a graduate certificate. Here are example subject lists.
Bachelor of Data Analytics
- Introductory Data Science
- Ethics and Data Management
- Data Analytics
- Mathematics for Data Science
- Visual Basic and Excel Programming
- Data Handling and Visualisation
- Statistical Inference & Machine Learning
- Advanced Data Analysis
Master of Analytics
- Principles of Programming
- Introductory Data Analysis
- Analytics and Business
- Managing People, Analytics and Change
- Big Data Management
- Data Visualisation and Communication
- Predictive Analytics
- Data and Ethics
Learning Outcomes
You should come away from an analytics course with confidence in your ability to extract meaning and value from data sets. For a longer program, learning outcomes may include the ability to do the following.
- Apply data analysis to inform decision making about strategy, customers and services.
- Assess the potential statistical uses of industry data sets for business intelligence.
- Build predictive models to analyse data and inform business decisions.
- Create effective data visualisation and storytelling using R and Tableau and other tools.
- Demonstrate expertise on Big Data storage, databases, manipulation, and applications.
- Demonstrate technical understanding of tools and methods used in data science.
- Explain how programming can, along with testing and debugging, be used to analyse data.
- Explain machine learning methods and develop strategies for data mining and computing statistics.
- Select and apply analytical methods and tools to data sets, including for qualitative analysis.
Graduates know analytical tools, programming languages, data science techniques, how big data is handled, and how to communicate findings visually.
Entry Requirements
While admission standards vary, typical entry requirements could be summarised as follows.
- Free online data analysis course: None
- Bachelor degree: A sufficient ATAR score, with mathematics subject achievement
- Graduate certificate: A bachelor degree or relevant experience
- Master's degree: A bachelor degree, with solid grades and/or in a relevant discipline.
To do well, you generally need mathematical aptitude. Some postgraduate programs make this an entry requirement while others don't, instead allowing applicants to use their own judgement about their suitability.
FAQs
Data analytics can be challenging but is not overly hard if you have an interest in it. With user-friendly tools and a willingness to learn, many find it manageable. A basic understanding of statistics and programming is helpful, but continuous learning and problem-solving skills are key.
Beyond technical skills, effective communication and business insight are crucial. Presenting data clearly to stakeholders often matters as much as the analysis itself. With dedication, many find data analytics a rewarding and accessible field.
Data analytics requires coding but is not as coding-intensive as fields such as data science and computer science. Some aspects of being a data analyst require you to write code. But you can accomplish many of the tasks with moderate programming skills and by learning specific languages and algorithms on-the-job.
Degree courses are fairly light on in terms of the amount of coding content.
- A bachelor's degree may require little more than learning Visual Basic and Excel programming, which is coding within a spreadsheet platform.
- A master's program may extend into Python (an intuitive program for writing algorithms), SAS (which handles database manipulations), SQL (for database queries) and R (for statistical analysis and presentation).
Graduate jobs for data analysts generally don't require advanced programming skills. Employers expect you to be willing to learn coding as required but there are many other aspects to the work. To prepare for a career in this field, you should experiment with different programming languages and gain some familiarity with the main ones. But you don't have to be an expert in any given language or platform.
To become a fully qualified data analyst, you can complete a Bachelor of Data Analytics (or similar) in 3 years of full-time study in Australia. If you already have a degree, a Master of Data Analytics is a 1.5 year program. An accelerated master's takes 2 years of part-time study online.
You can measure also program duration by the number of subjects. Full-time on-campus students complete four subjects each semester, or 8 subjects per year. Online students in accelerated programs complete one subject every 2 months.
- Bachelor degree: 24 subjects (3 years full-time)
- Graduate certificate: 4 subjects (8 months part-time online)
- Graduate diploma: 8 subjects (16 months part-time online)
- Master's degree: 12 subjects (2 years part-time online)
An online university degree, such as a bachelor’s or master’s in Data Analytics, provides a well-rounded education. Shorter postgraduate courses, like graduate certificates and diplomas, offer foundational or specialised training.
Accelerated online courses are ideal for busy professionals. You can study fully online at times convenient for you. These programs are designed for part-time study, allowing you to focus on one subject at a time.
Once you’ve started your career, short courses and online certification can help develop skills in specific areas. Look for courses on platforms like Coursera, Udacity, or edX covering topics like Tableau, SQL, business intelligence, Python, and data analytics for business. Strengthen your ability to interpret and process data efficiently.