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Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics Online

Gain in-demand skills by studying online for a data analytics graduate certificate with an Australian university.
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A digital world combined with data capture make analytics an essential, in-demand skill. Create rewarding career opportunities by studying for a Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics online. You'll learn how to convert data into useful, insightful information that businesses want.

Learn to Convert Data into Something Valuable

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We having exploding volumes of data available to us but not enough expertise to use it properly. The demand for analytical skill will keep growing as businesses strive to convert raw data into information and insights that decision makers can exploit.

Skilled data analysts are some of the most sought-after professionals in the world. Because the demand is so strong, and the supply of people who can truly do this job well is so limited, data analysts command huge salaries and excellent perks, even at the entry-level. - Investopedia

The postgraduate certificate is useful to build skill foundations for an analytical career or gain specialist training. A grad cert also serves as a platform for further study. You can convert a graduate certificate into a graduate diploma, with the option to continue studying for a master's degree.

Online learning means your analyst education is available part-time when you want, with courses designed for working professionals. Graduate certificates are held in a similar regard to university degrees, while being more targeted and cost-effective.

Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics Online

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The four-subject Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics is the shortest course in this field that's accredited by Australian universities. An accelerated, 100% online course allows you to earn the postgraduate qualification over 8 months of part-time study. You can choose elective units to gain a broad introduction or build knowledge in targeted, specialist areas.

Graduate Certificate in Analytics at UNSW Online

Choice and flexibility are features of the Graduate Certificate in Analytics from UNSW Online. You select four from the 14 subjects contained in the Master of Analytics program. Each subject is 100% online and can be completed part-time over 7 weeks. Without needing time off work, you can do this course in under 8 months. Subjects include: introductory data analysis, predictive analytics, data visualisation and communication, managing customer analytics, and big data management. The course is open to graduates (any discipline) and professionals with 3+ years of experience.

Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics

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If you like the sound of an analytics career but are drawn to the company decision-making side of it, a business analytics graduate certificate may be a good option.

The difference between data and business analysts can be subtle. Generally, a business analyst will be removed from database operations and more concerned with boardroom activities. They pragmatically seek to exploit data to inform business managers and leaders.

A grad cert in business analytics will tend to emphasise the use of analytical tools for reporting and presentations... READ MORE

Graduate Certificate in Data Science

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An alternative to analytics is data science, for which similar postgraduate courses are available. in this discipline, you'll likely need to go beyond a grad cert however.

Data scientists focus more on combining, structuring and cleaning large datasets. As well, data they may write machine learning algorithms for statistical data analysis and to generate artificial intelligence.

While the analytics and data science professions overlap, data science is more challenging in terms of the skills required. The job also tends to be more coding intensive... READ MORE

What You'll Study (Course Structure)

You have flexibility about what you study in a Graduate Certificate of Data Analytics. The UNSW Graduate Certificate in Analytics offers 14 subjects, from which you only need to choose four.

To give you an idea of course structure, here are a couple of example courses we've constructed from the UNSW analytics program.

Example course: "data analytics essentials"

  • Introductory Data Analysis
  • Principles of Programming
  • Big Data Management
  • Data Visualisation and Communication

Example course: "business analytics"

  • Introductory Data Analysis
  • Business Analytics and Consulting
  • Financial Modelling
  • Decision Making in Analytics

Learning Outcomes

As a flexible, short course, a grad cert in data analytics produces different learning outcomes depending on the subjects you take. Since this is a practical discipline, you should, however, expect to come away with applied skills for immediate use. Some examples are the ability to:

  • identify methods by which quantitative or qualitative data can be analysed and presented
  • use business analytics tools to produce descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics
  • develop people management strategies to make analytics processes successful
  • complete programming tasks for structuring data, debugging results, and creating reports
  • use data visualisation techniques to identify data patterns and present visual narratives.

For career success, the learning should continue after the course. Having gained foundational knowledge, graduates are primed for further training. They're also well positioned to adapt or add to their skill set to meet specific workplace demands.

Career Opportunities

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Earning a grad cert in the field of applied data analytics qualifies you for data analyst and related jobs. You can become a data or business analytics specialist or use your skills to complement a career as an adviser, manager or decision maker.

How competitive you'll be in the labour market depends on your other qualifications and prior experience. If you lack professional experience and a relevant degree, further study to earn a grad dip or master's degree may be advisable to boost your career trajectory.

Job opportunities in Australia are abundant for skilled analysts. Any search for "data analyst" jobs in major employment directories returns thousands of results. We found 17,333, 2,672 and 38,338 job vacancies at Seek, Indeed and Jora respectively (on 23 August 2022). While not all these jobs may be ideal for grad dip graduates, there are clearly plenty of jobs available.

Analytical expertise is in demand across the Australian economy; wherever data-driven decisions advantage firms. Some examples of industries with high demand include digital marketing, software development, pharmaceuticals, management consulting, cyber security, manufacturing, financial services, telecommunications, e-commerce services, retail, healthcare, and public services.

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for a data analytics graduate certificate are typically that you have a bachelor degree (any discipline) OR significant experience in a relevant role. The course has relatively relaxed admission requirements and often serves as a pathway for entry into masters programs.

FAQs

† Online courses are available in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Gold Coast, Newcastle. Australia Wide.