Applied Data Analytics Graduate Programs
Prepare for a career as a data analyst, business analyst, data or database specialist.
- Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Analytics
- Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics
Both programs prepare graduates for opportunities across business, government, health care, e-commerce and other fields. Students learn to use data to understand customers, improve efficiency and support more informed decisions.
All 15 credits from the Graduate Certificate can be applied toward the Master's degree.
80%
Of Companies
Are investing in
Big Data Analytics
More than 80% of surveyed Fortune 1000 and leading global organizations are increasing their investments in data and analytics.
(Wavestone, 2024)
In-Demand Careers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of operations and research analysts (including data analysts) is projected to grow 25 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. The average annual salary for data-driven decision makers in 2015 was $91,467.
Flexibility
These graduate programs are offered online and on campus through the Department of Economics in the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences at a very competitive tuition with no hidden fees.
Career Pathways
- Analytics Manager
- Data Analyst
- Data Architect
- Market Research Analysts
- Systems Analyst
Graduate Programs
Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics (30 credits)
For international students, this program qualifies as STEM/OPT.
University of Detroit Mercy’s 30-credit-hour Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics prepares students to help organizations make informed, data-driven decisions. The 10-course program can be completed in one to two years.
The interdisciplinary curriculum includes courses in cybersecurity and information systems, computer science and economics. Students also complete a faculty-supervised capstone project that provides an applied, interactive learning experience.
Graduates learn to analyze complex data, identify meaningful patterns and uncover new opportunities for organizations while approaching data collection and analysis ethically. The program prepares students for careers such as data analyst, business analyst, data specialist and database specialist.
Detroit Mercy’s Jesuit and Mercy education strengthens the critical-thinking, communication and ethical decision-making skills needed to lead in a data-driven world.
Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Analytics (15 credits)
Detroit Mercy’s 15-credit Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Analytics builds the skills needed to collect, manage and analyze complex data. The five-course curriculum covers critical reasoning, data management, statistical analysis, forecasting, data mining and analytic software.
Students learn to identify patterns, draw meaningful conclusions and use data to support effective decision-making in competitive organizations.
All 15 certificate credits can be applied toward Detroit Mercy’s 30-credit Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics.
Companies are looking to hire data analysts with a structured expertise in the field
Acquire Expertise
- Understand the techniques used in the area of business forecasting with an emphasis on data analytic models used to make informed decisions
- Comprehend economic modeling and know why it is useful for understanding and planning independent research projects
- Gain insight into statistical software packages used to analyze large-scale data sets and statistical analytics languages such as R, STATA and Python
Make Data-Driven Decisions
- Gain a deeper understanding of the limits of data analytics using real-world data
- Make sense of database structures and data mining techniques, such as procedures used for classification, prediction, regression, clustering, association, sequencing and more
- Learn how data mining works with applications associated with relational databases, website data, text, multimedia and spatial databases
Think Critically
- Gain a deeper understanding of the limits of data analytics using real-world data
- Make sense of database structures and data mining techniques, such as procedures used for classification, prediction, regression, clustering, association, sequencing and more
- Learn how data mining works with applications associated with relational databases, website data, text, multimedia and spatial databases
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I enroll in these graduate programs in Applied Data Analytics?
You can begin the online programs at the start of the fall, winter or summer semesters and the on campus program during the fall or winter semesters.
Is a graduate program in Applied Data Analytics for me?
Whether you have recently graduated from college, are already working in business looking for career advancement or are looking to transition careers, Detroit Mercy's Applied Data Analytics programs will teach you the skills to enhance decision making based on science and data. Related fields to data analytics include economics, business, statistics, math and computer science. More and more, IT professionals are needing to know aspects of applied data analytics. The new 15-credit-hour graduate certificate is an excellent way to begin. You can later apply the graduate certificate credits toward the 30-credit-hour Master of Science program.
Do I need to have a strong background in mathematics, programming or statistics?
For most students a basic knowledge of these fields is required as a foundation. However, we will teach you what you need to know.
How will these graduate programs benefit my career?
The era of Big Data now cuts across industry and job functions requiring administrators and employees to have varying degrees of aptitude in data analytics.
The skills taught in this program are applicable across any industry. You will learn how to think like a data scientist to frame questions, identify, collect and analyze complex datasets, make predictions based on your analysis and communicate those results to a range of audiences.
What else should I know about data analytics?
Data analytics is the science of using data to build models that lead to better decisions that, in turn, add value to individuals, companies and institutions. Data analytics is an umbrella term, encompassing business analytics, business intelligence, data analytics, and data science.
Big data refers to large amounts of information and works hand-in-hand with data analytics. Examples of big data include social media, text analytics (i.e. customer sentiment and keywords), HR analytics (i.e. employee attrition), customer lifetime value (i.e. loyalty card purchases), crime prevention, among others. Harnessing the power of data allows you to change the world in all kinds of interesting ways.
There are three different types of analytics for handling big data: descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analysis. The latter, prescriptive analysis, combines the first two and is the most useful to businesses. This type of analytics not only tells what probably will happen but also what should be done if and when it happens. The Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics program provides the fundamentals of reasoning/analysis, working with specific software, data mining and hands-on projects.
The key to understanding big data derives from analytical professionals known as "data scientists," who can both manipulate large and unstructured data sources and create insights from them. The data scientist also happens to positioned among the highest-earning jobs and something you’ll learn more about within our Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics program.
Can I be a graduate assistant (GA)?
The Department of Economics is pleased to announce the availability of Graduate Assistant (GA) positions. Assistantships offer graduate students the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge while receiving financial support. GAs serve as a support-person to a faculty's teaching assignments and/or help faculty on their research. However, the GAs will NOT perform the teaching duties for the faculty.