Business Intelligence and Analytics Online Graduate Certificate
Turn big data into business impact.
The proliferation of data is rapidly changing organizations—and those who know how to harness its power can make a profound impact in the business world and beyond.
In our top-ranked, 100 percent online program, you’ll hone your skills in business intelligence, so you can solve tough problems and transform organizations.
What You'll Learn
Our three-course certificate gives you a broad overview of data management and business intelligence from managerial, strategic and technical perspectives. You’ll learn the fundamentals of database mining, analysis, design and implementation, with an emphasis on practical aspects of business process analysis and information delivery.
Your Return on Investment
With a 100 percent online format and the ability to earn your certificate in just three courses, our program quickly prepares you for positions in data management and big data analytics. Equipped with new technical, strategic and management expertise, you’ll emerge with an in-demand skillset that businesses everywhere are actively seeking.
BI and Analytics Certificate Courses and Course Calendar
Certificate Courses
To obtain a graduate BI and Analytics Certificate, you'll take three 3-unit online graduate MIS courses (9 units total):
This course introduces the student to fundamentals of database analysis, design and implementation. Emphasis is on practical aspects of business process analysis and the accompanying database design and development. Topics covered include: conceptual design of databases using the entity relationship model, relational design and normalization, SQL and PL/SQL, web based database design and implementation using Oracle or some other modern Database Management Systems. Students may be required to work with an organization in understanding their business requirements, developing a detailed set of requirements to support business processes and designing and implementing a web based database application to support their day-to-day business operations and decision making. Students will acquire hands-on-experience with a state-of-the-art database management system such as Oracle or Microsoft SQLServer and web-based development tools.
This course is the pre-requisite for MIS 587.
Units: 3
Textbook: Peter Rob, Steven Morris and Carlos Coronel, "Database Systems: Design, Implementation and Management", 11th Edition, ISBN: 978-1-285-19614-5, Course Technology, 2015.
Corporations today are said to be data rich but information poor. For example, retailers can easily process and capture millions of transactions every day. In addition, the widespread proliferation of economic activity on the Internet leaves behind a rich trail of micro-level data on consumers, their purchases, retailers and their offerings, auction bidding, music sharing, so on and so forth. Data mining techniques can help companies discover knowledge and acquire business intelligence from these massive datasets. This course will cover data mining for business intelligence. Data mining refers to extracting or “mining” knowledge from large amounts of data. It consists of several techniques that aim at discovering rich and interesting patterns that can bring value or “business intelligence” to organizations. Examples of such patterns include fraud detection, consumer behavior and credit approval. The course will cover the most important data mining techniques—classification, clustering, association rule mining, visualization, prediction.
Units: 3
Textbook: None.
The objective of this course is to introduce you to Business Intelligence (BI) techniques and understand how to use them to gain insights into emerging social media technologies and deal with "Big Data." You will be exposed to managerial, strategic and technical issues associated with developing and deploying Business Intelligence and Web Analytics Solutions. You will learn how to gather strategic decision making requirements from businesses, develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and corporate performance management metrics, understand how external sources of data (using Web 2.0 technologies and social media sites) can be harnessed to design and implement business dashboards. Topics covered include the principles of dimensional modeling, techniques for extraction of data (ETL) from source systems, data profiling, data transformation methods, data staging and quality, data warehouse implementation, online search engine optimization, online advertising, web metrics, and social media analytics. You will also learn how to apply analytical techniques to sift through large amounts of data and provide actionable business insights. Using tools such as Google Analytics you will learn to measure, redesign and improve websites to attract visitors. The course will delve into different metrics used to evaluate effectiveness of websites. You will also learn to collect and analyze data from social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Foursquare so that these sites can be used effectively by businesses. Specifically you will learn to build, visualize and analyze graphs and networks using different kinds of datasets to understand how to harness social media effectively for business use.
Units: 3
Prerequisite: MIS 531
Textbook: Ralph Kimball and Margy Ross, "The Data Warehouse Toolkit: The Definitive Guide to Dimensional Modeling," 3rd Edition, Wiley Computer Publishing, 2013, ISBN-13: 978-1118530801 | ISBN-10: 1118530802
Course Calendar
Summer 1: May 9 - July 3, 2022
| Course | Course title | Master's | Security Cert. | BI Cert. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIS 515 | Information Security in Public and Private Sectors | Core | Core | |
| MIS 513 | Business Foundations of IT | Core | ||
| MIS 578 | Project Management | Elective |
Summer 2: July 4 - August 28, 2022
| Course | Course title | Master's | Security Cert. | BI Cert. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIS 503 | Programming Concepts for Business | Pre-req | ||
| MIS 545 | Data Mining for Business Intelligence | Core | Core | |
| MIS 516 | Information Security Risk Management | Elective | Core | |
| MIS 696H | Master's Project Report | Core |
Fall 1: August 29 - October 23, 2022
| course | Course title | master's | security cert. | bi cert. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIS 517 | Systems Security Management | Elective | Core | |
| MIS 578 | Project Management | Elective | ||
| MIS 541 | Information Systems Analysis and Design | Core | ||
| MIS 543 | Business Data Communications and Networking | Core | ||
| MIS 587 | Business Intelligence | Elective | Core |
Fall 2: October 24 - December 18, 2022
| course | course title | master's | security cert. | bi cert. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIS 515 | Information Security in Public and Private Sectors | Core | Core | |
| MIS 511 | Social and Ethical Issues of the Internet | Elective | ||
| MIS 513 | Business Foundations of IT | Core | ||
| MIS 531 | Enterprise Data Management | Core | Core |
Spring 1: January 9 - March 5, 2023
| course | Course title | master's | security cert. | bi cert. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIS 516 | Information Security Risk Management | Elective | Core | |
| MIS 543 | Business Data Communications and Networking | Core | ||
| MIS 545 | Data Mining for Business Intelligence | Core | Core | |
| MIS 696H | Master's Project Report | Core |
Spring 2: March 6 - April 30, 2023
| course | Course title | master's | security cert. | bi cert. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIS 517 | Systems Security Management | Elective | Core | |
| MIS 531 | Enterprise Data Management | Core | Core | |
| MIS 541 | Information Systems Analysis and Design | Core |
Note: Dates and offerings are subject to change.
Technology Requirements
Online Graduate Certificate students will be using a variety of online applications including discussion boards and chats. Speakers, a microphone and an external webcam with at least a five-foot USB cord are also required for your proctored exams. Please ensure that your equipment meets the following technical requirements:
Eller College Online Course Technology Requirements
Certificate Cost and Admissions
Requirements
- Four-year bachelor's degree (domestic) or U.S. comparable bachelor's degree (international)
- Undergraduate 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale)
- TOEFL minimum score of 90 (internet-based testing, international students only)
- 1 letter of recommendation (application system will ask for recommenders' contact information and it will send out the requests for you online.)
- Purpose of Graduate Study. A document stating your goals and objectives of gaining this certificate and how obtaining this certificate will impact your career path. (uploaded during the application process.)
Certificate Cost
$3,996 per 3-unit course
Certificate is 9 units.
Program cost subject to change.
Deadlines
February 13: Spring 2 Session
June 12: Summer 2 Session
July 31: Fall 1 Session
October 2: Fall 2 Session
Your future is calling. Apply now.
You’ve heard the “why.” If you think you’re a good fit, it’s time for the “how.” Let’s get you on the road to your Business Intelligence and Analytics Online Graduate Certificate.
Follow the steps below to submit your application for certificate admission:
Step 1: Fill out your online application
Fill out your application online. This is done through the University of Arizona Graduate College system.
Below are the application procedures. We highly recommend that you print out these instructions and follow them as you fill out your application:
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Go to the Graduate College's online application system. (https://apply.grad.arizona.edu/users/login)
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Create an account if you have not done so already. After submitting your e-mail address, you will receive an email message with instructions on how to start the application process.
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After your account is created, select the “term” in which you are applying.
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Select “certificate” for type of application.
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Choose either "Business Intelligence and Analytics" or "Enterprise Information Security" as the program of study.
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Choose the semester you would like to begin your studies (view course schedule, above).
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Leave the “UA Site” section blank.
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If appropriate fill out the "Sponsor/Program Affiliation" section.
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Complete the rest of the application by following the prompts. You will be able to upload copies of your transcript(s), and, if appropriate, your TOEFL scores during the online application process.
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Pay the application fee.
Step 2: Send supporting documentation to the MIS department
Send your official transcripts to:
MIS Department, Online Admission
The University of Arizona
Eller College of Management
McClelland Hall Room 430
PO Box 210108
Tucson, AZ 85721-0108
If you have any questions about how to apply or if you are unsure whether the Graduate Business Intelligence and Analytics or Enterprise Security Certificate is right for you, please contact us at nmora@arizona.edu or 520-626-3017.