Analytics Education Boom – Trends and Overview
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We review the state of Data analytics, Data Mining, and Data Science education in the USA and online. The US Education MS Analytics Degree boom started in 2012, but how will it compete with free online education?
I have recently helped a college to evaluate setting up online program in Data Analytics and that gave me a good opportunity to update KDnuggets directories for
- Online education in Analytics and Data Mining,
- Analytics Education in USA/Canada, and
- Analytics and Data Mining Certificates.
Here is a slideshare version of my presentation
First, a note on terminology. Different names like "Data Mining", "Predictive Analytics", "Data Analytics", "Data Science", "Business Analytics", "Knowledge Discovery in Data (KDD)" are used to describe this field, the essence of which is analyzing data and finding useful patterns. Different names convey somewhat different emphasis, and we will point this distinction when appropriate.
Some of the terms like "Knowledge Discovery" have become less fashionable over the years, and others like "Data Science" and "Data Analytics" have become much more fashionable - see Google Trends chart comparing "data mining", "predictive analytics", "data analytics", "data science", "business analytics".
For simplicity, we will refer to this field as "Data Analytics".
"Big Data" is also a related term, although it covers also many other aspects like storage and security and cloud infrastructure which are not part of analytics.
Web and Social network are one of the most important application areas of analytics - here is a compilation of useful resources for Google Analytics and Web analytics. However, proper education in Analytics needs to go far beyond Google Analytics.
Education in Data Analytics is in big demand, and this trend especially accelerated in 2012, as seen in the chart above.
The table below lists the main US degree programs in Data Analytics. We note that "Business Analytics" is the most popular degree name, and these programs are quite expensive. How will they compete with free education available online?
| Institution | US State | Program Name | Online Option? | Length (months) | Cost | Year Started |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley | MA | MS In Marketing Analytics | no | 12 to 18 | $65,000 | 2009 |
| Berkeley | CA | Master of Engineering | no | 10 | na | 2013 |
| CCSU | CT | MS in Data Mining | yes | 24 | na | 2001 |
| CMU | PA | Master of Information Systems Management | no | 16 | na | 2011 |
| Columbia | NY | MS, concentration in Machine Learning | part | 24 | na | 2012 |
| DePaul | IL | MS in Predictive Analytics | yes | 24 | $37,000 | 2010 |
| Drexel | PA | MS in Business Analytics | no | 20 | $45,000 | 2012 |
| Fordham | NY | MS in Business Analytics | no | 12 | $34,740 | 2012 |
| Harvard | MA | MS in Computational Science and Engineering | no | 12 | na | 2012 |
| LSU | LA | MS in Analytics | no | 10 to 12 | $22,000 (res. 8,500) | 2012 |
| MSU | MI | MS in Business Analytics | no | 12 | $39,000 | 2013 |
| NCSU | NC | MS In Analytics | no | 10 | $36,300 | 2007 |
| Northwestern | IL | MS In Analytics | no | 15 | $58,000 | 2012 |
| Northwestern SCS | IL | MS in Predictive Analytics Online | yes | 12 to 24 | $39,000 | 2009 |
| NYU | NY | MBA, specialization In Business Analytics | part | 24 | na | 2012 |
| NYU | NY | MS in Business Analytics | part | 12 | $63,500 | 2013 |
| Rutgers | NJ | MBS in Analytics | no | 18 to 24 | na | 2011 |
| SJU | PA | MS in Business Intelligence | yes | 15 to 24 | $26,760 | 2008 |
| Stanford University | CA | MS Computer Science, Specialization in Information Management and Analytics | part | 24 | na | 2010 |
| Stevens | NJ | MS in BI and Analytics | no | 20 | $46,000 | 2012 |
| U. Tennessee | TN | MS in Business Analytics | no | 17 | $40,000 (r 14,200) | 2010 |
| UC | OH | MS in Business Analytics | no | 9 to 12 | na | 2012 |
| USF | CA | MS in Analytics | no | 11 | $42,940 | 2012 |
| Uconn | CT | MS in Business Analytics and Project Management | no | 12 | $22,500 | 2012 |
| UIUC | IL | MS in Statistics, Analytics Concentration | no | 12 | na | 2009 |
| U. Michigan Dearborn | MI | MS in Business Analytics | yes | 12 to 24 | na | 2012 |
What is missing ? Please comment below.
Other lists of analytics and data mining education include:
- Top 20 analytics programs , Information Week
- Survey of Graduate Degree Programs in Analytics, from Institute for Advanced Analytics.
- Graduate Programs in Big Data and Data Science, from Gil Press, Feb 2013.
- Data Informed Map of University Programs in Big Data Analytics, Feb 2013.
- Colleges with Data Science Degrees, Jan 2013.
- 26 Univ. offer Data Science in 2013 in US, from Columbia Data Science course, week 14: Presentations, Cathy O'Neil (Math Babe) blog.