Business Intelligence and Data Analytics from edX

This course features interactive videos to help you understand both the analytical concepts and the software. This course contains a capstone project, in which you will apply the concepts taught using a separate data source; this realistic project gives you the practice and confidence necessary to connect, explore, and analyze data sources into the future.
This course is also part of a certificate:

Data Analytics and Visualization Certificate

What you'll learn

In this course, you will learn the basics of business analytics using Excel. You'll start by learning all about business analytics, including the importance of the role of obtaining crucial information for the organization. Then, you will begin working on a dataset in Excel, and learn essential tasks such as sorting and filtering the data to learn more about the business. Finally, learn how to analyze both categorical and numeric data: for categorical data, learn how to aggregate data using Excel's Pivot Table feature; for numeric data, learn the basics of analyzing distributions using statistics and common visualizations such as histograms and boxplots. By the end of the course, you will have hands-on practice in preparing data for analysis and thoroughly analyzing a dataset using descriptive analytic techniques.

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Explores advanced business analytics techniques for categorical and numeric data analysis

Develops essential skills for data preparation and exploration using Excel

Provides a capstone project for hands-on practice in applying the concepts taught

Suitable for beginners seeking to understand the basics of business analytics

Teaches essential tasks in Excel for data analysis, such as sorting, filtering, and aggregation

Emphasizes the importance of data analysis for decision-making in organizations

Reviews summary

Foundational business analytics with excel

According to students, this course is a largely positive experience for those seeking a strong foundation in business intelligence and data analytics using Excel. Learners particularly praise the interactive videos and clear explanations that make complex topics accessible. The capstone project is frequently highlighted as a highly valuable component for gaining hands-on practice and building confidence. While providing a solid start, some students note its strong Excel-centric focus, which might feel too basic or outdated for those seeking more advanced topics or modern BI tools beyond descriptive analytics. It's ideal for beginners and those looking for a practical introduction.

Engaging interactive videos enhance understanding and retention.

"The interactive videos made complex topics easy to grasp, and the hands-on practice with Pivot Tables was incredibly valuable."

"Good course for getting started with business analytics. The interactive videos were a great feature, much better than just static lectures."

"The interactive elements are really well done. This course effectively teaches the basics of data analysis in Excel."

Offers crucial hands-on experience applying learned concepts.

"The capstone project really tied everything together and gave me confidence. Highly recommend for anyone starting in data analytics!"

"The capstone was challenging but rewarding. I feel much more confident now."

"I particularly benefited from the capstone project, which allowed me to apply everything. It's a stepping stone to more advanced topics."

A highly accessible entry point into data analytics for newcomers.

"This course was a fantastic introduction to business intelligence using Excel."

"Excellent course for beginners! I had very little prior experience with data analysis, and this course guided me through the basics step-by-step."

"I loved this course! As someone completely new to data, it broke down complex ideas into manageable pieces."

Some perceive the Excel-only focus as potentially outdated for modern BI.

"Felt outdated in its tool focus."

"I think it needs some updates to include modern tools. It felt a bit dated in scope."

"It's heavily Excel-based, which can be limiting for a 'Data Analytics' course title in today's world."

Stays at a foundational level, not delving into advanced techniques.

"While good for beginners, I felt some parts could have gone deeper, especially on statistical analysis."

"My only minor critique is that it sticks strictly to descriptive analytics; I would have liked a glimpse into predictive methods."

"Okay for a very basic start, but don't expect to become a BI expert. The overall depth could be improved."

Primarily uses Excel, which is both a strength and a limitation.

"The course covers the basics, but it's very much focused on Excel. If you're looking for something more advanced, or topics like SQL, Python, or more robust BI tools, this isn't it."

"A bit too basic for my needs. The course description said 'data analytics' but it's essentially an 'Excel for beginners' course with some business context."

"It's heavily Excel-based, which can be limiting for a 'Data Analytics' course title in today's world."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics with these activities:

Excel Tutorial 1

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Build a strong foundation in Excel by following a guided tutorial that introduces the interface and essential features.

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Explore the Excel interface and become familiar with its components.
Learn basic Excel functions and formulas.

Study Group

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Enhance your understanding by discussing course concepts and working through problems with your peers.

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Join or form a study group with other students in the course.
Meet regularly to discuss course material, ask questions, and share perspectives.

Excel Drill 1

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Solidify your understanding of Excel's basic data manipulation techniques through practice.

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Sort a given dataset by a specific column.
Filter a given dataset based on specific criteria.

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Excel Tutorial 2

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Enhance your data manipulation skills by following a guided tutorial that covers advanced techniques for modifying and transforming data.

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Learn how to use Excel's data manipulation tools, such as VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP.
Practice transforming data using Excel's built-in functions and tools.

Excel Drill 2

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Enhance your data analysis skills by practicing the creation and utilization of Pivot Tables.

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Create a Pivot Table from a given dataset.
Summarize data using Pivot Table functions.

Excel Drill 3

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Develop your ability to analyze numeric data and create meaningful visualizations.

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Calculate basic descriptive statistics for a given dataset.
Create histograms and boxplots to visualize data distributions.

Excel Tutorial 3

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Expand your data analysis and visualization capabilities by following a guided tutorial that covers advanced techniques.

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Learn how to use Excel's advanced data analysis tools, such as Power Query and Power Pivot.
Practice creating interactive dashboards and visualizations using Excel.

Excel Project 1

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Apply your Excel skills by completing a project that involves data analysis, visualization, and interpretation.

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Identify a real-world dataset that you can analyze.
Clean and prepare the dataset for analysis.
Perform data analysis and identify key insights.
Create data visualizations to communicate your findings.
Write a report summarizing your analysis and insights.

Career center

Learners who complete Business Intelligence and Data Analytics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Business Analyst

Business Analysts design, implement, and manage information systems. They gather and analyze business requirements to define system specifications. They use their knowledge of business processes and information technology to bridge the gap between the business and technical teams. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in business intelligence and data analytics, which are essential skills for Business Analysts. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, skills which are commonly needed in the role of a Business Analyst

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to identify trends and patterns. They use their findings to help businesses make informed decisions. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Data Analysts. Additionally, the course's capstone project would give learners hands-on experience in applying data analysis techniques to a real-world business problem.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists use their knowledge of statistics, machine learning, and data mining to extract insights from data. They use these insights to help businesses make informed decisions. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Data Scientists. Additionally, the course's capstone project would give learners hands-on experience in applying data analysis techniques to a real-world business problem.

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Market Researcher

Market Researchers collect and analyze data to understand consumer behavior. They use their findings to help businesses develop and market products and services. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Market Researchers. Additionally, the course's capstone project would give learners hands-on experience in applying data analysis techniques to a real-world business problem.

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Operations Research Analyst

Operations Research Analysts use mathematical and analytical techniques to solve business problems. They use their findings to help businesses improve their efficiency and productivity. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Operations Research Analysts. Additionally, the course's capstone project would give learners hands-on experience in applying data analysis techniques to a real-world business problem.

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Quantitative Analyst

Quantitative Analysts use mathematical and statistical models to analyze financial data. They use their findings to help businesses make investment decisions. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Quantitative Analysts. Additionally, the course's capstone project would give learners hands-on experience in applying data analysis techniques to a real-world business problem.

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Risk Analyst

Risk Analysts identify and assess risks to businesses. They use their findings to help businesses develop and implement risk management strategies. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Risk Analysts. Additionally, the course's capstone project would give learners hands-on experience in applying data analysis techniques to a real-world business problem.

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Statistician

Statisticians collect, analyze, and interpret data. They use their findings to help businesses make informed decisions. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Statisticians. Additionally, the course's capstone project would give learners hands-on experience in applying data analysis techniques to a real-world business problem.

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Data Engineer

Data Engineers design and build the infrastructure that stores and processes data. They use their knowledge of data engineering to ensure that data is accessible and usable by businesses. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Data Engineers.

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Data Architect

Data Architects design and implement data management solutions. They use their knowledge of data architecture to ensure that data is managed efficiently and effectively. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Data Architects.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators manage and maintain databases. They use their knowledge of database administration to ensure that databases are accessible and usable by businesses. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Database Administrators.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. They use their knowledge of software engineering to ensure that software applications are reliable and efficient. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Software Engineers.

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Computer Programmer

Computer Programmers write and maintain computer programs. They use their knowledge of computer programming to ensure that computer programs are accurate and efficient. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Computer Programmers.

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Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts design and implement computer systems. They use their knowledge of systems analysis to ensure that computer systems are efficient and effective. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Systems Analysts.

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Management Consultant

Management Consultants help businesses improve their performance. They use their knowledge of business management to identify and solve business problems. This course would be particularly helpful for those who wish to enter this field because it provides a strong foundation in data analysis techniques. It would also help learners develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Management Consultants.

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Business Intelligence and Data Analytics

What you'll learn

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Foundational business analytics with excel

Activities

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