Business Analytics

Program Overview

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Business Analytics

The MSc in Business Analytics will enable you to play a key role in modern business by giving you the skills and knowledge to gain competitive business insights from big data.

Course details

Our MSc in Business Analytics will equip you with the skills and knowledge to harness AI-driven analytics for gaining competitive business insights from big data.

With businesses increasingly relying on artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to understand and predict customer behaviour, optimise internal processes, and manage suppliers effectively, this programme prepares you to navigate and lead in this data-driven world. In a supportive, research-led learning environment, you will explore the complexities of big data, machine learning, and natural language processing, applying cutting-edge AI techniques to extract key insights and drive strategic decision-making.

You will benefit from the programme’s strong international connections and gain hands-on experience with AI-powered analytics on the International Field Trip.

Additionally, you will have the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and renowned scholars through Business School presentations, featuring major global multinationals and leading academic experts.

Delivered full-time over one year, the programme is a collaboration between the Business School and theDepartment of Computer Science , leveraging expertise from both fields to provide a well-rounded education in AI-driven business analytics.

The Business School itself is one of the longest established in the UK with a reputation for academic excellence and state-of-the-art learning facilities. It is also one of an elite group of institutions in the UK to be accredited by all three major business education accreditation bodies: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).

The Department of Computer Science is one of Durham’s newest academic departments, having rapidly grown to be a thriving home for staff, undergraduates, postgraduates, and visitors. Ranked 9th in the Complete University Guide 2025, the Department delivers high-quality teaching and research and offers a friendly and inclusive place to study and work for all.

World class Business Education

6th (UK) 19th (Europe) 51-60th (Global) - QS World University Rankings: Masters in Business Analytics 2025

Data Analytics in Action - International Field Trip

With travel and accommodation costs fully funded by the University*, the International Field Trip aims to provide you with the experiential learning needed to acquire an inside perspective of operating globally. You will visit a series of data-intensive participating organisations, where you will analyse each organisation using a structured learning approach and present your analysis to the representatives of the participating organisations. This activity provides an excellent opportunity to apply your academic learning to a real-world challenge, whilst enhancing your employability through exposure to new cultures and ways of working in international companies.

*Documentation will be provided by the Business School to aid your visa application, however, if you are unsuccessful in obtaining a visa for the field trip, no refund on fees will be provided.

Business Analytics Project

The Business Analytics Project requires you to conduct an in-depth investigation into an issue which is applicable and relevant to business analytics, and which will be underpinned by business analytics approach, methods and techniques covered in the other modules. You will be able to choose a project by either working with a host organisation or by producing an issue-led investigation which is not focused on just one organisation but instead examines a specific business analytics issue. This project will be supervised by a faculty member and is an opportunity for you to develop your insight and present your analysis and ideas in a scholarly and professional manner.

Practitioner insights: Guest Speaker Programme

As part of the programme, you will be encouraged to attend presentations by leading academics and professionals who are specialists in your particular area of interest. Combining critical and progressive thinking with practical insight, past speakers have included representatives of major global multinationals and leading scholars, combining critical and progressive thinking with practical insights.

Detailed module information

For the latest detailed information on all of the modules currently offered on this programme please visit our Postgraduate Module Handbook pages.

Course structure

Year 1 modules

Core modules:

• Introduction to Business Analytics will provide you with an in-depth understanding at an advanced level of data structures appropriate to business analytics, how companies attempt different business and corporate strategies to achieve or maintain a competitive advantage. You'll also explore, strategy formulation and implementation under conditions of changing political, economic, sociocultural, and technological conditions, industry competition and firm resources. The module will also provide you with an appreciation of specialist techniques to aid analysis of the competitive and contextual environment.
• Data Analytics in Action in explores key analytical and machine learning techniques used in business analytics. You will gain practical experience in applying AI-driven models and data visualisation methods using the appropriate tools.
• Learning from Data teaches the concept and provides practical tools in the area of machine learning, in which computer systems improve on the process and outcomes for exploring and interpreting data.
• Managing Data Driven Innovation introduces you to data-driven Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and outlines the theories behind such technologies as well as the challenges organisations face in using them. Crucially, you will also learn about the ethical and security implications in managing such data-driven innovations.
• Natural Language Analysis introduces cutting-edge techniques for automated text analysis, focusing on data preparation for machine learning, advanced NLP methods, and their applications in business analytics. You will explore generative models, sentiment analysis, and large-scale text analytics to extract insights from unstructured data.
• Retail Analytics enables you to understand the role of data in the decision-making process undertaken by management in the retail and distribution industries. You will cover topics such as retail management, communication and customer relationship management and the data requirements for market segmentation.
• Data Analytics for Strategic Decision-Making provides an appreciation of, and the ability to apply range of predictive and prescriptive business-analytics techniques. The module will also enable you to implement those predictive and prescriptive business-analytics models using appropriate software, whilst showing how business analytics can help companies make better decisions - storytelling with data to promote data-driven decision-making.

Learning

The course is taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and practicals as well as the requirement to complete a major dissertation.

There is also a major International Field trip, which takes place in the third term.

Lectures provide key contents on a subject and may be given by guest speakers who are recognised experts in a relevant area. Then small-group seminars will provide you with the opportunity to discuss and debate topics further using information acquired through independent study that you will be expected to carry out.

Practicals are medium sized group sessions, where you will practice computer software, applying topics from lectures and seminars.

Assessment

Assessment is thorough and ongoing on this exciting programme. A number of modules are assessed through written assignments and others use a combination of written assignments and presentations, that are both individual and group based.

The Business Analytics Project, makes up one-third of your marks and is assessed through a 15,000-word document that tests your acquisition of relevant subject-specific knowledge and skills and your ability to apply these, and appropriate key skills, in the context of a Masters-level research project.

Entry requirements

What do I need first?

The MSc in Business Analytics programme is designed for graduates from either a business background (with evidence of strong quantitative content) or a tech background (including numerate scientific disciplines with strong computational content). You will need a UK first or upper second class honours degree or international equivalent. in one of the following:

• Business
• Computer science
• Related subject with strong quantitative component.

Staged Admissions

As there is a high demand for this programme with a finite number of places available, we operate a staged admissions process with application deadlines throughout the year for MSc Business Analytics. Due to the competition for places we give preference to applicants from high ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

• Application fee payment deadline (applications must be submitted prior to this) - 13/11/2024
• Decision Deadline - 18/12/2024
• Application fee payment deadline (applications must be submitted prior to this) - 12/02/2025
• Decision Deadline - 26/03/2025
• Application fee payment deadline (applications must be submitted prior to this) - 09/04/2025
• Decision Deadline - 21/05/2025
• Application fee payment deadline (applications must be submitted prior to this) - 11/06/2025
• Decision Deadline - 23/07/2025

Scholarships

We are committed to supporting the best students irrespective of financial circumstances and are delighted to offer a range of funding opportunities.

Fees and funding

Full Time Fees

Tuition fees

• Home students: £35,000 per year
• EU students: £35,000 per year
• Island students: £35,000 per year
• International students: £35,000 per year

Career opportunities

Business, Marketing and Management

Our postgraduate programmes with a focus on employability fully equip you with the skills and industry insight to embark on a successful and rewarding business career.

The knowledge and understanding you develop reflect the Department’s values of sustainability, wellbeing and equality of opportunity across the globe.

You gain a combination of analytical and practical skills that employers value, such as independent thinking and problem-solving, and are able to enhance your people skills that are essential in business and much sought after by employers.

Computer Science

Qualifications in computer science are highly sought after by employers across the globe and an award from our Department provides the academic skills, industry insight and research-informed approach that sets postgraduates up for careers in a broad range of sectors.

Many postgraduates have gone on to work as software engineers, analysts, consultants, programmers and developers. Some have founded their own start-ups or work in leading software companies, high-technology consultancies, banking and finance, retail, engineering, the communications and IT industry.

Department information

Business, Marketing and Management

Our Department sits within the prestigious Durham University Business School. It offers a significant academic opportunity to gain the vital skills to become a successful business leader or to carry out further research and make a major contribution to a sustainable business future.

Our Business, Management and Marketing programmes are delivered by the Department of Management and Marketing, one of four departments at Durham University Business School (alongside the Department of Accounting, Department of Economics and Department of Finance).

The School is one of the UK’s longest established business schools and one of an elite group of institutions in the UK to be accredited by all three major bodies – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).

We consistently rank highly in independent league tables for both the quality and reputation of our Department, with teaching delivered by a world-class academic community that includes experienced business professionals and researchers who work across a wide variety of business disciplines.

We recruit students from around the world onto our postgraduate programmes. Our students take part in live business projects, internships and placements as part of their studies, enabling them to apply their knowledge to practical challenges in the most forward thinking companies. We have an active alumni network of more than 36,000 graduates in over 140 countries.

For more information see our department pages.

Facilities

You’ll be taught across the university campus by world leading academics from the Business School. You’ll have access to the Business Schools modern, spacious meeting rooms and study areas.

The university campus is within walking distance of the historic centre of Durham, a city with UNESCO World Heritage Status. Resources include up-to-date financial information and online databases. In addition, you’ll have access to Durham University’s prestigious libraries and archives.

Computer Science

The Department of Computer Science’s academic fusion of technology and independent thinking places it firmly at the cutting edge of computer learning. We bring innovative applications together with critical thought processes to give you the skills to play a key role in the data-led future.

The Department is at the heart of the fast-paced world of applications and algorithms. We maintain an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of computation and are fully up to speed with the latest technologies that emerge at an ever-increasing rate.

Learning from academics who lead cutting-edge research provides valuable insight into high quality projects, and gives our postgraduate community the opportunity to play a role in shaping a future in which crucial developments in society are supported by technological innovation.

Taught courses balance fundamental knowledge and an emphasis on programming and mathematical skills with practical applications. The content and structure are such that they suit postgraduates who already have experience in the industry or other employment and want to add a formal qualification to their achievements.

Researchers in the Department offer a range of expertise across the computer science spectrum in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, bioinformatics, high-performance computing, graphics and fundamental algorithms.

We ensure our research-led activity does not function in isolation and keep close links with local high-technology industries as well as national and international employers. Those relationships ensure we are at the leading edge of developments across the sector and can revise and adapt the Department’s curriculum to reflect the changes.

For more information see our department pages.

Facilities

The Department is located in a £40 million purpose-built building in the heart of Durham at Upper Mountjoy and features open-plan work areas, breakout spaces for collaboration projects, laboratories and computer rooms.

We are fortunate to have supercomputers for High-Performance Computing and for data analysis and machine learning as well as access to several visualisation and data postprocessing laboratories.

We are also able to host local computer hardware which give postgraduate researchers a safe environment to test prototype solutions, explore innovative technologies they are developing or to actually design new solutions.

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Program Outline

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Business Analytics MSc at Durham University

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Degree Overview:

The MSc in Business Analytics aims to equip you for a key role in modern business by providing the skills and knowledge to gain competitive business insights from big data. The program addresses the growing reliance on analytics in global businesses to understand and predict customer behavior, monitor internal processes, and manage suppliers effectively. Within a supportive and research-driven learning environment, you will explore the complexities of the big data world and develop an understanding of its role, applying relevant analytical tools and techniques to gain key insights.

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Outline:

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Program Duration:

1 year (full-time)

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Program Location:

Durham City

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Program Start Date:

September 2024

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Program Structure:

• Core modules (taught through lectures, seminars, and practicals)
• Major International Field Trip (fully funded)
• Business Analytics Project (involving in-depth research and supervised by faculty)

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Core Modules:

• Introduction to Business Analytics: Provides an in-depth understanding of advanced data structures, business strategy formulation and implementation, and specialist tools for analyzing the competitive and contextual environment.
• Data Analytics in Action: Covers the techniques used in business analytics and teaches how to apply analytical models and data visualization using appropriate software.
• Learning from Data: Provides practical tools in machine learning, enabling computer systems to improve their processes for data exploration and interpretation.
• Natural Language Analysis: Introduces cutting-edge techniques for automated analysis of text-based data, focusing on preparing data for machine learning, using advanced machine learning techniques for natural language analysis, and applying these techniques in business settings like sentiment and social media analysis.
• Retail Analytics: Helps you understand the role of data in decision-making within the retail and distribution industries, covering topics like retail management, communication, customer relationship management, and data requirements for market segmentation.
This module also emphasizes the role of data analytics in data-driven decision-making.
• Data Analytics in Action - International Field Trip: This fully funded trip exposes you to new cultures and ways of working, offering the opportunity to visit leading international knowledge-driven organizations.
The trip will involve researching and producing either a detailed case study or a comparative analysis of two organizations, based on desk research and primary research conducted during the visit.

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Business Analytics Project:

This project requires an in-depth investigation of a business analytics-related issue. You can choose between working with a host organization or conducting an issue-led independent investigation. Your project will be supervised by faculty and provide an opportunity to demonstrate your analytical skills and present your findings in a professional manner.

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Assessment:

The program utilizes a combination of assessment methods, including:

• Examinations: Written or online tests assessing your knowledge and understanding of the modules.
• Coursework: Assignments, essays, and projects demonstrating your ability to apply learned concepts.
• Presentations: Presenting your research and findings through oral presentations.
• Business Analytics Project: A substantial piece of independent research assessed based on its content, analysis, and presentation.

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Teaching:

The program combines teaching methods including:

• Lectures: Delivered by experts to introduce key concepts and theories.
• Seminars: Small-group discussions to foster critical thinking and understanding of topics.
• Practicals: Medium-sized group sessions for practicing computer software applications related to lectures and seminars.
• Guest Speaker Presentations: Opportunities to hear from leading academics and professionals in the field.

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Careers:

The MSc in Business Analytics equips graduates with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers in various sectors and functions, including:

• Consultancy
• Technology
• Engineering/Manufacturing
• Healthcare/Pharmaceutical
• Media/Entertainment
• Transportation/Logistics
The program also provides career development support through:
• One-to-one appointments with a career consultant
• Workshops and events
• Networking opportunities
• Resources and materials

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Other:

• The program is jointly ranked 3rd in the world for employability in the QS Business Masters rankings: Business Analytics 2023.
• The program welcomes graduates from both business and tech backgrounds with strong quantitative or computational skills.
• The program offers a staged admissions process with deadlines throughout the year.
• The program provides students with membership in one of Durham University's Colleges, offering various benefits and opportunities.
• The program highlights the ethical and security implications of data analytics.

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Home students: £35,000 per year EU students: £35,000 per year Island students: £35,000 per year International students: £35,000 per year