Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics
Master the fundamentals of business analytics and bring data to life with this short, highly practical qualification. Get the technical know-how you need to use powerful analytics tools and transform 'big data' into meaningful business insights.

Business analytics enables modern organisations to use data so they can make better informed business, financial, and marketing decisions to guide their future.
This specialised course will equip you with the practical knowledge and skills to work in roles that involve data analysis, reporting and decision-making.
Learn how to use powerful analytics tools to extract and analyse 'big data' from a wide range of sources, visualise key trends and patterns, and transform complex datasets into meaningful business insights.
Students will work on real-world scenarios while developing their skills in data scraping/mining, data cleaning/wrangling, data analysis and visualisation, prediction and querying, reporting and forecasting. And you'll get exposure to business analytics tools such as Google BigQuery, Excel, and Business Intelligence (Power BI and Tableau).
By the end of the course, you'll understand how to leverage the greatest business value from big data, and use business analytics to solve common organisational problems. Students will also discuss ethical concerns around the collection and storage of data in New Zealand, and the importance of respecting protocols related to Māori data rights.
The course is taught at an advanced undergraduate level and is designed for business/management students who are interested in using data to solve business problems, and then communicate their recommendations to a company's stakeholders.
The four compulsory papers can be completed part-time over 9 months or longer; equivalent to 600 learning hours in total.
Who is this course suitable for?
The GradCertBA is ideal for anyone who wishes to gain a mastery of business analytics fundamentals and find work as a business analyst in a wide range of sectors, such as marketing, supply chain, HR and strategic management.
It is also suitable for people already working in roles that involve data analysis, but who lack any relevant professional training in this field.
What the programme is like:
This course is delivered in a FLEXI teaching format, meaning that your learning can be done both face-to-face on campus in Hamilton, or completely online at home, giving you lots of flexibility to choose. Face-to-face learning is preferable but not essential.
Two papers are offered each trimester, so you can study part-time for 9 months (March to November, or November to July), or over an even longer period of time if you wish.
Course content:
- BUSAN205 Data Analytics with Business Applications
This paper introduces data analytical methods and illustrates how data can be used to produce better-informed business decisions - BUSAN300 Management of Big Data
Gain a broad understanding of complex datasets known as 'big data', and develop your skills in using big data tools such as Python, Google BigQuery, SQL and NoSQL. Carry out basic data modelling and design, and learn how to manage data across cloud platforms. - BUSAN301 Contemporary Tools for Business Analytics
Gain hands-on experience in using a range of business analytics tools and techniques, with a focus on web-based tools such as Google BigQuery, Microsoft BI, Tableau, and Microsoft Azure ML. - BUSAN302 Data-Informed Decision-Making
Learn how to extra the maximum value from business data to increase decision-making success. Students will develop an analytics mindset to aid them in detecting trends and patterns, with a focus on visualisation and judgement theory. Through lab exercises, students will develop skills in quantitative and statistical tools such as DAX, Excel and SPSS.
Career opportunities:
With the explosion of data collection tools and methods, professionals with skills in data analytics play a vital role for successful enterprises.
Examples of job titles:
- Analytics & Insights Manager
- Business Analyst
- Customer Insights Analyst
- Data Wrangler/Strategy Lead
- Data Analytics & Visualisation Specialist
- Digital Marketing Specialist
- Enterprise Data & Analytics Specialist
- HR Reporting & Analytics Manager
- Market Research Analyst
- Performance/Insights Analyst
- Strategy Managing Consultant
- Supply Chain Data & Insights Analyst
Learn from the best
You'll be studying at Waikato Management School, which is ranked #1 in New Zealand and in the world's top 125 universities for Business & Economics (Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings 2022 and 2023).
We have developed this course after consulting with business leaders in New Zealand and Australia to ensure the content is up-to-date and relevant to industry needs.
Key information
Entry Requirements: | A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any subject, with at least a B-minus grade average across the 300-level papers. However, you can still be considered for admission to the GradCertBA based on professional experience or academic merit. Please speak to one of our advisors in the Management Student Centre, email [email protected] |
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Length Of Study: | 9 months+ (part-time, FLEXI study) |
Points: | 60 points |
GradCertBA Study Locations: | Hamilton, Online Papers offered differ by location. The Catalogue of Papers has full location info. |
Start Dates: | February (A Trimester); July (B Trimester); or November (G teaching period) |
Estimated Fees* (Domestic): |
2023: NZ$3,531 approx (per programme)
See if you're eligible for fees-free study in your first year |
Estimated Fees* (International): | 2023: NZ$16,364 approx (per programme) |
Entry Requirements: | Postgraduate International |
Area of Study: | |
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD).*Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. |
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