Analytics is the system of applying certain methods and techniques to understand the performance of data, generally in an organization or industry. The application of analytics can be used to uncover and interpret relevant patterns of data, which can be later used to make better decisions. Analytics relies on good data as part of its usefulness, as well as the aspects of statistics, computer programming, and operations research to quantify performance. Analytics exists in business when companies use statistics and software processes in assessing how a particular product, service, or project measures up in scope. Businesses perform analytics to pinpoint strengths, identify challenges or weaknesses that may exist, and pull out key data points to help make decisions regarding future growth for the organization.

Learning analytics is a key skill that helps you solve problems to existing challenges. When you use analytics tools to research data patterns, you use methods of analyzing performance characteristics that are essential to a business organization. This is important in today's world of big data. Understanding analytics can make you a valuable asset when assessing areas rich with recorded information, performance indicators, and target goals.

What are typical careers that use analytics?

Analytics is found in a wide range of careers, including business analyst, budget analyst, financial controller, data scientist, and operations researcher. Individuals who move into these and other careers in data analytics often work with raw data and algorithms through mechanical processes to make assumptions and theories. Essentially, with knowledge of analytics, you can move into a job that requires a familiarity with numeric relationships, data structures, and trends and metrics relevant to an organization.

How can taking online courses on Coursera help me learn analytics?

When you take online courses in analytics, you can gain a new understanding of key concepts like data analysis and visualization, mathematical optimization, regression analysis, predictive modeling, and other areas focused on business analytics. Taking online courses about analytics can help you achieve basic data literacy to help you make more informed decisions in any area you work in, like finance, operations, or marketing. As you branch out, you may advance your analytics understanding to include how to extract and manipulate data points, how to use different statistical analysis methods to break down the data, and how to eventually interpret and present your findings.

What are the benefits of taking an online Analytics course?

Online Analytics courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Analytics skills. With a wide range of Analytics classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Analytics career.

What Analytics courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Analytics, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Analytics Courses - Learn Analytics Online

Explore the Analytics Course Catalog

University of Virginia
Agile Development
Skills you'll gain: Usability Testing, Agile Product Development, Continuous Delivery, Agile Software Development, User Story, Agile Methodology, Product Testing, Agile Project Management, Team Performance Management, Team Management, Design Thinking, Team Building, Team Leadership, Product Improvement, DevOps, Customer Analysis, Analytics, Business Analytics, Sprint Retrospectives, Product Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.8K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Johns Hopkins University
Genomic Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Bioinformatics, Unix Commands, Biostatistics, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Unix, Data Science, Data Management, Statistical Methods, Molecular Biology, Command-Line Interface, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Linux Commands, Data Analysis Software, Statistical Modeling, Data Structures, Data Analysis, R Programming, Computational Thinking, Jupyter
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
6.6K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
Sourcing Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Sourcing, Procurement, Purchasing, Supplier Performance Management, Supplier Management, Market Intelligence, Supply Management, Vendor Management, Supply Chain Management, Market Analysis, Business Intelligence, Competitive Analysis, Analytics, Financial Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
13 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Duke University
Data Analysis with R
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Inference, Exploratory Data Analysis, Regression Analysis, Statistical Reporting, Probability Distribution, Statistical Methods, Data Analysis Software, R Programming, Bayesian Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Data Analysis, Statistical Software, Statistical Modeling, Probability & Statistics, Probability, Statistics, Correlation Analysis, Data Literacy
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
7.5K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
ESSEC Business School
Case studies in business analytics with ACCENTURE
Skills you'll gain: Digital Transformation, Advanced Analytics, Business Analytics, Analytics, Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Value Propositions, Business Consulting, Business Transformation, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Big Data
3.7
Rating, 3.7 out of 5 stars
206 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Unilever
Using Data Analytics in Supply Chain
Skills you'll gain: Data Governance, Data Storytelling, Presentations, Data Management, Supply Chain Management, Data Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Data Quality, Analytical Skills, Data Cleansing, Data Collection, Spreadsheet Software, Data Validation
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
66 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Michigan
UX Research at Scale: Surveys, Analytics, Online Testing
Skills you'll gain: Surveys, UI/UX Research, User Research, Survey Creation, Sampling (Statistics), A/B Testing, Qualitative Research, Usability Testing, Research Methodologies, Web Analytics and SEO, Data Collection, Research Design, Sample Size Determination, Analytics, Data Analysis
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
202 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Microsoft
Preparing Data for Analysis with Microsoft Excel
Skills you'll gain: Excel Formulas, Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet Software, Power BI, Data Analysis, Productivity Software, Data Cleansing, Data Manipulation, Data Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
4.4K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Business Data Management and Communication
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Revenue Recognition, Financial Statements, Data Presentation, Data Visualization, Accrual Accounting, Cash Flows, Financial Accounting, Data Collection, Bookkeeping, Tidyverse (R Package), Income Statement, Data Processing, Data Visualization Software, Business Valuation, Business Analytics, Balance Sheet, Data Quality, Asset Management, Analytics
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.2K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of California, Davis
Data Visualization with Tableau
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Data Presentation, Data Visualization Software, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Data Visualization, Dashboard, Interactive Data Visualization, Data Mapping, Tableau Software, Proposal Development, Graphing, Histogram, Scatter Plots, Tree Maps, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Visualization, Storytelling, Performance Metric, Geospatial Mapping, Heat Maps
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
8.2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Google
From Likes to Leads: Interact with Customers Online
Skills you'll gain: Social Media Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, Social Media Campaigns, Social Media Management, Marketing Analytics, Customer Engagement, Digital Advertising, Brand Awareness, Advertising, Target Audience
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Universiteit Leiden
Population Health: Predictive Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Predictive Analytics, Predictive Modeling, Risk Modeling, R Programming, Statistical Modeling, Sample Size Determination, Statistical Inference, Regression Analysis, Statistical Machine Learning, Feature Engineering, Sampling (Statistics), Data Manipulation, Data Validation
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
24 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months