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

Amazon Web Services
Data Analytics and Databases on AWS
Skills you'll gain: Extract, Transform, Load, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Amazon Web Services, Data Warehousing, Big Data, Databases, Business Analytics, NoSQL, Data Analysis, Data Pipelines, Unstructured Data, Data Processing, Cloud API, SQL, Data Storage, Relational Databases, Data Transformation, Data Visualization Software
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
52 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of California, Davis
Fundamentals of Visualization with Tableau
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization Software, Data Visualization, Interactive Data Visualization, Dashboard, Tableau Software, Data Presentation, Tree Maps, Data Analysis, Data Import/Export
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
6.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Imperial College London
Science Matters: Let's Talk About COVID-19
Skills you'll gain: Epidemiology, Public Health and Disease Prevention, Public Health, Infectious Diseases, Community Health, Infection Control, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Crisis Intervention, Health Systems, Socioeconomics, Health Policy, Emergency Response, Microbiology, Media and Communications, Molecular Biology, Pathology, Research Reports
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
214 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Rice University
Business Finance and Data Analysis Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Capital Budgeting, Cash Flows, Financial Statements, Microsoft Excel, Descriptive Statistics, Financial Accounting, Business Analytics, Box Plots, Probability Distribution, Financial Analysis, Finance, Data Visualization, Probability, Statistics, Business Valuation, Financial Statement Analysis, Business Mathematics, Accounting, Return On Investment, General Accounting
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
2.8K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Colorado System
Data Warehousing for Business Intelligence
Skills you'll gain: Database Design, Data Warehousing, Relational Databases, Decision Support Systems, Business Intelligence, Data Modeling, Database Management Systems, Databases, Dashboard, Business Process Management, SQL, Star Schema, Data Governance, Data Integration, Oracle Databases, Performance Measurement, Extract, Transform, Load, Business Analytics, MicroStrategy, Data Visualization Software
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.1K reviews
Advanced · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Washington
Machine Learning Foundations: A Case Study Approach
Skills you'll gain: Applied Machine Learning, Feature Engineering, Regression Analysis, Machine Learning, Image Analysis, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Supervised Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Classification And Regression Tree (CART), Computer Vision, Application Development, Predictive Modeling, Natural Language Processing, Text Mining, Data Mining, Information Architecture
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
14K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Virginia
Foundations of Business Strategy
Skills you'll gain: Business Strategy, Strategic Thinking, Competitive Analysis, Organizational Strategy, Strategic Decision-Making, Market Analysis, Analysis, Business Economics, Value Propositions
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
3.2K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
Simplilearn
Analytics, ROI, and Evaluation
Skills you'll gain: Marketing Analytics, Web Analytics, Google Analytics, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Marketing Effectiveness, Performance Measurement, Business Metrics, Performance Metric, Marketing Strategies, Digital Marketing, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Return On Investment, Analytics, Heat Maps, Customer Engagement
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Rice University
Introduction to Data Analysis Using Excel
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Excel, Pivot Tables And Charts, Graphing, Spreadsheet Software, Excel Formulas, Data Analysis, Histogram, Scatter Plots, Data Visualization Software, Data Manipulation, Data Import/Export
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
10K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Google
Make the Sale: Build, Launch, and Manage E-commerce Stores
Skills you'll gain: Order Fulfillment, E-Commerce, Order Processing, Campaign Management, Digital Advertising, Google Ads, Retail Management, Customer Engagement, Marketing Strategies, Market Research, Web Analytics, Trend Analysis, Customer experience strategy (CX), Target Audience
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Universidade de São Paulo
Marketing Digital
Skills you'll gain: Search Engine Marketing, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing, Google Ads, Marketing Strategies, Search Engine Optimization, Google Analytics, Online Advertising, A/B Testing, Pay Per Click Advertising, Advertising Campaigns, Web Analytics, Digital Advertising, Facebook, Campaign Management, Marketing Analytics, Return On Investment, Performance Measurement
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
2.3K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Managerial Economics and Business Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Supply And Demand, Market Dynamics, Sampling (Statistics), Statistical Inference, Business Analytics, Financial Systems, Financial Policy, Banking, Probability Distribution, Analytics, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Statistics, Regression Analysis, Microsoft Excel, Economics, Financial Market, Business Economics, Risk Management
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.1K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months