B.Sc. in Business Analytics
Amsterdam, Netherlands
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
EUR 2,314 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* non-EU/EEA students: April 1 | Dutch and EU students: May 1
** EU students: €2,314 per year | non-EU students: €13,510 per year
Introduction
Organisations have a large amount of data. As a Business Analyst, you will analyse the data to improve business results. Mathematics, Data analysis, Computer Science and Business are at the heart of this study. You apply what you have learned in the practice of companies. You will help organisations with issues such as:
- Where do you place solar panels to generate as much energy as possible?
- How do you determine the optimal prices of seats in a football stadium?
- Which people are best to give a discount card to at a large pizza chain?
Why study Business Analytics at VU Amsterdam?
- Excellent programme: Business Analytics at VU Amsterdam has already been offered for 30 years and is highly recommended, also due to its large (international) network of organisations and companies.
- Expert teaching team: You will be taught by a committed and expert team of mathematicians, finance specialists and econometricians with a passion for mathematics, business administration and data.
- Lessons on a lively campus: You will be taught in the brand new New University Building, together with other Science students on VU's lively campus.
- Also a master's in Business Analytics: VU Amsterdam also has a highly regarded master's in Business Analytics, which you can follow after your bachelor's.
- International: The programme is in English so there is a mix of students from all kinds of countries.
Admissions
Curriculum
The study programme
With the bachelor's in Business Analytics, you will use the power of mathematics, data analysis, computer science and business to improve the results of companies, government, non-profit organisations, municipalities and services. During the programme, there are three main areas of study:
- Data Analysis/Mathematics (50%, statistics & optimisation)
- Computer Science (35%, artificial intelligence & programming)
- Business (15%, organisation, finance & logistics)
Theory and projects
These areas of study are interspersed with challenging real-life projects of renowned organisations in small project groups. You apply theory and work immediately on a solution and final product for the company. You will develop your communication and consulting skills and make regular presentations. You will receive lectures from highly experienced lecturers and guest speakers from the business world, and you will also regularly visit companies such as IBM and Deloitte yourself to see for yourself what the possibilities are after your studies.
Solutions to complex questions of organisations
Business Analytics is an interdisciplinary degree in which you can explore what suits you best. For example, you will work on the following issues:
- How do you reduce ambulance response times to save more lives?
- Can you predict cancellations of hotel bookings so you know how many extra rooms to book?
- Can you predict which news articles will be most popular based on a dataset from an online news website?
The Business Analytics course has been around for 30 years and has good connections with alumni, companies and organisations. Will you become a sought-after professional for any potential employer? Make Business Analytics your gateway to an (international) career.
1st year
In the first year, you are introduced to computer science, business economics, and in particular mathematics. You learn the basic principles of calculus, probability, and decision-making based on mathematical modeling. You learn how to code using R and Java. Every six months, you join a handful of your fellow students on a small project team, using simplified datasets to solve real-world problems.
Subjects
- Calculus 1
- English Language Test
- Introduction to Business Analytics
- Introduction to Programming (Java)
- Calculus 2
- Project Business Analytics 1
- Sets and Combinatorics
- Operations Research
- Linear Algebra
- Probability Theory
- Accounting
- Project Business Analytics 2
2nd year
In the second year, you dive deeper into the key subjects from maths, computer science, and business economics. In the first semester, you learn to work with statistics and models involving uncertainty. In the second semester, you focus on different aspects of data and data analysis. You also further develop your programming skills in the Advanced Programming course and learn to program in Python.
Subjects
- Advanced Programming
- Statistics
- Stochastic Modelling
- Finance
- Business Simulation
- Business Intelligence and Analytics
- Dynamics and Computation
- Statistical Data Analysis
- Databases
- Project Big Data
3rd year
In the first semester, you choose a minor to specialize in. To conclude the program, you collaborate with four fellow students on a final project. This is a practical case study on a topic such as the pricing of cargo for transportation by air. Which price do you use for which destination? How do the weight of the cargo and the date of the flight factor in? What is an acceptable price? Using data and algorithms, you come up with innovative solutions.
Subjects
- History of Science
- Machine Learning
- Combinatorial Optimization
- Bachelor Project: Business Case
- Philosophy and Ethics
Career Opportunities
Change your future with the Business Analytics program
After the Bachelor’s you can specialize further by following a Master’s program. As a graduate of Business Analytics, you could work as a consultant, data scientist, or researcher, for example at a financial institution, a knowledge institute, a hospital, an internet firm, or a transport company.
So you’ve graduated—now what?
Most graduates of the Bachelor of Business Analytics program choose to continue their studies, but you can also dive straight into the workforce as a data scientist or consultant. Many organizations are keen to recruit professionals with a unique mix of maths, computer science, and business economics.
During your studies, you learn to use data to solve complex problems. You can perform rigorous analyses to arrive at innovative solutions. You also have strong consulting and communication skills. In other words, not only are you able to come up with optimal solutions, but you can also persuade people to put them into practice. All this makes you an asset to every organization that works with data.
You enjoy maths and embrace the challenge of working with large amounts of data. You know how to use models from maths and computer science to make accurate predictions, and based on the innovative solutions you come up with you are able to advise banks and other organizations.
What can you do after your Bachelor’s degree?
Further your education
Would you like to continue your studies in Business Analytics? The logical next step is to enroll in the Master of Business Analytics program. You can also opt for a related specialization, such as the following master’s programs:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Information Sciences
- Econometrics and Operations Research
Start your career
With a Bachelor of Business Analytics, you can work in many different sectors and all sorts of organizations. These days, myriad organizations both in the Netherlands and abroad have large amounts of data at their disposal, and a great need for qualified, talented analysts.
You could work as a data scientist in the government, at a financial or knowledge institution, an internet company, a transport company, the police, and more. You are also well-suited to work as a consultant at a multinational like Deloitte or KLM.
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Program Admission Requirements
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