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

Status: New
Maven Analytics
Microsoft Copilot for Excel: AI-Powered Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Excel, Pivot Tables And Charts, Excel Formulas, People Analytics, Spreadsheet Software, Data Manipulation, Data Analysis, Human Resources Information System (HRIS), Data Presentation, ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
ESSEC Business School
Strategic Business Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Marketing Analytics, Business Analytics, Forecasting, Peer Review, Data Presentation, Predictive Analytics, R Programming, Customer Analysis, Information Technology, Digital Transformation, Business Marketing, Advanced Analytics, Marketing Strategies, Statistical Analysis, Complex Problem Solving, Analytics, Business Analysis, Data Synthesis, Data Analysis, Data Storytelling
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Advanced · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Unilever
Unilever Digital Marketing Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Marketing Automation, Web Analytics, Marketing Effectiveness, Marketing Analytics, Customer Insights, Digital Marketing, Social Media Campaigns, Market Analysis, Google Analytics, Social Media Marketing, Customer Analysis, Search Engine Marketing, Marketing Strategies, Social Media Strategy, Customer experience strategy (CX), Performance Reporting, Search Engine Optimization, Predictive Analytics, MarTech
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
245 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Virginia
Product Analytics and AI
Skills you'll gain: Customer Analysis, Analytics, Business Analytics, Usability Testing, Product Management, Customer Insights, A/B Testing, Product Development, Agile Methodology, User Experience, Advanced Analytics, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Data Science, Product Testing
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
482 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of California San Diego
Big Data
Skills you'll gain: Apache Spark, Apache Hadoop, Data Integration, Exploratory Data Analysis, Big Data, Graph Theory, Data Pipelines, Database Design, Data Modeling, Regression Analysis, Applied Machine Learning, Data Presentation, Scalability, Data Mining, Data Processing, Statistical Analysis, Data Management, NoSQL, Database Management Systems, Network Analysis
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
14K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Data Analysis with Python
Skills you'll gain: Data Wrangling, Data Cleansing, Data Analysis, Data Manipulation, Data Import/Export, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Science, Statistical Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Regression Analysis, Predictive Modeling, Pandas (Python Package), Scikit Learn (Machine Learning Library), Machine Learning Methods, Data Pipelines, NumPy
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
19K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Davis
Health Information Literacy for Data Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Data Governance, Data Quality, Data Integration, Data Dictionary, Data Validation, Health Informatics, Data Modeling, Extract, Transform, Load, Health Systems, Data Management, Metadata Management, Data Compilation, Health Care, Analytics, Data Mapping, Healthcare Industry Knowledge, Data Analysis, Data Cleansing, Health Information Management, Taxonomy
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
270 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
Inventory Analytics
Skills you'll gain: Inventory Management, Inventory Control, Inventory Control Systems, Inventory Accounting, Inventory and Warehousing, Product Assortment, Financial Analysis, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Benchmarking, Operational Efficiency, Analysis, Analytics, Competitive Analysis, Data Analysis Software
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
245 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
Supply Chain Management
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Sourcing, Lean Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Demand Planning, Procurement, Supplier Relationship Management, Forecasting, Process Improvement, Supplier Management, Operations Management, Customer Demand Planning, Purchasing, Production Process, Supply Management, Operational Efficiency, Warehouse Management, Supply Chain Planning, Inventory and Warehousing, Inventory Management System, Transportation, Supply Chain, and Logistics
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
15K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Foundations of Sports Analytics: Data, Representation, and Models in Sports
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Methods, Regression Analysis, Data Cleansing, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Correlation Analysis, Matplotlib, Data Manipulation, Data Visualization, Statistical Analysis, Scatter Plots, Probability & Statistics, R Programming, Data Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Pandas (Python Package), Python Programming
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
187 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Generative AI for Human Resources (HR) Professionals
Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Generative AI, ChatGPT, HR Tech, Human Resources Software, Human Resources Management and Planning, OpenAI, Human Resources, Workforce Planning, Human Resource Strategy, Data Ethics, Large Language Modeling, Artificial Intelligence, Program Development, Employee Engagement, Content Creation, Recruitment, Performance Appraisal, Employee Onboarding, Image Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.7K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
Data Science
Skills you'll gain: Shiny (R Package), Rmarkdown, Exploratory Data Analysis, Regression Analysis, Leaflet (Software), Version Control, Statistical Analysis, R Programming, Data Manipulation, Data Cleansing, Data Science, Statistical Inference, Predictive Modeling, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Data Wrangling, Data Visualization, Plotly, Machine Learning Algorithms, Plot (Graphics), Knitr
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
51K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months