MSc Business and Management (Business Analytics)

Business analytics can help you to predict market trends and improve business processes. This programme will develop your analytical skills and empower you to make strategic decisions to improve performance in all areas of business, from marketing and sales to product development and beyond.

On this course, you’ll gain confidence in dealing with data while also improving your managerial skills. You’ll cover a range of topics including the theory underpinning data and knowledge management, and the range of statistical methodology available for analysing and solving business problems.

On successful completion of your degree course, you’ll receive a degree validated by the University of Essex and be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus.

Shorter awards are available for this course; the 16-month postgraduate diploma (PG Dip) at 120 credits and the 8-month postgraduate certificate (PG Cert) at 60 credits.

Who is this course for?

This degree is designed to develop your specialist knowledge and transferable skills, enabling you to progress your career in business analytics.

You’ll learn and be assessed wholly online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), so there’s no need to travel to assessment centres. This means you can easily fit your professional development ambitions around your personal life, without the need to take a career break.

Though you'll study exclusively online, on successful completion of your MSc Business and Management (Business Analytics), you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex’s Colchester campus.

Teaching methods

We’re a 100% online education provider, so we use a state-of-the-art virtual learning environment (VLE) to deliver our teaching, resources and assessments. Our system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials. The VLE is accessible 24/7 and allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and live Q&As.

We believe you get the most out of your time spent studying when you are kept informed of your performance, and we achieve this by:

• assessing you throughout modules rather than waiting for the end of year assessments
• showing your marks in your grade book which can be viewed whenever you log onto the virtual learning environment (VLE)
• rapid turnaround on work assessed to ensure your grade book is always up to date
• ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Support team

Assessment methods

All assessments are delivered through our virtual learning environment (VLE). There is no requirement to travel to external test centres or to sit exams! Instead, you will submit assignments through the VLE, such as written reports, discussion forum participation or reflective journal entries.

We also have a policy of ensuring that the work submitted by students is authentic – we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.

Why Essex Online?

Study online. Graduate on campus.

You will complete your studies and assessments 100% online and your qualification will be awarded by the University of Essex, an award-winning university with a 60-year heritage of teaching and research excellence and one of the top 30 universities in the UK (Complete University Guide 2025). Upon completing your course, you will graduate with the same certificate as campus-based students – your mode of study is only mentioned on your academic transcript.

World-class academic and mentoring support

Our online tutors are leading authorities and specialists in their respective fields. They are passionate about what they teach and combine their knowledge of industry practice with high-quality academic delivery, offering you an unparalleled learning experience.

We also have a dedicated team of Student Advisers and Study Skills Advisers that will support you from your first day to graduation. They will be on hand to help and guide you as you progress through your studies. Whatever the question or issue, they will work with you to find a solution.

We're proud to be rated Gold in the Times Higher Education (THE) Online Rankings 2024. Our achievement, which is based on four pillars - resources, engagement, outcomes and environment - recognises our commitment to excellent online education.