How to Choose a Data Analyst Degree and Launch Your Career

A career in data analytics is ideal for anyone interested in statistics, critical thinking, problem-solving and data management. Professionals in this field work with large volumes of data to extract actionable insights and help companies solve business problems. 

While you can complete a data analytics degree online, at LIS, we help students jumpstart their careers through interdisciplinary studies. With our bachelor's degree, students will gain the knowledge they need for data analytics and many other career paths.

This guide covers excellent data analytics degrees, choosing the best programme, and planning your career path. 

Table of Contents

• Why Choose a Data Analytics Degree? 
• What Does a Data Analyst Do?
• Great Data Analyst Degree Programmes
• Planning Your Data Analyst Career
• How to Choose Your Degree Programme?
• Start Your Data Analytics Journey with LIS Today

To become a data analyst, gaining a bachelor's degree is a great foundation, as degree programmes cover all the critical concepts you need to excel in this field. 

For instance, a bachelor's degree pathway will teach you how to perform statistical analysis, analyse big data, and apply critical thinking to help organisations extract actionable insights from data.

Typically, data analytics programmes cover these concepts:

• Computer science
• Project management 
• Information technology
• Predictive modelling 
• Data warehousing
• Machine learning (ML)
• Artificial intelligence (AI)

After completing a bachelor's degree, students can progress to a master's degree. This can allow them to secure senior-level positions and maximise their earning potential. 

Data analysts help companies make strategic decisions by gathering, analysing, organising, and storing historical data. Professionals use data to help companies solve business problems, better understand their customers and market, and uncover new opportunities to improve their revenue. 

They use visualisation tools and methods to showcase their findings to stakeholders, making it easier for leadership to interpret data and identify patterns and trends. The day-to-day responsibilities may include: 

• Collecting data from various sources
• Undertaking data visualisation and predictive analytics
• Optimising data collection methods and data governance strategies
• Designing database systems
• Finding an improved approach to perform data analysis
• Identifying and interpreting data patterns and trends
• Preparing reports for stakeholders
• Collaborating with programmers, data scientists and data engineers

To help you decide on your education pathway, we’ve selected a few excellent data analyst degrees to help you break into this industry, including the curricula, tuition fees, and financial aid solutions. 

Arts and Sciences: Interdisciplinary Problems and Methods (BASc) – The London Interdisciplinary School 

The London Interdisciplinary School (LIS) offers the Interdisciplinary Problems and Methods (BASc) degree to help aspiring data analysts gain valuable skills and experience in various disciplines. This three-year, full-time programme focuses on critical thinking and problem-solving in fundamental concepts. Unlike monodisciplinary degree pathways, this programme equips students with interdisciplinary skills, giving them complete control and flexibility over their career paths.

Students will work alongside industry experts from diverse backgrounds in journalism, mathematics, data science, and more. LIS also brokers summer internships for eligible students. You can participate in one internship per year, develop professional experience, and gain industry connections. 

Key Curriculum:

• Quantitative Methods 1A: Learn numerical and quantitative thinking through coding in Python, experimental methods and Fermi estimation. 
• Quantitative Methods 1B: Study how to analyse data, focusing on data science, statistics and machine learning.
• Problems 2A: Understand technological development using concepts such as technology ethics, data studies and legal and political theory. 
• Natural Language Processing: Students learn to gather large data samples and extract non-obvious insights and conclusions, gaining exposure to machine learning algorithms.
• Capstone Project: Students can choose any problem they are most passionate about and develop a research-based project that reflects quantitative and qualitative methods. 

Fees:

• £9,000 / a year for home students
• £17,000 / a year for international students

Financial Aid:

• Financial Support Bursary: Qualifying learners can apply for annual support between £1,000 and £7,000.
• Hardship Grants: Students who experience sudden financial difficulties may be eligible for support on a case-by-case basis.
• Income from Internships: Students participating in internships that pay at least the London Living Wage can apply for funding.

Key Takeaways:

• Students have a lot of flexibility in their learning skills and how they want to complete their capstone projects.
• Gaining interdisciplinary skills enables you to transfer your knowledge to various industries in the future.
• Having the opportunity to complete an internship is a fantastic way to gain industry experience and form professional relationships.

BSc Hons Data Analytics – The University of Strathclyde

The University of Strathclyde provides the BSc Hons Data Analytics degree to help aspiring professionals enter this industry. You can study for three years full-time or four years part-time and develop expertise in a wide range of topics. These study areas include computer science, statistics, and mathematics.

Students will gain experience in data analysis software, learn to code using industry-standard programming languages and work on real-world problems. This university also provides opportunities to study abroad in Australia, Ireland, Singapore, the United States, Denmark, Canada, Austria, and New Zealand. 

Key Curriculum:

• Machines, Languages & Computation
• Information & Information System
• Advanced Programming
• Building Software Systems

Fees:

• The University of Strathclyde is still to confirm the tuition fees for home students.
• £21,550 / a year for international students

Financial Aid:

• Emergency Aid Fund: Students facing sudden economic challenges can apply for short-term financial support for living and travel expenses. 
• Housing Support Fund: This financial aid addresses urgent student housing needs due to economic and well-being hardships. 
• Strathclyde Access Bursary: The University of Strathclyde offers eligible students £1,000 to £3,000 per year of study. 

Key Takeaways:

• The tuition fees for international students are expensive compared to other degree programmes.
• There are many scholarships and bursaries available.
• Students can opt to study full-time or part-time and leverage study abroad opportunities. 

Data Science and Analytics BSc (Hons) – University of Portsmouth

If you want to become a data analyst and focus on data science, the Data Science and Analytics BSc degree at the University of Portsmouth may be ideal. One can complete this pathway for three years full-time or four years with a work placement. Students will work on real-world projects alongside industry experts from various organisations.

This pathway is an excellent choice for students who want to complete a business analyst and a data science degree but can't choose between the two. You will learn critical skills in both disciplines and have access to various union clubs and societies. 

Key Curriculum:

• Architecture and Operating Systems 
• Core Computing Concepts
• Software Engineering Theory and Practice
• Open Innovations in Data Science

Fees:

• £9,250 / a year for home students
• £19,200 / a year for international students

Financial Aid:

• Vice Chancellor's Global Development Scholarship: Eligible students can apply for a  £2,500 fee reduction in their first year of study. 
• EU Scholarship: EU, EEA or Swiss national and resident students can submit applications for this financial aid. 
• Sanctuary Scholarship: Students seeking asylum can apply for economic support.

Key Takeaways:

• Students can complete this data analytics degree programme and learn fundamental data science skills.
• There is a wide selection of scholarships available to students from all backgrounds.
• This university offers student clubs and societies to keep you engaged and help you develop relationships with fellow aspiring data analysts. 

Statistics and Data Analytics, BSc Hons – The University of Greenwich

The University of Greenwich offers the Statistics and Data Analytics, BSc Hons degree programme for students who want to specialise in statistical science and analysing data. You can complete this degree for three years full-time, six years part-time, or four years with a work placement.

The class sizes are small, and students can expect regular assessments and comprehensive feedback to help them gain the needed skills. This programme is also mostly independent learning so students can cover the curriculum at their own pace. 

Key Curriculum:

• Vectors and Matrices 
• Analysis of Data
• Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
• Optimisation Techniques

Fees:

• £9,250 / a year for home students
• £17,500 / a year for international students

Financial Aid:

• Commuter Bursary: Students from low-income families can apply for 50% toward their commuting costs up to £1,000 per year. 
• RSK Scholarship: This bursary awards students £5,000 toward their first year of studies.
• Care Leaver Bursary: Students joining the university directly from authority care can apply for £1,000 per year

Key Takeaways:

• Full-time, part-time and work placement study options are available, giving students maximum flexibility.
• The tuition fees for international students are very affordable.
• This degree is a fantastic option for students who want to become data analysts specialising in statistics and mathematics. 

Finance and Data Analytics BSc (Hons) – University of Liverpool

The Finance and Data Analytics BSc (Hons) degree at the University of Liverpool is an excellent option for students who want to become data analysts focusing on economics. This degree requires three years of full-time study and provides students with foundational and advanced finance and data analytics skills.

Students will focus on corporate finance, financial markets and critical data analytics expertise, such as programming, computational methods and data mining. There are also opportunities to complete a work placement, gain practical experience, and study abroad at any of this university's partner universities. 

Key Curriculum:

• Introduction to Finance
• Computational Methods
• Database Management
• Financial Risk Management 

Fees:

• £9,250 / a year for home students
• £25,000 / a year for international students

Financial Aid:

• Rigby Enterprise Award: This university provides financial aid to learners whose household incomes are lower than £25,000.
• Liverpool Bursary: Qualifying students with household incomes lower than £35,000 can receive up to £2,000 for each year of study. 
• Asylum Seekers Scholarship: Students seeking asylum or dependants of asylum seekers may apply to have their tuition fees paid in full. 

Key Takeaways:

• This is the most expensive data analytics programme for international students on this list.
• Students who want a career in finance would find this programme most valuable. 
• Students can gain real-world experience by completing a job placement or study abroad. 

Planning your data analyst career path is critical. The top soft and technical skills employers look for are the average data analyst's salary and the job outlook. 

What Skills Do Employers Look for?

• Data Management: A significant aspect of data analytics is managing, organising and storing data. Companies will require data analysts to find solutions to manage data most efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Data Visualisation: Professionals must understand how to present their data analysis in a way that is accessible and easy to interpret. They must also know how to use data visualisation tools like Power BI or Tableau. 
• Big Data: Data analysts must handle high volumes of raw data and uncover actionable trends and insights to help businesses make sound decisions.
• Programming Languages: Data analysts must know coding languages like Python, SQL, and R to automate tasks and simplify complex processes. 
• Data Cleaning: Professionals must clean and prepare data to identify missing data outliers and ensure all the information they have to analyse is correct.
• Data Mining: Data analysts will uncover relationships and patterns in data using database systems, machine learning, and statistics.

These skills will help students stand out in the job market and show potential employers that they have expertise that is valuable to their business processes. 

What is the Average Data Analyst Salary?

The average annual salary for data analysts in the UK is £45,250. Entry-level professionals earn approximately £41,301 per annum, while experienced data analysts can earn £51,342. 

While you'll start as an entry-level data analyst, gaining more experience and expanding your skills and qualifications can increase your earning potential. 

Is the Data Analyst Job Market Growing?

According to the 2023 Future Jobs Report, data analyst jobs are among the top ten to experience the fastest growth between 2023 and 2027. There has been a 30 to 35% – 1.4 million – increase in data analyst-related jobs. 

With rapid advancements in technologies like AI and ML, companies will continuously require data analysts to manage their growing data infrastructures. 

With so many programmes for data analysis, selecting the right one can be challenging. Here are the top factors to consider when making the best choice for your career. ‍

Tuition Costs

Before picking any degree programme, you must evaluate the tuition costs. Consider how much it will cost to study the entire programme, including accommodation, living and commuting expenses. Determine how you plan to cover these fees and whether this is realistic. 

While financial support may be available, students must have a foolproof plan on how they intend to fund their studies. 

Financial Aid

Any data analytics programme you choose must offer scholarships and bursaries. These financial aid solutions are ideal instead of heavily relying on student loans. 

Student loans from private companies or the government require you to repay hefty interest rates, making it challenging to maintain financial security after your degree programme. Instead, consider degree pathways that offer economic support solutions. 

Practical Training

The degree programme you join must teach you practical analytical skills. You must work on real-world problems and gain a first-hand understanding of what data analysis environments entail. 

Ideally, your pathway should also provide opportunities to work with actual organisations and apply the qualitative and quantitative skills you've learned. 

Career Resources

Your programme must offer career resources, whether they help you learn how to write a winning resume or equip you with communication skills for developing industry connections. 

These resources prepare you for the job market and make it easier to secure a high-quality career after graduation. 

If you want a career in business data analytics, the best foundation is to gain a bachelor's degree. These programmes cover the core skills you need to launch a successful career, and also offer practical experience and job resources to make it easier to land a position after graduation. 

At LIS, we help students break into the data analytics industry through interdisciplinary studies. Our students can access all the necessary resources to learn critical skills, develop hands-on experience and form industry connections.

Ready to become a data analyst? Contact LIS today.