Big data is shifting the fundamental paradigms of the business world, creating an entirely new kind of business: according to the European Union, the big data market is expected to reach €50 billion and create 3.75 million new jobs in 2017. With the birth of new technologies and big data developments comes the need for increasingly multifaceted professionals with expertise in IT, mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence and business. ESADE’s Master of Science (MSc) in Business Analytics aims to train these new professionals, bridging the gap between the world of computing and that of business leaders and directors.

“ESADE’s new MSc emphasises areas such as programming and platforms, combining this technical knowledge with a business vision. It provides close contact with the business world thanks to a wide range of expert faculty and includes work in collaboration with companies in this area such as Amazon, Microsoft, Santander and Telefonica, offering students the chance to obtain certification from Amazon and other platforms,” commented Josep Franch, Dean of ESADE Business School.

The master’s programme includes a trip to Silicon Valley to meet business leaders in the digital industry as well as university researchers and opinion leaders. This study tour also includes a workshop on Design Thinking for Data Science at Stanford’s design school.

Data scientists with business knowledge in growing demand

The ‘business translator’ who can serve as the link between analytical talent and practical applications to business questions is in growing demand in today’s companies. According to an IBM report, 82% of CFOs see the value of integrating enterprise-wide data but only 24% think their teams are up to the task.

The new MSc targets recent business graduates who are fascinated by big data but lack programming skills as well as engineers and quant experts with a technical degree who want to develop their business skills to make an impact in the real world. It allows participants to follow three different paths: Big Data & Data Analytics in Finance, Digital Marketing Analytics & Industry 4.0, and Internet of Things & Smart Cities.

The MSc in Business Analytics is a new milestone in ESADE’s emerging big data strategy. According to Dr. Franch, “ESADE’s big data programmes have been going from strength to strength for the past two years, achieving excellent placement results for their students.”

Rising international demand for pre-experience master’s programmes

The new MSc in Business Analytics has been created in response to the worldwide trend of recent university graduates seeking to specialise in a particular area before gaining work experience. The programme is being launched amid a boom in demand for Masters of Science: at ESADE, MSc enrolment has increased by 32% in the last two academic years.