Study Business Analytics at Otago

Learn how to interpret complex data and help organisations make better business decisions.

You’ll gain an understanding of the theory and practice behind business analytics, giving you essential skills that are in growing demand.

Why study Business Analytics?

Vast amounts of data are generated every day by businesses and organisations, social activity, video streaming, medical imagery and more. The ability to sift through this data and extract useful information is in hot demand.  

On this programme, you’ll learn how to apply analytics skills and techniques to organisational data to obtain useful insights. You’ll develop sought-after skills that are required in every area of business including accounting, finance, marketing, management, economics and tourism.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn about artificial intelligence and machine learning, which underpin a range of online platforms, such as Google and ChatGPT. You’ll also gain an understanding of how these techniques are used in online marketing – for example, to serve up relevant ads when browsing on a social media platform.

With an emphasis on a hands-on approach to analysing data and extracting insights, you’ll gain up-to-date skills in commonly used data analysis platforms, including Excel, R and Python.

Career opportunities

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the field of business analytics to grow by 11 per cent from 2021 to 2031 (Forbes) meaning that graduates of this degree will be highly sought after.

Potential careers include:

• Data analyst
• Business intelligence analyst
• Marketing analyst
• CRM analyst
• Financial analyst
• HR analyst

How you will learn

Data analytics concepts and techniques are delivered through lectures, labs, tutorials and practical workshops. You’ll develop skills in core analytics skills including data cleaning, wrangling, visualisation and reporting, as well as analysing specific business problems based on available data and proposing solutions using learned techniques.

Recommended high school subjects for undergraduate study

None. Business Analytics will suit anyone who has an interest in data and computing.

Choose a study option

Whether you're embarking on your academic journey with our comprehensive undergraduate programmes or aiming to reach new heights through our advanced postgraduate offerings, Otago is here to support your aspirations.

Undergraduate qualifications

For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.

Note: this subject can also be studied as a minor.

Bachelor of Commerce (BCom)

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A three-year degree offering flexibility to explore a major in Commerce along with other subjects

Ready to apply?

Take the first step towards your future in this subject.

Start application

A significant part of my current role involves using Power BI – a tool I was introduced to in my Business Analytics papers. Having prior experience with this software gave me a competitive edge during the hiring process and allowed me to hit the ground running.

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Brooke Callon

Bachelor of Commerce (Major: Information Science, Minor: Business Analytics)
Business Intelligence Analyst, Pareto Toolbox

Related subject areas

Explore all subject areas

Business, accounting and finance

Study business and prepare yourself for a career in the fast-paced corporate world – or even launch your own start-up

Technology, maths and computing

Study technology, mathematics, or computing to solve real-life problems – harnessing the power of information and data

Gain hands-on experience and set yourself up for success

Our Business Analytics programme is closely aligned with industry needs, ensuring graduates are well prepared for the workplace and highly competitive in the job market.

You’ll have the opportunity to develop key professional skills throughout your degree. Your studies could include work experience placements, learning through case studies and working on projects with industry partners. You’ll also get the chance to network with business professionals, take part in guest speaker events, and participate in the business case competition series.

Programme details

Compare programmes for this subject.

Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) majoring in Business Analytics

Year	Papers	Points
100-level	BSNS 112 Interpreting Business Data	18
	BSNS 115 Financial Decision Making	18
	COMP 121 Computer Programming	18
	DATA 101 Computing and Society	18
200-level	ACCT 260 Introduction to Accounting Analytics	18
	COMP 220 Advanced Programming Techniques	18
	DATA 202 Database Systems	18
	one of ECON 210 , FINC 203 or STAT 210	18
300-level	ACCT 360 Advanced Accounting Analytics	18
	DATA 303  Data Management	18
	MANT 331 Business Ethics	18
	one of COMP 322, DATA 301, DATA 302, ECON 375, MANT 337, MANT 340, MART 308	18
Total		198

Business Analytics as a minor

A minor subject can be included in many of our undergraduate degrees. To earn a minor, you typically must complete a minimum of 90 points in that subject, with at least 18 points at the 300-level.

Your minor can be a subject more commonly taken for a different degree. For example, a BCom majoring in Marketing can include Japanese as a minor subject. To include this subject as a minor in your application, first find a major subject through our Subject Search or Study Match.

You can check what’s required to receive the minor accreditation in the programme details below.

Available as a minor subject for a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Music (MusB), Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA), Bachelor of Theology (BTheol), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (BEntr), Bachelor of Health Science (BHealSc), Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom), Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) or Bachelor of Commerce and Science (BComSc) degree

2025

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	INFO 130 Fundamentals and practice of spreadsheets COMP 120 Practical Data Science	18 18
200-level	INFO 204 Introduction to Data Science One of ACCT 260, ECON 210, FINC 203 or MART 212	18 18
300-level	One of INFO 304, ACCT 306, ACCT 310, ACCT 360, FINC 302 or ECON 375	18
	Note: Students should check the prerequisites for 200- and 300-level papers when selecting papers.
Total		90

2026 onwards

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	COMP 121 Computer Programming DATA 101 Computing and Society	18 18
200-level	DATA 202 Database Systems One of ACCT 260, COMP 220, ECON 210, FINC 203 or STAT 210	18 18
300-level	ACCT 360 or DATA 303 Data Management	18
	Note: Students should check the prerequisites for 200- and 300-level papers when selecting papers.
Total		90

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More information

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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.

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