Udacity Business Analytics/Analyst Nanodegree Review, Is it Worth ?

Udacity Business Analytics/Analyst Nanodegree Review,  Is it Worth ?
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Udacity Business Analytics/Analyst Nanodegree Review

If you have a knack for spotting areas that could use improvement, a degree as a business analyst could be just the thing for you. You’ll have the chance to work side by side with companies as a direct link between their business and their online services. You’ll work directly with data using your analytical skills to pinpoint places where businesses may be falling short producing recommendations and reports to give them better insight into their future as a company.

 

This isn’t a degree that is all about data, requiring that you get creative with your approach thinking outside of the box. The skills required to land a job in the field are quite easy to attain, with some academies offering full online courses. One such academy is Udacity, a branch that came out of Stanford university. They have been recognized as on of the top academies that offers in-depth online courses for learners interested in the market of IT. If business analytics sounds like a career you’d like to get into, Udacity has a nanodegree certificate course that might be of interest to you. After our review of the course, you should be able to make a decision, deciding whether or not you should enroll today.

 

Udacity Business Analyst Nanodegree Extras:

First of all, let’s look at the extras that come with every single nanodegree from Udacity. These are put in place to sort of sweeten the deal, making it more appealing to learners. For us, this feature takes the cake and separates this academy from all the others that are out there on the world wide web. The perks that you get when you sign up for a course are:

 

  • Real Market Projects

Udacity has collaborated with some of the biggest names in tech to create many of their courses. For this reason, there are a ton of projects that attempt to mimic those that real companies are calling for today. This is a great extra to have, leaving learners confident and prepared to step out into the real world.

  • A Mentor

When working with online content there can sometimes be a bit of confusion. It can also be easier than you might think to keep on track, with time slipping away if you don’t stick to some kind of fixed schedule. This is when the mentor steps in, attempting to pump you up and answer any questions that might pop up during your course.

  • Career Services

You’ll also have a powerful team of expert agents to help you land your first job. You’ll get help with your resume, a spot in the Udacity database, and even a one-on-one mock interview with feedback to get you prepared for the big day.

  • Full Freedom

For any of the courses offered online, you can take as much time as you need. You can learn any time day or night any day of the week.

 

Meet your Instructors

Another important thing to consider when deciding which academy to choose is who will be teaching you. You don’t want just any geek off the street giving you lessons, you want instructors that have experience and knowledge that they can pass on to you. Plus, it helps to have someone who knows the field that can give you insight into why certain things hold importance and how they will work in your future projects. So, let’s meet the team.

 

Josh Bernhard

In the biz for almost 10 years, he’s worked with everything from process automation to cancer research. Not only is he your instructor but he is also a data scientist at Nerd Wallet.

 

Dana Sheahan

An electrical engineer with vast experience in the field. She’s worked with companies like Motorola, creating and embedding systems and operating systems.

 

Mat Leonard

He has a unique background making him an asset to this program. He has experience in the field plus, was a former physicist and research neuroscientist. Not your run of the mill data scientist so you’re sure to get some great pointers and insider advice.

 

Derek Steer

As CEO of Mode Analytics, he’s got not only experience in the field but the know-how on how to create your own company or software. He’s worked with giants Facebook and Yammer during his earlier years as a developer, using his expertise in his classes to give students a fresh perspective.

 

Prerequisites

So, what will you need before signing up? Well, actually, nothing! This is considered to be an introductory course, where interested learners don’t need any prior knowledge to jump on board. The only thing the academy recommends is that you have basic computer skills like surfing the web and managing files. All the rest of the knowledge needed to land a job is taught within the course. Speaking of the course, let’s get right into it, breaking down what you’ll learn.

 

Udacity Business Analyst Nanodegree Course Breakdown

Now let’s get to the good stuff. You’ll be learning from the ground up able to build on your knowledge as you make your way through the program. There are four sections total which come with learning points in each and a hands-on project at the end. They are designed to help you build up your skills as you go, each one allowing you to dive in deeper to the topic. Let’s take a deeper look into the sections.

 

Welcome

Being that it is an introductory program, you’ll have a section dedicated to welcoming you, introducing you to your instructors and holding a Q and A to answer any questions you may have before you begin. You’ll also go over how to enhance your online experience, making sure that you get the most out of your course. This section will end with a project to interpret a visual, where you will see how each piece comes together to create a model.

 

Intro to Data

Welcome back to math! Here you’ll see how stats work to create easy to understand visualizations that are more communicable than numbers. You will actually develop Excel sheets that will allow you to do a number of things with data including analyze, manipulate and create visualizations. The project attached to the end of this section will have you analyze data from NYSE.

 

SQL for Data Analysis

Structured Query Language or SQL is a popular language in the world of data analysis. You’ll learn its uses and how to use it in order to extract and analyze large data sets. Plus, see how data goes from databases to easier to understand visuals. The project toward the end of this gives you the opportunity to query a database, one that is in the form of a digital music store.

 

Data Visualization

In this section, you’ll be able to get more in-depth with the possibilities of visualization. You will begin to see the importance of visuals and how they bring data into readable form. These will power your abilities to present your thoughts to all areas including business administration and IT departments alike. This section ends with the opportunity to construct data dashboards, leaving you well-rounded and ready to go out on the job hunt.

 

How Long Will It Take?

Remember how we mentioned that perk of freedom? Here is where it applies, giving you as much time as you need to complete the course. As an estimate, the site predicts that if you dedicate 10 hours a week, you can finish the course in 3 months. While you can take as much time as you need or would like, you will want to keep on track and finish in a reasonable amount of time. Why, you many ask? It has something to do with the cost which we will point out a little further down.

 

What’s the Cost?

A very important part of deciding whether or not this course is right for you is of course the cost. Udacity has a unique way of charging, going by monthly access whether than one lump sum. While there are two options, this course is now offered at a lower price, coming with a free month no matter which one you choose. If you’d like to pat per month, your first month is free and then $359 after. If you decide to pay for the entire three months that is recommended by Udacity, you’ll pay $206 for a total of $412. Not too shabby for all that is included plus, a pretty good chance of landing a job quick.

 

What do Others Think?

We took a look around the web to try and find what others had to say. The course seems to have a slid reputation among those who have taken it, scoring an overall 4.7 out of 5 stars. Of course, not everyone can be satisfied but, it is good to know that a large majority have great things to say. Most of the positive things that were mentioned had to do with the extras, the instructors and the curriculum. A good majority felt that they were well prepared to enter the job market after completion.

 

On the other side of things, it seems that most students didn’t agree with the pricing, especially those who took a little longer to finish. There were also a few that mentioned the difficulty of the material, stating that a bit more background into the topic was needed. Judging by the overall rating however, most people were satisfied and definitely enjoyed the course and the curriculum.

 

Job Market

First of all, let’s take a look at the salary. Most of you out there are probably wondering the amount of dough you could be bringing in monthly. First of all, holding the skills need for advanced Excel and SQL come in at $85,000 to $92,000 a year. As far as the demand for business analysts, there is an expected 14.3% growth rate expected which was reported from the years 2016 to 2026. This was reported from a study by Career Explorer, where they mentioned that over this 10 year span, the market would also see a need for 120,400 business analysts.

 

This demand is true, especially for companies that are beginning to convert to digital practices. They are going to be on the lookout for an individual that can help them make the transition, making sure that their users are taken care of and satisfied. Having this said, you won’t be short of a place to work, with the market far from flooding it’s a great time to get in. Not to mention that, jumping in now, you’ll get to enjoy the coziness of holding a position which you’re constantly learning in building up your expertise to land better and higher paying jobs.

 

Final Thoughts

So, overall, how does this course score in our book? For us, we are fans of Udacity, loving all the free programs plus the extras that come with every nanodegree. Apart from that, they are known to pump out some extraordinary courses, most of which are made in collaboration with top tech companies. As far as the course goes, the curriculum includes all the most important pieces to help your build your foundation. It is organized in an easy to follow order that allows you to build from the ground up. Plus, we can’t say anything bad about the projects, they are really good and give you a chance to practice.

 

The one area that you should use caution with is the time you take. You may have already thought about the cost but, remember it depends on how much time you take. To get the most out of this course, try and stay around the recommended time as to not drive up the cost. This is the way to get all the quality for less, where you can make your way into the market in no time. If a career as a business analyst is in your future, Udacity is a good option, and one that you can start to enjoy today by signing up for the next course set to hit soon.

 

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