Business Analytics BSc

Understand one of the fastest-growing areas in modern business and society today and study data science and analysis on our BSc Business Analytics degree at Aston University. 

Our data-rich society demands effective solutions, from strategic business decisions to ensure a company’s survival, through to approaches to government policy using data sets on public health.

Business Analytics at Aston offers a unique mix of general business studies in the first year, followed by more specialised business analytics tools and techniques as you progress your degree, and real-world examples of how these apply to a breadth of settings.

What you’ll learn

You’ll study how analytical and computing tools can be applied in a business setting to provide fresh insight and tackle complex problems.

You will experience a balanced approach of teaching, hands-on practice and training in the relevant tools as you develop the skills to inform and influence decision-making when it matters most. All of this will help you prepare for your professional career as well as identify particular areas of interest.

Real-world experience

Our teaching staff are active researchers with strong consultancy backgrounds and experience with business outreach activities, ensuring that the taught material is relevant, current and in demand.

Two undergraduate degrees

This course offers an Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway, meaning you could study overseas at one of our partner institutions during your placement year and graduate with two undergraduate degrees for the price of one. Find out more about the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway here.

International students

Information for international applicants

International students

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year. Based in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study, it’s also a great place to live.

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and, as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability. Our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

For more information on applying as an international student, visit our webpage: www.aston.ac.uk/international/students-applying

 

Post-study work visa

Graduate Immigration Route

Aston University welcomed the creation of a new Graduate Immigration Route which enables international students to remain in the UK for two years after you complete your studies to find work. This new post-study work visa applies to international students completing full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Find out more information about the Graduate Immigration Route.

Foundation programme

Choosing to start your Aston journey with our foundation programme in business will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course. During your foundation year, you’ll have excellent support from academics while group projects will give you the chance to meet new people, make new friends and build a network of peers who will share your university journey. We also have a Learning Development Centre that can provide additional support and offer pre-sessional English language programmes.

For International Students intending to do a foundation year, visit ONCAMPUS

Modules

Year 1

In the first year you will study a mix of general Business Studies topics that will provide a foundation for the rest of your degree. Subject areas include Mathematics and Statistics for Business, Operations Management, Accounting for Business and Informational Technology in Business.

The core modules are:

• Introductory Accounting for Business
• Mathematics for economics
• Information Technology in Business
• Introduction to Marketing Management
• Principles of Operations Management
• Statistics for economics
• Principle of Macroeconomics
• Principles of Microeconomics

Year 2

You will begin to specialise in business analytics subjects, tools and techniques that can be applied in practice. Subject areas include Optimisation and Decision Analytics, Data Visualisation, and Software for Analytics.

The core modules are as follows:

• Optimisation and Decision Analytics
• Business Analytics in Practice
• Data visualization
• Database applications 
• Software for analytics (R and SAS)
• Econometrics 1
• Econometrics 2

Students must choose one module from the following options:

• Systems Analysis
• Database applications
• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Principles of Microeconomics

*Availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

Year 3

This is when you will undertake a professional placement or choose an international study opportunity at one of our partner institutions. This year is compulsory for all UK students. 

See placement year section or find out more about the Aston placement year.

Year 4

The final year continues with further specialisation in business analytics, with subject areas including Data Mining and Big Data, Simulation, Effective Management Consultancy and Performance and Efficiency Analytics.

The core modules are as follows:

• Simulation
• Effective Management Consultancy 1
• Performance and Efficiency Analytics (DEA)
• Business analytics Project
• Business Analytics and Data Mining

Optional modules are as follows:

• Macroeconometrics (Time Series)
• Microeconometrics
• Effective Management Consultancy (T2 only)
• Strategic Management
• Operations Strategy

*Availability of any optional modules will be subject to staff availability and a minimum number of students who express an interest in studying the optional modules.

Accreditation is a stamp of quality and prestige for a business school and its programmes. Aston is proud to be among 1 per cent of business schools worldwide with triple accreditation.

4 year with integrated placement year / 3 year course without integrated placement year option only available for non-UK/EU students

UCAS Code: NG12

Typical offers

A Levels

BBB – standard offer

BBC (with EPQ or Core maths minimum grade B)

BBC (contextual offer)*

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

IB

31 points overall in the IB diploma with 5,5,5 at HL. Minimum score of 5 in Maths at Standard level.

BTEC, Access & other

BTEC Extended Diploma DDD – standard offer

BTEC Extended Diploma DDM – (contextual offer)*

We accept the QAA-recognised Access Diploma which must consist of 45 credits at Level 3. You must obtain a minimum of 30 distinction and the rest must be at merit or distinction. Please note that we do not accept the English and Maths components within the Access qualification and you must meet the GCSE entry requirement.

The University also accepts the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate/BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma and BTEC Level 3 National Diploma/BTEC Level 3 Diploma for entry onto degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that are equivalent to three full A2 Levels.

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

T Levels

The following T levels are accepted qualifications for this course:

• T-Level - Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction Grade D
• T-Level - Digital Production, Design and Production Grade D
• T-Level – Education and Childcare Grade D
• T-Level – Onsite Construction Grade D
• T-Level – Building Services Engineering for Construction Grade D
• T-Level – Digital Business Services Grade D
• T-Level – Digital Support Services Grade D
• T-Level – Health Grade D
• T-Level – Healthcare Science Grade D
• T-Level – Science Grade D

GCSEs

5 GCSE grades A*/9 – C/4 to include:

GCSE Maths – grade B/5

GCSE English Language OR English Literature – grade C/4

Please note that General Studies does not contribute towards the UCAS points requirement but is welcomed as an additional qualification.

Our Admissions Policy

View our Admissions Policy.

Whilst the grades listed here are our entry requirements, we understand that predicted grades are only an estimate. We will therefore consider applicants with predicted grades that fall below these entry requirements if the application is of a high standard (however, initial offers will not be lower than stated above).

Entry onto our Foundation Year maybe offered as an alternative to the degree course if lower entry grades are achieved.

*For details on our Aston Ready contextual offer scheme, please see here.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

International students

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification. Find out more about our English language requirements.

For more information about qualifications view our Aston in your country webpage.

Aston University provides a range of opportunities for international students to join our community and study on our campus. A key part of our strategy is our relationships with teaching partners, providing multiple pathways to Aston. Find out more.

Our close links to industry and our focus on delivering practical business experiences provide a blend of learning experiences to equip you for your future career.

We make extensive use of group working and presentations to develop your teamworking and negotiating skills; all of which helps prepare you for the reality of working life.

Your placement year will give you practical work experience that is invaluable in developing skills and experiences which cannot be replicated in the lecture room.

Learning and teaching

As a business analytics student at Aston, you will experience our innovative approach to teaching, which combines a range of methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials, group working, case studies and both individual and group presentations.

Traditional teaching is enhanced by our virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials.

Assessment

You will undertake a mix of coursework and examinations.

Personal development

Our business degrees are designed to give you a range of transferable and practical skills to help you succeed in your chosen career. We incorporate group working and practice presentation skills to prepare you for the reality of working life. This experience will develop your teamworking and negotiating skills.

Placement year

The Aston placement year forms an integral part of your educational journey and is compulsory for all home students. International/EU students can request permission to opt out of the placement year, but we strongly recommend that it is completed where possible. 

Find out more about the Aston placement year.

The integrated placement year gives you genuine, practical work experience that is invaluable in developing an appreciation of issues such as office politics, which cannot be replicated in the lecture room.

We have a dedicated Employer Team within our Careers and Placements department who have links with local, national and international organisations and advertise vacancies to students through an online platform exclusively for Aston students and graduates.  

Aston University was recognised as the 'Best University Placement Service'.

The Careers and Placements team at Aston University won the 'Best University Placement Service' category at the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards 2022. This was achieved by launching Virtual Employability Festivals and recognising the power of peer-to-peer communication by pairing 500 students looking for placements with 500 students who had completed placements.

The United Kingdom government has confirmed that European Union (EU), other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals commencing academic courses in England from August 2021 will no longer be charged the same tuition rates as Home students.

Further information
 

Tuition fees for students are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the Programme. Any such increase shall always be in accordance with the law. When undertaking a placement year a placement year fee applies.

More information on fees and funding

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs. Find out more about our scholarships here.

This course will provide you with theoretical knowledge and develop your skills to suit real-world situations, beneficial to a broad range of career paths. You will develop analytical, problem-solving skills enabling you to provide logical solutions to challenging business problems.

During your placement year, you will be able to develop your learning and showcase your skills, helping you to accelerate your employability through real work experience.

Recent graduates

Business analytics graduates are in high demand and are employed in a variety of settings including banks, consultancies, government departments, charitable and not-for-profit organisations. Roles our graduates have gone on to secure include:

• Management Analyst
• Consultant
• Data Analyst
• Business Intelligence Analyst
• Market Research Analyst
• Data Scientist.

Organisations our graduates have gone on to work for include the Cabinet Office, E-ON, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Ford Motor Company.

Why study business analytics at Aston?

Our business analytics course is informed by our research-active teaching staff whose strong consultancy backgrounds and employer links ensure you are taught relevant and in-demand aspects of the subject.

You’ll study a mix of general business studies with more specialised business analytics tools and techniques, as well as learning through lectures, training, and hands-on practical experience on your placement – all of which makes for a great learning experience that prepares you for your career.

Is a placement useful for business analytics?

Business analytics is one of the fastest-growing disciplines in business and our graduates are in high demand. This is not only down to the things you learn and the practical approach to learning you’ll experience, but the breadth of skills you’ll develop on your placement.

Not only do business analysts need to understand the context and application of tools and techniques, they also need to be able to inform and influence decision-making. These skills are developed through your placement year and demonstrate to employers that you can apply them in a workplace setting. A placement also helps you to understand the type of career you may want to pursue once you graduate.

What kind of jobs does a degree in Business Analytics lead to?

Business analytics can help our data-rich society make informed decisions, from strategic business challenges to public policy.

Our graduates have gone into roles such as Business Analyst, Market Research Analyst, Consultant and Data Scientist and worked for organisations like the Cabinet Office, Ford Motor Company, the Royal Bank of Scotland and E-ON.

Why Aston Business School?

Aston Business School is amongst the top 1 per cent of business schools in the world to have triple accreditation. We are first in the UK for Value Added, comparing our students’ entry grades with their final degree result, showing the quality of our teaching (Aston University, Guardian University Guide, 2020). All of this means we really value your learning experience and the skills you develop and demonstrate as part of your course.

What is the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway at Aston Business School?

You can deepen your knowledge and stand out from other graduates whilst gaining a fantastic learning experience overseas. The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is similar to an exchange programme, but during your placement year you’ll follow a particular curriculum, setting you on the track for our partner institution’s degree award. This means, if successful, you will graduate with two undergraduate degrees.

Find out more about the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway here.

Why should international students choose Aston University?

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year. Based in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study, it’s also a great place to live.