The demand for data science and analytics-related skills is no longer a nice to have, but a must to stand out across industries. In a Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) report, roughly 70% of business leaders in the U.S. stated that they prefer job applicants with data skills. 

Whether you’re looking to secure a data science role, strengthen your data literacy, or learn more about the advancement of tiny machine learning, here are 11 edX data science and analytics programs that can power up your career in 2021. 

Master Core Data Science Concepts

Data science professionals use statistical frameworks and tools to tackle complex, ambiguous business problems that companies are keen to solve. From familiarizing yourself with core concepts to earning a master’s degree, explore programs to help you pursue one of the most sought after positions in the job market today.

Program Highlights: 

• Gain foundational knowledge in data science, statistics, and machine learning to help prepare you for a career as a data science or business analyst professional in MITx’s MicroMasters® Program in Statistics and Data Science.
• Cover core data science concepts such as probability and machine learning to solve real-world data analysis problems in HarvardX’s Professional Certificate in Data Science program. 
• Visualizing data is a critical part of any data science or data analyst role. DavidsonX’s Professional Certificate in Fundamentals of Data Visualization with Power BI aims to prepare students with the skills necessary to find the data they need and use it in ways that add value to their work. 
• Fully pursue a data scientist career at a fraction of the cost of a traditional graduate program with the University of Texas at Austin’s Data Science Master’s Degree. 

Expand Career Opportunities With Analytics

Familiarizing yourself with the foundations of business analytics and analytic tools such as R and Python are critical as more companies start investing more resources into big data and analytics, according to International Data Group. Analytical skill sets can also open career flexibility across industries and fields. 

“Business analytics and data analytics live in every kind of enterprise you can possibly imagine,” said Gwen Britton, Associate Vice President, SNHU Global Campus STEM & Business Programs at Southern New Hampshire University and instructor for SNHU’s business analytics program on edX. “If you have a passion for healthcare, you could go into the healthcare industry and be a business analyst. If you have a passion for merchandising, same thing, or the hospitality industry or the government.”

Program Highlights: 

• Dive into core data analysis concepts and tools to better understand business challenges and make data-informed decisions in RITx’s Data Analysis for Decision-Making Professional Certificate program.
• Start solving real-world problems with data analysis by developing a strong business analytics foundation with SNHUx’s MicroBachelors® program in Business Analytics Foundations. 
• Drive your career as a data analyst through IBM’s Data Analyst Professional Certificate program. 
• GTx’s MicroMasters® program in Analytics: Essential Tools and Methods focuses on helping students master the analytical tools and methodologies needed to discover business insights. 
• Data scientists and data analysts looking to bolster their predictive modelling and analytics abilities can advance their knowledge in EdinburghX’s MicroMasters^® Program in Predictive Analytics using Python.

Plan For the Future With Data Management

Today’s businesses generate vast amounts of data—but most of it is unstructured, poorly managed, and unfortunately, unused. With data management skills, you can help your organization assess and manage their existing data to make improved business decisions. 

Program Highlights: 

• Create structured database environments during hands-on labs and learn the basics needed to succeed in data management in SNHUx’s MicroBachelors^® program in Data Management with Python and SQL. 

Build Your Own TinyML Application

Machine learning is one of today’s hottest fields. Tiny machine learning (tinyML), one of the latest technologies within machine learning, is a rapidly growing area of deep learning that has major opportunities for innovation. 

“What I think is very exciting about tinyML is the fact that it empowers individuals with the right building blocks to be able to uncover a new industry that's actually getting formed,” said Vijay Janapa Reddi, Associate Professor at Harvard University, Inference Co-chair for MLPerf, and a founding member of MLCommons, a nonprofit ML organization. 

Program Highlights: 

• Learn the basics of TinyML and start deploying your own basic TinyML models in HarvardX’s TinyML Professional Certificate program, which is designed to be accessible for all levels.