The Data Science industry is one of the most attractive domains for making career moves. It requires a good balance of technical and understanding, and th; ere are a lot of opportunities for professionals to explore in this space. While various job roles are available in the Data Science domain, such as Data Architect, ML engineer, and more, there is often a question about what educational background can pave the way for a career in this field.
While Master’s and Ph. D.s in quantitative fields such as Math, Statistics, Computer Science, or Engineering have been the most sought-after qualifications, other qualifications, such as MBA and MS in business analytics, can also lead to a career in this field.
In this article, we explore how the two degrees differ in terms of course content and technical skills and which program is best suited for offering a hands-on approach to analytical skills and methodologies.
MBA Vs MS: Understanding The Difference
An MBA degree in business analytics aims to provide an overall understanding of the workings of the analytics industry. It lowers the role you may be required to perform in the industry. While it largely attracts managerial roles, the course provides a good outline of the field’s technicalities so that you can troubleshoot problems whenever required.
Course Content: It covers understanding various analytical tools and technologies to collect and analyze data while generating business intelligence and insights. It covers computer simulation, statistics, decision analysis, optimization, data mining, AI, visualization, predictive modeling, marketing, supply chain, and more. MBA courses are at the intersection of business, information science, and technology, with topics such as data analytics & modeling, designing data products, and more. It is inclined towards learning scientific approaches to management and gives an option to choose electives such as finance, HR, marketing, management, and others. Though it provides analytical insights, the course focuses on business planning, expansion, and improving management.
On the other hand, an MS in business analytics is largely focused on data analysis and interpretation, with more emphasis on data. It is geared towards a technical-oriented role and stresses data-centric skills while providing an overview of business strategies.
Course content: The course usually emphasizes technical and core subjects such as software engineering, machine learning, analytical modeling, and hands-on experience in R, Python, and other programming languages, along with technical coursework combined with courses in management, business fundamentals, marketing, and others. It mainly focuses on technical aspects while focusing on statistical analysis, modeling, and domain knowledge of Python, SAS, SQL, Hadoop, R, etc. Business analytics is equipped with data review, financial planning, gap analysis, qualitative and quantitative research, problem-solving skills, and more.
Opportunities In Store For The Two Roles
When it comes to career opportunities and placement in companies, there is often a debate on which role gets the most traction and a higher-paying job. An MBA usually provides a broader horizon for job opportunities, whereas MS graduates lean towards Data Science roles, limiting the opportunities to the data science field.
Many studies also reveal that MBA graduates usually experience extraordinary salary growth, while this is not the case for MS Analytics graduates. Thus, MBA graduates’ earning potential is relatively higher than MS Analytics graduates.
What Should You Choose?
Having discussed the different kinds of opportunities that both roles bring, the course may be selected based on the core capabilities and interests of the candidate and future career prospects. An MS in business analytics will be the right choice for a career in the data science industry. An MBA is the best option to broaden one’s horizon. The decision can also depend on the expenses one is ready to bear, as an MBA might cost more than an MS in business analytics, and the time one is prepared to spend as both courses have different durations.
What Do Companies Prefer?
While both MBA and MS, when done from good colleges and training institutes, can get recruited in industries, they both need the candidates to have analytics skills to make decisions and run processes in the industry. For the analytics industry, both MBA and MS can be quite competitive. While it is often debated as to which is a better degree, many companies might not even stress the degree but only the skills one brings to the table.
