Data Analyst Qualifications: Courses, Qualifications, Data Analyst Skills Required

With the growth in Technology, the demand for Data Analysts has seen considerable growth in the recent past. There are multiple opportunities for Data Analysts in both the private as well as public sectors. In order to Become a Data Analyst candidates are required to pursue diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate Data Science, Mathematics, and Data Analytics courses. Discussed below are the courses one can pursue in order to become a successful data analyst and how an advanced degree can boost the career. The average salary of a Data Analyst in India is INR 3.25 LPA - 4 LPA. However factors such as experience, qualifications, and skills help candidates advance and excel themselves amongst their peers and make a lucrative package of INR 7.55 LPA - 9 LPA. Read More: Salary of a Data Analyst

Data Analyst Qualifications

Qualifications form an essential part of building a rock-solid foundation for any career. The more a candidate is qualified the more the chances of them getting hired across top companies along with a handsome pay package. In order to become a Data Analyst, candidates can choose to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate degrees across various disciplines such as Economics, Statistics, Data Science, and Computer Science. 

Discussed below are some of the major subjects that can be pursued along with other associated prerequisites for your reference.

• Data Science - Data Science deals with providing knowledge of Computer Science, Mathematics or Statistics. This course helps candidates study large volumes of data using modern tools and techniques. There are various courses like B.Sc in Data Science and Engineering, B.Tech in Data Science, PG Diploma in Data Science and many more that can be taken up in order to pursue a career as a Data Analyst. There are several courses for data science available online as well such as 
  • Data Science Specialization - JHU @ Courses
  • Introduction to Data Science- MEtis
  • Applied Data Science with Python specialization - UMich 
  • Dataquest
  • Statistics and Data Science Micromasters - MIT @ edX

• Computer Science - This subject focuses on and emphasizes the development of statistical and analytical skills. There are various programs offered by colleges and universities to pursue a program in Computer science. This program will help candidates understand the knowledge of artificial intelligence concepts, algorithm designs, programming language etc. Some of the top courses are B.Sc in Computer Science, BE in Computer Science, B.Tech in Computer science engineering, M.sc in Computer science and technology etc. 

There are various online certifications as well for computer science such as 

•  Introduction to computer science and programming
• Computer Science for Web Programming
• Artificial Intelligence
• Deep Learning Specialization by Coursera
• Understanding Computer systems by Future Learn
• Economics - A degree in Economics is very helpful for candidates who are aiming to become a Data Analyst or Business Analyst. Economists usually work with large volumes of data and analyze them for better decision-making. There are several courses available such as BA in Business Economics, B.Com in Applied Economics, B.com in Business Economics, M.Sc in Financial Economics and Administration, MA Economics, etc. 
• Management Information System (MIS) -This course will help candidates understand the work of the databases. This will be very helpful for the candidates who want to work as a Data Analyst. This course includes topics such as database design, data management, business theory etc. This program will help the candidate to specialize in data analytics, business intelligence or data management. 

Data Analytics requires special attention on topics like statistics, calculus and linear algebra along with computer science.