Bachelor's Business Analytics - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Make companies smarter with maths, AI, and data.

Do you want to use data to improve how organisations work? Business Analytics turns advanced mathematics, statistics and programming into practical insight for companies, government, non-profit organisations and public services.

The study programme

Data Analysis / Mathematics (50%): statistics and optimisation
Computer Science (35%): programming, algorithms and artificial intelligence
Business (15%): organisation, finance and logistics

Theory and projects

Every semester you work in a small project group on a real case for an organisation, applying theory directly to a working solution and final product. You develop your communication and consulting skills, present your work regularly, and visit companies such as IBM and Deloitte. The programme is taught in English and starts in September.

Curious how Business Analytics compares with Econometrics and Operations Research or Econometrics and Data Science? View the comparison chart

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1st year
2nd year
3rd year

First year

You are introduced to computer science, business economics and, above all, mathematics. You learn the basics of calculus, probability and decision-making through mathematical modelling, and how to code in R and Python. Each semester you join a small project team and use simplified datasets to solve real-world problems.

Subjects

Calculus 1
English Language Test
Introduction to Business Analytics
Introduction to Programming (Python)
Calculus 2
Project Business Analytics 1
Sets and Combinatorics
Operations Research
Linear Algebra
Probability Theory
Accounting
Project Business Analytics 2

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide

Second year

You go deeper into the core subjects from mathematics, computer science and business economics. In the first semester you work with statistics and models that involve uncertainty; in the second you focus on data and data analysis and strengthen your programming in the Advanced Programming course.

Subjects

Advanced Programming
Statistics
Stochastic Modelling
Finance
Business Simulation
Business Intelligence and Analytics
Dynamics and Computation
Statistical Data Analysis
Databases
Project Big Data

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide

Third year

In the first semester you choose a minor to specialise. You finish the programme with a final project: a practical case, tackled with four fellow students, in which you use data and algorithms to design innovative solutions.

You can find the complete course overview in the study guide, and you can also check out the year schedule for a high-level overview.

Subjects

History of Science
Machine Learning
Combinatorial Optimization
Bachelor Project: Business Case
Philosophy and Ethics

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide

1st year
First year

You are introduced to computer science, business economics and, above all, mathematics. You learn the basics of calculus, probability and decision-making through mathematical modelling, and how to code in R and Python. Each semester you join a small project team and use simplified datasets to solve real-world problems.

Subjects
Calculus 1

English Language Test

Introduction to Business Analytics

Introduction to Programming (Python)

Calculus 2

Project Business Analytics 1

Sets and Combinatorics

Operations Research

Linear Algebra

Probability Theory

Accounting

Project Business Analytics 2

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide
2nd year
Second year

You go deeper into the core subjects from mathematics, computer science and business economics. In the first semester you work with statistics and models that involve uncertainty; in the second you focus on data and data analysis and strengthen your programming in the Advanced Programming course.

Subjects
Advanced Programming

Statistics

Stochastic Modelling

Finance

Business Simulation

Business Intelligence and Analytics

Dynamics and Computation

Statistical Data Analysis

Databases

Project Big Data

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide
3rd year
Third year

In the first semester you choose a minor to specialise. You finish the programme with a final project: a practical case, tackled with four fellow students, in which you use data and algorithms to design innovative solutions.
You can find the complete course overview in the study guide, and you can also check out the year schedule for a high-level overview.

Subjects
History of Science

Machine Learning

Combinatorial Optimization

Bachelor Project: Business Case

Philosophy and Ethics

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the Study guide

"Maths was always one of my favourite subjects in high school, but studying maths alone was a bit too dry for me. I also found computer science and business studies interesting, but both not interesting enough to do just that. That's how I ended up with Business Analytics which combines all these studies nicely."

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