Graduate Certificate in Business Intelligence

Transform complex data into actionable insights

Organizations are now able to gather large amounts of data and information, but what they do with that data is crucial. Professionals with business intelligence (BI) skillsets are in high demand to make sense of the numbers and harness data collections to create meaningful opportunities. 

With the Graduate Certificate in Business Intelligence, students will learn how to enable, support, and create a data-driven culture in any organization. The courses take you on a deep dive into the world of business intelligence and analytics, the art of data transformation, statistical analysis and predictive modeling.

With hands-on experience designing with popular BI tools and techniques, the curriculum blends theory and practical application, including implementing, manipulating, and managing databases.

Every credit earned in this certificate can later be applied toward the CSU College of Business’s online or on-campus Master of Computer Information Systems after formal admission per the University transfer policies. Successful completion of the certificate does not guarantee degree program admission.

The graduate certificate in business intelligence is offered by the College of Business Department of Computer Information Systems. The certificate can be completed in two semesters if courses are taken concurrently, or three semesters if taken sequentially.

Certificate at a Glance
Delivery:	Online
Length:	Can be completed in 2-3 semesters
Tuition:	$893 per credit for 2026-2027
Credits:	9^‡
Certificate awarded:	Graduate Certificate in Business Intelligence

‡Additional prerequisite coursework may be required.

What You'll Learn:

Foundational knowledge of the field of Business Intelligence, including its impacts, capabilities and role in decision-making.
Hands-on experience with relevant and popular BI technologies and vendors shaping the industry.
Standard functions, processes and BI methods such as reporting, data and text mining processes and related methodologies, complex event processing, performance management, and predictive and prescriptive analytics
Importance and methods of data mining and its applications in business, including methods/techniques for prediction, classification, segmentation, association and textual analysis.
How to build, run and validate data mining models and interpret results
Basic theories and principles behind effective data visualization.
Relational database management systems and their value to business enterprises with hands-on experience with data analysis, database design, database administration and more. 
Analyze, design, administer and model in database systems.

Explore Courses — Choose 9 Credits

CIS 570 Business Intelligence

Business intelligence refers to the harnessing of vast data stores to solve problems, enhance decision-making and discover new opportunities. This course will focus on the concepts, techniques and technologies that managers can use to transform, analyze, mine, and view data for the purpose of deriving business value from it.

CIS 575 Applied Data Mining and Analytics in Business

Data mining refers to the methodical preparation and analysis of data using statistical, mathematical and artificial intelligence techniques and algorithms. This course will focus on data mining concepts, methodologies, models, and tools, and its applications to business for prediction, classification, and forecasting.

CIS 576 Business Data Visualization

Visualization techniques are intended to aid in dealing with data, serving as external cognition “amplifiers” that expand memory, ease comprehension, and support decision-making. Students will develop the skills necessary to solve visualization problems and critique and evaluate current visualizations and systems. The course will require some programming/scripting work as analytics are often necessary prior to visualization.

CIS655 Business Database Systems

Prerequisite: Completion of CIS 605 or CIS 611, or programming knowledge

This course provides a rigorous foundation in relational database management systems and their value to business enterprises. Students receive hands-on experience with: Data analysis, database design, database administration; data modeling and querying; data sublanguages (stored procedures) and encryption; distributed database systems.

Admissions, Deadlines and Financial Aid

Learn more about admissions requirements to enroll in our spring or fall sessions. Visit tuition and aid for information on the latest tuition benefits available to you.

Fall
Admission Apply by July 31
Spring
Admission Apply by Jan 1