Data Analyst - ANU - Do you recommend Flexible Double degree?

• 

  Xetrok on 06/01/2021 - 02:54

  +6

  For a fresh student outside of year 12? Probably stick with the DA single.

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  thatonethere on 06/01/2021 - 07:13

  +7

  My opinion is MBA is useless these days (especially as above for someone so young).

  If they want to do some in addition tack on cyber security somehow

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  Headless on 06/01/2021 - 08:22

  +10

  Single, ANU are just trying to make more money

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  fault on 06/01/2021 - 08:50

  +3

  Don't bother with the MBA. If he's still interested in it later, get a good job (Joe Hockey, 2005) & get his employer to pay for it.

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  iridiumstem on 06/01/2021 - 08:54

  +1

  ANU double degree isn't too bad, basically whole concept is you do the compulsory courses where you normally would have options for elective courses and do extra one year (or something like that). I think you can choose to move to a single degree if you don't find it working out, and whether you might need to do more courses or not would depend on what you've done until that point and the requirement for the graduation. The courses you've done count towards an unspecific major.

  I did find them having a fairly bad culture of "We want to be a research school, but I guess we have to bring you guys along because you guys pay money" and lecturers forced into lecturing because they wouldn't let researchers to just research.

  This is not to say anything about usefulness of MBA though :P

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  prisonmike on 06/01/2021 - 09:53

  +3

  Get a bachelors degree -> work at a good firm for a few year to get work experience -> get MBA or certs

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  jamescavs on 06/01/2021 - 12:23

  +3

  I work as a Data Analyst after completing a PhD in Applied Mathematics.

  I checked the single degree at ANU, and the subjects covers everything they need for the job, there's definitely no need to add the MBA.

  With the single degree, they could easily get a job as a Data Analyst, and along the way they could train and move into being either a Business Analyst, or a Data Scientist.

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  lMalfunctionl on 06/01/2021 - 14:06

  +1

  As someone who has a double degree in both I say do the dual. However, it really depends on your son, is he really keen on getting a job as a Data Analytics?

  Having a dual degree has provided me with the choice of different career opportunities, even though I know data analytics can be applied to any field, I still appreciate all the background business knowledge.

  Can I ask how many years is it combined?

  • 

    Kurt cobain on 06/01/2021 - 14:30

    Single degree is 3 years and dual is 4 years. He is interested in Data Analytics and its his core concentration. Would you pls suggest the course which compliments best with Data Analytics. Below are the dual which he can select:
    B Accounting
    B Applied Data Analytics
    B Art History and Curatorship
    B Archaeological Practice
    B Arts
    B Asian Studies
    B Business Administration
    B Classical Studies
    B Commerce
    B Criminology
    B Development Studies
    B Economics
    B Environment and Sustainability
    B European Studies
    B Finance
    B International Security Studies
    B International Relations
    B Information Technology
    B Languages
    B Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies
    B Pacific Studies
    B Political Science
    B Public Policy
    B Science
    B Science (Psychology)

    Since many members above have suggested single degree - keenly checking on pros and cons and explaining to him

    • 

      lMalfunctionl on 06/01/2021 - 16:43

      +1

      One of the cons to a double degree is that you wont acquire as much detail as you would of a single degree. For instance choosing B. Applied Data Analytics and B. Commerce you will be limited to selecting one major from Data Analytics and one Major from commerce as opposed to two from Commerce/Data Analytics. (In my case)

      In your case, I can see that B. Applied Data Analytics does not have any majors, only electives. So the the difference is that if you choose to do a dual you will be limited to selecting a few electives in data analytics since it is 4 years.

      During my degree I found that data analytics would be tough at times and my finance degree balanced that as a means of escape (even though finance was tough as well - but interesting). I specifically choose to do both because I did not want to be stuck doing only one incase I didn't like it (at that time I didn't really know much about DA and in high school I enjoyed Economics and Business).

      Another advantage of a double degree is that it stands out during interviews. In my experience, interviewers were intrigued with the double degree amongst other extracurricular activities.

      I am now working and although I am happy in my field, I feel as though I can dive into any industry I want with my knowledge and degree.

      For your son, I would highly recommend Commerce or Economics but I may be biased….. It all depends on what he like and enjoys.

    • 

      Icecold5000 on 08/01/2021 - 18:01

      +1

      I think your son shouldn’t be thinking about a single end point career which he appears to be doing so. Data analyst degrees seems to be part of this zeitgeist at the moment with every man and his horse jumping on it. Maybe it’s better to think about career optionality. For instance if he chose a double BCom BSc with the following majors

      BCom Accounting —> Big 4 Audit CA —> Senior manager in Big 4/equities research/commercial Banking or IB/finance controller or director in commercial role

      BSc Computer Science—> programmer/developer tech role.

      What you learn in uni is not really applicable to a job. You’re talkIng about 4 years and the platforms they’re using will be redundant but it’s teaching you a way of thinking. I wouldn’t be so focused on a degree major like data analyst but rather if I could get a job as a data analyst with a degree in computer science which would also give me other opportunities on graduation. Just my two cents

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  ChunkyToast on 06/01/2021 - 17:47

  +1

  If he is interested in Analytics then just do the single degree, save 2 years and also try to get work experience in the mean time / internships etc as employers look favourably on that than just a double degree.

  I did a single degree (not data analytics) whilst some of my uni friends were doing the same degree as mine with a double degree. I know for a fact that I am ahead of them in the same profession due to the fact that I did work experience whilst they were still studying, and because of the work experience I know that I would be a preferred candidate vs someone with less experience but a double degree - depends what your son wants to learn I guess - double degree could be great in the longer term but I struggle to see the case for it since entering the work force in 2014.