Business Analyst Program

Put yourself ahead of the competition and propel your career with Moraine Park’s Business Analyst degree. Moraine Park Technical College is an Academic Member of the International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®), the leading association for business analysis around the globe. IIBA supports recognition of the profession, networking and community engagement, standards and resource development, comprehensive certification programs, and support for education providers.

Through the Academic Program, IIBA has endorsed the following eight core courses from Moraine Park’s Business Analyst program:

• Business Analyst Software Applications
• Business Analyst Essentials
• Business Analyst Planning and Monitoring
• Elicitation Techniques
• Requirements Life Cycle Management
• Requirements Analysis and Design
• Business Analyst Solution Evaluation
• Business Analyst Strategy Analysis

Moraine Park is the first two-year college in Wisconsin to be endorsed by IIBA and is featured on their website.

An IIBA endorsed course offers the following benefits to students:

1. Adheres to the globally acknowledged standards for business analysis outlined in the BABOK® Guide.

2. Learners develop skills that meet industry and international standards, ensuring they are prepared for future business needs.

3. Students may use the approved class hours for the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™) – specially created for those with no work history – to meet their professional development needs.

According to the IIBA, the Business Analysts career path can broadly be distinguished between several role categories:

• Business-focused roles
• IT Analyst roles
• Leadership roles
• Enterprise-level roles

Source: IIBA

Graduates can support a variety of businesses, including health care, manufacturing, insurance and finance. Potential careers and jobs include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Business Analyst
• Operations Research Analyst
• IT Project Manager
• Financial Analyst
• Business Intelligence Analyst

Alternative titles for Business Analysts include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Business Consultant
• Business Intelligence Specialist
• Business Intelligence Analyst
• Business Process Analyst
• Functional Analyst
• IT Business Analyst
• IT Project Coordinator
• Management Consultant
• Management Analysts
• Process Analyst
• Process Coordinator
• Systems Analyst
• Usability Analyst

Statewide Median Salary for Recent Graduates: $48,880

What does a Business Analyst do?

It is often misunderstood as to what a Business Analyst does as it can vary from organization to organization and industry. For instance, many people confuse Business Analysts with Data Analysts who share some responsibilities but are different jobs. Business Analysts generally work in either technology-focused or business-focused capacities.

Moraine Park’s program is based on the IIBA definition and the knowledge areas of the IIBA Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK®).

What are the common skills of a Business Analyst?

Based on industry sources and and students researching recent job openings in the Moraine Park Essentials class, top skills for business analysis professionals include:

• Communication (written and verbal) skills
• Problem solving skills
• Data analytics
• Business analytics
• Active listening skills
• Facilitation skills
• Team work and interaction skills (collaborating)
• Multi-tasking skills
• Technology skills (Microsoft Office)

What is the career path of a Business Analyst?

Business Analysts often come from a background as a Subject Matter Expert and then switch to a Business Analyst role. Many get into the role based on their soft and hard skills. They might have a degree in IT or business. Many go back to school to get a business analyst degree or take training in business analysis to enhance their knowledge and skills.

Findings from IIBA 2019 Corporate Study indicated:

• Business analysis is essential for successful project management, leading to a greater need for these skills in organizations.
• The practice of business analysis is expanding beyond the traditional business analyst role.
• Role delineations of many professions are less clear and there are overlaps of capability.
• The techniques and tools of business analysis will be applied more, but there will be fewer with the job title of business analyst.

What are the benefits of a Business Analyst degree?

The benefits of a Business Analysis degree include, but aren’t limited, to:

• Moraine Park keeps up with current job trends by forming Program Advisory Committees to discuss trends and curriculum modifications.
• Moraine Park’s curriculum aligns with the BABOK® Guide which teaches standards and fundamental industry knowledge.
• The program helps you prepare for the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™ (ECBA™).
• We have students from high school and experienced professionals, to help each other network and share ideas and professional experiences.
• Allows you to enter safe jobs that cannot be automated or replaced by artificial intelligence.

We asked Moraine Park students: “Why did you choose the Business Analyst program?”

• I’m naturally analytical so it makes sense.
• Want to learn how to analyze things to own a business someday.
• Business Analysis jobs have a high growth rate.
• Want to get into data and/or financial analysis.
• Want to learn how to gather project requirements.
• I have family in Business Analyst roles and MPTC close to home.
• The program offers a lot of flexibility.

The cost of your degree depends on a number of factors such as total credits required, textbooks and the financial aid you receive. Some programs have additional costs such as uniforms, technology and equipment.

• $143.45 per credit (resident)
• $215.18 per credit (out-of-state resident)
• Online students are not charged out-of-state fees.
• Please refer to the Tuition & Fee Information for additional enrollment fee information.

Moraine Park’s admissions starts with the online application. The admissions steps and financial aid process can take 6-8 weeks for some programs, so plan ahead.

View and begin standard admissions steps.

If you have any questions or need help with the process, please contact us at  admissions@morainepark.edu OR 920-924-3200, TTY/VP:Use Relay VRS.