Graduate Studies Blog
MSc BUSINESS ANALYTICS
Pivoting From Arts To Analytics With NTU’s MSc Business Analytics Programme
As a research analyst at S&P Global, Jing Wen has her finger on the pulse of global energy markets. Within her specialisation of energy and natural resources, she analyses market developments, performs data visualisation, and delivers insight reports to clients. “There’s never a dull day in this vital industry that drives economies,” she says. “It keeps you on your toes!”
Jing Wen had an unconventional start to her career – as an undergraduate, she majored in history, a field unrelated to her current role. To accomplish her career shift from arts to analytics, she decided to hone her technical skills with a Master’s in Business Analytics at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
Pivoting from arts to analytics
As the bridge between data technologies and business outcomes, business analysts need both quantitative and qualitative skills for success. On the one hand, they must wield advanced data management and mining tools to solve business problems. On the other, they must tell engaging stories with data to help business leaders understand their findings.
For Jing Wen, her humanities background had already laid a strong foundation of qualitative skills. “As a history major, I developed critical reasoning and creative problem-solving skills as I delved into sources and narratives to craft compelling arguments,” she explains. “These skillsets have proven highly transferable to my research analyst work.”
In fact, her passion for the vibrant commodities market began in her undergraduate days. Intrigued by the “ever-changing dynamics” of the energy and natural resources industry, Jing Wen sought several internships at commodity-related firms.
“These stints confirmed that my history background was relevant – rather than a barrier to pursuing an unconventional path,” she recalls. Post-graduation, these experiences helped her land her current role at the leading market intelligence firm S&P Global.
Strengthening her technical skills
After a year on the job, however, Jing Wen was eager to advance her quantitative and statistical skills. “I found myself questioning the best methods to organise and present data,” she shares. “I read up on analytics and realised the value of utilising modern tools as an analyst, as well as how efficient data management can propel business intelligence.”
With her manager’s support, she took the plunge to pursue a part-time Master’s in Business Analytics. The MSc Business Analytics (MSBA) programme offered by NTU’s Nanyang Business School (NBS) caught her eye, thanks to its strong industry relevance.
Crafted in collaboration with industry partners, the MSBA programme offers students hands-on experience with actual business data and emerging technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI).
“I like that classes are designed to include real-world datasets for data exploration, linking to and reinforcing business decisions,” explains Jing Wen. “I can continually apply what I’ve learnt to real-world projects, which helps to entrench my knowledge.
Propelling success as a research analyst
Given her humanities background, diving head-first into a highly technical programme was no mean feat for Jing Wen. To make up for her lack of IT know-how, she took basic programming courses before joining the MSBA programme.
Around 60% of MSBA applicants come from a non-technical background, which meant that Jing Wen was in good company. While she found it challenging to pick up technical skills quickly, the support of her course mates kept her going. “What helped me tide through classes was learning together with a close group of friends – other part-time students with a day job!”
One year on, Jing Wen believes the MSBA programme has propelled her to the next level as a research analyst, by honing her ability to manage data throughout its lifecycle. For instance, learning database management with SQL and noSQL has given her a valuable grasp of the data pipeline.
Her classroom experience with business intelligence reporting tools like Power BI – not to mention a solid introduction to statistical and programming essentials – has also prepared her to run machine learning models and perform econometric analyses in the workplace.
Juggling work and studies
To support students seeking flexible learning, NBS’ MSBA programme offers both one-year full-time and two-year part-time options.
Jing Wen took the part-time route, juggling her day job at S&P Global with evening classes at NBS. Often, her day begins at 4 am – she gets up early to do coding practices before setting out for a 5 km run thrice a week. “This sets a productive tone for the rest of my day and fuels my drive to excel,” she reveals.
It’s a tough balancing act that this go-getter has grown to relish. Some of her favourite moments in the programme, she shares, have come from a semester-long “TGIF” with her fellow coursemates. “Despite the association of Fridays with winding down after a long week at work, I still looked forward to travelling to NBS for class with my friends!”
With grit and determination in spades, it’s no wonder that she clinched the SG Digital Scholarship (Postgraduate). Offered by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), this industry scholarship supports those pursuing studies in tech or media-related fields.
When asked for her top tips for aspiring scholarship applicants, Jing Wen shares three pieces of advice: be genuine, be optimistic, and develop self-mastery. “I recommend reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey to shape one’s character ethics,” she says. “The ability to understand yourself and your goals will help you communicate why you deserve a scholarship.”
Future-proofing one’s career in a data-driven world
As big data continues to disrupt industries, those adept at translating data to insights will be more in demand than ever. With her newfound technical and analytical skills, there’s no doubt that Jing Wen is well-placed to guide decision-makers in a data-driven future.
“Through the MSBA programme, I’ve developed highly desirable, future-proof quantitative expertise to complement my qualitative skills,” she says. “Understanding modern data tools enables me to position myself as a multi-disciplinary employee within the organisation, augmenting my career progression.”
