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Analytics: The Power of Data for Businesses
Learn on your own time and earn a Certificate of Completion.
Program Overview
In this course, students will learn what data is and how to organize it in a way that’s easy to access and analyze. You will also explore how to draw insights from data by finding value in things that no one else can see.
Plus, get a preview of where the future of data is headed, including some of the most exciting advances with neural nets and AI. Through hearing from industry experts and examining real data sets and case studies, students will be inspired by the exciting possibilities to use data to change the world for good.
Key Information
Featured Topics
- The power of data
- Tools for finding insights in data
- How businesses learn from data
- Data classification
- Analyzing challenging data
Learning Outcomes
- What is data?
- Why we analyze data
- Tools for visualizing data to see trends
- Best practices for cleaning data
- Approaches to classifying data
- How businesses learn from data
Course Format
- The course consists of recorded lectures, demonstrations of data analysis, industry connections and exercises. Each topic focuses on specific approaches and the latest trends in gaining insights from data. Students will apply their knowledge from each of these topics to the world of business through related activities.
- Combined coursework is approximately 20–25 hours, to be completed at the student’s own pace over the course of the program dates.
- Students are expected to complete the course in four weeks but have 90 days of access if more time is needed.
Featured Faculty
In this course, you’ll be taking classes from Charlie Hannigan, an assistant professor of clinical data sciences and operations at USC Marshall School of Business.
Charlie’s research primarily focuses on the jail and judiciary systems, with the goal of increasing efficiency and reducing injustice. He is also concerned with people’s utility over time, and how that utility influences their choices and system dynamics. Charlie earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Dallas and an MBA and PhD from the University of Chicago.
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Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants who submit a completed application can expect an admission decision within three to five business days.
- Include basic contact information from you and your parent(s) or guardian.
- Tell us why you want to take the course and a little about yourself through a short-answer essay.
- Share a piece of writing, video or social media content that reveals something about yourself (optional).
- Submit the $35 application fee.
- Students must be at least 14 years old or older and enrolled in a high school or secondary program.
Recent high school graduates, students taking a gap year or time off from college, and students who are older than 18 can request an exemption to apply by emailing precollegeonline@usc.edu. Please include a short paragraph (no more than 200 words) stating your interest and how this program will add value to your academic or career plans.
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In addition to the requirements listed above, international applicants are expected to be proficient in English. International students who successfully complete an online course will receive a digital Certificate of Completion and by request a USC Pre-College Program transcript at no additional cost.
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Program Start Date Application and Tuition Deadline Monday, November 10, 2025 Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Monday, November 24, 2025 Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Monday, December 8, 2025 Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Monday, December 22, 2025 Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Monday, January 5, 2026 Wednesday, December 31, 2025 Monday, January 19, 2026 Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Monday, February 2, 2026 Wednesday, January 28, 2026 Monday, February 16, 2026 Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Monday, March 16, 2026 Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Monday, March 30, 2026 Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Monday, April 13, 2026 Wednesday, April 8, 2026 Monday, April 27, 2026 Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Monday, May 11, 2026 Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Monday, May 25, 2026 Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Monday, June 8, 2026 Wednesday, June 3, 2026 Monday, June 22, 2026 Wednesday, June 17, 2026 Monday, July 6, 2026 Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Monday, July 20, 2026 Wednesday, July 15, 2026 APPLICATION FEE: $35
AUDITIONING TUITION: $1990
Access to online course and materials for (3) months. -
Application fee: $35
Tuition: $1,990
Tuition and fees cover access to the chosen online course and materials for up to three months after your chosen start date.
Please note that application fees are nonrefundable. All course cancellations requests must be made in writing to precollegeonline@usc.edu. Any tuition paid to the university will be refunded, not including fees, if requested no more than three days past the course start date. Requests to drop the course more than three days after the start date will not be eligible for a refund.
The university will not refund tuition for USC Pre-College online exploration courses for students who are removed from the program due to a violation of our Letter of Understanding for Online Participation and our Student Code of Conduct.
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