Christian Brothers University

Programme overview

CBU’s Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics and Finance pairs data analysis and visualization with financial management principles so students can make data-informed budgeting, pricing, capital allocation and forecasting decisions. The program is delivered by the School of Business in Memphis, emphasizes hands-on application, and is structured to fit working schedules. Courses are graduate-level, total 9 credit hours, and can be completed in two to three 8-week terms. Instruction combines weekly two-hour sessions (on campus or virtual) with asynchronous online content and small class sizes averaging 10–15 students.

What you'll study

The certificate includes three required graduate courses that develop both analytical and financial competencies:

• CMBA 603 Accounting Principles for Financial Statement Analysis — foundation in reading and interpreting income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements; no prior accounting background required.
• CMBA 604 Financial Management — capital budgeting, cost of capital, risk assessment and valuation with emphasis on applying financial theory to real business decisions.
• CMBA 655 Data Analytics and Visualization — hands-on work with industry-standard data tools, dashboard building, predictive analytics and communicating findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Across these courses students learn data analysis techniques, data visualization and dashboard design, predictive modeling, financial statement analysis, budgeting and forecasting, pricing strategy and data-driven financial decision-making. The curriculum aims to enable fluent movement between financial language and analytical tools.

Entry requirements

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. A complete application includes the graduate program application (selecting Graduate Special/Non-Degree and indicating pursuit of the Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics and Finance), an official college/university transcript showing the bachelor’s degree (and master’s if applicable), and a current resume/CV. Admission is based on an overall evaluation of educational needs and career objectives.

Career prospects

The program targets professionals who want to add analytics to finance roles or financial fluency to analytics roles. Typical fits named by CBU include financial analysts, accounting professionals seeking analytics skills, data analysts aiming for finance-facing roles, managers who need to interpret data for leadership, entrepreneurs building data-driven decision systems, and those exploring an MBA pathway. Skills developed are applicable to budgeting and forecasting roles, financial planning & analysis, analytics-backed pricing and ROI-focused strategy positions across corporate, nonprofit and entrepreneurial settings—particularly within Memphis’s data-driven industries.

Scholarships & funding angle

The program page does not list specific scholarships. Prospective students should consult CBU’s School of Business and university financial aid offices about graduate certificate funding options, employer tuition assistance, and whether credits can be applied toward the MBA to inform broader funding decisions.