*Based on 2026–2027 Boston University tuition and fees.
Learn to Build, Manage, and Analyze Data Systems for Smarter Decisions
Database systems are the information heart of modern enterprises, where they are used for processing business transactions and for understanding and managing the enterprise. Business intelligence is the analysis of data to improve management of the enterprise and routine business operations such as intelligent supply chain management.
Students who complete the online Graduate Certificate in Database Management & Business Intelligence will be prepared to design and implement both transaction processing and decision support databases, and to use data mining technologies to discover the structure, trends, and relationships in the data to produce valuable business insights and effective decision support processes.
The Database Management & Business Intelligence Graduate Certificate is also available on campus in Boston. Learn more.
Curriculum
The online Graduate Certificate in Database Management & Business Intelligence consists of four required courses (16 units).
Certificate Courses
(Four courses/16 units)
Plus one course from the following pair (MET CS 579 is offered on campus only):
Learn about application requirements for BU MET graduate degree and certificate programs.
How You Benefit from a Boston University Education
A BU credential can help lay the foundation for career advancement and personal success.
Benefit from a 24:1 student-to-instructor ratio.
Work closely with highly qualified faculty and seasoned industry leaders in a wide range of technology fields who are committed to teaching the latest technologies within the framework of ideas, concepts, and methods that drive innovation.
Computer science courses ensure you get the attention you need, while introducing case studies and real-world projects that emphasize technical and theoretical knowledge—combining in-depth, practical experience with the critical skills needed to remain on the forefront of the information technology field. In addition, BU’s Center for Reliable Information Systems and Cyber Security (RISCS) offers opportunities to collaborate and participate in research on system reliability and information security.
Study alongside peers and professionals with solid IT experience, learn from faculty who have valuable contacts across several sectors, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
BU MET’s Department of Computer Science was established in 1979 and is the longest-running computer science department at BU. Over the course of its existence, the department has played an important role in the emergence of IT at the University and throughout the region.
Rankings & Accreditations
#12, Best Online Master’s in Computer Information Technology Programs
MET’s computer science & IT graduate certificates share curriculum with MET’s online master’s degrees in computer information technology, which are ranked #12 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Graduate with Database Management & Business Intelligence Expertise
Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Database Management & Business Intelligence will be able to demonstrate:
Advanced knowledge of database modeling and design, database implementation, distributed databases, object-oriented and object-relational databases, and databases for web applications, as well as typical data mining methods.
Proficiency in the design, implementation, performance tuning of different types of databases, and in performing data mining tasks on various types of data.
Competence sufficient to participate in the design and implementation of large, distributed database systems and business intelligence systems.
Proficiency in identifying and appropriately responding to professional, ethical, and legal issues in data management.
“Throughout the entire program and most classes I found that I learned skills that I could immediately apply at my job in a variety of ways.” Read more.
Dan McKinnon (MET’20) Senior Information Systems Engineer, MITRE Corporation MS, Computer Information Systems; Concentration, Database Management & Business Intelligence
Advance Your Career
BU MET’s Database Management & Business Intelligence certificate will prepare you for rewarding career tracks, with roles that include database and knowledge modelers, designers, developers, and business intelligence analysts.
Recent graduates have found job opportunities and career paths at companies such as:
Maryan Rizinski Associate Professor of the Practice, Computer Science
Anatoly Temkin Assistant Professor Emeritus, Computer Science
Ming Zhang Assistant Professor, Computer Science Coordinator, BSCS Programs
Yuting Zhang Assistant Professor, Computer Science Director, Cybersecurity Coordinator, Computer Systems & Digital Forensics
Tanya Zlateva Dean, Metropolitan College & Extended Education Professor of the Practice, Computer Science and Education Education Director, Information Security, Center for Reliable Information Systems & Cyber Security
If you are asking, “Should I get an MPH after college or work first?” focus on what each path will help you accomplish. An MPH after college can provide early professional direction and core public health skills. Working first can give you practical context and a clearer understanding of where you want to contribute. The […]
Artificial intelligence is prompting organizations to rethink how work gets done. Significant experimentation is already underway across industries, changing how software is developed, how research and analysis are conducted, and how organizations make decisions and deliver value. The larger leadership challenge is not simply adopting new tools. It is understanding how work, workflows, and business […]
Not long ago, education followed a fairly predictable path: earn a degree, begin a career, and rely on experience to advance over the next several decades. While professionals have always continued learning on the job, formal education was often viewed as something completed early in life. Today, that model is changing. Advances in artificial intelligence, […]
