Canada’s first university-level certificate program in digital marketing analytics launches at York University School of Continuing Studies

By Matthew McGrath

This new part-time program will help digital marketing professionals develop advanced analytics skills, enabling them to optimize marketing campaigns and drive business growth.

TORONTO, Jul. 9, 2024—Today, the York University School of Continuing Studies announced the launch of its new Certificate in Digital Marketing Analytics. This six-month program will help professionals develop in-demand skills in digital marketing analytics as they learn to analyze data for actionable insights, improving marketing strategies and their outcomes. The program begins in January 2025, and registration is now open.

“In today’s fast-paced digital marketing landscape, data abundance presents challenges for those unable to extract meaningful insights. As the demand for data-savvy marketing professionals continues to rise, the York University School of Continuing Studies has introduced a crucial program for today’s digital marketers,” says Jason Rivarola, head of performance media and martech at a major Canadian retailer and program advisory council member for the Certificate in Digital Marketing Analytics. “This curriculum is crafted to bridge the divide between traditional marketing knowledge and cutting-edge data analysis, empowering students with vital skills to excel in the digital era. This program marks a pivotal step in demystifying data for marketers.”

As marketing strategies become more exclusive to digital channels, leaders are looking for cross-disciplinary professionals who can leverage the wealth of data generated from these efforts. As such, digital marketing analytics roles are on the rise in Canada, with a 28 per cent annualized growth rate for jobs in the greater Toronto area[i].

All marketing professionals can benefit from upgrading their foundational analytics skills to fully leverage an organization’s data and advance to senior roles. Future trends in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation will increase the demand for professionals with advanced analytics skills.

“In our discussions with marketing leaders and employers, they have stressed the increasing importance data literacy plays in maximizing their marketing efforts and spending. The problem they are facing is many of their marketing teams don’t possess the advanced skills to drill into campaign data, while analytics teams don’t have the marketing expertise required to effectively action insights,” says Christine Brooks-Cappadocia, assistant vice president of continuing studies at York University. “This program will give professionals a comprehensive education in marketing and analytics with hands-on practice using analytics tools and techniques they can immediately use in their current roles.”   

The program’s curriculum was created in partnership with digital marketing experts. Students in this program will develop the knowledge and skills to:  

  • Comprehend marketing metrics, KPIs and analytical tools to measure campaign performance and effectiveness
  • Analyze consumer behaviour across marketing channels and apply insights to optimize marketing campaigns and initiatives
  • Master data models to extract, analyze and interpret marketing data to make informed, strategic decisions
  • Enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing activities using marketing analytics techniques, including AI tools, data wrangling and experimentation methodologies
  • Describe marketing analytics models such as Multi Touch Attribution (MTM), Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), Recency, Frequency, Monetary value (RFM) Analysis and the BCG Growth Matrix to derive actionable insights and drive innovation

This one-of-a-kind program will be highly experiential and will feature a comprehensive capstone project that integrates concepts from each course, allowing learners to demonstrate their learning achievements and milestones. Instructors, all in senior-level digital marketing roles, will bring their real-world expertise and insights to every course.   

For more information on the Certificate in Digital Marketing Analytics launching in January 2025, visit the School of Continuing Studies webpage.

About the York University School of Continuing Studies

The York University School of Continuing Studies is a diverse community of learning united by a shared sense of purpose — achieving personal and professional growth in a world of constant change. Our ability to help students lead in the face of this change has made us the fastest-growing school in Canada.

We prepare our students for success by imparting specialized knowledge, technical skills, and enhancing soft skills, cultural understanding and cross-disciplinary expertise.

Embracing a global perspective, we foster collaborative relationships with industry and academic leaders across Canada and around the globe.


[i] According to Lightcast data