Hi Everyone,

I am Praveen from India. I am presently working at Ford and have 5+ years of work experience in Engineering R&D.
Is it a good idea to shift to business analysis now? I am good at communicating and coordinating with people and have strong technical skills.
If yes, what are good univ's that offer certification course on Business analysis and if the course is a regular one for one year or so, is it a good idea to leave my current job and go for the course (Keeping in mind the jobs i might get after completion of the course).
Is it good to do an online BA course. Is it really worth your penny? Please let me know few online BA certification courses that are recognized by the corporate world.
My final question : Should i do a BA course or a one year executive MBA to move forward in my career?

This is a very hard question to answer. What are your career goals?

There are several good online programmes in business analysis. These will give you a flavour of what to look for:
http://www.cce.umn.edu/Business-Analysis-Certificate/
http://extension.berkeley.edu/cert/busanalysis.html
http://unex.uci.edu/areas/business_mgmt/business_analyst/
http://www.utexas.edu/cie/certified-business-analysis-professional-cbap/?num=SS02681&cat=C57
http://www.pce.uw.edu/certificates/business-analysis.html

However, I think employers will struggle to take you seriously without experience, and in particular experience of tools and real projects. I took a full-time masters in business analysis, and it was a very strong launch-pad into employment: http://www.city.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/business-systems-analysis-and-design

An MBA would certainly give you more momentum, but it would lead you in a different direction. Focus on your goals, and perhaps speak with a careers counsellor.