DeSales Unveils Master of Science in Business Analytics Program
In the age of information, data is king. But it isn’t enough for businesses to be able to collect data—they must know how to use it.
Enter the new Master of Science in business analytics program at DeSales. Fully online, this 30-credit program will prepare students to become business analysts. This means that they’ll learn how to use data to answer key business questions and inform important operating decisions. The program can be completed in a little more than a year or on a part-time basis, depending on each student’s needs.
“Business analysts perform a service that no machine can do, because even the biggest, most expensive artificial intelligence system can’t ask itself, ‘Are these results correct? Am I doing the right thing? Is this process relevant to our business strategy?’” says Brennan Pursell, Ph.D., director of the Center for Data Analytics. “Machines calculate and can classify. People question, discern, and make judgment calls.”
This specialization may be why, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for business analysts is growing and individuals pursuing this career have high earnings potential.
In addition to learning from expert professors and industry professionals, students enrolled in the MSBA program will have the opportunity to train with market-leading software and analytics platform providers. They can also take advantage of the Data Analytics Room—an ergonomic classroom boasting a corporate-grade SMART board and complete distance-learning connectivity.
For those who are unsure of whether they want to complete the entire MSBA, two stackable certificates are available. Students can begin by earning a certificate in software solutions and decide whether they want to proceed to earn their certificate in data modeling. Once these certificates are completed, a single capstone course is required to earn the MSBA degree. If students are already trained in software, they can skip the first certificate altogether.
Additionally, students who choose to enroll in the Master of Business Administration program will have the option to concentrate on business analytics, taking four core classes from the MSBA program.
This latest MBA concentration enhances the strong foundation in business principles with the core training needed to work in the analytics field.
“Our new business analytics concentration is already creating a buzz; many new students are interested in applying business thinking and the latest analytical techniques in our highly interactive courses,” says Karen Kent, Ph.D., co-creator of the new program and director of the MBA program.
Adds Pursell: “Every business, every process, and every employee produces data faster than ever before. There is value in that data. The goal is for businesses to get their data to work for them.”
