Business Analytics
Professor Jeff Bay, Chair, Division of Mathematics and Computer Science
Assistant Professor, Anna Engelsone, Coordinator
In the age of Big Data, more data has been created in the last two years than in the entire history of the human race. Business analysts interpret and analyze this data with the goal of improving the functioning of businesses and organizations. These professionals are employed everywhere from Fortune 500 companies to hospitals, non-profit agencies, and government organizations. Successful business analysts possess a unique combination of domain knowledge and a solid foundation in mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
The Business Analytics major presents a creative and solid balance between mathematical techniques and business applications. Combined with the strength of the Maryville College liberal arts curriculum, graduates of the program are able to meet the many challenges of today’s data-driven business environment. The program aims to create experts who understand the complex issues facing organizations, gather, organize and analyze data from a variety of sources, suggest realistic solutions based on solid mathematical reasoning, and communicate findings to a variety of audiences.
Students successfully completing the program of study will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
- Assess organizational performance with respect to the needs of the organization's various stakeholders.
- Understand the complexities, challenges, and opportunities posed by the economic, political, technological, and social/cultural context in which an organization operates.
- Interpret, analyze, and present financial and economic data.
- Communicate complex ideas with precision and clarity in both written and oral form to a variety of audiences.
- Understand the logic behind statistical inference – the science of drawing conclusions from limited data -- and be able to assess the role of variability in estimations.
- Confidently use software to store, organize, manipulate, and analyze very large quantities of data.
- Use mathematical techniques to produce realistic solutions to increase business efficiency and profitability.