Academics

PSU Smeal, World Campus to offer new graduate certificate in business analytics

Business professionals interested in enhancing their data analysis skills can now apply for fall 2015 enrollment in a new nine-credit online graduate certificate program offered by the Penn State Smeal College of Business in partnership with Penn State World Campus.

The graduate certificate in business analytics is designed to prepare working students to explore and analyze large data sets to support data-driven business decisions. The program covers the entire life cycle of a data and analytics decision making, using the descriptive/prescriptive/predictive framework for business analytics: descriptive (what happened?), predictive (what will happen?) and prescriptive (what should happen?).

“Data-driven decisions are shaping strategies in corporate, government and non-for-profit organizations around the globe,” said Brian Cameron, associate dean for professional master's programs at Smeal and clinical professor of management information systems. “Professionals who understand how to apply data analysis techniques to solve both routine and strategic business problems will be well positioned for the future.”

The graduate certificate in business analytics consists of three required online courses, each of which is offered in one semester each academic year. By taking the three courses in sequential order, beginning in the fall, students can complete the required coursework within a year.

Courses in the program will be taught by Smeal faculty who have extensive experience teaching in online education environments for professional-level students:

Business Strategies for Data AnalyticsJohn M. Jordan, clinical professor of supply chain and information systems

Marketing AnalyticsArvind Rangaswamy, Anchel Professor of Marketing

Prescriptive Analytics for BusinessTerry Harrison, professor of supply chain and information systems, Earl P. Strong Executive Education Professor in Business.

The application deadline is June 16 for fall semester admission. For more information about the new online graduate certificate in business analytics, visit its website.

Last Updated March 26, 2015

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