| Graduate Program Head | Chris Solo |
|---|---|
| Program Code | BAN |
| Campus(es) | World Campus |
The nine-credit graduate certificate program in Business Analytics (BAN) prepares business professionals to explore and analyze large data sets to support data-driven business decisions. The program covers the entire life cycle of a data analytics project using the descriptive/prescriptive/predictive framework for business analytics:
- descriptive (What happened?),
- predictive (What will happen?) and
- prescriptive (What should happen?).
Target audiences include business analysts, analytic systems designers and the data scientists who have a focus on problems arising in the contexts of business decision-making. The certificate program builds on basic analytic concepts that professionals are expected to have and provides a practical approach to expanding these analytic skills to perform tasks in various areas of business such as marketing, supply chains, operations, forensics, and risk.
Effective Semester: Fall 2017
Expiration Semester: Spring 2022
Admission Requirements
Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 General Admissions Standards. International applicants may be required to satisfy an English proficiency requirement; see GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.
Applicants are generally expected by have a minimum combined junior/senior grade-point average of 3.00 (B) on a 4.00 scale.
Admissions Prerequisite Requirement
Qualified applicants should have successfully completed an undergraduate or graduate-level course in statistics or be able to show significant experience using statistics in a professional capacity. In lieu of an appropriate statistics course or adequate professional experience, the admissions committee will consider exceptional GMAT/GRE test scores on a case-by-case basis. Students that do not have prior statistics coursework, significant experience using statistics in a professional capacity, or GRE/GMAT scores deemed sufficient by the admissions committee may complete (with a grade of B+ or better) STAT 500 online, through Penn State World Campus to satisfy the statistics prerequisite requirement.
Additional Requirements
Applications must include a statement of professional goals, a curriculum vita or resume, and two letters of recommendation. Applicants should have knowledge or experience in quantitative work such as science, engineering, or business. The objective is to establish a baseline knowledge and to prepare the student for the advanced coursework in this program. Applicants from other disciplines will be considered based on prior academic and professional experience.
Certificate Requirements
Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in Graduate Council policy GCAC-212 Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Programs.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| BAN 530 | Business Strategies for Data Analytics | 3 |
| BAN 540 | Marketing Analytics | 3 |
| BAN 550 | Prescriptive Analytics for Business | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Courses
Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.
Contact
Certificate Program Head: Chris Solo
Primary Program Contact: Michelle Rockower (mkk114@psu.edu)
Program Email: banhelponline@psu.edu
Mailing Address: 220 Business Building, University Park, PA 16802
Telephone: (814) 863-0474
Program Website: Business Analytics