Undergraduate Emphasis: Business Analytics

Undergraduate Emphasis: Business Analytics

Data-driven decision making.
Students will gain both analytical and hands-on skills to help organizations across industries with their data-driven decision making, execution, and evaluation.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Business Analytics provides specialized data skill sets for students who plan a career in today’s business world, where analytics is at the forefront. The degree signals to potential employers that the graduate is ready to utilize the tools and techniques that aim to turn data into meaningful business insights. Students will obtain the necessary skills for defining business analytics for data-driven decision making along with hands-on experience using analytics to solve real-world business problems.

COURSE CATALOGUE Description
This Emphasis is available only to current Marshall undergraduates who have attained sophomore standing and have completed at least one semester in residence at USC.
Students must complete BUAD 311 (Operations Management) prior to declaring the Emphasis. The Emphasis requires completion of at least twelve (12) units of Data Sciences and Operations (DSO) upper division coursework. Additional details are available in the catalogue entry.
Please note that students can only declare one Emphasis.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

This emphasis is a STEM program.

This emphasis has been approved by the university to be STEM-eligible. This allows students who have completed this degree to apply for the STEM OPT Extension. Please note that this extension is not guaranteed but is approved by federal departments beyond the university’s purview. We strongly advise students to carefully read the Office of International Services instructions (here and here) which explain the STEM OPT extension eligibility and proceed accordingly.

Yes, all international students transferring to this emphasis will have a new I-20 issued with the STEM designation. The Marshall school will work directly with OIS to process the updated I-20 and once issued, the student will receive email notification from Marshall that the I-20 is available for pick-up. Students applying in Fall semester should expect their new I-20 to be ready in Spring semester, and those applying in Spring should expect their new I-20 ready in Fall semester.

FAQS

Questions specific to the Undergraduate Emphasis in Business Analytics

Students must complete BUAD-311 before entering this emphasis. Other courses that can help determine if this Emphasis is a good fit are:

- BUAD 310g-Applied Business Statistics and BUAD 312g-Statistics and Data Science for Business: These courses provide the students with statistical tools that allow the students to explore, summarize, visualize, and make inferences about the data.

- BUAD 425-Data Analysis for Decision Making: This course helps the students develop their skills as data-savvy managers. In particular, it provides the students with skills on experimentation, KPI tracking, understanding and communicating predictive models.

In addition to the Business Analytics faculty advisor, students can consult their BUAD311/BUAD310g/BUAD312g/BUAD425 instructor, or an instructor of a business analytics elective they are enrolled in, to determine if Business Analytics Emphasis would be a good fit.

We also recommend students consider joining organizations that provide hands-on experience with analytics. For example, the Data Science Club at USC and Operation Management Association (OMA). For more information, visit Marshall Student Organizations.

Students have the opportunity to gain a breadth of knowledge and skills such as exploratory data analysis, data visualization and computer programming that support multiple business fields; OR depth of knowledge and skills such as machine learning, forecasting and optimization techniques that focus on specific business fields (e.g. operations-related analytics and market-related analytics).

The business analytics emphasis prepares Marshall students with data science skills that allow them to make data-driven business decisions in various industries ranging from healthcare, entertainment, energy, retail, technology, interactive gaming, media, sports, hospitality, automotive, consumer goods, transportation, logistics, manufacturing, and financial services.

Our graduates are hired in different business functions (marketing, finance, human resources, accounting, and production) with roles including but not limited to the following: data analyst, business intelligence analyst, product analyst, sales analyst, marketing analyst, and supply chain analyst.

Firms routinely collect point of sales transactions, monitor operations throughout their supply-chain, mine website traffic, and track customer engagement. Business analytics and data are transforming modern firms, and, in some cases, disrupting entire industries. Importantly, these changes are not limited to the “back-office” or operations; every aspect of the firm -- organizational structure, marketing, product design, and strategic planning – is shifting towards data-driven decision making. With this shift comes an increased need for “data-savvy” managers; managers who are not necessarily data-science experts, but understand what analytics can and cannot do, how to ask the right questions, and, most importantly, how to interpret data to make better decisions.

Students who participate in the Marshall International Exchange program (IEP) may fulfill up to 6 credits towards the Business Analytics emphasis while studying abroad. In order for the courses to be applied towards the Business Analytics emphasis, students must complete approved classes while abroad (a list of approved classes for each exchange location can be found on the IEP outgoing website. Students will work with the Marshall Exchange office to ensure that the approved classes they take abroad will be applied towards their emphasis.

ALL UNDERGRADUATE EMPHASES

Business Analytics

Data-driven decision making
Business Administration with an emphasis in Business Analytics teaches students analytical and hands-on skills to aid data-driven decision making, execution, and evaluation.

COURSE CATALOGUE Business Analytics
Communication

Communication skills to achieve professional goals
Business Administration with an emphasis in Communication provides students with the skills deemed most desirable by employers across all industries and fields to drive individual success as an employee, colleague, and workplace leader.

COURSE CATALOGUE Communication
Entrepreneurship + Innovation

Skills to adapt and solve in a dynamic world
Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship and Innovation provides students the skills, tools, and mindset to create new products, new services, new ventures, and new worlds as they meet the needs of customers and help solve the thorny problems we face as an economy and a society.

COURSE CATALOGUE Entrepreneurship + Innovation
Finance

Develop skills for financial analysis, decision making, and value creation
Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance provides specialized skill sets for students wishing to work in the finance industry, preparing them for complex tasks involving finance, economics, and advanced computer modeling.

COURSE CATALOGUE Finance

ADDITIONAL DEGREES

Accounting

Innovation in accounting education and critical research
The USC Leventhal School of Accounting provides students with the skills they need to become not only qualified accountants, but also well-rounded professionals.
Computer Science + Business Administration

The cutting edge of opportunity
Offered in conjunction with the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the Computer Science and Business Administration (CS / BA) program qualifies students to enter the highly competitive world of advanced computing in support of business growth, a cornerstone of tomorrow’s economy.
World Bachelor in Business

Business perspectives from three world-class universities
The only undergraduate program of its kind, the USC Marshall World Bachelor in Business connects leading-edge teaching methods with cultural immersion and real-world experiences in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Milan.

JOINT DEGREES

Cinematic Arts

Real-world skills for creative leaders
The John H. Mitchell Business of Cinematic Arts Program (BCA) is a 4-year joint degree conferred by USC's School of Cinematic Arts and the Marshall School of Business. This degree equips students to apply their skills to both business and entertainment professions and prepares them to become leaders in the entertainment industry.

Undergraduate Emphasis: Business Analytics