Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook
This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Postgraduate Handbook 2019-2020 (archived)

Module BUSI4M710: Business Analytics (FT)

Department: Management and Marketing

BUSI4M710: Business Analytics (FT)

TypeLevelCreditsAvailabilityModule CapLocation
Tied 4 10 Available in 2019/2020 None. Durham

Tied To

Pre-requisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations

  • None

Aims

  • To provide an appreciation of descriptive, predictive and prescriptive business-analytics techniques.
  • To provide knowledge of, and ability to apply, a range of business-analytics techniques.
  • To implement business-analytics models using appropriate software.
  • To show how business analytics can help companies to make better decisions.
  • To explore ethical issues with managing data.

Content

  • Descriptive techniques e.g. data visualisation, data analysis, and descriptive statistics.
  • Predictive techniques e.g. data mining.
  • Prescriptive techniques e.g. linear optimisation models.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge
  • At the end of this module, students should:
  • Have in-depth knowledge of a range of business-analytics techniques and be able to apply them critically to management problems.
  • Have an understanding of the applicability and limitations of business-analytics techniques.
Subject-specific Skills
  • At the end of the module students should be able to:
  • Choose appropriate business-analytics techniques for some key management problems.
  • Implement business-analytics models using appropriate software.
  • Interpret the results of business-analytics models and their relevance for companies.
Key Skills
  • Effective written communication skills
  • Planning, organising and time-management skills
  • Problem solving and analytical skills
  • Advanced skills in the interpretation of data for management decision-making
  • Advanced skills in the use of electronic spreadsheet software

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Learning outcomes are met through classroom-based workshops which include a mix of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion. These are supplemented by directed reading and online resources — typically including video content, reflective activities, opportunities for self-assessment and peer-to-peer learning within tutor-facilitated discussions.
  • The formative assessment consists of a plan for the summative task, on which individual feedback will be provided. In addition, students undertake classroom-based exercises involving individual and group analyses and presentations on specific business situations/problems, on which group/individual feedback will be provided as appropriate. These are designed to further prepare students for the summative project by developing their technical skills and their understanding of the application of business-analytics techniques.
  • The summative assessment is an individual business analytics project, which is designed to test the ability to formulate a problem, apply appropriate business-analytics techniques to analyse it, and critically interpret the results obtained. It will not require students to interact directly with a business. The word limit is 3,000 words excluding tables/other outputs generated from the data analysis.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotal HoursAttendance Monitored
Workshops (a combination of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion) 24 Yes
Preparation & Reading 76
Total 100

Summative Assessment

ComponentComponent WeightingElementLength/DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Written Assignment 100% Individual Business Analytics Project 3,000 words maximum 100% Same

Formative Assessment

Individual plan for summative business analytics project, on which individual feedback will be provided. Classroom-based exercises involving individual and group analyses and presentations on specific business situations/problems involving the application of business-analytics techniques.


Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.