Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2020-2021 (archived)

Module BUSI4M110: Business Analytics (Taught)

Department: Management and Marketing

BUSI4M110: Business Analytics (Taught)

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 10 Availability Available in 2020/21 Module Cap None.
Tied to N1T717

Prerequisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • Business Analytics (Online) BUSI 4M010

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 Microsoft Excel.
  • 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:
  • Upon successful completion of the module, the 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:
  • Upon successful completion of the module, the students should be able to:
  • Choose appropriate business-analytics techniques for some key management problems.
  • Implement business-analytics models using Microsoft Excel.
  • 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
  • Advanced computer-literacy skills

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, supported by online resources. The workshops consist of a combination of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion. Online resources provide supplementary material for the workshops – typically consisting of directed reading and video content.
  • The formative assessment includes classroom-based exercises involving individual and group analyses of specific business situations/problems relevant to the learning outcomes of the module. Feedback will be given as appropriate.
  • 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.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Workshops (a combination of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion), timetabled in blocks 6 Over a 3-day teaching block 4 hours 24
Preparation, reading and other independent study 76
Total 100

Summative Assessment

Component: Written Assignment Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Individual business analytics project 3000 words max 100% same

Formative Assessment:

Students will be set various formative tasks throughout the module. In particular students will work on teaching cases. To solve and analyse these cases they will apply business analytics techniques and interpret and discuss their output. Solutions will be put on DUO. The purpose of these tasks is to provide students with feedback on the development of their technical skills and their understanding of the application of business analytics techiques to prepare them for the summative project.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University