Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2025-2026

Module BUSI4AY15: Business Analytics

Department: Management and Marketing

BUSI4AY15: Business Analytics

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2025/2026 Module Cap None.
Tied to N2P109
Tied to N2P309
Tied to N2P909
Tied to N2PA09
Tied to N2PE09

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To equip students with an in-depth understanding of key principles of the decision making process in business and management.
  • To develop students; skills in undertaking data analytics (descriptive and predictive).
  • To provide real experience in analysing real-world problems.
  • To enable students to be able to inspire business actions and influence business leaders using powerful data visualisations and storytelling.

Content

  • Descriptive techniques e.g. data visualisation, data analysis, and descriptive statistics.
  • Basic concepts in predictive analytics techniques e.g. regressions, classifications problems, clustering.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • By the end of the module students should:
  • Understand the role that data plays in organisations and the technical infrastructure, governance and data management policies, practices and culture that supports ethical use of data.
  • Have in-depth knowledge of descriptive analytics techniques and be able to apply them critically to management problems.
  • Have an understanding of the applicability and limitations of descriptive analytics techniques.
  • Grasp the principles of data storytelling and how to use narratives to present data insights effectively.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • By the end of the module students should be able to:
  • Confidently use appropriate computer software to manipulate and analyse data.
  • Formulate a data science project / problem from business problem or context.
  • Be able to use data, data visualisations and data story-telling to create compelling narratives for driving evidence-based business decisions.
Key Skills:
  • Effective verbal communication
  • Planning, organising and time-management
  • Problem solving and analysis
  • Interpreting and using data
  • Making effective use of analytical software
  • Data visualisation and storytelling

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

  • The module is taught using a blended approach with online asynchronous theoretical content and practice-based backed up by synchronous face to face lectures and practical workshops.
  • Online asynchronous lecture sessions will cover both theoretical content and practice-based demonstrations using computer software. During these sessions, students will gain foundational knowledge in descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics and understand the role of data in organisations.
  • Lectures will primarily include a brief re-cap of the online asynchronous sessions and have structured time for discussion (e.g. questions and answers and mini-exercises on case studies).
  • Classroom-based practical workshops will involve students working in groups on case studies. These workshops will be focused on performing the data analysis, building and executing the analytical models and making inferences based upon the results. Students are expected to have engaged with online asynchronous and face to face lectures before attending the workshops.
  • The summative assessment comprises a single video presentation. This assessment emphasizes the practical nature of business analytics and data science, requiring students to undertake their analysis independently with the help of computer software.
  • The formative assessment consist of classroom-based exercises involving individual and group analytical work on a business problem.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Online Lectures 10 1 per week 2 hours 20
Lectures 10 1 per week 2 hours 20
Workshops 4 1 per fortnight 2 hours 8
Preparation and Reading 102
Total 150

Summative Assessment

Component: Individual Data Storytelling Video Presentation Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Presentation 7 minutes 100%

Formative Assessment:

For the formative assessment, the student will receive individualised feedback on the suitability of their chosen business problem and data set.


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