Business Analytics

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Summary:

Applying through UCAS? Apply here (N430)
Course Code: N430

Applying through UCAS? Apply here (N431)
Course Code: N431

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Why choose the School of Leadership and Management

Find out more

Over 95% of our full-time UK business and management graduates are in employment or further study, 15 months after graduating (source: HESA Graduate Outcomes for 2020/21, pub 2023).

Our new business analytics suite features £500K of industry-standard hardware and software including Vensim simulation software for immersive skills practice.

Over 1,000 Business School students worked on live knowledge-exchange projects 2022/23 (KEF, 2023).

About the course

The digital transformation of business is moving at a fast pace and graduates who can combine business management skills with an in-depth understanding of digital and data analysis are much sought after. This practice-led course will help you future-proof your career and thrive in a data-led world, applying theory to real-life applications and business situations from the start. You engage with live projects and real business issues, using a data-driven approach to problem solving.

Course accreditation

The course is in the process of receiving accreditation by the British Computer Society (BCS). On successfully completing the course, you receive its credential for Chartered IT Professional. The BSC is recognised as a professional statutory and regulatory body for the accreditation of technology degrees in the UK.

This course is accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). Student membership opens up free webinars and CPD activities; an online resource and toolkit library; access to events; and global networking opportunities.

Facilities and specialist equipment

New, state-of-the-art business analytics suite to support data analytics, 'big-data', data mining, digital marketing, SEO and other management skills
Harvard Business Publishing -international learning resources providing advanced business simulations in areas such as sustainability and digital processes
Our Reuters trading room, reacting to live ‘stock-market’ data Software includes Microsoft Power BI, Vensim simulation and VR immersive experience
Access to Sage, Refinitiv Workspace and the econometrics software STATA

Your student experience

Learn from research-driven academics actively involved in consultancy work. Take up opportunities for consultancy experience during the second year of the degree, assisting businesses – from start-ups to established corporations - to solve problems, up-skill and innovate.

Benefit from masterclasses from industry experts so you learn from their experience and keep at the leading edge in your field. Access virtual business-management simulation games that allow you to participate in running a business and experience collaborative working.

See business analytics in action with field trips to relevant companies such as John Lewis, Volvo, PW Gates Logistics, Luton Recycling and RAJA Packaging.

with Professional Practice Year

This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.

There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.

*Only available to UK/EU students.

with Foundation Year

A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.

Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.

With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.

The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.

This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.

Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?

Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees

The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.

During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.

What will you study?

Studying our Business Analytics BSc (Hons) course will equip you with in-depth skills and knowledge in the combined areas of business management and digital and data analysis. In introductory areas of study, our Evolution and Revolution of Business unit will allow you to explore how businesses operate, develop, progress and impacts society. Furthermore, you will identify key developments and breakthroughs in business and management practice and how this creates new opportunities and risks for business. To build on your analytical skills, our Business Analytics unit will equip you with advanced data analytical strategies used to solve business tasks. Additionally, you will use data analytical concepts to make risk-aware decisions, find efficient business solutions and optimise decision models. With data becoming a prevalent element in businesses, our Data Centric Organisation unit aims to introduce you to the data life cycle in business decision-making contexts – from sourcing data to usage and archiving.

This is closely linked to our Modelling Data for Analytics unit where you will be introduced to theories, methods and techniques for data management and modelling. More importantly, you will be equipped with data manipulation techniques in our Data Driven Business unit while exploring trends and ethical concerns around data collection, use and analysis. Similarly, you will learn how data is managed within organisations in our Business Intelligence unit and how this is used to enhance decision-making processes. You will then learn to evaluate this data in our Decision Support Systems and Data Mining unit that will equip you with strategies in data analysis. Moreover, you will discover how data mining technologies can be used to solve business problems. As an important measure, you will then learn how data analytics can be used to promote innovation and mitigate risks in our Building Business Agility unit.

Technology is another key tool in business processes, and this is where our Smart Business unit will develop your knowledge around trends and challenges in technology and how this can be applied to varying areas of business. In areas of programming, you will be given an Introduction to Software Development where you will learn to model problems using abstract techniques, test programs and develop software using high level language. When working in business, it is also important that you build on your employability skills such as teamwork, time management, presentation and communication. This is where our Managing Business Complexity unit will support your development of these skills while exposing you to real-life, complex business issues and how to create viable solutions for clients based on this. At the same time, you will gain awareness of contemporary business issues while developing your project management skills.

To prepare you for this, our unit in Beginning your Professional Business Journey will help to ease your transition into the workplace and provide an insight into professional business environments. Finally, you will conduct a thorough piece of academic research and/or a practical project in our Business Project unit that will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the practical use of data in business and how this shapes critical business decisions. To support you with this, our units in Data and Research Methods for Business will provide you with the knowledge and skills to conduct research and analyse data in a business context.

How will you be assessed?

Assessment takes a variety of forms, including reports, portfolios, individual and collaborative tasks (individually assessed), research proposals, poster presentations, and exams. Many of the assessments tend to be focused on employability thus tend tobe based on live businesses, studies, project work, and other employability focused activities.

Most units include elements of individual and group work to reflect the type of work undertaken in business and management. Assessment focuses on tasks that develop vocational skills, underpinned by subject knowledge, requiring higher levels of cognition in the later years of the course. Assessment becomes more nuanced and more demanding in Levels 5 & 6 with the expectation that students will be increasingly able to create their own subject specific knowledge.

Careers

On this course you develop specific skills and knowledge in the area of data analytics and business management that allow you upon graduation to follow a career as a data consultant able to offer business solutions using data-driven evidence-based analysis. The course will help you prepare for opportunities to become data analysis specialist in the area of marketing finance and operations across a wider range of service sectors.

You also develop the skills required for lifelong learning meaning you are well prepared to keep up with the ever-evolving field of business data analysis and ensure your future employability.