The request to establish a new concentration in Business Analytics to the B.S.B.A. Business Administration Major

Date: April 8, 2015
To: Belk College of Business
From: Office of Academic Affairs
Approved On: March 12, 2015
Approved by: Undergraduate Course and Curriculum Committee
Implementation Date: Spring 2015

Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.

Summary

Catalog Copy

The Business Administration major with a concentration in Business Analytics prepares graduates for jobs in quantitative fields in business and for graduate education in Data Science and Business Analytics, Mathematical Finance, and Economics. The focus of the concentration is on providing a sound grounding and understanding in quantitative analysis to prepare exceptions undergraduate students for master’s degrees. The second semester of the senior year will be designated for graduate coursework for early entry into the Professional Science Masters in Data Science and Business Analytics, Master of Science in Mathematical Finance, or Master of Science in Economics programs.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Business Administration Major with a Concentration in Business Analytics

Admission to the Business Analytics concentration is competitive. To be accepted into the Business Administration major with a concentration in Business Analytics, students must have an overall GPA of 2.5 in all University courses and completed the following Progressions courses with a minimum 3.2 GPA (with no more than 2 C’s): ACCT 2121, ACCT 2122, BUSN 1101, ECON 2101, ECON 2102, STAT 1220. Students must also have completed the following math and programming core courses with a minimum 3.2 GPA (with no more than 1 C): MATH 1241, MATH 1242, ITCS 2116. Students should seek admission to the Business Administration major with a concentration in Business Analytics as freshman to ensure appropriate advising and support.

This major requires a minimum of 120 semester hours. Students must complete the General Education Requirements of the University and the Progressions, Core, and Major Requirements of the Belk College of Business.

Degree Requirements

The following courses are required for a B.S.B.A. degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Analytics. Students may attempt each of these courses two times.

Business Core Courses (15 hours)

BLAW 3150 Business Law I (3)

COMM 3160 Business Communications (3)

MGMT 3140 Management in Organizational Behavior (3)

MKTG 3110 Marketing Concepts (3)

OPER 3100 Operations Management (3)

Major and Concentration Courses (23 hours)

ECON 3112 Econometrics (3)

INFO 3236 Business Analytics (3)

BUSA 3090 Topics in Business Analytics (2)

BUSA 3120 Financial Management with a Quantitative Focus (3)

BUSA 3122 Investments with a Quantitative Focus (3)

BUSA 3124 Intermediate Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Theory (3)

BUSA 3233 Data and Information Management (3)

BUSA 3288 Competitive Advantage with Marketing Analytics (3)

Students are expected to earn 30 hours by the end of their Freshman year and 60 hours by the end of their Sophomore year. Latitude for the hours earned minimum requirement may be given for students who study abroad, hold an internship, etc. Students are also expected to maintain a GPA of 3.2 or higher for the duration of the degree program, as this is the required GPA for graduate studies. Students failing to meet the minimum GPA and/or hours earned requirements may be subject to dismissal from the major.

When a student repeats a course, both the old and the new grades are included in the major and overall GPA. Courses repeated under the Grade Replacement Policy are excluded from the major and overall GPA computation. However, this repeated course does count as an attempt. Students must also meet the Belk College of Business residency requirements.

Suggested Curriculum

For a suggested curriculum for this degree to map out a path toward completing the major, please see the Academic Plan of Study.

Students majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Analytics have two options for accelerated entry into the Professional Science Masters in Data Science and Business Analytics, Master of Science in Economics, or Master of Science in Mathematical Finance graduate programs. Through the accelerated track, high school seniors and undergraduate UNC Charlotte freshman are encouraged to apply for admission to one of these three graduate programs and begin work toward a graduate degree before completion of the undergraduate degree. Students beyond their first year may apply for early entry into one of these graduate programs after completion of 75 or more hours of undergraduate coursework and begin work toward a graduate degree before completion of their undergraduate degree. Details for both options are below.

Students who do not meet the Accelerated or Early Entry graduate program requirements are able to apply to graduate programs upon graduation following the Graduate School’s admission requirements.

Students who choose not to pursue an Accelerated or Early Entry graduate degree must enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours to satisfy the major requirement of 120 semester hours. Several course options to round out the major in Business Administration with a concentration in business analytics include:

  • OPER 3203 Decision Modeling and Analysis
  • OPER 3208 Supply Chain Management
  • ECON 4112 Econometrics II
  • ECON 4117 Business and Economic Forecasting

Accelerated Track to Professional Science Masters in Data Science and Business Analytics, Master of Science in Mathematical Finance, or Master of Science in Economics Programs

Students may be accepted into the Accelerated Program as high school seniors and undergraduate UNC Charlotte freshman. Admissions requirements include:

  • Minimum high school GPA ≥ 3.75 (unweighted on a 4.0 scale)
  • Minimum score of 1900 on SAT
  • Online application for graduate admission
  • Statement of Purpose for pursuing the Accelerated Master’s Degree
  • Three recommendations provided by a high school teacher and from a UNC Charlotte faculty member who taught the applicant in the fall semester of the freshman year

Students must maintain a strong academic record at both the undergraduate and graduate levels with a cumulative GPA ≥ 3.0. Students accepted into the Accelerated master’s program are subject to the same policies that pertain to other matriculated graduate students.

Early Entry Program to Professional Science Masters in Data Science and Business Analytics, Master of Science in Mathematical Finance, or Master of Science in Economics Programs

Students may be accepted into the Early Entry Program at any time after completion of 75 semester hours of undergraduate work applicable to the major in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Analytics. Admission must be approved by the Program Director, and admission is conditional pending the awarding of the undergraduate degree.

In order to be accepted into the Professional Science Masters in Data Science and Business Analytics, Master of Science in Mathematical Finance, or Master of Science in Economics graduate programs, undergraduate students must have at least a 3.2 overall GPA and a 3.2 GPA in the major. Additionally, applicants must have taken the appropriate graduate standardized test and received acceptable test scores.

Students accepted into the Early Entry Program are subject to the same policies that pertain to other matriculated graduate students. Early Entry students must finish their undergraduate degree before they complete 15 hours of graduate work.

Courses in Business Analytics (BUSA)

BUSA 2130. Business Computing. (3) Prerequisite: ITCS 2116 with a grade C or better or permission of department. Application of spreadsheet software to solve business problems. An introduction to basic and advanced Excel functionalities. Fundamental programming methods for Excel VBA to automate tasks to improve productivity. (Fall)

BUSA 3090. Topics in Business Analytics. (2) Prerequisite: permission of advisor. Exploration of topics from areas of business analytics. Specific topics covered will serve as the tool for exploring specialized graduate programs and examining career options. (Fall)

BUSA 3120. Financial Management with a Quantitative Focus. (3) Prerequisites: MATH 1242, STAT 1220, ACCT 2121, 2122, ECON 2101, 2102, ITCS 2116 with grades of C or better; Business major; and Junior standing or permission of department. Principles and problems of financial aspects of managing capital structure, least-cost asset management, planning and control. Computer application is included where appropriate, and student will be expected to use calculus and statistics. (Spring)

BUSA 3122. Investments with a Quantitative Focus. (3) Prerequisite: BUSA 3120 with a grade of C or better or permission of department. Major topics are security analysis and portfolio management. The viewpoint is that of the investment professionals who are concerned with the evaluation of individual securities and management of security portfolios. Students will be expected to use calculus and statistics. (Fall)

BUSA 3124. Intermediate Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Theory. (3) Prerequisites: ECON 2101, ECON 2102, and MATH 1242 with grades of C or better or permission of department. Microeconomic analysis with emphasis on consumer theory and the theory of production. Resource allocation and the determination of optimum output and pricing by a firm operating under various market structures. Distribution and welfare theories. Macroeconomic analysis of the level and growth of national income, production, unemployment, the balance of trade, interest rates, and price levels. Fiscal and monetary policies are considered. (Spring)

BUSA 3233. Data and Information Management. (3) Prerequisites: ITCS 2116 and BUSA 2130 with grades of C or better; and Junior standing or permission of department. A study of the design and implementation of databases and enterprise data warehouses for business applications. Exploration of basic concepts of database and data warehouse design, the use of SQL to create and manipulate corporate databases, and the exploration of warehouse management software. (Fall)

BUSA 3288. Competitive Advantage with Marketing Analytics. (3) Prerequisites: MKTG 3110 with a grade of C or better or permission of department. An introduction to the use of Big Data marketing analytics as a strategic resource. A focus is placed on integrating marketing analytics tools, including social media analytics and mobile analytics, with an understanding of how companies leverage Big Data to gain strategic advantage. Particular emphasis on the analysis and use of Big Data for competitive advantage, the creation of new value, product and business model innovation, micro segmentation, pricing, and promotion decisions. (Fall)