Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business will roll out a master's degree in business analytics this summer, a program intended to tap into the growing demand in the business world for big data and analytics aficionados.
The new program, a one-year master's of science in business administration with a concentration in business analytics, will help students gain expertise in programming, statistics, data software, and other skills necessary to make data-driven business decisions, according to a press release from Virginia Tech.
“Companies need engineers and scientists who understand market forces and the financial implications of decisions that are based on business intelligence analytical data," says Linda Oldham, executive director of Pamplin's Center for Business Intelligence and Analytics. "They also need business majors who understand programming, statistics, cutting-edge data software, and the technical aspects of business analytics for effective decision-making.”
Virginia Tech is the latest in a series of schools to implement similar programs. Cal Poly's San Luis Obispo Orfalea College of Business announced in 2015 that it will launch a Master of Science in Business Analytics in fall 2016. UC San Diego and the University of Dallas announced the launch of similar programs in 2014, while Arizona State University launched one in 2013.
In Europe, Amsterdam Business School and France's ESSEC Business School both launched similar programs in recent years.
These programs cater towards students who are eager to find jobs in the growing field of business analytics, as technological advances have led to an explosion of the kinds and quantities of data available to companies.
Applicants from a variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply to Pamplin's program, although applicants must have basic statistics and programming knowledge. For more information, visit Pamplin's website.
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Header: Public Domain
Body: Eric T Gunther / CC BY 3.0
