Parker College of Business pivots toward analytics

July 3, 2019

Effective July 1, the Parker College of Business’ Department of Information Systems will change its name to the Department of Enterprise Systems and Analytics. The new name better represents the direction of the program and the opportunities in the market.

The new department will blend curricula from the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in information systems with cutting-edge material in statistical analyses to create a BBA in enterprise systems and analytics. The Department will continue to draw on its traditional strengths with the software SAP ERP, while the business intelligence, enterprise resource planning and enterprise security emphases will be streamlined into the enterprise systems track, providing a more cohesive program for the students.

“Going forward, we have the opportunity to leverage our current enterprise systems expertise with the college’s analytical expertise and general business knowledge to offer a true business analytics degree,” states Steve Moss, Ph.D., professor of business analytics. “The combination of data management, analytical, business and problem-solving skills our students will attain differentiates us from many other programs.” 

The Department will also offer a new business analytics track. Business analytics is an emerging area in academics, focusing on predictive analytics together with the application skills to help students address complex issues in business. The new curriculum will include courses in business analytics, machine learning and big data technology. With the new focus, students will be more marketable to employers in this rapidly growing field. 

According to PwC, formerly Price Waterhouse Cooper, jobs in business analytics will grow by 26% in the finance and insurance industries, 45% in manufacturing and 46% in retail. A degree in business analytics offers students the opportunity to make sound, integrated business decisions in marketing and sales, production, manufacturing, logistics and human resources, among others, using big data and statistical analyses. On average, starting salaries in business analytics can be as high as $129,800 per year, making them among the highest paid specialties in business. Companies like The Home Depot, IBM, Lockheed Martin, JP Morgan Chase, UPS and many others use business analytics in their day-to-day operations.