Business Analytics is the careful application of analytical techniques to solve business problems. These analytical techniques have emerged from a variety of disciplines such as operations research, statistics, machine learning, data mining, information science, computer science, marketing and game theory. Business Analytics is not a distinct management function, such as finance or accounting. Rather, it is a skill-set that can add value in every management function and it has been widely recognized as such.
The OPIM BA track acquaints students with state-of-the-art tools and techniques for solving business problems with real-world data in such areas as optimization (exact and heuristic), computational heuristics, machine learning (supervised, unsupervised), data acquisition and preparation, agent-based modeling and other forms of simulation, visualization, multiobjective decision making, decision analysis, data mining, and text mining (including information retrieval).
The BA track consists of OPIM 101 (unless exempt) plus four courses. Any of the following may be included:
OPIM 105 Developing Tools for Data Access and Analysis
OPIM 290 Decision Processes
OPIM 311 Business Computer Languages
OPIM 315 Data Base Management Systems
OPIM 316 Systems Analysis, Design, and Implementation
OPIM 319 Seminar in Decision Systems
OPIM 321 Management Science
OPIM 325 Computer Simulation Models
OPIM 353 Mathematical Modeling and its Application in Finance
OPIM 399 Independent Study on Business Analytics
OPIM 410 Data Mining for Business Intelligence
Also, any two of the following courses from outside OPIM may be included:
ESE 303 Stochastic Systems Analysis and Simulation
ESE 304 Optimization Techniques
ESE 501 Multicriteria Decision Making
MKTG 271 Models and Tools for Marketing Tactics and Strategy
MKTG/STAT 476 Applied Probability Models in Marketing
MUSA 504 Business Geographics
STAT 430 Probability
STAT 432 Mathematical Statistics
STAT 434 Financial and Economic Time Series
OPIM Undergraduate Coordinator: Monique Guignard-Spielberg — 569 JMHH — 215-898-8235 — guignard_monique@yahoo.fr
See the Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative (http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/wcai/) for a collaborating venture, which offers opportunities for students with Business Analytics skills.