UA Offering Online Certificate Program in Business Analytics
by June 20, 2013 8:31 am 128 views
Eli Jones, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, said Thursday the school will offer an online certificate program in business analytics starting this fall.
The program will help fill a key need for many businesses and industries in need of employees who can interpret large amounts of data to help make important company decisions.
“Right now, one of the biggest things going on in our world is this big data explosion,” Jones said in a news release. “Getting the tools — the knowledge — of how to find patterns in big data, that is going to accelerate one’s career. There are people who are looking for people who can make decisions based on big data. There are huge opportunities in this area, and the Walton College is taking a leadership role in addressing that key need.”
The program will focus on learning concepts and techniques in data management, analytics and data mining.
Students will work with large-scale, real-world data sets from active companies, including Sam’s Club, Tyson Foods Inc., Dillard’s Inc. and Acxiom Corp., according to the release.
Gary Cooper, senior vice president and chief information officer for Tyson Foods in Springdale, said companies such as his are looking for employees who have the necessary business foundation and an ability to analyze data when discussing a company’s return on investment.
People who earn this additional certification will become more valuable in the workforce, he said.
“You have a great instructional staff here, a great curriculum,” Cooper said of the Walton College. “At the intersection of all that, there is a tremendous opportunity for a student here to get some instruction, some schooling, some things that they can’t get anywhere else. That makes them highly marketable.”
This certificate program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and is designed for people who have earned a bachelor’s degree and seek additional skills in business analytics. All coursework is delivered online.
Jones said the application deadline for the program is July 1, but late applications may be considered on a space-available basis.
More information can be found at online.uark.edu/gcba.