Course Index

Module I
Module 2
Module 3
Module 4
Module 5
The MS in Business Analytics modules are spread out over a period of 12 months. Between
modules, students complete approximately 20 hours of work per week on pre- and post-
module tasks.

Module I: New York
Digital Analytics and Strategy: An Introduction

We are in the early stages of an information revolution where information technologies are
redefining business models, transforming industries, creating new markets, and generating a
whole new space where new human communities, behaviors, norms, and regulation are just
beginning to emerge. Information technologies are increasingly becoming an integral part of
developing new products and services, of integrating business functions, and of managing
customer relationships. IT-driven disruptions in business models are frequent.

This two day course is designed to survey how digitization is revolutionizing strategy. The
topics we discuss will cover some of the most fundamental and far reaching strategic shifts
affecting the digital economy. The objective is to end up with frameworks that you will find
useful in generalizing across contexts in which information technologies and digitization are
changing the nature of business and the world. Considerable emphasis is placed on new
emerging disruptions including social networks, platform competition, the long tail and the
economic impact of search.

Dealing with Big Data

This course is focused on how one deals with data, from its initial acquisition, its storage, to
its final analysis. In particular, the course will focus on how to deal with the big data that is
becoming increasingly prevalent due to the large amount of web, social media, advertising
and high-frequency financial data being captured in modern organizations.

The lessons and exercises are designed so that students will be able to use big data tools and
approaches with the analytical and visualization tools that they will encounter in later
modules. There will be many data sets available for students to use both in this course as well
as subsequent ones. These will include public government data sets, several financial data
sets, social network data sets and web log data sets.

Data Mining for Business Analytics

This course will change the way you think about data and its role in business. Businesses,
governments, and individuals create massive collections of data as a byproduct of their
activity. Increasingly, decision-makers and systems rely on intelligent technology to analyze
data systematically to improve decision-making. In many cases automating analytical and
decision-making processes is necessary because of the volume of data and the speed with
which new data are generated.

We will examine how data analysis technologies can be used to improve decision making.
We will study the fundamental principles and techniques of data mining, and we will
examine real-world examples and cases to place data-mining techniques in context, to
develop data-analytic thinking, and to illustrate that proper application is as much an art as it
is a science. In addition, we will work hands-on with data mining software.

Decision Models
This course trains students to turn real-world problems into mathematical and spreadsheet models
and to use such models to make better managerial decisions. This is a hands-on course that focuses
on modeling business problems, turning them into Excel spreadsheet models and using tools like
Solver and Crystal Ball to obtain solutions to these managerial problems. The course focuses on two
classes of models: optimization and simulation. The application areas are diverse and they originate
from problems in finance, marketing and operations. We cover problems such as how to optimize a
supply chain, how to price products when faced with demand uncertainty and how to price exotic
financial options using Monte Carlo simulation.

Probabilistic Models for Finance

This course will cover various mathematical models for the financial markets in discrete and
continuous time. Models for stocks and their derivatives will be discussed, with the main focus on
pricing and hedging such derivatives. We shall pay particular attention to the binomial and the Black-
Scholes model. In both cases we shall study the formula for pricing European call options. In the case
of the Black-Scholes model we shall also study how the changes of the parameters effect the price of
the call option. We shall calculate the price of American options using backwards induction. Finally,
forward and futures contracts will be discussed.

Prediction

In the philosophy of science, prediction is often considered to be an essential test of a theory or a
model: how well does it predict future phenomena?

Prediction is becoming increasingly central to business, driven by the explosion in available data:
how will a customer respond to an offer? Will a customer leave? What is the probability distribution
of what will happen to the market tomorrow? How likely is it that someone will become sick in the
near future? What strategy should a sports coach adopt given the game data available at the
moment? What products should a business produce given the social media chatter about related
product? Will demand for a product go up or down in the next period?

Increasingly, questions such as the above are becoming answerable because of the very large
volumes of data that are becoming available and the ability to predict outcomes based on the data.
New types of observations are becoming possible that were unthinkable just a few years ago, giving
rise to new and powerful predictive analytics driving emerging business models.

This course focuses squarely on prediction and data-driven predictive analytics.


Module 2: New York
Data Driven Decision Making
"Every two days we now create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization
up until 2003." -Eric Schmidt (CEO Google)
"Data are widely available; what is scarce is the ability to extract wisdom from them." -Hal
Varian (UC Berkeley and Chief Economist, Google)
The two quotes above summarize the main theme of this course. In every aspect of our daily
lives, from the way we work, shop, communicate, or socialize; we are both consuming and
creating vast amounts of information. More often than not, these daily activities create a trail
of digitized data that is being stored, mined, and analyzed by firms hoping to create valuable
business intelligence. With technological advances and developments in customer databases,
firms have access to vast amounts of high-quality data which allows them to understand
customer behavior, and customize business tactics to increasingly fine segments or even
segments of one. However, much of the promise of such data-driven policies has failed to
materialize because managers find it difficult to translate customer data into actionable
policies. The general objective of this course is to fill this gap by providing students with
tools and techniques that can be utilized for making business decisions. Note that this is not a
statistics or mathematics course. The emphasis of the class will be on applications and
interpretation of the results for making real life business decisions.

Social Media and Digital Marketing Analytics

The emergence of the Internet has drastically changed marketing. Some traditional marketing
strategies are now completely outdated, others have been deeply transformed, and new digital
marketing strategies are continuously emerging based on the unprecedented access to vast
amounts of information about products, firms, and consumer behavior. The Internet is now
encroaching core business activities such as new product design, advertising, marketing and
sales, creation of word-of-mouth, new start-up funding, and customer service.
Our goal in this class is to discuss the new business models in electronic commerce that have
been enabled by Internet-based social media and advertising technologies, and to analyze the
impact these technologies and business models have on industries, firms and people. We will
inform our discussions with insights from data and metrics that can guide us for
measurement. To recognize how businesses can successfully leverage these technologies, we
will therefore go beyond the technology itself and investigate some key questions.

Managing for Quality

Participants in this course will be introduced to the major elements of Dr. Deming's theory of
management, as well as Six Sigma theory, tools, and methods. Dr. Demings theory of
management, called the System of Profound Knowledge, provides an overarching theory for
the practice of management. It promotes joy in work as the vehicle to transformation an
organization from the currently and commonly practiced Management by Objectives
Performance Appraisal System management style to the Continuous Improvement
management style. Six Sigma management operates within the environment established by
the System of Profound Knowledge. Its purpose is the relentless and rigorous reduction of
variation in all critical processes to achieve continuous and breakthrough improvements that
impact the bottom-line and / or top-line of the organization, and increase customer
satisfaction. This course is critical to managing big data because big data requires trust
between the subjects of big data and the users of big data.


Module 3: Rotating Global Location
Operations Analytics

Operations and supply management use analytical thinking to deal with real-world problems.
F. Robert Jacobs

This course is an introduction to the principles and techniques for operations analytics.
Operations and supply management is defined as the design, operation, and improvement of
the systems that create and deliver the firms primary products and services.

A critical success factor in gaining competitive advantage is the ability to apply the right
analytics at the right time, to the right people, at the right place and under the right situation. -
-Joseph Chan

In this course, students will learn operations models and techniques that work with large data
sources. Operations management has dealt with applying analytics for many years. Recently,
however, due to big data, many older models and software are incapable of running the
analyses. This course will demonstrate the application of Operations models that are currently
being used in industry incorporating big data.

Advanced Decision Models

Analytics is the scientific process of transforming data into insight for making better
decisions."

This course focuses on decision making under uncertainty. Students will learn how to build
optimization models that incorporate random parameters (e.g., random demand, price, etc.).
The modeling tools covered in this course include: static stochastic optimization, two-stage
optimization with recourse, chance-constrained optimization, and sequential decision making.
We explore their applications in marketing, finance, inventory management, revenue
management, supply chain management, project management, among others. Students will
also learn how these models can be solved using Risk Solver Platform for Excel. The
emphasis throughout the course will be model formulation, solution methods, and managerial
interpretation of the results, rather than on the mathematical algorithms used to solve models.

Data Visualization

Visualization is a kind of narrative, providing a clear answer to a question without extraneous
details. -Ben Fry

This course is an introduction to the principles and techniques for data visualization.
Visualizations are graphical depictions of data that can improve comprehension,
communication, and decision making. In this course, students will learn visual representation
methods and techniques that increase the understanding of complex data and models.
Emphasis is placed on the identification of patterns, trends and differences from datasets
across categories, space, and time. This is a hands-on course. Students will use several tools
to refine their data and create visualizations. These include: R, Python, ManyEyes,
HTML/CSS, D3.js, Google Charts, Adobe Illustrator, and Excel.


Module 4: Rotating Global Location
Special Topics in Analytics: Revenue Management & Pricing
Revenue management and Pricing (RMP) focuses on how firms should manage their pricing
and product availability policies across different selling channels in order to maximize
performance and profitability. One of the best-known applications of PRM is yield
management whereby airlines, hotels and other companies seek to maximize operating
contribution by dynamically managing capacity over time.
Building on a combination of lectures and case studies the course develops a set of
methodologies that students can use to identify and develop opportunities for revenue
optimization in different business contexts, including the transportation and hospitality
industries, retail, media and entertainment, financial services, health care and manufacturing,
among others. The course places particular emphasis on discussing quantitative models
needed to tackle a number of important business problems including capacity allocation,
markdown management, dynamic pricing for e-commerce, customized pricing, and demand
forecasts under market uncertainty, to name a few.

Strategy, Change and Analytics

This course focuses on significant strategic decisions, such as the introduction of new
products or the acquisition of another firm, and explores how data-driven and analytical
approaches can be used to inform these decisions from a senior management perspective. A
case-based approach allows us to discuss details of significant strategic decisions. We will
cover some core aspects of business strategy, including external analysis, competitor analysis,
and opportunity analysis. We will also look more deeply at different aspects of the decision-
making process within organizations, both to understand the process and to think about
implementation. The goal is to understand the role of analytics and analytical approaches in
the broader organization.

Market Modeling

Todays global economy is characterized by increasing competition, eroding brand equity,
increasing price pressures and shrinking margins, all coupled with the constant need to grow
and satisfy investors. The effective allocation of scarce resources is paramount. This course
will address this essential concern, marrying competitive marketing strategy with financial
budgeting through data analysis and market modeling. Using research, data, decision models,
and a comprehensive strategic framework we will develop the methodologies for focusing
scarce company resources. This will result in creating differential advantage while balancing
marketing and financial risk.

The course will concentrate on building a foundation of competitive strategy and tactics to
develop this differential advantage in the marketplace; it will then shift to execution and how
to allocate scarce resources effectively with decision-making rooted in valuable data and
powerful analytical decision-models. The result will be a comprehensive tutorial in effective
strategic decision-making and planning, with clear analytical takeaways
Module 5: Closing - New York
Strategic Capstone

The Business Analytics Strategic Capstone presented at the culmination of the program gives
students an opportunity to review and interpret data through statistical and operational
analysis with the use of predictive models and the application of optimization techniques. The
result is a unified and practical case presentation on a topic of the student's choosing.

Format:

The integrative projects should not take the form of formal dissertations or narrative papers.
Rather, they should take the form of reports to management, emphasizing substance over
length and the forest over the trees. Where possible, they should be action-oriented and
framed in terms of business policy and competitive strategy. Given this format, they should
be easily convertible into PowerPoint presentations.


MS in Business Analytics

Today's flood of complex market data is creating high demand for skilled Business
Analytics professionals: those who know how to analyze large amounts of data to gain
insight for informed business decisions.

Business Analytics (BA) is growing in strategic importance across industry sectors,
because BA techniques can enable organizations to anticipate and initiate market
change by uncovering unexpected patterns in data. As a result, BA is helping diverse
organizations leverage a wealth of new information to create competitive advantage.

PURPOSE:
Fordham's Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) seeks to fill employers'
need for BA professionals and to prepare graduates for successful careers in this
growing field by developing students' strategic thinking skills along with a solid
technical foundation in data and model-driven management decision-making.

Fordham GBA is uniquely positioned to deliver a world-class program in Business
Analytics. Building on its nationally ranked Management, Finance and Marketing
programs, GBA offers high-caliber academic resources and unparalleled access to one
of the leading finance, data and media centers in the world--New York City.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
Fordham's MSBA program integrates analytic techniques, data management, IT,
modeling, and statistics to train students to become effective analysts and informed
users of business data. MSBA Students develop the skills required to succeed in data-
driven industries such as banking, consumer products, energy, government, health
care, insurance, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.

The MSBA program consists of 30 credits over 3 semesters, and can be completed in
1 year of full-time study or in flexible part-time study.

The Fordham MSBA program is designed for:
Graduates from analytic disciplines who want to develop advanced skills to
solve complex business problems
Graduates with degrees in quantitative areas such as Business, Economics,
Computer Science, Engineering, and Statistics, or those with MBAs, seeking
more in-depth analytic expertise in business
Experienced professionals seeking career advancement via specialized training
in BA applied to their field
In small, personalized classes, MSBA students learn to use the tools and technologies
of business analytics to:
Analyze large data sets in a variety of industries, in order to gain insight to
make informed decisions
Apply critical and analytical methods to formulate and solve business
problems
Recognize and apply quantitative algorithms, techniques and interpretation
Identify qualitative problems and apply content analytics
Effectively communicate analytic findings to non-technical audiences
Graduates of the MSBA program will join a network of more than 14,000 graduates of
Fordham Graduate School of Business Administration and more than 150,000
Fordham University alumni worldwide.

MSBA PROGRAM COMPONENTS:
The MSBA curriculum is delivered over three trimesters (1 year of full-time study, 2-
years of part-time study).
Fall Term (12 credits): Database Management, Data Warehousing, Data
Mining for Business, 1 Elective
Spring Term (12 credits): Business Analytics for Managers, Text Analytics,
Web Analytics, 1 Elective
Summer Term (6 credits): Business Performance & Risk Management and
Analytics, 1 Elective
PREREQUISITES:
Foundational knowledge in statistics, forecasting, and modeling is required. Students
who do not meet this requirement can fulfill it by taking courses at GBA prior to
starting the MSBA program.

START DATE / PROGRAM DURATION: Starts August 2014 and runs 12
months, full-time, through August 2015

MS IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
The MSBA Admissions Committee evaluates each candidate based on academic
qualifications, recommendations, personal essays and a completed application
package.

Applicants are required to complete and submit the following items:
Application - Online
Transcripts: All Official undergraduate or graduate-level transcripts.
Applicants must have completed a Bachelor's degree.
Official GRE or GMAT test scores
Two (2) Letters of Recommendation (Professional or Academic)
Personal Statement (750-1000 words) Submit with the online application.
Professional Resume
Personal Interview: Fordham GBA offers applicant interviews by appointment,
either in person or via Skype for applicants living outside the New York City
area.
TOEFL (If English is not your first language and you attended an
undergraduate program where English was not the language of instruction, you
are required to submit an official TOEFL score.) IELTS scores are accepted as
well.
$130 application fee
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
We welcome your interest in Fordham's Master of Science in Business Analytics
(MSBA) Program. If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to
contact us.

Beatriz Garcia Bernalt De La Cruz
Program Associate, Master of Science in Business Analytics
Fordham University Graduate School of Business Administration
33 West 60th Street, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10023
msbafordham@fordham.edu

Professor RP Raghupathi,
Professor of Information Systems
Academic Program Director, Master of Science in Business Analytics
raghupathi@fordham.edu


MBA/MS Degree
(Master of Science in Business Administration: Finance, Accounting, Information
Systems, or Supply Chain Management)
Integrating specialized research skills with general management
The Smith School of Business is an international leader in integrating business management
and technology. Smith MBAs can take advantage of the strength in the dual MBA/MS degree
program. In this program, students leverage their managerial skills with studies that develop
research and technological skills in a specific area. Smith offers a concentration in 4 different
areas for the MBA/MS degree: accounting, finance, information systems, or supply chain
management.
Full-time students may apply for admission to the MBA/MS degree program at the beginning
of the application process or in the Spring of their first year. Evening and Weekend MBA
students may apply in the Spring of their second year. All required courses from both
programs must be completed, including a group of electives agreed upon by the student and
an advisor. The dual degree program, which can be completed in two and a half years as full-
time student, and three and a half years as an evening or weekend student, requires 66 total
credits.


SUMMER SEMESTER

AA 500 Analytics Tools and Techniques
Orientation and Introduction
Data Querying and Reporting
Data Access and Management
Data Cleaning
Statistical Programming
Data Mining Overview
Geospatial Data Analytics
Relational Databases and Data Warehouses
Statistical Analysis of Databases
Linear Algebra Overview
Data Visualization
Presentation Skills
Teamwork Skills
Problem Solving Skills
AA 501 : Analytics Foundations
Exploratory Data Analysis
Linear Regression
Multiple Linear Regression
Regression Diagnostics
Logistic Regression
ANOVA
Analysis of Tables
Statistics Assessments
Written and Computer Application

FALL SEMESTER

AA 502 : Analytics Methods and Applications I
Time Series and Forecasting
Linear Algebra
Data Mining
Survival Analysis
Logistic Regression Models
Linear Programming/Simulation
Nonlinear Programming/Optimization
Advanced Modeling
Databases and Programming
Marketing Science: Customer Analytics
AA 504 Analytics Practicum I
Data Privacy and Security
Legal Issues
Data Visualization
Geospatial Data
Project Management
Teamwork and Conflict Resolution
Leadership/Followership
Consulting Skills
Problem-Solving
Communication Skills
Technical Writing

SPRING SEMESTER

AA 503 : Analytics Methods and Applications II
Advanced Modeling
Big Data
Text Mining
Advanced Modeling
Risk and Financial Analytics
Marketing Science: Web Analytics
Marketing Science: Customer Analytics
Advanced Exploratory and Outlier Analysis
Special Topics
AA 505 Analytics Practicum II
Data Security
Project Management
Data Visualization
Teamwork Skills
Visual Communication of Data
Presentation Skills
Technical Writing




Program requirements
41-42 credits; 12 required courses, 1 elective, plus Communicating Business Decisions
sequence
Required courses:
CIS 400 Data Structures (Programming Review)
(May be waived out, no credits, charge at review course rate)
CIS 401 (E) Information Systems
CIS 442A Introduction to Business Analytics
CIS 442B* **
or
HSM 456***
Business Analytics Projects
or
Healthcare Projects
GBA 411 (E) Framing and Analyzing Buisness Problems I
GBA 461 (MS) Core Economics for MS Students
GBA 462 (MS) Core Statistices for MS Students
HSM 450* **
or
FIN 402 (MS)**
Accounting Economics and Finance
or
Capital Budgeting and Corporoate Objectives
MGC 401-3 Communicating Business Decisions Sequence
MKT 402 (MS)*
or
ACC 401 (MS)**
or
HSM 420***
Marketing Management
or
Financial Accounting with 1 credit tab
or
Economics of Healthcare
MKT 435 (MS)*
or
ACC 411 (E)**
or
HSM 455***
Distribution Channels and Salesforce Managment
or
Financial Statement Analysis
or
Healthcare Projects
MKT 436 (MS)*
or
FIN 411 (E)**
Database Marketing
or
Investments
MKT 451 (E)*
or
Advanced Quantitative Marketing
or
CIS 418 (MS)** Business Modeling in Finance
Elective
* Marketing Track
** Finance / Accounting Track
*** Healthcare Track