APPLIED ANALYTICS IN BUSINESS - 2024/5

Module Overview

The module provides an insight into how and why Business Analytics is used by real organisations. It uses a mix of theory and real life cases to explore how Business Analytics methods are used to deliver insights and make faster, better decisions.

Students will gain knowledge on how to think about developing an analytics project, and what the possible challenges are in a real-life context, with less depth in the theoretical foundations of the techniques.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

HILL Andrew (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

MAN2188 Fundamentals of Business Analytics

Module content

An example of the weekly lecture content.  Computer labs will allow students to put into practice what they learnt in the lecture, using software such as Excel, Tableau Prep (data wrangling) and Tableau Desktop (data visualisation and data dashboards).

1. 
   Introduction to the course 
   

2. 
   Problem-solving in real life
   

3. 
   Exploratory Data Analysis I - categorical variables
   

4. 
   Exploratory Data Analysis II - continuous variables
   

5. 
   Data Wrangling
   


6. 
   Real-life Case Study I
   


7. 
   Real-life Case Study II
   


8. 
   Data Visualisation
   


9. 
   Statistics you need to know
   


10. 
    Business Intelligence and putting it all together 
    


11. 
    Module review 
    

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Alternative Assessment for ‘Applied Analytics Group Project’ is an Individual project. Alternative Assessment for ‘Applied Analytics Group Project presentation’ is an individual presentation of the individual project.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate: 

• 
  Knowledge of practical business analytics processes 
  


• 
  Appreciation of the need to deliver fit-for-purpose solutions that aid decision-making 
  


• 
  Ability to apply key techniques that enable robust insights, including not only analytical but process methods.
  

• 
  Applied Analytics group project coursework (30%)
  
  
  
  
  • 
    Group project coursework; this typically takes the form of a piece of data analysis or a model, submitted as a relevant software file.
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  Applied Analytics group project presentation (20%)
  
  
  
  
  • 
    Group project presentation makes up the second part of the project assessment.  
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  Applied Analytics Examination (50%) 
  
  
  
  
  • 
    2-hour closed book examination.  
    
  
  
  
  

• 
  Online assessments tied to lecture and lab sessions 
  
  
  
  
  • 
    Students will be given the opportunity to receive formative assessment and feedback relevant to the assignments. Formative assessment that is relevant to the closed book exam may be provided on SurreyLearn discussion forums. 
    
  
  
  
  

• 
  Group feedback on lab session results – common errors, examples of good practice. 
  


• 
  Online videos provided after each lab session that shows how to do the tasks, and which incorporates common mistakes made by students and how to avoid them.
  


• 
  Individual feedback after online assessment covering key concepts. 
  

Module aims

• To Introduce students to the practical methods of data analytics in business that turn theory into applied decision support
• To work with real, messy data and solve real, messy problems.
• To effectively use analytics techniques to improve Return on Investment.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

Encourage a critical understanding of the importance of the practical application of Business Analytics, where proponents will have to deal with messy data sources, unclear business questions and integrate them all to develop useful insights for decision-making. The course aims are to introduce students to the data-driven decision-making process and to teach them valuable practical skills to solve common data problems.   

The course will be very practical, encouraging students to get hands-on with real-life business questions and messy data, and teach them how to solve business problems with robust processes and methods that can handle diverse data sources and business leaders who don’t know what they want! 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN3201

Other information

Being able to apply analytic tools in business contexts in key for students to be employable and make sustainable and resourceful decisions based on data. This module deepens their practical understanding and proficiency with digital capabilities required in any corporate environment.   

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2024/5 academic year.