PE7020 - Business Analytics for Management

What will I learn on this module?

This module prepares you to be highly employable by developing key “hard” skills which have been identified by recent research on graduate

employability as those necessary for postgraduate students seeking work. In this module you will develop the practical skills and techniques

required by businesses to help them in the implementation of business intelligence and business analytics solutions. You will be introduced to

some business management processes, tools and methodologies, e.g. performance dashboards and SAS. Such skills will be of great value

to you in the workplace and will enhance your employability through developing practice-based skills for the contemporary manager, thus

emphasising the programme philosophy of “learning by doing”. A prominent theme throughout this module is to give you experience in a wide

range of industry standard tools and technologies. In addition to being able to provide clear, critical, analysis of data, you will also be able to

consider the business implementation and communication skills required.


This module emphasises the development of practical skills and techniques required by businesses to help them in decision making

operations. You will develop skills in problem solving, activity modelling, scorecard development and data modelling. There will be a strong

emphasis involving the use of tools such as Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), Balanced Scorecard, Strategy Maps and MS Excel. In

addition to being able to devise quantitative measures and calculations, you will also be able to provide clear, critical, informative

management interpretations based on the results obtained.

How will I learn on this module?

Your module, delivered by distance learning, will take an interactive approach. This will incorporate to online tutor guidance, feedback

involving the tutor and fellow students through the tutor-supported discussion board, as well as directed and independent directed drawing

upon your undertaken and experiences. Throughout, the emphasis will be on high levels of engagement from your experience of professional

practice. You can therefore expect the reflective-practitioner approach to learning to be embedded in all learning resources through

undertaking activities which facilitate you to apply theory to ‘real-life’ situations, critically analysing and making recommendations for

appropriate ways forward for an organisation or individual manager.


Each module session follows a similar structure of Learn, Explore Further and Apply. All learning materials and resources are accessible via

our virtual learning environment

Your learning is supported by a Teaching and Learning Plan, offering guidance on reading to prepare and help with the completion of the

summative assessment. Within this plan there are also suggested weekly learning activities, which guide you in your directed and

independent learning. These activities allow you to reflect and evaluate your knowledge and skills relating to this module and its contents.


Directed learning will centre upon a range of activities including pre-reading using the module electronic reading list and other e-resources,

preparation for interactive activities and use of the tutor-supported discussion board on the e-learning platform, thereby permitting tutor and

fellow student interaction.


Independent learning will centre upon you identifying and pursuing areas of interest in relation to the subject area or by providing deeper and broader knowledge and understanding of the subject through a range of learning activities that might include extended reading, thereby engaging in research-rich learning.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

A range of approaches are adopted to accelerate your learning in this module.


During the first week of this module, you will receive information about the module and Teaching & Learning Plan. The teaching and learning

plan (TLP) sets out

* Learning outcomes and overall module and programme aims

* Teaching, learning and assessment strategy

* Teaching schedule

* Directed reading references (text and journals) and core texts for the module


You will be an autonomous motivated learner within a supportive distance learning environment. The module tutor provides generic module

guidance in various formats across the VLE, as stated in the previous section, and this is supported by the framework of a teaching and

learning plan, setting out independent learning, directed study, session recordings, reading and activities prior to, and for, each session.


Directed learning will centre upon a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and use of the tutor-

supported discussion board on the e-learning platform for discussion involving tutors and particularly between students.


Independent learning will centre upon you identifying and pursuing areas of interest in relation to the subject area or by providing deeper /

broader knowledge and understanding of the subject through a range of learning activities that might include extended reading (given the

availability of an electronic reading, library e-resources and access to journals in electronic format), reflection, research etc.


Formative feedback will be provided to you on a regular basis as the tutor and your co-students critically evaluate and provide

recommendations for your development. Structured and organised formative feedback from both your tutor and your peers will also be

provided on some elements of the assessment, for example a draft assignment plan, to ensure your understanding of the assessment criteria

and tutor expectations, again, making use of various e-learning facilities notably the module discussion board.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

What will I be expected to achieve?

You will have the opportunity to develop a suite of analytical competencies which will enhance your professional development and subsequently your graduate employability and potential career progression. It will also facilitate the development of your critical thinking capability and you as an independent learner. Knowledge & Understanding: Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities: MLO1: Critically analyse and communicate complex issues effectively. MLO2: Demonstrate decision making, problem solving and project management skills.

How will I be assessed?

Summative Assessment The module will be assessed a single summative assignment. The assessment is individually based, weighted at 100% for the module. Submission and feedback will be using Electronic Management of Assessment (EMA). This is a 2,000-word executive summary report with a developed dashboard. This will assess MLO1 and MLO2. Formative Assessment Formative assessments will take place weekly in support of your practice-based session, where you will be asked to deliver discuss the development of your analytical skills and practical assessment output with fellow students via the tutor-supported discussion board and where, appropriate, through Blackboard Collaborate. Formative feedback is provided by the module tutor after these discussion and presentations for all students to take note of, learn from, and aid their summative assessment preparation.

Pre-requisite(s)

None

Co-requisite(s)

None

Module abstract

This module will equip you with various essential business analytic skills that are relevant to the management of business operations in

various national and international contexts. It seeks enhance your ability to interpret data in order to develop business intelligence, decision

management and communication skills, as well as problem solving and decision-making skills utilising a range of management tools (e.g.

scorecards and performance dashboards) and IT software (e.g. SAS and Excel).


The development of the competencies and applications will be of great value to you in the workplace and will enhance your employability by

means of harnessing practice-based skills relevant to the contemporary manager, alongside deployment of the philosophy of “learning by

doing”. The creation of a practice-based output is complemented by a summary report where you will demonstrate your ability to

communicate to a business audience a technical contribution to its decision-making and business intelligence.


In such a practice-based module, research-rich learning is developed through a research-oriented approach where knowledge production

process is incorporated alongside an enquiry-based approach where you develop a practical contribution to data analytics based on a case

scenario for the summative assessment.

Course info

Credits 20

Level of Study Postgraduate

Mode of Study 2 years Part Time (Distance Learning)

Department Newcastle Business School

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start Upcoming Intakes - July 2024, October 2024

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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