1. The Business Analytics Program at Old Dominion University
Weiyong Zhang
Decision Sciences Institute 2014 Annual Conference
Tampa, FL
November 23rd, 2014

2. Agenda Historical background Current program Curriculum
Challenges and future

3. Historical Background
Who we are?
Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences, Strome College of Business, Old Dominion University
Traditional “Decision Sciences” major prior to 2010.
Changed the major name to “Business Analytics” in 2010.

4. Evolution of the Program
Developed a few courses using Excel, e.g.,
BNAL Spreadsheet Modeling and Analysis for Business Decisions
BNAL Business Analysis
The program used to focus on the quantitative method side of business analytics. Recently, the big data component is added to the program.
2013~2014, the program became much more formalized to have
Major & Minor
Concentrations
Business Analytics and Intelligence Concentration
Business Analytics Concentrations in the Business Functional Areas: Accounting, Economics, Finance, International Business, Information Technology, Management, Marketing, and Maritime and Supply Chain Management.

5. Enrollment Increased

6. Projection of Enrollment

7. BNAL Courses
BNAL 206 Probability, Decision Analysis and Business Statistics
BNAL 306 Statistical Data Analysis and Management Science
BNAL 406 Spreadsheet Modeling and Analysis for Business Decisions
BNAL Business Analysis
BNAL 415 Advanced Business Analytics/Big Data Applications
BNAL 432 Forecasting
BNAL 441 Supply Chain Management and Logistics
BNAL 476 Simulation Modeling and Analysis for Business Systems

8. Business Analytics and Intelligence Concentration
Required Courses:
IT 201 Introduction to Information Systems
or IT 360T Principles of Information Technology
IT 210 Business Applications with C++
IT 361 Systems Analysis
IT 410 Business Intelligence
IT 450 Database Concepts
BNAL 406 Spreadsheet Modeling and Analysis for Business Decisions
BNAL 407 Business Analysis
BNAL 415 Advanced Business Analytics/Big Data Applications
BNAL 432 Forecasting
BNAL 476 Simulation Modeling and Analysis for Business Systems
Choose one of the following international courses:
ACCT 450 International and Advanced Accounting
ECON 450 International Economics
FIN 435 International Financial Management
IT 425 Information Systems for International Business
MGMT 361 International Business Operations
MGMT 462 Comparative International Management
MGMT 463 Management Seminar Abroad
MKTG 411 Multi-National Marketing
MSCM 370 International Shipping
Free Elective
Total Hours

9. BNAL 415
Course Title: Advanced Business Analytics with Big Data Applications
Intend to help students learn some essential analytic/modeling skills that involve big data.
Not intend to develop a data mining course.
Huge challenge in preparing the course
No suitable textbook at all. Either business analytics or big data, but not both.
Eventually prepared the course with support from SAS and SPSS
Very welcomed by students

10. Challenges and Future
Many challenges along the way. Exciting journey though.
Plan for the future
Better inter-linkage among courses: reduce overlap and improve transition
More big data components
More to be explored…

11. Questions?