Cal Poly is offering a new Master of Science in Business Analytics through the Orfalea College of Business. Applications are now being accepted for the program’s fall 2016 cohort via the CSUMentor website.

The new program focuses on data analysis as a key decision-making business tool in our data-driven universe. “We believe that the Orfalea College of Business at Cal Poly is uniquely positioned to serve the analytical talent needs of industries in our region,” said Sanjiv Jaggia, associate dean for graduate programs at Orfalea College of Business. “The MS in Business Analytics is an outstanding program that builds on a broad bench of faculty with advanced modeling skills and business acumen.”

Cal Poly’s MS in Business Analytics emphasizes industry projects, statistical modeling and communication skills.

The program offers a holistic approach to data analytics, combining qualitative reasoning with quantitative tools to identify key business problems, translate them into relevant data questions, and apply data analytics to tell a story and propose concrete business actions.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the data analyst job category is expected to grow 45 percent by 2018, making it one of the fastest-growing career fields. Unlike many fields in the ultra-competitive marketplace, the projected supply of well-qualified candidates will not meet demand, a problem that Cal Poly has directly responded to in building the interdisciplinary curriculum.

To ensure the impact of the new graduate program, Orfalea College of Business assembled the Business Analytics Advisory Board (BAAB). Members of the BAAB include top data analytics professionals across a host of blue-chip companies including Google, Oracle, Cisco, Walmart and more.

“Here at Oracle, we know there is a tremendous demand for new business school graduates with the ability to glean competitive insights from the massive amounts of data being generated today,” said Jeff Henley, executive vice chairman at Oracle and member of the Business Analytics Advisory Board. “Oracle already looks to Cal Poly as a major source of new hires for its Sales Academy, based on the quality and preparation of the students coming out of the business school. An MS program in Business Analytics will only add to the appeal of Cal Poly as a go-to source of finance and business administration talent for innovative companies in the Bay Area and beyond.”

Cal Poly business analytics students will have the opportunity to work on a culminating project in which they will use data analysis to solve the real world problems these companies face on a day-to-day basis.

“Equipped with the right combination of analytical and interdisciplinary skills, our graduates will be able to synthesize, communicate, and act on information to create competitive advantages for business. Graduates will also be able to serve as a critical link among senior management, data scientists, and clients,” said Jaggia.

In regards to employment prospects, business analytics leaders can expect to find opportunities across a host of industries, including consulting, retail, financial services, marketing, health care, technology, and sports.

More information about the program is available at http://bit.ly/CPBusinessAnalytics.

About Orfalea College of Business Graduate Programs
At the Orfalea College of Business, students Learn by Doing. To ensure their success in a modern global economy, we give them hands-on access to advanced technical facilities, exceptional faculty members, and like-minded peers who are preparing themselves to be the next generation of business leaders. Orfalea College of Business Graduate Programs is creating, expanding and reinvigorating new and existing programs. Discover for yourself the power of Learn by Doing in one of our rigorous graduate degree programs, typically completed within 10 months. For more information, visit www.cob.calpoly.edu/gradbusiness.