Harnessing the Power of Analytics to Inform Business Strategy
The UNH Paul College Business Analytics Initiative serves as a driving force for education, research, and innovation in the understanding and use of "big data" to inform business strategy. Responding to a strong demand for people trained in business analytics it aims to provide New Hampshire and regional businesses with critical help needed to sustain a competitive advantage—graduates who can harness the power of data, and support to help them employ analytics tools to create value for their business.
Funded by a $6 million investment from alumnus Peter T. Paul '67, the initiative is driving the expansion of undergraduate and graduate programs, course offerings, research and engagement opportunities that connect students with businesses to work on solutions to real-world problems. It draws on faculty expertise across diverse fields including decision sciences, operations, information systems, marketing, finance, accounting, and human resources. The initiative also includes the launch of a Center for Business Analytics in spring 2021 that will service as a "hub" to bring together the knowledge and expertise of professors, students, and industry professionals working in business analytics field.
Domains of Business Analytics
Creating a Hub of Business Analytics Expertise
Educational Programs
Paul College has a suite of degree programs that serve as the foundation of the Business Analytics Initiative:
- Information Systems and Business Analytics Option within the B.S. Business Administration Major
- MBA Option and Graduate Certificate in Information Systems and Business Analytics (full-time in-person, part-time online)
- M.S. Business Analytics (full-time)
- B.S. Analytical Economics and M.S. Economics (full-time)
- M.S. Finance, Financial Analytics and Fintech Track (full-time)
Scholarships and assistantships will be funded to attract high-performing graduate students and support upper-level undergraduates interested in getting their master's degree in an area of business analytics concentration.
Annie Nevells
Thought Leadership
Paul College faculty are conducting research in business analytics across the diverse fields of decision sciences, operations, information systems, marketing, finance, accounting, and human resources. Their work is informing areas including artificial intelligence, social media advertising strategy, production and operations management, and cybersecurity. The initiative will accelerate the hiring of faculty to expand both research and teaching capacity in business analytics.
The Center for Business Analytics also will bring together Paul College faculty and faculty from other colleges for research colloquia and symposia to share knowledge and experience. It will seek out opportunities for sponsored research and serve as the "home base" for visiting scholars, industry professionals, and faculty fellows.
CONTACT
Tevfik Aktekin
Associate Professor Decision Sciences
Director M.S. Business Analytics Program
(602) 862-3387
Tevfik.Aktekin@unh.edu
Industry Engagement
The Center for Business Analytics will bring together the knowledge and expertise of academics and industry professionals working in the business analytics field. It will engage industry with faculty and students through conferences and symposia, consulting projects, and applied research. The goal is to enhance mutual learning and ensure Paul College stays on the cutting-edge of practice, while supporting regional companies to employ tools of analytics to create value for their businesses.
The center will develop faculty and industry collaborations to address high-level data science/analytics problems. The intent is to provide companies with expertise they do not have in-house, while also providing faculty an opportunity for discovery and publishable work.
CONTACT
Nagaraj Bukkapatnam
Director, Center for Business Analytics
(603) 862-3349
nagaraj.bukkapatnam@unh.edu
Why it Matters
Bryan Belanger '10, '11G MBA
Senior Director at Technology Business Research, Inc.
“The Center for Business Analytics that is part of this initiative is absolutely critical in New Hampshire to bring small businesses together to share knowledge, learn and connect with students and researchers in this emerging area. It lifts all boats, so to speak—students, faculty, the university, and businesses.”
Bryan Belanger '10, '11G MBA
Senior Director at Technology Business Research, Inc.
Samantha Woodward '20
Marketing Operations Specialist at Bottomline Technologies
“I believe I got my current job because of my experience in analytics attained while I was an undergraduate at Paul. The marketing department at Bottomline is becoming more data driven so my skills align well. What I am learning now in the master’s in business analytics program can be immediately applied.”
Samantha Woodward '20
Marketing Operations Specialist at Bottomline Technologies
Khole Gwebu
Associate Professor of Decision Sciences
Chair Department of Decision Sciences
“The field of business analytics is not entirely new, however, with the rapid growth in the amount of data produced by businesses and advances in computing technology the field is rapidly changing, and it is also changing the manner in which many business decisions are made."
Khole Gwebu
Associate Professor of Decision Sciences
Chair Department of Decision Sciences
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From undergrad ISBA major to MS Business analytics studentFor Riley Gardner '20, '21G the Covid pandemic brought her to an unexpected fork in the road. "My plan was to graduate, get a job in analytics and then eventually go back to school for an MBA or masters in statistics down the road.Learn More -
‘Comprehensive and integrated’ initiative envisionedThe University of New Hampshire’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics is launching a new Center for Business Analytics aimed at what it says will provide businesses with the help they need to sustain a competitive advantage — graduates who can harness the power of big data and support to help them employ analytics tools to create value for their business.Learn More -
Tyler Cornellier '17, B.S. Business Administration, Quantitative Finance and Business AnalyticsTyler credits his involvement in the business analytics program at UNH Paul College with giving him the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in his profession.Learn More
