Programme Specification for the 2024/5 academic year
MSc Business Analytics
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | MSc Business Analytics | Programme code | PTS1SBESBE41 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Full Time |
Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Campus(es) | Streatham (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 7 (Masters) |
2. Description of the Programme
The MSc Business Analytics prepares you for a career in organisations which are seeking to exploit the opportunities afforded by rapidly changing technologies and growth in availability of data. It provides you with the skills required to help businesses make data-informed decisions, including the ability to understand business problems and to use data to solve them. Rather than developing analytics capabilities and awareness of business issues separately, your course is structured to allow you to build your technical skills at the same time as exploring business-relevant challenges.
The MSc Business Analytics will combine core modules in data handling and analysis alongside modules which specifically explore business problems in areas such as marketing, people and operations. The programme culminates in a capstone project, which will embed you into a sizeable business problem that draws upon various aspects of your newly developed Business Analytics skills.
Our programme is also inspired by global challenges, and will draw upon University of Exeter’s world-leading environmental research. There are increasing pressures on businesses to manage and report climate exposure in their supply chain and investment portfolios, mitigate risk of climate change and natural hazards on their operations, and manage their wider environmental impacts. You will learn about these challenges, and how business analytics approaches can support businesses in overcoming them.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
The MSc Business Analytics will:
- Bring together current scholarship and practice related to business analytics, providing students with a robust understanding of both fundamental theory and application.
- Provide insight into the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental considerations associated with increasing use of data and analytics in the global business environment.
- Enable students to recognise and understand situations, across a range of sectors and functions, in which applications of business analytics could generate business value.
- Equip students with the skills and knowledge required to follow careers related to business analytics.
A blend of traditional and innovative teaching and learning approaches will be deployed. The programme will be taught using a ‘block-lite’ schedule in which each module will be taught as a series of 5 or 6 full-day sessions. The sessions will run on alternate weeks and, in general, two modules will be covered each week. This is illustrated diagrammatically below; the diagram is for representative purposes only, the specific days and times for each module will vary each year.
Between sessions, students will be provided with theoretical and practical problems and exercises to consolidate their learning in advance of the next session. They will also be provided with access to curated online resources to support development of technical skills, using for example DataCamp or Codecademy.
Further detail about specific learning outcomes, methods of learning, and approaches to assessment, are provided in section 6 below.
4. Programme Structure
The MSc Business Analytics is a 12 month full-time programme of study at National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 7 (as confirmed against the FHEQ). This programme is divided into units of study called modules which are each assigned a number of credits. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work. You will complete 180 credits of compulsory modules as detailed in section 5.
Interim Awards
If you do not complete the programme, you may be able to exit with a lower qualification.
A Postgraduate Diploma may be awarded when a student gains at least 120 credits from the compulsory modules.
A Postgraduate Certificate may be awarded when a student gains at least 60 credits from the compulsory modules
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
http://business-school.exeter.ac.uk/study/masters/modules/
Stage 1
Compulsory Modules
120 credits of compulsory modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEMM457 | Topics in Business Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM458 | Programming for Business Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM459 | Database Technologies for Business Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM460 | Statistics and Mathematics for Business Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM461 | Analytics and Visualisation for Managers and Consultants | 15 | No |
| BEMM466 | Business Project | 45 | No |
Optional Modules
60 credits of optional modules from the following closed list:
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSc Business Analytics optional modules 2024-25 | |||
| BEMM394 | Entrepreneurship: New Venture Creation | 15 | No |
| BEMM462 | Operations Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM463 | Marketing Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM464 | Strategic and HR Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM465 | Environmental Analytics | 15 | No |
| BEMM486 | Design Intelligence | 15 | No |
| BEMM488 | Entrepreneurship and Complete Sustainable Value Creation | 15 | No |
| BEMM783 | Supply Chain Analytics | 15 | No |
| COM2017 | Introduction to Prompt Engineering | 15 | No |
| SSIM916 | Machine learning for social data science | 15 | No |
| COM2019 | Programming for Prompt Engineering | 15 | No |
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of fundamental, and domain-specific, analytics methods and tools. | A1 will be addressed by BEMM458, BEMM459, BEMM460 and BEMM461 A2, A3 and A4 will be addressed by BEMM457, BEMM462, BEMM463, BEMM464, BEMM465, BEMM466 A5 will be addressed by BEMM458, BEMM459, BEMM460, BEMM461, BEMM462, BEMM463, BEMM464, and BEMM465 Teaching and learning methods across these modules will include lectures, workshops, practical lab sessions, practitioner insight seminars, private study, case study development, group work, individual projects, and collaboration with business partners. | The assessment strategy for each module is provided in the full module description. Assessment methods will include practical exercises, project work, written assignments, presentations, multiple choice tests, and written examinations. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
6. Critically analyse the use of data within a business context, identifying strengths and limitations. | B6 will be addressed by BEMM458, BEMM459, BEMM460, BEMM462, BEMM463, BEMM464, BEMM565 and BEMM466 B7 will be addressed by BEMM457, BEMM458, BEMM459, BEMM460 and BEMM466. BEMM462, BEMM464, BEMM463 and BEMM465 will also include elements of B7, but will not explicitly assess this ILO. B8 will be addressed by BEMM462, BEMM463, BEMM464 and BEMM465 B9 will be addressed by BEMM457, BEMM461 and BEMM466 B10 will be addressed by BEMM461, BEMM462, BEMM463, BEMM464, BEMM465 and BEMM465 Teaching and learning methods across these modules will include lectures, workshops, practical lab sessions, practitioner insight seminars, private study, case study development, group work, individual projects, and collaboration with business partners. | The assessment strategy for each module is provided in the full module description. Assessment methods will include practical exercises, project work, written assignments, presentations, multiple choice tests, and written examinations. |
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
11. CONFIDENT COMMUNICATOR: Able to adapt and adjust both written and verbal communication styles, to meet the needs of diverse audiences. | C11 will be addressed by BEMM457, BEMM461
C12 will be addressed by BEMM457 and BEMM461
C13 will be addressed by BEMM457, BEMM486
C14 will be addressed by BEMM458, BEMM459, BEMM461
C15 will be addressed by BEMM457 and BEMM461, BEMM466.
C16 will be addressed by BEMM457, BEMM461, BEMM466 C17 will be addressed by BEMM457, BEMM464
Teaching and learning methods across these modules will include lectures, workshops, practical lab sessions, practitioner insight seminars, private study, case study development, group work, individual projects, and collaboration with business partners. | The assessment strategy for each module is provided in the full module description. Assessment methods will include practical exercises, project work, written assignments, presentations, multiple choice tests, and written examinations. |
7. Programme Regulations
Progression and Award
Condonement is the process that allows you to be awarded credit (and so receipt of an award at the final stage) despite failing to achieve the pass mark of 50% at a first attempt. You are not entitled to reassessment in condoned credit.
Up to 45 credits of failure can be condoned on the following conditions:
a) You have completed and been assessed in modules amounting to sufficient credit for the final award (i.e. 180 credits for MSc Business Analytics, 120 credits for a PGDip Business Analytics, and 60 credits for a PGCert Business Analytics).
b) You must pass the modules that are considered non-condonable. These are marked with a ‘Yes’ in the ‘non-condonable’ column in the tables in section 5 above.
c) You must achieve an average mark of at least 50% across the full 180 credits of assessment in the stage, including any failed and condoned modules.
Classification
The marking of modules and the classification of awards broadly corresponds to the following markets:
Postgraduate Degrees:
Distinction 70%+
Merit 60 – 69%
Pass 50 – 59%
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
Personal and Academic Tutoring: It is University policy that all Colleges should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors. The role of academic tutors is to support you on individual modules; the role of personal tutors is to provide you with advice and support for the duration of the programme and extends to providing you with details of how to obtain support and guidance on personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness. You can also make an appointment to see individual teaching staff.
In addition the School provides:
- Dedicated Programme Director
- Supervisor for Business Project
- Dedicated IT facilities and computing staff
- Dedicated insesssional language and study skills classes
- Referral service to English Language Centre
- Departmental staff-postgraduate seminar programme (visiting speakers)
- Representation on the Student Council
Student / Staff Liaison Committee enables students and staff to jointly participate in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision.
The Postgraduate Handbook can be accessed via ELE at the following address: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1645
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy (ESE)
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
MSc Business Analytics
19. UCAS Code
Not applicable to this programme.
20. NQF Level of Final Award
7 (Masters)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | ECTS credits |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
[Masters] Business and Management
23. Dates
| Origin Date | Date of last revision | 09/01/2025 |
|---|
