Our data analytics concentration will give you the tools to understand how data is collected, prepared, stored, analyzed, modeled, and visualized so you can help drive sound business decisions. Data is more available than ever because of the internet, social media, automated data collection tools, and large information databases. And businesses need skilled professionals capable of utilizing these vast quantities of raw data in a systematic, organized way. You’ll explore four types of data analytics—descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive—to be able to determine what happened in the past and why, to gain the tools to understand what may happen in the future, and to help understand what actions to take to support effective decision-making. You’ll be prepared to serve in a high-demand field in various roles—data analyst, business analyst, intelligence analyst, market research analyst, and more.

To earn an undergraduate degree from Bethel, you will need a total of 122 credits. The listed number of required credits is based on a minimum of 60 transfer credits from previous professional, military, or educational experiences.

If you are applying with fewer credits, your enrollment counselor can help explore options for obtaining additional credits.

Total Credits

76

Finish in as Few as

26-32 months

Courses

• Financial Accounting for Managers (ACCT200)

  Introduction to financial accounting concepts as the language of business. Financial decision-making using key ratios and financial statements. Managerial understanding of principles of stewardship and ethical issues found in accounting.

  3 credits

• Intermediate Financial Accounting I (ACCT305)

  Introduction to theoretical frameworks that inform both domestic and international accounting standards, regulations, and practices. Solving and communicating complex accounting problems using accounting theory and practice related to assets, including receivables, inventory, property, plant, equipment, and intangibles. Applying the accounting process through recording, summarizing, and reporting business transactions. Preparation of accurate income statements, balance sheets and statements of cash flows.

  3 credits

• Intermediate Financial Accounting II (ACCT310)

  Application of theoretical frameworks that inform both domestic and international accounting standards, regulations, and practices. Solving complex accounting problems using accounting theory and practice. Accounting for current and long-term liabilities, stockholders’ equity, earnings per share, and leases. Preparation of accurate income statements, balance sheets and statements of cash flows.

  3 credits

• Cost/Managerial Accounting (ACCT315)

  Utilization of cost accounting principles for managerial decision-making. Understanding of cost-volume-profit analysis, job and process costing, activity-based costing, inventory management, planning and control systems, and discounted cash flow methods. Application of capital budgeting to evaluate long-term investments.

  3 credits

• Income Tax Accounting (ACCT420)

  Analysis of US tax laws and policies for individuals, corporations and partnerships. Understanding of US tax system history. Differentiation of required taxes among entities as well as inclusion/exclusion of income and expense items in tax calculations. Connections between tax concepts and ethical stewardship from a Christian or personal worldview.

  3 credits

• Corporate Auditing (ACCT425)

  Exploration of external auditing and the need to provide reliable financial information to corporations using professional standards and ethical stewardship. Examination of auditing practices including planning, collection of evidence, risk assessment, evaluation of information, and communication of audit findings. Understanding of financial statement auditing of assets, liabilities and shareholder equity.

  3 credits

• Advanced Accounting (ACCT430)

  Application of advanced accounting theory to solve complex problems for investments, account consolidations, foreign currency issues, partnership accounting, corporate mergers, governmental accounting, and not-for-profit accounting. Preparation of segment reporting notes, footnotes disclosures and financial statements.

  3 credits

• Introduction to Business Programming (BUSN118)

  Exploration of the evolution and categories of programming languages. Application of testing and debugging techniques. Use of object-oriented programming and dynamic scripting languages. Connection of programming languages to the language of the Bible using a Christian or personal worldview.

  3 credits

• Survey of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics (BUSN205)

  Explores economic theories and tools and how they are applied to business. Investigates principles and concepts of microeconomics and macroeconomics.

  3 credits

• Management Information Systems (BUSN220)

  Study of management information systems and various enterprise information system types. Explanation of security risks associated with information management systems. Application of Systems Development Lifecycle to real-world information management systems. Communication of business information through data and visualization. Examination of ethical issues in information management from a Christian or personal perspective.

  3 credits

• Foundations of Business Management (BUSN301)

  Analysis of key managerial functions, management and leadership in a business environment. Identification of the global, political, legal, sociocultural and demographic environments of business. Explanation of how mental, emotional, and spiritual characteristics result in purposeful leadership and management. Application of theories of organizational behavior to management and leadership in a business environment. Application of management decision making models in a business environment.

  3 credits

• Business Analytics (BUSN315)

  Execution of the business analytics process. Measuring of uncertainty using statistical analysis tools. Summarizing of data using methods of descriptive statistics. Application of predictive analytics tools. Development of competency in software used in the field of business analytics. Articulation of ethical issues in business analytics from a Christian or personal perspective.

  3 credits

• Marketing Fundamentals (BUSN323)

  Identification of the key elements of marketing including social media tools that influence marketing strategy. Application of the processes for analyzing, segmenting, pricing, branding and targeting customers in both consumer and business markets. Explanation of product development, the product life cycle, new products and line extensions. Description of promotional tactics and their influences on the marketing mix. Discussion of ethics and social responsibility in marketing from a Christian or personal perspective.

  3 credits

• Business Database Management (BUSN325)

  Explanation of data modeling, the role of Enterprise Information Management, and database security issues and solutions. Description of data control with integrity. Application of SQL data querying techniques. Application of data warehouse, data mining and data visualization concepts in relation to database management.

  3 credits

• Business Analysis for Decision Making (BUSN331)

  Understanding of business analysis knowledge areas, techniques and tools as defined by industry best practices. Application of elicitation activities, business analysis techniques and life-cycle management. Understanding of business analysis roles, responsibilities, and competencies required to be successful. Connection between business analysis codes of conduct and other ethical principles to a Christian or personal worldview.

  3 credits

• Business Law (BUSN335)

  An introduction to the legal aspects and general structure of business dealings. Analysis of the relationships between contract law, law of sales, and consumer law. Exploration of the major types of business organizations, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies, operating within the socio-economic arena of the marketplace. Evaluation of how advances in technology impact intellectual property, contract law, criminal law, and tort law. Exploration of ethical problems found in the legal and regulatory environment through the lens of a Christian or personal worldview.

  3 credits

• Intermediate Macroeconomics (BUSN415)

  Macroeconomic theory and applications. Economic models that explain the behavior of output, inflation, employment, interest rates, exchange rates, and other aggregate economic variables. Apply macroeconomic models to global events.

  3 credits

• Applied Ethical Decisions in Life and Business (BUSN425H)

  Application of business ethical theories to ethical dilemmas. Analysis of diverse perspectives regarding the basis for an ethical organization. Formulation of theoretically-based, ethical responses to a variety of ethical dilemmas. Examination of the influences that ethics and faith have on personal and professional decisions. Improvement of skills in presenting, developing, and supporting an ethical position both verbally and through writing.

  3 credits

• Predictive Data Analytics (BUSN426)

  Advanced course in the data analytics concentration which develops proficiency in predictive analytics including data visualization and dashboarding, prediction, classification and data mining methods of clustering. Preparation for the Tableau Desktop certification. Articulation of ethical issues in predictive analytics from a Christian faith perspective.

  3 credits

• Business Capstone (BUSN491)

  Solving a business problem for an organization that is based on the functional areas of business. Demonstration of effective business communication skills. Exploration of career options using a variety of career exploration tools. Demonstration of knowledge of the functional areas of business by taking a summative exam.

  3 credits

• Financial Management (FINA200)

  Identification and interpretation of various types of information provided by financial statements and used by both corporate managers and investors during the decision making process. Exploration of financing sources and costs and their impacts on financial decisions. Discernment in managerial finance using financial risk and rate of return measurements. Use of capital budgeting techniques to make data driven decisions. Discussion of biblical and ethical principles and their relationship to financial management decisions.

  3 credits

• Business Mathematics and Statistics (MATH301)

  Study of mathematically based procedures, including analytical procedures, decision-making models, and statistics.

  3 credits

CORE Courses

A distinctive feature of Bethel's programs is our commitment to the development of the whole person. In addition to courses within a program, students explore personal values and faith formation in a hospitable environment that respects learning from one another's perspectives. Rather than teaching students what to think about Christianity, we teach students how to think about the Bible, Christian history, and personal faith.

• Community, Self and Formation (CORE300)

  An exploration of self in the world, based on personal experience and classical spiritual practices. Students are challenged to think systemically about contexts of family, faith community, workplace, and broader culture as they plan for lifelong formation and contribution to the well-being of others.

  3 credits

• Examining Crucial Questions (CORE330)

  Summary of the Christian biblical narrative. Identification of the roles of scripture, history, experience, and reason, as they form convictions related to social and ethical issues. Examination of selected theological concepts using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, as well as the application of those concepts to real life situations.

  3 credits