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

56

Finish in as Few as

16-24 months

Courses

• Financial Accounting (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.

  4 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.

  2 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.

  4 credits

• Human Resource Management (BUSN302)

  Exploration of the dynamic nature of human resource management from a Christian perspective. Application of talent acquisition and employee relation strategies. Analysis of strategies and responsibilities of human resource management and how organizations ensure compensation and benefits to produce results. Assessment of training and development practices. Identification of legal compliance and risk management. Preparation for the Associate Professional in Human Resources Certification exam.

  2 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.

  4 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.

  4 credits

• Business Analysis and Database Management (BUSN332)

  Understanding of business analysis knowledge areas, techniques and tools. Application of elicitation activities, business analysis techniques and life-cycle management. Understanding of business analysis roles, responsibilities, and competencies. Application of SQL data querying techniques. Application of data warehouse, data mining and data visualization concepts in relation to database management.

  4 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.

  4 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.

  4 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.

  4 credits

• Principles of Microeconomics (ECON202)

  Students are encouraged to learn how to think in a manner consistent with the existence of scarcity. Designed to be purposefully different than most courses students take, this is a course in analysis and critical analysis. Therefore students are required to think critically and independently.

  2 credits

• Principles of Macroeconomics (ECON203)

  Study of the branch of economics that focuses on the larger economy's performance on the basis of economic growth, business cycles, unemployment, and inflation, and discusses ways to improve on this performance.

  2 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.

  4 credits

• Business Mathematics and Statistics (MATH201)

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

  4 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.

  4 credits

• Examining Crucial Questions (CORE330H)

  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.

  4 credits