Published
Blog type
We are very excited to welcome our first cohort of 66 students on the MSc Business Analytics (online delivery, part-time) programme to the Business School.
The new programme is an adaptation of our renowned MSc Business Analytics, which recently ranked #2 in the world in the 2019 QS Business Masters Rankings: Business Analytics. We teach the new study mode over two years in a highly flexible online format.
The majority of the students opted for the online study mode because it allows them to balance study with advancing their career and family commitments. Students can expect around 15 hours of study in a typical study week.
Find out about the new class and discover what they have been up to since beginning the programme.
What does our new class look like?
Female students: 36%
Average age: 28
Average work experience: 6 years
The 66 students on the programme join us from all over the world, representing 32 nationalities. The nationality by region is:
- 34% Europe (excl. UK)
- 31% Asia/Pacific
- 25% United Kingdom
- 5% Africa & ME
- 5% Middle East
The top nationalities on the programme are British, Chinese, Greek and Indian.
As well as diversity in nationalities, students also join the programme from a variety of backgrounds. This reflects the growing demand for degrees in business analytics. As Johnathan Moules from the Financial Times reported, this trend is “driven by excitement about the potential of data analysis in business, and fear of being left behind.”
Students have careers in a variety of different sectors including consulting, engineering, energy, finance, FMCG, investment banking, marketing, technology and many more. Some students are sponsored by their employer to study the Master’s because they recognise the need for skills in business analytics, and recognise that employees can apply learnings from the programme in real-time to their job.
León Bartolomé works as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company. He talks about his motivation for joining the online programme:
“I was intrigued to learn how to combine analytics in a business scenario and discover the importance of ‘big data’ in the business world of today. I liked the programme’s focus on practical trial and having sector oriented projects and electives as it enables me to tailor the programme to my interests and deeply comprehend the importance and relevance of the material.”
Programme preparation and welcome week
In the two months leading up to the programme, we introduced students to The Hub which is the nucleus that delivers all the programme materials, allows students to track programme progress in real-time and connects them to their classmates, lecturers and tutors.
They are also using Slack Workspace as their main communication tool and Zoom for live classes and meeting with tutors. One of the students on the programme, Maneesh Koodly, SAP Production Planning/Material Management Consultant at Rolls-Royce says:
“The delivery of the programme via The Hub is very effective. The videos are delivered by the the very best faculty and are accompanied by interactive graphs that embed the concepts deep into your mind. In a traditional class we would not have had the luxury of replaying the content until we understand it fully! The videos are just the right duration to complete a concept in one sitting of 20-40 minutes at your convenience.
“If we have any queries on the concepts, the tutors and other cohort members are quick to respond on Slack and clarify – this is where the personal touch comes into play. Tutors are also available on Zoom for a 20-minute chat which is handy to dig deeper into a topic.”
Before beginning the first two modules, students were virtually welcomed onto campus in an online induction. In his welcome, Programme Director Professor Kalyan Talluri said to students:
During the online welcome week, we introduced students to the members of staff at Imperial who will be supporting them, as well as their lecturers for the first two modules, Data Structures and Algorithms and Maths and Statistics Foundations for Analytics.
Students also familiarised themselves with some of the software they will be using on the programme, which they will learn in the modules. Nkemdilim Udeokoro, Supply Chain Customer Solutions Analyst at Nestle in Nigeria, says:
“I earnestly look forward to the modules that involve R and Python programming languages. I expect to develop confidence and competence in coding and discover the relevance of it all in solving modern day business challenges.”
On campus elements
While this is an online programme, we look forward to welcoming students to our South Kensington campus in December 2018 and July 2019.
As well as giving students the opportunity to meet their classmates, faculty and tutors face-to-face, they will also be on campus for revision, to sit their exams and for coding bootcamps.
Sonia Liu works as a Corporate Bond Trader at WestPac Institutional Bank and is studying the programme from Sydney, Australia. Sonia says:
“I appreciate the opportunities to be on campus during the programme, to meet classmates and programme instructors in person. It is a fantastic opportunity to build my networks with talented individuals in this field.”
The new students have a busy and stimulating two years ahead of them. We look forward to seeing them embrace everything Imperial has to offer and following their journey to becoming data specialists.
Published
Blog type
Share
