Bachelor of Data Science for Business
Bachelor of Data Science for Business
The Bachelor Programmes are three-year full-time studies, each of which comprises 60 credits. In total, a Bachelor's degree program comprises 180 credits. The credits are in accordance with the European ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) system.
The Bachelor of Data Science for Business is a three-year-full time program where you will attain a solid first degree in international business administration and specialize in data science applied in a business context.
Data science is about using information technology, statistics and math, and machine learning as a problem-solving strategy, and, due to the digital revolution, it has become a strategic necessity in virtually all areas of society, including business. However, data science alone cannot help us formulate and identify the business relevant questions and problems. For this purpose, good domain knowledge is crucial. Accordingly, this program gives you fundamental knowledge about many different aspects of international business management, including cultural, behavioral, theoretical, practical, and sustainable aspects of international business management.
This is a technical bachelor’s degree targeted at students with a quantitative interest. A series of courses are devoted to programming, data retrieval and management, and data analysis. You will be given substantial hands-on digital skills by applying these techniques to specific areas in marketing, accounting, finance, and economics.
Upon completion of the program, you will have the ability to solve complex business problems using critical and analytical thinking, combined with data science and business domain skills and knowledge.
The program emphasizes team projects, case solving and communication training to enhance your learning. The program is taught entirely in English, and the student population is highly international and culturally diverse.
After finishing the programme, students may pursue a career in international businesses, or they may use the bachelor’s degree as basis for master studies within a wide range of different aspects of business to which they have been introduced to.
A Bachelor of Data Science for Business student:
- has acquired a broad knowledge in business management in an international context from both a theoretical and practical standpoint.
- has acquired basic knowledge in mathematics, programming, statistics, data analysis and research methodology – including how relevant tools are used in order to gather, organize and analyze data from a variety of sources.
- has acquired broad knowledge about how various data analysis techniques are applied in accounting, finance, marketing and economics.
- has up-to-date knowledge about how the digital transformation is affecting modern societies and economies, in particular through the growth in available data, the rapid expansion of capacity for artificial intelligence and the growth in financial technology.
A Bachelor of Data Science for Business student:
- is an experienced and competent user of a bundle of relevant digital tools like Python, Excel and Matlab.
- can extract data from databases internal to firms and public sources, like the web, and organize data obtained from various sources in an adequate manner
- can analyze data using relevant best-practice techniques in business, economics and finance, including modern methods of analysis such as machine learning and quasi-experimental techniques
- can present the content in analyses, both the assumptions and the choice of methodology, and the results, both written and in oral form.
- can evaluate different forms of risk and their consequences in decision-making.
A Bachelor of Data Science for Business student:
- is aware of his/her own values and how these affect one’s behavior and decisions
- demonstrates the ability of analytical and critical thinking
- demonstrates ethical awareness
- understands how processes and decisions affects, and are affected by, resources, context, and values
- understands the ethical and legal privacy concerns associated with handling business data
- understands the difference between correlation and causation and the difficulties in obtaining credible estimates of how policies affect outcomes from non-experimental data
- has reflected upon the challenges and opportunities created by the rapid expansion of capacity for artificial intelligence
The Bachelor Programmes at BI Norwegian Business School are, as a rule, composed of 60 credits with common courses (common courses for all or more programmes), 75 credits with programme courses adapted to the individual study program, and 45 credits with elective courses. The minimum course size is 7.5 credits.
It is possible to apply for admission to another bachelor's program after the first year of study. However, it may be necessary to take additional courses.
Students can apply for admission to the studies after the 1st and 2nd year completed at other colleges, provided that the applicant/student has covered the necessary subject areas or undertakes to take the necessary courses in addition. Specific requirements for subject composition are prepared for each study.
To obtain a Bachelor's degree from BI, at least 60 credits must be acquired at BI Norwegian School of Management.
For students who are admitted to full-time multi-year programmes, there is a requirement for study progression in order to be able to move on to the next academic year. The requirements are:
A minimum of 30 credits (50%) must be completed and passed after the first year of study in order to be approved to the 2nd year.
A minimum of 60 credits (50%) must be completed and passed after the second year of study in order to be approved to 3rd year.
Some studies may require higher progression than this. The requirements for study progression for each study program are specified in the study contract. Students who do not satisfy the requirement for study progression are offered a one-year stay to address missing subjects and exams.
Workload
BI Norwegian Business School has set the norm that a full-time student should spend 1,600 hours per year. years of their studies. This means that a course of 7.5 credits will require a work effort of 200 hours including teaching, supervision, self-effort and examination. This is in line with the European standard set out in the Bologna Declaration. One of the key criteria is that credits can only be achieved through completed and passed work with an associated assessment of the performance and the learning outcome in relation to learning goals (= expected learning outcomes).