Business Systems & Analytics, BBA

Curriculum

The business systems and analytics major leads to the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) and requires a total of 128 credit hours of coursework:

• BELL core requirements: 50 hours
• Business courses: 35 hours
• B.B.A. core technical requirement: 3 hours
• Major area: 21 hours
• General electives: 19 hours

See All Program Requirements

Courses You'll Take

BSA 2050: Introduction to Programming

This course is designed as an introduction to programming and the programming language Python, for the student who has little to no programming knowledge and experience. The course can be used as preparation for more advanced programming courses, as well as a self-contained course for students who want to use Python for their studies or professional work. Python is an interpretive language with a simple syntax. While it is easy for beginners to learn, it is widely used in many disciplines for data exploration and analysis. This course uses various methods of instruction including labs, group projects and in-class discussion.

BSA 2100: Managing Business Systems

This course offers an overview of the manner in which information systems support business processes, managerial decision-making and organizational strategy. Additionally, students develop technical skills using productivity software like Excel to process and analyze data to support managerial decision making.

BSA 3110: Cybersecurity Fundamentals

This course provides an overview of the managerial and technical aspects of cybersecurity. Students develop a better understanding of how to protect information assets, recognize threats and vulnerabilities and defend against cyberattacks by building a foundation of core cybersecurity principles and policies, common authentication and authorization techniques, cryptographic principles and other security technologies to design and develop secure systems.

BSA 3220: Computer and Network Security

This course covers the most effective steps to prevent cyberattacks and detect adversaries with actionable techniques used in the real world. Students learn essential information security skills and techniques needed to protect and secure critical information and technology assets, whether on-premise or in the cloud.

BSA 3300: Business Systems Analysis

This course is designed to teach students the roles and responsibilities of the business analyst, the structured process for analyzing a business and its systems and how to determine a business system's viability.

BSA 3620: Database Modeling, Design and Analysis

This course provides students with skills to facilitate the effective use of database management systems. Key components of this course include relational data modeling along with database design, development and implementation. Students query and analyze data using SQL.

BSA 3860: Data Security, Governance and Ethics

This course provides an overview of data security, governance and ethics as it applies to government, corporate and individual data. Both technical aspects of data security and policy level issues around data privacy are covered from a corporate perspective. Students learn the current regulatory system affecting different types of personal data and methods of data anonymization that protect privacy while keeping data usable for corporate consumption. Data ethics is covered in terms of privacy, data manipulation, data sharing and ownership, conflict of interest and communications.

BSA 3950: and 4950: Studies Abroad

Study in a foreign country. Individual course titles and locations are assigned for each course taken. See Studies Abroad program for details.

BSA 4010: NoSQL Database Applications

This course explores nonrelational databases commonly referred to as NoSQL databases and the characteristics that distinguish them from relational database management systems. Core concepts of NoSQL databases are presented along with criteria that decision makers should consider when choosing between relational and nonrelational databases.

BSA 4250: Predictive Analytics

This course provides students a practical, hands-on learning environment focusing on data mining and predictive analytics to solve business problems. Students prepare data, create and validate predictive models, and deploy those models to predict future events and uncover hidden patterns of behavior. Students examine how data analysis technologies can be used to improve decision-making by studying the fundamental principles and techniques of data mining to develop data-analytic thinking.

BSA 4330: Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing

This course provides an overview of the methodologies, techniques and tactical tools of modern hackers. Students learn advanced network packet analysis and system penetration testing techniques using an offensively-focused perspective. Students gain insight into proper defensive, vulnerability assessment and forensic and incident response processes in the professional world. This course prepares students for the CEH exam.

BSA 4350: Data Analytics and Visualization

This course teaches students how to work with different types of data and utilize analytical tools to solve business problems. Students identify data requirements, utilize statistical techniques to evaluate data quality and completeness, prepare data for analysis and transform data into useful information. Students use tools like Alteryx, Tableau and SQL Server for data prep and analysis. Students learn how to effectively communicate their analytical insights through a combination of in-class activities, software demonstrations and individual and team projects.

BSA 4420: Deep Learning and AI Ethics

This course presents an overview of machine learning techniques using deep neural networks. Topics include: supervised, unsupervised and reinforcement learning approaches; classification regression tasks; generative and discriminative models; recommendation algorithms, natural language processing, computer vision, audio processing. We will also give attention to issues of ethics and society, including bias, transparency and accountability. Cross Listed with DSC 4420 and PHY 4420.

BSA 4440: Management and Communication of Information Security

This course prepares students to become the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Students develop the tools needed to build, execute and communicate a comprehensive cybersecurity strategic policy and plan.

BSA 4450: Special Topics in Business Systems and Analytics

This course offers students an opportunity to explore and study a special current business systems and analytics topic not covered in other information systems management courses.

BSA 4510: Supply Chain Analytics

This course introduces students to the principal analytical tools and methods used in supply chain management. The course provides analytical tools and helps develop analytical skills needed to solve relevant supply chain and logistics problems. These problems include but are not limited to supply chain cost minimization, network optimization, pricing and procurement decisions, outsourcing decisions and sales and operations planning.

BSA 4530: Analytics for Enterprise Systems

This course provides a hands-on approach to conducting business analytics with enterprise systems. Enterprise systems like SAP contain the overwhelming majority of the world’s business transactional data. Students develop an understanding of enterprise data structures and how to use them for reporting, visualization and prediction. This course uses various methods of instruction including labs, group projects and in-class discussion.

BSA 4550: Enterprise Systems

This course examines enterprise systems. Enterprise systems are a class of information systems that encompass multiple business areas within an organization. They include enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems; customer relationship management (CRM) systems; supply chain management (SCM) systems; knowledge management (KM) systems and others. Students learn how businesses use these systems to make daily operational decisions as well as long-term, strategic decisions. In the latter part of the course, students engage in a business simulation using an ERP system to process transactions and make decisions about purchasing, pricing and production.

BSA 4650: Big Data Analytics

This course introduces students to the fundamental technologies, platforms and methods of Big Data analysis. Students learn how to process Big Data on platforms that can handle the volume, velocity, variety and veracity of Big Data. Students learn how to setup and operate Big Data platforms to complete real world, Big Data analysis tasks that allow them to become comfortable with summarizing and communicating their findings.

BSA 4730: Project Management

Students learn the fundamentals and best practices of project management methodology as it applies to IT initiatives. Students examine all aspects of IT projects, including hardware, software, vendor relationships and stakeholder communication. Students walk through a complete project management life cycle, including initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing.

BSA 4750: Business Analytics Practicum

This capstone course demonstrates how business analytics is strategically used by organizations to gain a competitive advantage in today’s data-driven environment. This course introduces students to various business analytics applications, cases and software tools to help understand, interpret and visualize business data. This project-based course partners student teams with industry professionals to work on guided projects illustrating various aspects of descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics using a variety of statistical applications to develop data-driven insights leading to intelligent solutions.

Accelerated MBA 4 +1

The MBA-Accelerated (A.M.B.A.) program is a full-time M.B.A. designed for individuals with little or no full-time business work experience. Individuals admitted to the A.M.B.A. program begin course work in the fall term and complete their studies in the following summer - a total program length of 12 months from start to finish. Through active learning and scholarly exploration, the A.M.B.A. degree is designed to prepare students for entry-level administrative and managerial positions in both the private and public sector.  Students will be equipped with comprehensive business skills, analytical tools, and moral clarity to effectively manage diverse teams and lead organizations in today’s rapidly changing and dynamic, global business environment.

The A.M.B.A. is a non-thesis degree consisting of 36 hours, of which 30 hours are required core courses and 6 hours are elective courses that are chosen by the student.  M.B.A. elective courses may be related to a specific area (e.g. FIN, ETP, BSA, etc.) or may be independent of each other providing students with a broader point of view.

Whether you want to launch your own startup, consult with Fortune 500 companies or explore investment banking, you'll get an early start on building your career. As an Accelerated MBA student, you’ll enjoy small class sizes and outstanding faculty who bring industry experience to every class they teach. Classes meet four evenings a week on a full-time basis, giving you flexibility during workday hours to complete internships, graduate assistantships or part-time jobs. And you can complete the program in less than a year.

Learn more about Belmont's AMBA

Integrated Degree, M.ACC./B.B.A.

Belmont University’s integrated M.ACC. and B.B.A. degree program is designed to meet today’s needs of those wishing to make accounting a career choice. Today’s accountants must possess much more than just technical accounting knowledge; they must also have a broad understanding of various business activities and possess strong communication, intellectual, and interpersonal skills. In recognition of those additional skills most states, including Tennessee, have passed laws or issued regulations requiring at least 150 hours of higher education to sit for the uniform CPA examination. Also the AICPA requires new members to possess 150 hours of higher education. 

Increasingly, businesses are hiring new professionals who have master’s degrees. These include public accounting firms, manufacturing companies, and service providers in healthcare, finance, and insurance, as well as governmental organizations. Belmont’s integrated accountancy degree is a program which meets employer needs and provides graduates with exceptional career opportunities.

The integrated program is only for accounting concentration students in the Undergraduate School of Business Administration at Belmont University and is designed to be completed in a five-year time period.

Learn more about Belmont's MAcc program

The Jack C. Massey College of Business offers a variety of co-curricular leadership and learning opportunities to qualifying students in the form of student organizations and honors societies. Each organization has a faculty advisor, if not multiple. Therefore, our students are able to network and collaborate with faculty both in and out of the classroom.

Student Organizations

• Association for Information Systems
• American Marketing Association
• Business Student Advisory Board
• Collegiate DECA
• Enactus
• Equity Trading Club
• International Business Society
• Society for Human Resource Management
• Student Center for the Public Trust

Honor Societies

• Beta Alpha Psi
• Beta Gamma Sigma
• Omicron Delta Epsilon
• Sigma Nu Tau

A Global Perspective

As the workplace becomes more international in scope, a successful manager needs knowledge and skills that extend beyond the traditional business disciplines. Thus, Belmont’s Jack C. Massey College of Business places a strong emphasis on the global business community and requires all BBA degree-seeking students to complete an international business course. Global issues are also interwoven throughout other courses in the business curriculum.

In addition to classroom learning, all students in the Massey College of Business are encouraged to participate in Belmont’s Study Abroad program. Business study abroad programs and exchange opportunities are available in numerous countries. Our students travel to six of the seven continents, immersing themselves in the language, culture and business of each country they visit.

Earn credit towards:

• Major
• Minor
• General Education

Program length:

• Academic Year
• Semester
• Summer
• Maymester

Maymester is a 2-3 week study abroad experience during the month of May where Belmont students take advantage of tuition discounts and can sometimes earn up to nine credit hours. Maymester trips are led by Belmont faculty members, so students are able to further connect with their faculty in a meaningful way.

Immerse yourself in language, culture and business on a global scale by studying abroad. For additional information on Belmont’s study abroad programs, please visit our Center for Global Citizenship or Office of Study Abroad.

We are an innovative, student-centered learning community that prepares entrepreneurially, ethical and socially responsible future business leaders for the dynamic global economy.

We are committed to:

• Relevant, interactive and experiential academic programs provided by faculty with diverse and extensive academic qualifications and professional experience;
• Advising and mentoring students for career growth and development;
• Impactful scholarship that advances the practice, knowledge and teaching of business and management;
• Engaging the communities we serve through value-added relationships.

Organized in 1916, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is the premier agency for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in business administration and accounting. AACSB International accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.

Fewer than 5 percent of the world’s business schools are able to adhere to standards that result in AACSB accreditation of their business education programs. A much smaller group, fewer than 2 percent of business schools (185) worldwide, have earned the separate, specialized accreditation for their accounting program.

Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey College of Business is the only private college or university in Tennessee that is accredited by AACSB International for our BBA and MBA programs, as well as our Accounting major and Master of Accountancy degree.