University of New Haven at forefront of business analytics education

Today’s job market is extremely competitive. Estimates say that companies will need to fill 3.5 million science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) positions, but nearly half are projected to go unfilled because of difficulty identifying people with these skill sets.

The University of New Haven’s College of Business has consequently strategically invested in the development and deployment of STEM programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with a specific focus on business analytics.

It now offers the only STEM-certified Business Analytics undergraduate program in the United States. The master’s degree program in Business Analytics will enroll its first class in the fall of 2020. The university also has the only master’s degree program in Sports Management in the country that includes a concentration in Business Analytics.

Divya Gade, who started her career as a software engineer in India, always had an interest in "big data". Endeavoring to advance her career in the growing field of data science, Gade also wanted to increase her business knowledge as well as her statistical and technical skills.

Today, she is a candidate in UNH’s STEM-certified MBA program with a concentration in data analytics. "In today’s job market, most positions require a combination of business and technical acumen," Gade said. "The best thing about the MBA program at the UNH is the STEM-certified concentrations."

In addition to the focus on business analytics, all programs in UNHCB focus on leadership development and team building. Its Executive MBA program was created specifically for individuals who are subject experts in their particular disciplines – such as healthcare or engineering – and looking to move into leadership roles.

Susan Marino, who has spent two decades of her nursing career focusing on providing expert clinical care, recognized the importance of a deeper understanding of management, finance, and strategy principles for advancement, so she enrolled in the Executive MBA program with UNHCB.

She is now vice-president and chief nursing informatics officer for a healthcare network with 24,000 employees and total operating revenue of $4.3 billion. "I can’t overstate how much my University of New Haven Executive MBA experience has been a total game-changer for me," Marino said. "Participating in this program was one of the best decisions I ever made."

The College of Business also hosts a series of entrepreneurship competitions throughout the year, where students earn seed money for their business ideas. Recent graduates of the College of Business have received series-A funding from a venture capitalist placing a valuation on their business of more than $30 million.

UNHCB has more than 23,000 alumni, including graduates who had gone on to executive roles with Nestle, Jet Blue, Pfizer, GE, DuPont, MasterCard Worldwide, and many other Fortune 500 companies. Many have also excelled at launching their own start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures.

UNHCB has an accomplished business advisory board, the members of which include a senior vice-president and head of commercial banking for ICBC USA and partners at PwC, KPMG, and Deloitte. The university’s Career Development Center and the UNHCB internship and co-op programs director are dedicated to ensuring that each student has an opportunity to complete at least one internship or co-op opportunity, to find an optional practical training opportunity, and to secure full-time employment upon graduation.