SAS® helps provide 'masters of analytical problem-solving'

A Master's degree in business intelligence at Sheffield Hallam University is helping organisations improve competitiveness by providing graduates who combine SAS® analytical skills with strategic business insight.

High-performing organisations rely on high levels of business intelligence. Unfortunately, skill sets have tended to focus on either the management side or on analytics. With business intelligence now so critical to success, the demand for experts who combine strategic insight with the hands-on application of analytical techniques is rising. In 1998, Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) launched an MSc in Business Intelligence to provide graduates with these skills. SAS has been involved throughout, with SAS training covering analysis, forecasting and reporting. The result is a new class of BI professional, better able to use SAS® technologies to deliver competitive advantage.

According to Christine Straker, Principal Lecturer at SHU, "The University's relationship with SAS has been extremely strong for many years - it's a key factor in how we have developed and deliver the MSc." She believes SAS' involvement benefits the University, its students and future employers.

The right skills for business
In their 2007 book Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning, Tom Davenport and Jeanne G. Harris raised a number of key questions. For example, organisations use analytics in almost every function and department but do they consider it so strategically important that it is managed at the enterprise level? Moreover, organisations hire staff with analytical skills but do these people have the best skills and are they considered vital to business success? As Competing on Analytics makes clear, the value of BI software diminishes rapidly without skilled users; the MSc at Sheffield Hallam delivers such people.

Bridging the gap between strategists and analysts
One of the UK's leading universities for e-learning, SHU offers a wide range of distance learning courses including the MSc in Business Intelligence. "We created the course because of the need for business people with analytical skills," says Christine Straker. "We had constant approaches from potential employers, from companies wanting to sponsor students, and from recruitment agencies. There was a massive shortage of proven analytical problem-solvers." The aim was to bridge the gap between business strategists and analysts: teaching analytical techniques plus the ability to understand how they fitted with wider management and strategic thinking: how can a company best use its data, and what tools can be deployed to benefit the business?

Course modules cover key areas such as strategic management, information and knowledge dynamics, statistical modelling for business intelligence and statistical modelling for time related processes with each distance-learning module taking around two months to complete. Some 50 students have so far successfully completed the MSc.

"We had a very successful response in terms of student numbers," continues Christine Straker. When full time students went on to find jobs, many of the companies used SAS demonstrating that the student's SAS knowledge was clearly valuable, and immediately recognised by employers.

"We provide our students with knowledge about SAS and how it works - what analytics can do for organisations. Often, companies don't know what can be done, the techniques available and what they're missing. We give employers what they want thereby enabling our graduates to be more employable."

In the years following the course's creation, both the academic environment and job market changed. Christine Straker says, "This was partly due to student debt, with undergraduates wanting to start work quickly and people in general becoming less willing to give up jobs to study full time. They want to improve their skills as part of continuing professional development." Hence the MSc's transition to distance learning in 2004-2005, with a growing percentage of course fees now paid by employers.

Applying SAS® skills in industry
Matt Lomas completed the MSc in 2004 following a degree in Information Technology, and now works as a SAS Consultant in the public sector. He says, "Various opportunities were open to me after graduating. When I looked at the job market and desirable skills, SAS kept appearing. So I contacted SAS, and its Academic Programme liaison mentioned Sheffield Hallam. I felt my IT degree wasn't enough, so I wanted to follow further studies to become more 'marketable'." The course took him to the next level. "I developed a fuller view of organisations and their requirements. You learn academic theories then delve deeper through SAS, understanding the right tools to apply. That's a very powerful combination. The MSc is about taking a journey. You can go as far as you want, to the level you need, whether it's a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate, or the full Masters."

Other students in Matthew Lomas' year found themselves similarly employable. One has worked for Citigroup, another applied his knowledge to move two CRM organisations to new versions of SAS, while a third works as a freelance BI consultant. Others, he says, achieved "high positions in banking, finance and pharmaceuticals. These areas are crying out for business people with analytical skills."

Valuable contacts
Christine Straker adds, "We share course modules with other IT and Management courses at the University, covering areas ranging from strategy and systems to knowledge management. This is not only a very resource and cost-efficient way to work but also means students can learn from their peers." Matthew Lomas says, "Getting different perspectives was very useful. There are also benefits in terms of networking. I have two contacts in my work that I met through the MSc, although they were on other courses. One works for the police, another in public sector policymaking. I call these people and we have shared experiences."

He adds, "I see the relevance of this course increasing. Each year, the importance of business intelligence grows, and the demand for analytics experts increases. Organisations have all this data, they need to ask so many questions, and they want to deliver on their strategy - they need candidates like those the MSc provides."

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