Helzberg School Data Analytics FAQs

On-campus classes meet once per week from 5:45 to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Online coursework is completed on a weekly basis on the student's schedule.

Five, eight-week terms are offered during the year with entry points each January, March, June, August or October. 

Most students enroll part-time, completing the program in about two years.  An accelerated option can allow students to complete the program in 1 1/2 years.

RU offers five different entry points, allowing you to begin the program in January, March, June, August or October.

Rockhurst University’s Helzberg School of Management prefers the following 6 credit hours of prerequisites are taken prior to Applied Data Mining, BIA 6301, a core course within the curriculum.

• Statistics and Machine Learning, BIA 6201 (2 credit hours)
• Databases for Analytics, BIA 6314 (2 credit hours)
• Analytics & Computational Programming, BIA 6202S (2 credit hours)

In some cases, equivalent knowledge of the prerequisite courses may be substituted.

Course Descriptions

BIA 6201. Statistics and Machine Learning (2 credit hours)

This intermediate level class covers multiple and logistic regression methods including correlation, residual analysis, analysis of variance, and robustness. These topics will be studied from a data analytic perspective using business examples. The class also explores multivariate models as they relate to problems encountered in data and text mining. Prerequisite: Introductory statistics and knowledge of the R computing Language.

BIA 6314. Databases for Analytics (2 credit hours)

This course that details database design, normalization and query methods that are pertinent for analytics. Topics will include relational databases, SQL, data warehouse architecture, data marts and data lakes. Further investigation will include cloud computing options, APIs and emerging forms of databases. The emphasis is placed on the use of these infrastructures and architectures for analytics. Prerequisite: Introductory course in programming or computer science.

BIA 6202S. Analytics & Computational Programming (2 credit hours)

This is an introductory  course in programming in the Python and R languages. Fundamentals of program design, data types, control structures, use of external libraries, integrated development environments, and notebook computing environments will be covered. The full programming design cycle of problem analysis, data gathering, coding, debugging, maintenance, and documentation will be included. 

See a sampling of the available electives.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify. We suggest all students complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible. Rockhurst University also has several payment programs if you are paying for the program without student loans.

With a bachelor's degree, you are able to take undergraduate classes with the alumni discount but not graduate level classes.  If you completed a graduate degree at Rockhurst University you may take undergraduate and graduate courses using the alumni discount.  More information may be found here. 

The alumni discount allows students to take one class each semester at a reduced tuition cost.  The half-off tuition price is per semester or 3 classes a year, not per 8 week term.  Students will complete an alumni discount form with the adviser and are able to register for a class two weeks before the term begins if space is available.  If the class is full, students using the alumni discount form will be unable to register.  Alumni discounted courses must be paid for on the day of registration and are not eligible to be covered with federal student loans.

AACSB stands for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and is the benchmark of quality for business education worldwide. Earning and maintaining AACSB accreditation is a comprehensive, demanding process. To learn more about AACSB accreditation, visit www.aacsb.edu/accreditation