MSDA Application Paper
For my entrance application to the MSDA program at UHD, I wrote a paper about the opportunities in Data Analytics and why an MIS graduate would pursue this effort.
Rebecca Botello
University of Houston - Downtown
MSDA Application
July 26, 2022
From MIS to MSDA
Data analytics is a growing area of business that crosses organizational and industry boundaries. Moving from a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems (MIS) to a Master of Science in Data Analytics (MSDA) is a natural step for a person seeking a career in business intelligence. Many of the topics covered in an MIS degree become expanded upon through an MSDA program. There is solid reasoning showing that an MIS student can succeed in an MSDA program and many reasons why an MIS graduate might want to pursue the MSDA.
An MIS degree gives an excellent overview of business operations, processes, how technology is acquired, and how it fits within the organization. Data analysis builds on the topics covered in the MIS degree requirements. Courses on Business Statistics and Java should enhance the understanding of MSDA courses on R for Statistical Computing, Statistical Analytics Systems (SAS), and other practical subjects related to technology in business. Mathematics courses on time series analysis amplify concepts found in basic accounting and operations courses. The MIS undergraduate courses are a natural steppingstone for an MSDA candidate and will fill in knowledge gaps necessary for positions in data analytics.
The MSDA student will find an abundance of opportunities in the field of data analytics. Data analysis enables storytelling; it completes pictures and shows us the meaning behind aggregate data collected from sensors, websites, IoT devices, and other sources. Manufacturing and shipping companies use data to decide optimal times for equipment maintenance and shortest delivery routes, create efficient packing procedures, design production layouts, and reduce downtime. Oil and gas companies use data to discover the causes behind complex machine errors, where to find oil, and even forecast oil prices. Cisco reports that every oil platform creates around two terabytes of data daily. There are seemingly endless ways to use these massive amounts of information for oil and gas-related purposes. Additionally, any mid-to-large-sized company will have a marketing department that may use data algorithms to predict purchases, advertise timely and relevant products, and explain the effects of their products on a larger scale. The MSDA student will find no shortage of possibilities in the growing field of data in business.
Particularly wholesome applications of data analytics can be found in nature conservation. An MSDA student interested in preserving our natural environment and the creatures that live there will find these uses enticing. Organizations like The Nature Conservatory use data analysis to tell the story of how their programs benefit the environment through visual data representations and marketing pieces directed toward donors and grant providers. Showing interested parties exactly how funding is used is a crucial component in the process of securing future grants and donations. Data analysis also can be used organizations to compare changes in the environment over time with those of technological and social advances. Using data, analysts can discover correlations or causations that might help to inform governmental compliance policies and human behavior. Greenpeace uses data to track the environmental effects of data gathering. A study by Greenpeace showed that only a few companies are using renewable resources for data centers. The organization also hosted the first ever Data Activist Co-op conference in 2021, where over 400 people met virtually to discuss how to protect data privacy and use data to impact the world positively. A new meta-field of research is forming around data, its collection, and its usage.
Another fascinating use of data can be found in the educational field, where companies like MasteryPrep use technology to gather information about the effectiveness of varying teaching strategies. Analysts at MasteryPrep examine high school students’ preparatory standardized test results to discover which methods work best for most students. At MIND Research, a similar technique is used to inform the development and success of their gaming-based software to teach K-12 students math without language. McGraw Hill uses customer case study data to ensure that their online learning software engages and retains customers and to gain deeper insight into how students and instructors use their programs.
The above organizations in varied fields of work use data to enhance business processes with diverse purposes. Data analysis informs business decisions around efficiency, sustainability, growth, and functionality. With plentiful opportunities in divergent business sectors, MSDA graduates can look forward to an exciting and meaningful career that makes a tangible impact on the companies that employ them. For MIS graduates, it is an exciting time to join the field of data analytics because they have already gained much of the basic knowledge needed to succeed in an MSDA program. The MIS graduate should be both enthused by the variety of job opportunities and well prepared to learn all about the practical uses for data in business.
Works Cited
“Customer Case Study: McGraw-Hill Education.” Databricks, 29 Dec. 2021, https://databricks.com/customers/mcgraw-hill-education.
Institute, MIND Research. “Mind Research Institute 2021 Annual Report.” MIND Research Institute 2021 Annual Report, MIND Research, 2021, https://www.mindresearch.org/2021.
Runting, Rebecca K., et al. “Opportunities for Big Data in Conservation and Sustainability.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 24 Apr. 2020, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15870-0.
Seth LaxmanSeth Antonio Laxman (he/him) is a climate campaigner with Greenpeace USA. He is an environmental and transgender rights activist from Nyack, and Seth Laxman. “The Power of Information.” Greenpeace USA, 22 Sept. 2021, https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/the-power-of-information/.
Swami, Niraj. “Introducing the 10 Startups of 2021 Techstars.” The Nature Conservancy, 13 Sept. 2021, https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/technology-and-innovation/techstars-sustainability-accelerator/2021-techstars-startups/.
Venables, Mark. “Moving to the Edge Is Crucial for Oil and Gas Companies to Make Better Use of Data.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 31 May 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/markvenables/2019/05/31/moving-to-the-edge-is-crucial-for-oil-and-gas-companies-to-make-better-use-of-data/?sh=57fb01e359bd.