In collaboration with the Schools of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Department of Statistics in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Professor Karim Lakhani is launching a new, largely online, business analytics certificate program as part of the Harvard Business School Digital Initiative. The three-semester program that requires just eight to ten hours per week is designed to teach students how to leverage data and analytics to drive business growth. The team also partnered with 2U, Inc. to cater to the self-paced learning online curriculum.
Lakhani, who specializes in technology management and innovation at Harvard, says that “what used to be at the periphery of organizations is now moving to the center… there’s a broader recognition both in the faculty and our interactions with business leaders that analytics, data and algorithms are becoming increasingly important.”
HBS and partners are working to develop seven new courses as part of the curriculum: four on business analytics and three on analytical foundations. The program is designed for post-MBA or technical managers who currently have analytical roles in their organizations. As Lakhani mentioned in an interview with Poets and Quants, “managers need to understand regression models and how to think about causation but [the curriculum] is going to be within the framework of business concerns.”
The program is meant to blend technology and science with business to produce managers, executives and entrepreneurs that have a working knowledge of all sides. The initial program is expected to have 60 participants, and will commence in March of 2018.
To learn more about the program and Lakhani’s work, click here.
