The rapid increase in the volume of data over the past decade has revealed a number of tasks, opportunities and challenges in almost all sectors of the economy. This trend has resulted in high demand for specialists in the field of data science, digital business transformation and big data. At the same time, most of the existing master's programs in the field of big data focus on training either technical or managerial specialists. In turn, the proposed master's program "Business Analytics and Big Data Systems" is aimed at the formation of a cross-functional specialist who is able to effectively use new generation digital technologies, and who has the skills of leadership, team management and is able to apply data analysis methods to implement changes in an organization. The graduates of our program are the leaders of the enterprise digital transformation, the vehicle of data-driven culture - a data-driven management strategy.

Key benefits of the program:

The program provides an opportunity to form a unique set of interdisciplinary competencies:

− Mathematical and technological knowledge and skills for the selection, evaluation, analysis and use of big data tools and technologies;

− Competencies that provide an understanding of the business architecture, the impact of the introduction of new IT technologies, including big data technologies, on the efficiency of enterprise management, changing the value chain;

−  Managerial competencies in the field of implementation of big data systems and services based on big data technologies;

−  Research competencies in the field of big data analytics, stochastic optimization, predictive modeling, forecasting, enterprise data management, business analysis, economic and mathematical modeling.

− The program allows students to specialize in various fields by choosing certain academic disciplines, project topics and term papers, master's theses.

− The lecturers of the program are leading lecturers of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, foreign lecturers and practitioners in the field of big data, digital transformation and business analysis who work in Russian and foreign companies - business leaders.

− Students of the program directly get the opportunity to find a job immediately with the recommendations of teachers-practitioners, as well as trough participation in project work and undergraduate practice.

− Students of the program can apply for participation in academic mobility programs. This opportunity allows students to complete their studies at the Higher School of Economics and simultaneously receive two diplomas of higher education - from the Higher School of Economics and a partner university.

− An important feature of the program is its focus on business needs in new technology. The program focuses on the enterprise as a system with a developed information infrastructure that automates the solution of managerial tasks.

− The program is implemented with the support and in close cooperation with the corporate partners of the Higher School of Business - companies that develop products for big data analytics: 1C, Yandex, Lanit.

− Relationships with partner companies provide opportunity to work with the latest software products through cloud services and the possibility of internships in Russian and foreign scientific laboratories.

− English-language learning environment, international integration of the program, practical orientation of the academic disciplines, high prestige and competitiveness of the acquired profession provide the program with a leading position.

The “from tasks to technology” approach incorporated in the program develops competencies that are important for specialists who will be able to accelerate the implementation of big data technology into practice, ensure high demand for both the technology itself and the existing tools. The program has a pronounced project-oriented nature and focuses on the preparation of graduates capable of:

− carry out work on the implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of technologies and tools for big data in the enterprise;

− manage enterprise data (Data Management);

− to implement and apply tools for analytics and decision support based on big data technologies, to implement decision management (Decision Management);

− develop new models of the information infrastructure of the enterprise, taking into account the possibilities of big data technologies (Model Management).

The structure of the program is determined by the educational standard the goals and objectives of the educational program. The curriculum of the students of the program is formed from disciplines that are mandatory for study, and disciplines that the student can choose in accordance with individual input competencies and focusing on the prerequisites indicated in the course program.
In the 1st year, students are offered elective disciplines related to technological and managerial competencies for working with big data and their analytics. The disciplines of this module allow you to master architectural solutions and applied aspects when working with big data. In the 2nd year, students are offered elective disciplines related to cloud technologies and predictive analytics for making informed management decisions and implementing advanced solutions based on big data.

Much attention is paid to the development of research competencies and practical work skills. The most important component of the curriculum is project and research work, internship and master's thesis. As part of practical training, students are offered  in the 1st year and 2nd year the implementation of consulting projects in the companies of the program's business partners. In the 1st year of study, students complete term paper in the form of project or research work. In the 2nd year of study, students undergo an internship, where they solve practical issues related to the topic of the master's thesis. The master's thesis is carried out in the form of defense of the master's thesis.

Professional Activities and Competencies of Programme Graduates

The core competencies of the graduate correspond to the competencies of the Business Informatics standard, significantly expanding them with new competencies in the field of big data analytics. The term “Big Data”, which has emerged in the last decade, is directly related to the emergence of the problem of a rapid increase in the amount of data that occurs primarily in business structures as a result of full-featured informatization of business processes; in scientific organizations - due to the emergence of new opportunities for measurements; in government organizations - with an increase in the volume and functionality of services, as well as in public communication networks.

The goal of the program is to train specialists who are able to assess the impact of big data technologies on the activities of large enterprises and offer options for the effective use of these technologies in enterprise management, to receive income from the use of huge amounts of stored information, compensating for the cost of storing it.

Program graduates are in demand in any Russian and foreign public and private companies and organizations that have the practice of storing and using large data sets, as well as in organizations interested in the effective digital transformation of their business processes based on the use of big data processing technologies.

List of key professions of the program graduates:

− Product Manager in the field of advanced analytics and Data Science;

− Chief Data Officer;

− Chief Innovation Officer;

− Chief Product Officer;

− Business consultant;

− Business analyst.

IT companies and research organizations are also interested in graduates with big data competencies. A special field of activity of graduates is educational organizations that intend to develop modern learning models based on educational and academic analytics. Similarly, graduates of the program can continue their studies in postgraduate and PhD programs at foreign universities.

Professional competencies acquired by graduates of this program in accordance with the professional standards Big Data Specialist, Business Analyst, Digital Footprint Modeling, Data Collection and Analysis Specialist, System Analyst, Information Technology Project Manager ”, “Information Technology Manager”, “Information Technology Product Manager”, “Information Systems Specialist”:

Key learning outcomes for graduates are:

This degree programme of HSE University is adapted for students with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities. Special assistive technology and teaching aids are used for collective and individual learning of students with SEN and disabilities. The specific adaptive features of the programme are listed in each subject's full syllabus and are available to students through the online Learning Management System.

All documents of the degree programme are stored electronically on this website. Curricula, calendar plans, and syllabi are developed and approved electronically in corporate information systems. Their current versions are automatically published on the website of the degree programme. Up-to-date teaching and learning guides, assessment tools, and other relevant documents are stored on the website of the degree programme in accordance with the local regulatory acts of HSE University.

I hereby confirm that the degree programme documents posted on this website are fully up-to-date.

Vice Rector Sergey Yu. Roshchin

Summary of Degree Programme 'Business Analytics and Big Data Systems'