{"id":12245,"date":"2025-04-24T09:34:57","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T14:34:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&#038;p=12245"},"modified":"2025-04-24T09:34:57","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T14:34:57","slug":"buzz-builds-for-uwo-business-analytics-as-response-to-regions-states-data-demands-destiny","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/buzz-builds-for-uwo-business-analytics-as-response-to-regions-states-data-demands-destiny\/","title":{"rendered":"Buzz builds for UWO Business Analytics as response to region\u2019s, state\u2019s data demands, destiny"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_12247\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12247\" style=\"width: 980px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2025\/04\/OSH_BusinessAnalytics_Artz.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12247\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2025\/04\/OSH_BusinessAnalytics_Artz.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of UWO Professor and Economics Department Chair Benjamin Artz at the head of the class in the spring 2025 Economics 472: Time Series Analysis and Forecasting course. UWO launches a new Business Analytics major in fall. \" width=\"980\" height=\"552\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2025\/04\/OSH_BusinessAnalytics_Artz.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2025\/04\/OSH_BusinessAnalytics_Artz-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2025\/04\/OSH_BusinessAnalytics_Artz-768x433.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12247\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">UW-Oshkosh Professor and Economics Department Chair Benjamin Artz at the head of the class in the spring 2025 Economics 472: Time Series Analysis and Forecasting course. UWO launches a new Business Analytics major in fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The future is data (making both sense and solutions out of it). And Matt Larsen, \u201921 and \u201924, is not only prepared to command that future, but he also likes what he sees developing for future Matt Larsens who choose UW-Oshkosh.<\/p>\n<p>In fewer than five years from earning his BBA in Finance and Economics from UWO, Larsen, who \u201cholds UWO\u2019s College of Business close to my heart,\u201d is in the data driver\u2019s seat, serving as a Finance Analyst in Global Product Innovation at Wisconsin-based juggernaut Kohler Co. He has also earned a Data Analytics Certificate and his MBA from UWO.<\/p>\n<p>So, the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents\u2019 December 2024 approval of a new, highly responsive UWO Business Analytics degree certainly got Larsen\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_126249\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-126249\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwosh.edu\/today\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/93\/Headshot-2-1-503x595.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"185\" height=\"219\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126249\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-126249\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt Larsen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cBusiness analytics are used in nearly every entry level job, and development of analytical skills will set graduating students ahead of their peers,\u201d he said, enthusiastically endorsing the new College of Business program launching this fall. \u201cAt a large company such as Kohler, we have many systems that utilize business analytics, and the more you know about them, the less you need to rely on others to assist with reporting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Larsen joins a growing chorus of students, faculty, staff and regional business partners applauding the upstart Business Analytics program at UWO.<\/p>\n<p>Most new academic programs earning a green light these days are responsive to industry and workforce appetites for specific and futuristic talent. Business Analytics takes the buzz to an entirely new level.<\/p>\n<p>UWO\u2019s case to the Board of Regents is compelling:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sky-high demand<\/strong>: \u201cThe new major will serve the growing demand in the Oshkosh and Fox Cities regions for trained professionals in Business Analytics as well as the long-standing demand for analytics programs by UW-Oshkosh students.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Remarkable job growth expected<\/strong>: \u201cAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these typical occupations are expected to grow by 36% between 2023 and 2033 nationwide and by nearly 27% in Wisconsin by 2030.\u201d UWO\u2019s December 2024 program proposal adds that \u201cregionally, the labor market within 100 miles of UW-Oshkosh currently contains more than 200 jobs requiring \u2018data analysis skills,\u2019 all of which have starting pay above $65,000 (Indeed.com; accessed March 15, 2024). In fact, these skills are in demand throughout the state with more than 300 high-paying jobs available.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mixing majors<\/strong>: Business Analytics will easily dovetail with several existing UWO majors and academic departments \u201cincluding Economics, Information Systems, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management. Additional courses from other disciplines can be added based on faculty input, relevance to the program learning objectives, and to ensure flexibility in the job market.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And equally powerful is the fact that UWO already has the faculty expertise in the College of Business ready to drive the teaching and learning within the new program.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_126251\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-126251 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwosh.edu\/today\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/93\/54394557962_1fe74e68e7_k-335x595.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"238\" height=\"423\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126251\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-126251\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students in the spring 2025 ECON 472 \u2013 Time Series Analysis and Forecasting\u00a0course.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The degree prospectus approved by the Regents notes \u201cstudents will be trained in basic statistical analysis, spreadsheet analysis, data visualization skills, basic programming knowledge in Python, database management skills in SQL, supervised learning in regression and forecasting, unsupervised learning in text analysis, and applications to business including how to communicate analytical interpretations to peers and managers in business.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Translation: the resulting knowledge and skillsets are expected to produce waves of sought-after, career-ready business, financial, market research and operational research analysts.<\/p>\n<p>But what about the\u00a0<em>inputs\u2014<\/em>prospective students?<\/p>\n<p>UWO College of Business Associate Dean and Professor of Information Systems Jakob Iversen said there\u2019s a population of learners who have some \u201cgateway interests\u201d that are very much a perfect fit for business analytics.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStudents who have an interest in fantasy sports or gaming, for example,\u201d Iversen said. \u201cIt\u2019s the opportunity to solve interesting problems.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The College of Business is also approving changes to its Business Analytics minor to help students easily access the new major\u2019s curriculum, Iversen said.<\/p>\n<p>Law Lykins is all in. The program\u2019s fall launch couldn\u2019t be better timed for the current UWO Information Systems student and accomplished UWO swim team member.<\/p>\n<p>Lykins said he\u2019s excited by the opportunity to dive in, earning the Business Analytics degree alongside his current major and making himself even more marketable as he strides toward graduation in a year or so.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like numbers. I like statistics,\u201d Lykins said. \u201cIt appeals to me a lot more, and I\u2019m sure a lot of people feel the same way. With business analytics, students can apply it to finance and many other things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alexis Prychalla, \u201923, is a pricing analyst for Milwaukee-based construction, mining, forestry, and industrial heavy equipment manufacturer Komatsu. She earned an Economics degree from UWO and, like fellow alumnus Larsen, sees the immediate boost Business Analytics will give students.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_126248\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-126248\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwosh.edu\/today\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/93\/Headshot.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"209\" height=\"209\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126248\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-126248\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alexis Prychalla<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI really think that having the analytics aspect in the background does provide significant benefit in the corporate landscape,\u201d Prychalla said. \u201cJust to have that analytical mindset\u2014I think you can also use it in a consulting role\u2026 I really think it benefits students and is a great career path. You can advance relatively quickly if you\u2019re good at what you do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Prychalla pointed to the \u201cbig data\u201d buzz throughout industry these days. Employers need analysts who can plunge into mammoth data sets and emerge as storytellers, educating their colleagues about trends, informing strategies and speeding their organizations toward solutions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can work in any industry, and this will be applicable,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019re not narrowing your options at all. You can work wherever you want and any real or scope of work you want to do\u2026 Being able to take something in Excel that\u2019s like 15,000 lines and form that into something that anyone can read\u2014transforming raw, big data that is potentially useless and presenting it to a director or anyone\u2026 that\u2019s what they\u2019re looking for right now in the market.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Larsen said Business Analytics is powerful education and experience for students either wanting a more behind-the-scenes role and career or want to be more front-and-center\u2014the \u201cbusiness thinkers who strive to understand systems.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love this major,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt sounds like it will be very forward thinking and set many UWO students ahead,\u201d Larsen said\u2026 \u201cThe demand for young professionals with these skills will not go away.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Written by UWO News Bureau<\/p>\n<p>Link to original story: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwosh.edu\/today\/126246\/buzz-builds-for-uwo-business-analytics-as-response-to-regions-states-data-demands-destiny\/\">https:\/\/www.uwosh.edu\/today\/126246\/buzz-builds-for-uwo-business-analytics-as-response-to-regions-states-data-demands-destiny\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The future is data (making both sense and solutions out of it). And Matt Larsen, \u201921 and \u201924, is not only prepared to command that future, but he also likes what he sees developing for future Matt Larsens who choose UW-Oshkosh. In fewer than five years from earning his BBA in Finance and Economics from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":12247,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[94],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-12245","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-oshkosh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/12245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=12245"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=12245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}