The Graduate Certificate in Applied Business Analytics provides comprehensive coverage of data analytics concepts, techniques, and state-of-the-art tools used in the process of data-driven business decision-making. Students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with a variety of analytical models and decision-support tools and to apply them to interlinked data-inputs and large data sets in the areas of marketing, operations, product and technology innovations, financial services, human resources management, and others. The curriculum covers advanced software tools and functions such as predictive modeling, text and data mining, visual analytics, simulations, and OLAP tables. Graduates of the program will be able to analyze data-driven business processes, select appropriate analytical methods to monitor and identify performance issues, and propose optimal data-based solutions.

Learning Outcomes

• The knowledge and skills to better utilize available information in operational, tactical, and strategic decision-making in organizations.
• The ability to apply various powerful emerging technologies and techniques for increasing the value of both in-house and third-party data sets.
• An understanding of how organizations are using interlinked data-inputs, analytics models, and decision-support tools to better understand their operations, customers, and markets.
• The skills to understand web analytics and metrics, procure and process unstructured text, and delve into their hidden patterns.
• The expertise to facilitate knowledge discovery using data mining and visualization techniques over vast amounts of data.

Prerequisites

Applicants to the graduate certificate program are required to have a bachelor’s degree from a fully accredited institution. As a prerequisite to the course MET AD 571 Business Analytics Foundations, students are required to complete MET AD 100 Pre-Analytics Laboratory (online) or possess equivalent knowledge. MET AD 571 is a prerequisite for MET AD 616, MET AD 654, MET AD 688, and MET AD 699.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 571 Business Analytics Foundations

Plus three courses from the following:

• MET AD 616 Enterprise Risk Analytics
• MET AD 654 Marketing Analytics
• MET AD 688 Web Analytics for Business
• MET AD 699 Data Mining for Business Analytics

Available online or on campus, the Graduate Certificate in Corporate Finance at Boston University’s Metropolitan College is designed for students and/or professionals currently working in, or seeking a career in, the corporate finance field. The curriculum provides a concise set of essential skills for understanding modern corporations, ensuring that students receive a strong foundation in corporate financial theory and acquire the quantitative skills needed to understand the process behind financial decision-making by the corporations. After completing the certificate, students will be prepared for positions in areas such as budgeting, project evaluation, international financing, and short-term investing of corporate funds.

The field of corporate finance is regarded as one of the most competitive fields within finance. This certificate program will enable students to acquire the foundational knowledge and tools needed for corporate financial analysis and capital budgeting. This professional graduate certificate offers a unique opportunity to develop students’ analytical skills and critical thinking abilities through hands-on coursework and real-world case studies.

Learning Outcomes

• The ability to analyze financial statements and financial models.
• Skill in performing discounted cash flow analysis and valuation.
• Expertise in calculating net present values and internal rates of return.
• Understanding of investment rules and the ability to make capital investment decisions.
• Proficiency in risk analysis and capital budgeting.
• Understanding of the capital structure of the firm.
• The ability to use econometric methods to analyze financial data.
• The knowledge to analyze industry trends, regulations, and finance system participants.
• Comprehension of the significance and importance of ethical behavior in all aspects of business.
• The capacity to investigate and analyze how changing regulatory environment in the U.S. and abroad impacts finance.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 630 Financial and Managerial Accounting
• MET AD 678 Financial Regulation and Ethics
• MET AD 685 Quantitative Methods for Finance
• MET AD 731 Corporate Finance

The Graduate Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College is designed to provide business managers and public employees with the skills they need to formulate and execute the best possible response to a wide range of emergencies and disasters—from extreme weather to layoffs to a supply chain disruption.

Learning Outcomes

• Proficiency in designing and evaluating exposures and available response options, as well as developing appropriate plans for enterprise risk management, business continuity planning, and disaster recovery frameworks and processes.
• Skills in the use of quantitative and qualitative data use to estimate company risk exposure.
• A broad understanding of the different aspects of business continuity as it impacts the continued operations of the firm, from supply-chain through higher-level strategy development involving industry sustainability.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 610 Enterprise Risk Management
• MET AD 613 Enterprise Risk Planning and Compliance
• MET AD 614 Disaster Management
• MET AD 617 Business Continuity Management

The Graduate Certificate in Financial Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College is designed to provide leaders and managers throughout an organization with essential skills for making intelligent business decisions. By taking the required courses for the certificate, students will receive a strong foundation in financial theory, acquire technical skills for developing analytical approaches, and improve critical thinking abilities through hands-on coursework and real-world case studies. Available on campus and online, the Financial Management certificate is designed for professionals currently working in the financial services industry and those who are responsible for making financial decisions, as well as for students who are interested in a financial services career. After completing the certificate, students will be qualified for positions in cash management, capital budgeting, and risk management.

Learning Outcomes

• Expertise in how financial markets function, including the major participants, procedures for assessing and pricing risk, and market roles in the allocation of credit to various financial sectors.
• Comprehension of the goals and functions of financial management.
• Skills in financial analysis and planning, working capital management, and the capital budgeting process.
• Knowledge of long-term financing.
• Proficiency in the overall investment process and the key elements involved in the investment process such as asset allocation and security selection.
• Understanding of debt, equity, and derivatives securities.
• The ability to construct portfolios of different risk levels, given information about risk-free rates and returns on risky assets.
• Full understanding of systematic and firm-specific risk, and portfolio diversification.
• Insight on the concept and usage of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM).
• Experience with the calculation of bond prices including accrued interest, promised yields, and realized yields.
• Competence with active bond portfolio management.
• Familiarity with how to analyze a firm using the basic financial statements to perform ratio analysis.
• Understanding of mergers and acquisitions through the case study methodology.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 712 Financial Markets and Institutions
• MET AD 714 Mergers and Acquisitions
• MET AD 717 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management

And one of the following:

• MET AD 709 Case Studies in Current Corporate Financial Topics
• MET AD 713 Derivative Securities and Markets
• MET AD 719 Fixed Income Analysis
• MET AD 763 Multinational Finance and Trade

The Global Marketing Management graduate certificate at Boston University’s Metropolitan College introduces innovative marketing concepts, focusing on internet-enabled approaches combined with the marketing skills necessary for today’s highly competitive and international environment. You will learn internet-based marketing skills such as web design, SEO, and SEM, and develop an appreciation for the power of social media. Through partnerships with universities around the world, the program offers a truly unique opportunity to take online courses in English with MBA students worldwide, learning about marketing and business in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In our specially designed international course series, you will learn from partner university professors while engaging with students employed in the region’s corporations. The certificate is an opportunity to learn the new marketing skills necessary for competition in today’s highly sophisticated web environment—while engaging with fellow students around the globe.

Learning Outcomes

• An understanding of opportunities offered by the internet and various digital business strategies and technologies.
• The technical skills to be able to write and put into operation enterprise internet strategy.
• Skills and abilities necessary to operate in a global environment and use a broad range of innovative marketing techniques.
• Specific marketing skills and related marketing concepts, including social media marketing.
• The knowledge necessary to optimize websites for various search engine functions, and engage in a broad range of innovative marketing techniques.
• Knowledge and expertise of international marketing and management that enables successful competition in the global economy.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 648 Ecommerce
• MET AD 737 Innovative Marketing Techniques

Plus two additional Administrative Sciences graduate-level courses with advisor’s approval.

The Graduate Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship focuses on providing students with key managerial competencies required in today’s and tomorrow’s rapidly changing technological, economic, and cultural environments—ranging from start-ups to large multinational companies, and from high-tech and biotech companies to more traditional environments such as retail, health care, and financial services.

Learning Outcomes

• An understanding of varieties of innovation and the commercialization of technology, the changing basis of competitive advantage over time, and the modern approaches to adding value to products and services, including user interfaces, user experience, and consumer branding.
• The ability to apply research-based concepts concerning innovation and to manage the commercial development and improvement of products and services.
• The skills to understand and apply critical and innovative thinking from a global perspective, combined with enhanced communication skills and the technical tools necessary for business decision-making.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 737 Innovative Marketing Techniques
• MET AD 741 The Innovation Process: Developing New Products and Services

Plus two electives selected from Administrative Sciences courses with advisor’s approval.

The Graduate Certificate in International Business Management is designed to provide a diverse background in international business. By combining two required courses with a choice of electives, students can follow a course of study best suited to their individual objectives, taking full advantage of the Administrative Sciences department’s international focus. Students can determine which area of international business is most appealing, from e-commerce to finance to operations—or combine courses to gain a wider international business perspective. Students will find that the program and department are truly global in scope, with faculty and students from around the world, and a curriculum designed for tomorrow’s international competitiveness.

Learning Outcomes

• An understanding of the unique aspects of different regions of the world, and how these regions are positioned for global competition.
• The skills necessary for global market research to assess customer needs as well as the ability of a company to meet those needs.
• Comprehension of the complexity of global production and distribution, and the challenges companies face in meeting those demands.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

Choose two courses from the following:

• MET AD 632 Financial Concepts
• MET AD 642 Project Management
• MET AD 648 Ecommerce
• MET AD 655 International Business, Economics, and Cultures
• MET AD 741 The Innovative Process: Developing New Products and Services

Plus two electives selected from Administrative Sciences courses with advisor’s approval.

The Graduate Certificate in International Finance at Boston University’s Metropolitan College is designed for professionals whose work involves multinational corporations and global financial markets. By completing the certificate program, students will be equipped to address corporate questions pertaining to foreign exchange risk, transaction and translation exposure, and corporate strategy and foreign direct investment. Graduates will be qualified for jobs in areas of credit risk evaluation, quantitative security selection, risk measurement and mitigation, cash management, and impact of foreign exchange rates on cost of capital and budgeting.

The Certificate in International Finance will provide the necessary tools for students to navigate through the multinational financial system, understand international portfolio management, and explore the balance of payments and international economic linkages. Students will be able to specialize in a highly desired area of finance as we witness increased level of cross-border investments and multinational mergers and acquisitions.

Students who complete the certificate should be able to understand multinational financial management; explain the concept of equilibrium exchange rates; differentiate between nominal and real exchange rates; define social, political, cultural, and economic country risks; identify basic factors that determine foreign exchange risk for a company; determine the cost of capital for foreign investments; and describe the risks and advantages of international investing.

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding of multinational financial management.
• Expertise in the concept of equilibrium exchange rates.
• Facility in calculating currency appreciations and depreciations.
• The ability to describe central bank currency interventions.
• The skills to differentiate between nominal and real exchange rates.
• The competency to describe the requirements for successful currency forecasting.
• The knowledge to distinguish between current, financial, and official reserve accounts.
• The ability to calculate nation’s balance-of-payment.
• Proficiency in defining social, political, cultural, and economic country risks.
• Proficiency in defining translation and transaction exposures.
• Ease in identifying basic factors that determine foreign exchange risk for a company.
• The ability to determine the cost of capital for foreign investments.
• Understanding of the risks and advantages of international investing.
• The knowledge to describe international cash management.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 709 Case Studies in Current Corporate Finance Topics
• MET AD 717 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
• MET AD 763 Multinational Finance and Trade

And one of the following:

• MET AD 712 Financial Markets and Institutions
• MET AD 713 Derivative Securities and Markets
• MET AD 714 Mergers and Acquisitions
• MET AD 719 Fixed Income Analysis

Designed for professionals already working in, or seeking positions in, investment research, risk management, security selection, and portfolio management, the Graduate Certificate in Investment Analysis at Boston University’s Metropolitan College provides in-depth knowledge of investment strategies, asset valuation, and investment management. Graduates of the program will be prepared to excel at a variety of careers in finance involving analysis and valuation of financial assets as well as risk management.

Students will study the overall investment process as well as the key elements involved, such as asset allocation and security selection. They will obtain basic understanding of debt, equity, and derivatives securities such as options and futures contracts. Students will also learn about services provided by mutual funds and be able to construct portfolios with different risk levels.

The certificate in Investment Analysis provides students with an in-depth understanding of systematic and firm-specific risks, and how to reduce firm-specific risk by combining different securities in a portfolio. Additionally, students will study the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) concept; be able to calculate bond prices, accrued interest, promised yields, and realized yields; and understand active bond portfolio management. Moreover, students will learn how to value a firm using constant growth or multistage dividend discount models, financial statements, and financial ratio analysis.

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding of the overall investment process and the key elements involved in the investment process, such as asset allocation and security selection.
• Basic understanding of debt, equity, and derivatives securities.
• Basic understanding of options and futures contracts.
• Basic understanding of the services provided by mutual funds, and the ability to identify sources of information on investment companies.
• The ability to construct portfolios of different risk levels, given information about risk-free rates and returns on risky assets.
• Full understanding of systematic and firm-specific risk, and how one can reduce the amount of firm-specific risk in the portfolio by combining securities with differing patterns of returns.
• Insight on the concept and usage of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM).
• Experience with the calculation of bond prices including accrued interest, promised yields, and realized yields.
• Competence with active bond portfolio management.
• Basic understanding of some of the macroeconomic factors that affect security prices.
• Familiarity with the roles of fiscal and monetary policy in influencing interest rates and security prices.
• The ability to value a firm using either a constant growth or multistage dividend discount model and the price/earnings ratio model; the ability to analyze a firm using the basic financial statements to perform ratio analysis.
• The skills to calculate potential profits resulting from various option trading strategies and to formulate portfolio management strategies to modify the risk-return attributes of the portfolio; the skills to calculate option prices in a two-state world (via a simplified binomial model).
• Comprehension of market timing, timing performance measures, and the problems that timing causes in performance measurement.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 713 Derivative Securities and Markets
• MET AD 717 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
• MET AD 719 Fixed Income Analysis

And one of the following:

• MET AD 709 Case Studies in Current Corporate Financial Topics
• MET AD 712 Financial Markets and Institutions
• MET AD 714 Mergers and Acquisitions
• MET AD 763 Multinational Finance and Trade

The Graduate Certificate in Project Management delivers comprehensive knowledge of essential techniques for successful, cost-effective management of both large- and small-scale projects. Under the guidance of distinguished faculty, you will examine detailed case studies, conduct project simulations, and gain both theoretical and practical expertise that will prepare you for a wide variety of project management-related careers. Important areas of study include project management tools as well as the management skills of team-building and communication, risk and financial management, continuity management, negotiation skills, and an understanding of issues—such as outsourcing, culture, and virtual project management—that affect the international project management environment.

Learning Outcomes

• Proficiency in developing a project management life cycle.
• Proficiency in all basic project management tools and techniques, with an emphasis in communications, risk analysis, cost estimation and budgeting, and quality control.
• Knowledge of tools for project scheduling, templates for project management and communication, and techniques to measure cost variance, schedule variance, and earned value.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 642 Project Management
• MET AD 643 Project Communications Management

Plus two courses from the following:

• MET AD 644 Project Risk and Cost Management
• MET AD 646 Program Management
• MET AD 647 Project and Program Governance
• MET AD 649 Agile Project Management
• Or any approved IT PM course from the Computer Science Department

Available on campus and online, the Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain Management is a course of study covering key operations management concepts and methods, as well as state-of-the-art tools used in the process of designing and managing global supply chains. Students in the program gain hands-on experience with a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques used in the area of supply chain management. Through a curriculum that covers the essentials of operations management, global supply chains, strategic logistics management, international trade, and import/export operations, graduates of the program will be able to analyze business process flows and control streams of materials, information, and services across the supply chain of a corporation.

Learning Outcomes

• An understanding of the importance of supply chain management decisions in developing a business strategy for a firm.
• An understanding of how supply chain management strategies contribute to the overall competitive strategies of a firm.
• Foundational knowledge in supply chain management and its core pillars, including logistics management, operations management, and international trade and logistics.
• Knowledge of key supply chain management issues and tools vital in analyzing supply chain decision problems.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 605 Operations Management: Business Process Fundamentals
• MET AD 680 Global Supply Chains
• MET AD 690 Strategic Logistics Management
• MET AD 760 International Trade and Logistics

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Economic Development via Tourism focuses on the theoretical and practical requirements of how sustainable economic development can be achieved via the appropriate use of eco- and cultural tourism.

Learning Outcomes

• Comprehension of the full-range of eco- and cultural tourism assets that can be utilized for sustainable tourism development.
• An understanding of the business of eco- and cultural tourism, including how to determine which local assets to develop and market, and how to meet the needs of the tourist as a customer.
• An understanding of the global nature of the tourism industry.

Required Curriculum (four courses/16 credits)

• MET AD 600 Economic Development and Tourism Management
• MET AD 603 Evaluating and Developing Markets for Cultural Tourism

Plus two electives selected from the MSAS degree concentration in Economic Development & Tourism Management.