DePaul Combines Theoretical And Practical Knowledge With Big Data
With the rise of big data, marketers are finding new ways to analyze and predict consumer behavior in order to provide products and services to meet customer needs. The term big data refers to the collection of data that is large and complex and gathered through multiple methods. For marketing, that could be data from point-of-sale scanners at a store, loyalty cards or online shopping habits.
“Marketing has become more data driven over the last 30 years,” Sue Fogel, chair of DePaul University’s Department of Marketing said. “Based on the data about what people have bought, what we can do now is make recommendations for other products that they might like. You can get a very detailed profile of customers and use that to predict what it is they’re likely to buy.”
DePaul’s cutting edge curriculum includes classes and degrees that prepare marketing students to be comfortable with all forms of data, including big data. DePaul offers an MBA in Consumer Insights, which focuses on market research and understanding consumer behavior.
No matter the class, students learn through DePaul’s model of combining the theoretical with the practical.
“We have a hands-on approach: For every model that I’m introducing, I also have a project where the students have to apply the model to the data set and put everything in the perspective of the consumer or business so we can understand how the analysis is going to influence all of the parties involved,” Assistant Professor Marina Girju said. “A piece of analysis is important, but it is so much better if it’s actually put in context of trends and challenges in the industry.”
About the Author
Max Pulcini
Max Pulcini is a Philadelphia-based writer and reporter. He has an affinity for Philly sports teams, Super Smash Bros. and cured meats and cheeses. Max has written for Philadelphia-based publications such as Spirit News, Philadelphia City Paper, and Billy Penn, as well as national news outlets like The Daily Beast.
