ETF5932 · Predictive analytics and machine learning

Overview

Many problems in business including sales and inventory forecasting, credit scoring, recommender systems in online commerce and fraud detection use advanced tools for data analytics. This unit covers some of the most popular tools that may include tree-based methods, boosting, bagging, support vector machines, neural networks and deep learning. The algorithmic details of each method, their implementation using popular software tools (such as R) and their application to real business problems will all be covered.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. understand different techniques used in business analytics and to be able to compare these from a statistical and computational point of view
2. frame problems in finance, marketing, economics and related areas so that they can be solved by modern tools in business analytics
3. implement machine learning methods in a modern software environment (for example, R) with potentially large datasets
4. explain and interpret the analyses undertaken in a clear and effective manner and be aware of the limitations of these analyses.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities. You are expected to complete all pre-class activities prior to your scheduled class, and post-class activities should be completed after your scheduled class. Learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed, peer directed and online engagement activities.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.