2019-2020 / GEST5006-1

SAS Certification applied analytics

Duration

15h Th, 25h Mon. WS

Number of credits

 Master of Science (MSc) in Data Science5 crédits  
 Master of Science (MSc) in Data Science and Engineering5 crédits  
 Master in mathematics (120 ECTS)4 crédits  
 Master in mathematics (60 ECTS)4 crédits  

Lecturer

Michael Schyns

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

No company can survive without a good management information system.  Nowadays, a company must be able to collect, analyze and handle huge volume of data in order to answer managerial questions and/or offer new top value services.  Amazon, Google, Facebook  are obvious successful stories confirming the importance of data management. 
Three keywords to define the course:


  • Management field: Decision Making
  • Approach: Data analysis (Analytics)
  • Theory (basics) and applications
In this course, the main question is:  How to transform raw "stupid" data into valuable "actionable" information?  Common applications in finance are fraud detection, credit risk analysis, risk profile, pricing...  Common applications in eCommerce are recommendation tools, converting clicks into customers...  Other common applications in Supply Chain Management are revenue management (e.g. airline ticketing), capacity management, diagnosis of production faults, forecasting demand, predictive modeling, advanced reporting based on ERP systems...  Common applications in marketing and sales are the analysis of customer loyalty, the analysis of the market basket, the identification of prospective customers)...
This course covers machine learning techniques such as: - data preparation - decision trees - neural networks - linear and logistic regression - market basket analysis  - clustering - model analysis
This course includes a SAS certification "Predictive Modeling Using SAS Enterprise Miner".  A nice added value to your degree. See below for details:

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

  • Gaining the knowledge and understanding of the chosen concentration field.
  • Understanding and being able of using modelization methods.
  • Capacity to research autonomously and methodically the information needed to solve a complex, transversal management problem.
  • Integrate autonomously researched information, tools, knowledge and context to build and propose original, creative and viable solutions to concrete complex management problems whether real or simulated.
  • Providing concrete solutions to a management problem, integrating modelization methods and/or a dimension of technology, innovation or production.
  • Developing a critical sense (arguing).
  • Professional capacity for written communication.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Basic computer skills Basic statistical knowledge

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

This course is based on a SAS certification program.  The students who obtain a mark large enough (threshold set by SAS) also get the SAS external professional certification. The online course provided by SAS is open at the beginning of the year and the exam will be held at the end of the second semester.  You can work at your own pace, when you wish, and from where you want (even from your Erasmus location during the first semester while the offline course starts only in February). The SAS exam can be sit at the end of the year at HEC or before in a SAS certified center.  
The off-line lectures are optional.  During the lectures, we help you to start the training (connection and basics), we perform a simple case study, and we are available to answer questions.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

This is an online course with some otional offline lectures.

Recommended or required readings

SAS e-course: "Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner" (this is the support used for the offline course AND the online SAS version). Online description: Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner

SAS certification description: SAS certified predictive modeler using SAS EM (could be replaced by a newer version)
Details: http://www.sig.hec.ulg.ac.be/ulg/aaem.php
 

Assessment methods and criteria

Two parts:

  • 70% Certification exam on computer (by SAS) Remark: the FIRST certification exam is free for my students. A fee may be required to sit a second (or more) time the certification exam. If it is a problem, the student will be allowed to choose between the SAS certification or a local exam (free but without certification).
  • 30% Project on real data

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Contacts

M. Schyns, HEC-Liege, N1 M.Schyns@uliege.be
F.Peters, HEC-Liege, N1 fpeters@uliege.be

Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the May-June 2020 session

Teaching methods implemented : distance-learning

Assessment subjects

Assessment methods

 I let you choose between three posibilities:
Solution I  (recommended) It is highly recommended because it is closer to what was initially announced and correponds to the expected competencies you should acquire.  If you reach the score of 725/1000, you also get a valuable external certification from SAS.
1) Project : same project as announced but for 30% of the final mark  2)  Online SAS tutorial : 30% of the final mark  / 1 point for each chapter fully and succesfully completed on the HEC server (sas2020.hec.uliege.be or sas.hec.ulg.ac.be) ; i.e. everything done or to be done in the tuto must be found on our server.   3) Online SAS certification:  40% of the final mark It is now possible to sit the certification from home.     You only need a computer with a mike, a cam and a reliable Internet connection.  You can select freely the day and time of your exam: everyday between the 22nd of April and the 20th of June 24/24 (registration possible every quarter).   Extra bonus: one additional point (over twenty) for those who obtain the certification!


Solution II 1) Project : same project as announced but for 70% of the final mark  2)  Online SAS tutorial : 30% of the final mark  / 1 point for each chapter fully and succesfully completed on the HEC server (sas2020.hec.uliege.be or sas.hec.ulg.ac.be) ; i.e. everything done or to be done in the tuto must be found on our server.  
Solution III Do both solution 1 and solution 2.  The mark will be the best one.

Contacts

Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the Aug-Sept 2020 session

Assessment subjects

Assessment methods

1) Project: 30% of the final mark  2)  Online SAS tutorial : 20% of the final mark  / 1 point for each chapter fully and succesfully completed on the HEC server (sas2020.hec.uliege.be or sas.hec.ulg.ac.be) ; i.e. everything done or to be done in the tuto must be found on our server.   3) Online or offline SAS certification:  50% of the final mark It is now possible to sit the certification from home.     You only need a computer with a mike, a cam and a reliable Internet connection.  You can select freely the day and time of your exam. Extra bonus: one additional point (over twenty) for those who obtain the certification! If you reach the score of 725/1000, you also get a valuable external certification from SAS. If for an unexpected reason we cannot give access to the SAS certification, it will be replaced by a MCQ exam.
Each part is compulsory.  The global mark will be zero if one part is missing.

Contacts