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There are 5 modules in this course
This course will equip students with the quantitative skills needed to begin any Masters of Business Administration program. The goal is not to build foundational skills or expert mastery but rather, to provide some middle ground to “shake the rust off” skills that a typical MBA student probably knows, but may not have thought about for quite some time. The course provides a quick refresher on top level math and statistics concepts that will be used throughout the MBA curriculum at any school. All of the concepts will be reinforced with practical real-world examples. All calculations, formulas, and data analysis will be performed in Excel, with many detailed demonstrations. For those unfamiliar or less comfortable with spreadsheets, the course will also prepare students with a basic facility for using spreadsheets to solve quantitative business problems. This course has no prerequisites and is intended for any audience.
What's included
3 videos3 readings1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 10 minutes
About the Specialization•6 minutes
Meet the Professor•1 minute
About this Course•3 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
General Keys to Success in an Online Course•10 minutes
Discussion Forum Guidelines•10 minutes
Accessibility and Accommodations Statement•10 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Introduce Yourself•10 minutes
Week 1: Getting Started with Basic Math
Module 2•4 hours to complete
Module details
This module sets up the basic foundations in mathematics. We cover negative numbers, functional analysis, and logarithms.
What's included
11 videos11 assignments1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
11 videos•Total 102 minutes
Weekly with Weston... and Rountree•2 minutes
Negative Numbers•11 minutes
Order of Operations•10 minutes
Exponents and Roots•17 minutes
Logarithms - Basics•5 minutes
Logarithms - Properties and Examples•14 minutes
The Natural Log•12 minutes
Introduction to Functions•6 minutes
Quadratic Functions•10 minutes
More Complicated Functions and Properties•9 minutes
Functions of Many Variables•5 minutes
11 assignments•Total 130 minutes
Knowledge Check: Negative Numbers•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Order of Operations•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Exponents and Roots•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Basics of Logarithms•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Properties of Logarithms•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Natural Logarithms•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Functions•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Quadratic Function•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Functions and Properties•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Functions of Many Variables•10 minutes
Week 1 Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Last Time I used a Log, it was for Kindlin'•10 minutes
Week 2: A Little More Math and Getting Started with Data
Module 3•4 hours to complete
Module details
This module continues to build on mathematical skills including systems of equations and limits. We also introduce basic data descriptions and visualizations using a spreadsheet program.
What's included
12 videos9 assignments1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
12 videos•Total 99 minutes
Weekly with Weston... and Rountree•2 minutes
Changes in Growth Rates•12 minutes
Systems of Equations•14 minutes
Systems of Equations - Example•6 minutes
Breakeven Analysis•7 minutes
Series and Limits•14 minutes
Describing and Using Data Overview•5 minutes
Measures of Central Tendency•7 minutes
Measures of Spread and Dispersion•14 minutes
Looking for Data - Whisker Charts•10 minutes
Scatterplots and Relationships•4 minutes
Making Histograms in Excel•5 minutes
9 assignments•Total 110 minutes
Knowledge Check: Changes and Growth Rates•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Systems of Equations •10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Series and Limits•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Measures of Central Tendency•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Measures of Spread & Dispersion•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Whisker Charts•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Scatterplots and Relationships•10 minutes
Knowledge Check: Histograms in Excel•10 minutes
Week 2 Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
What's so Standard About Deviations Anyway?•10 minutes
Week 3: Getting Started with Basic Statistics
Module 4•5 hours to complete
Module details
This module covers the basics concepts of statistics, we touch on bell curves, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and linear regression. All examples are done with a practical approach and using a spreadsheet program to do all the math.
What's included
16 videos14 assignments1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
16 videos•Total 158 minutes
Weekly with Weston... and Rountree•3 minutes
Basic Probability Postulates•12 minutes
Conditional Probability•12 minutes
Distribution as a Benchmark•14 minutes
Distribution as a Benchmark - Example•5 minutes
The Normal Distribution•13 minutes
The Normal Distribution - Examples•8 minutes
Confidence Interval and Margin of Error•12 minutes
Confidence Interval and Margin of Error - Example•3 minutes
Hypothesis Tests•13 minutes
Statistical Significance•11 minutes
Demystifying Data Analytics•4 minutes
Demystifying Data Analytics (Advanced)•19 minutes
Classification Models•7 minutes
Conjoint Analysis•6 minutes
AI and Machine Learning•16 minutes
14 assignments•Total 155 minutes
Knowledge Check: Probability Postulates•10 minutes
Rice University is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the U.S. and the top 100 in the world. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.