Making Decisions Is a Matter of Data

"Today all fields of study use data to support their analyses, they wouldn't survive without it. We see this every day and the most obvious example is the dramatic one of the pandemic." Emanuele Borgonovo, Full Professor at the Bocconi Department of Decision Sciences, summarizes the importance and mission of the Bachelor of Science in Economics, Management and Computer Science, the program he has directed since it was founded in 2016. Which is, he explains, "to prepare the new generation of digital talents, in a new professional framework in which the combination of quantitative skills and rigorous method will be the key to success. Big data and the digital revolution are changing the world we live in, influencing the way individuals, companies and institutions make decisions and direct strategies." Therefore, through the language of machine learning, BEMACS teaches students how to make the most of the information potential contained in big data to make economic and business decisions within companies and institutions. "It's an enormous opportunity for companies," Borgonovo continues, "which increasingly feel the need to make the decision process efficient and effective through data. They are therefore looking for people with these skills."

A certain number of BEMACS students, in fact, go directly to the world of work after completing the program, as they are in great demand. An entrepreneurial career is also a popular option, but it doesn't end there. Many continue their university career with a variety of opportunities: "From the most direct, that is to continue with a Master program in data science, to programs in related areas such as economics, finance or management, always with a quantitative focus. BEMACS graduates have acquired a solid quantitative background that allows them to choose from a wide array of MSc programs," continues Borgonovo. "Many continue their studies in prestigious programs, at Bocconi or other international universities, such as MIT, Cornell, Columbia..." and the list goes on.
The BSc, held entirely in English, attracts lots of international students for each edition, as well as a considerable number of women. "Most subjects are of a quantitative nature, such as mathematics, statistics and computer science, supplemented by courses in finance, accounting, economics and game theory," says the Director. "In the end, graduates will be professionals with all-around knowledge of the world of data: they will be able to understand their mathematical-statistical structure, the computer techniques for their manipulation, with a look at the applications in the fields in which they are used, from business management to healthcare policymaking."