MGST 217 L01-L06
Introduction to Business Analytics
Course Outline Part A – Winter 2024
Instructor
Angela Duta
Office
SH 249
Email
angela.duta1@ucalgary.ca
Telephone
Email preferred
Office Hours
M 10:30 – 11:30
R 12:30 – 13:30
Website
Lecture
Times
Course
Coordinator
http://d2l.ucalgary.ca
L01 – MW 12:30-13:45 - MTH 212
L02 – MW 14:00-15:15 - MTH 212
L03 – MW 15:30-16:45 - MTH 212
L04 – TR 8:00-9:15 - MTH 212
L05 – TR 9:30-10:45 - MTH 212
L06 – TR 11:00-12:15 - MTH 212
Angela Duta
Course
Description
An introduction to data representation and analysis. Students will think critically about
problems, gather, evaluate, analyse, and synthesize relevant data and create insightful
models to improve the quality of decisions. Communicating and presenting quantitative
analysis to lead managerial decision making will be emphasized while continuing to advance
both individual and group leadership skills.
Course
Objectives
By the end of this course, students will…
1. generate simple models in MS Excel representing a variety of typical business problems.
2. model accurate financial statements such as an Income Statement, Balance Sheet,
define components of each statement and perform simple analysis of financial
statements using basic financial ratios.
3. use financial statements as the basis to build decision-making models that can be used
for what-if analysis to make business decisions, such as a break-even analysis.
4. apply basic valuation criteria to simple cash flows (present and future value), perform a
valuation, and apply appropriate decision criteria (NPV/IRR).
5. identify sources of risk to businesses and evaluate outcomes under uncertainty.
6. present quantitative data graphically in a clear manner using appropriate charts and
graphics, given the data provided and the decision required using MS Excel and Power
BI.
7. use business data to create forecasts using single and multi-variable regressions.
This is Part A of the course outline, which is specific to MGST 217 – Winter 2024.
Please ensure you review Part B for policies and procedures applicable to all Haskayne undergraduate courses.
Bachelor of Commerce | 1
Textbook &
Other
Materials
MGST 217 and SGMA 217 use common materials, which are bundled available at the U of C
Bookstore. Students have two options.
1.
MGST/SGMA 217 combined course bundle with Loose Leaf textbook and MindTap
Access - recommended for students who require a printed version of the textbook.
Business 2nd Canadian edition Loose Leaf PLUS MindTap (12 months/multi semester)
Printed Access Code Authors: Pride/Hughes/Kapoor/Althouse/Allan
2.
MGST/SGMA 217 combined course bundle with MindTap Access (Digital Only) recommended for students do not require a printed version of the textbook.
Business 2nd Canadian edition (12 months/multi semester) instant access code. A code
can be purchased from the bookstore or online through the course link. Authors:
Pride/Hughes/Kapoor/Althouse/Allan
Not all the functions we require you to learn in class are available in MS Excel 2016 for Mac.
It is highly recommended that you use a Windows-based computer in class or run Windows
on your Mac using a program like Bootcamp, Parallels or VMware Fusion.
Course
Workload
Grade Scale
Grade
Distribution
Generally, it is understood that students should spend two to three hours per week outside
of class time for every hour of lecture. This means that for each course, students should
expect to spend approximately 6 - 9 hours per week total on course work and lectures. This
may vary by week depending on both the assessment schedule and on students’ ability to
manage their time. Excel is best learnt by doing and it is expected that students will use the
materials provide to help them learn and practice their Excel skills.
The Haskayne School of Business endeavours to ensure consistency of final grades across
courses and sections. Variations in distribution will always be considered by the instructor
when called for by the performance in each individual class. The student does not have any
‘right’ to a certain grade but is responsible for earning grades. The instructor has unfettered
discretion to evaluate student performance and assign all grades.
A+
A
A-
≥
≥
≥
96
92
88
Outstanding
Excellent
Approaching excellent
B+
≥
84
Exceeding good performance
B
≥
80
Good performance
B-
≥
76
Approaching good performance
C+
≥
72
Exceeding satisfactory performance
C
≥
68
Satisfactory performance
C-
≥
65
D+
≥
62
D
≥
61
F
<
61
Approaching satisfactory performance
Marginal pass. Insufficient preparation for subsequent courses in
the same subject
Minimal pass. Insufficient preparation for subsequent courses in
the same subject
Failure. Did not meet course requirements.
Due Date
Assessment
Weight
Weekly: Friday @
23:59
Weekly: At the
end of Wed/Thur
class time
Feb 16 & Mar 22
Weekly Review Exercises
(8 of 10 @ 3% each)
Group Exercises
(8 of 10 @ 2% each)
24%
Course Outcomes
Assessed
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
16%
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
In-Person Excel Test
40%
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
This is Part A of the course outline, which is specific to MGST 217 – Winter 2024.
Please ensure you review Part B for policies and procedures applicable to all Haskayne undergraduate courses.
Bachelor of Commerce | 2
at 6 pm
Apr 2 @ 23:59
Apr 3-4 @ 23:59
(2 @ 20% each)
Chapter & Appendix B Review
Exercises
(5 of 7 @ 2% each)
In-Class Final Exercise
Total
10%
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
10%
100%
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Missed
Assessment
Policy
Students must follow the guidelines outlined in Part B of the outline to request a deferral
for missed work during the term, including quizzes, assignments, and exams. If a deferral is
granted, the instructor, at his or her sole discretion, may require a make-up assessment to
be completed, or transfer the weight of the missed assessment to another assessment in
the course.
Late
Assessment
Policy
Late assignments will not be accepted, and you will receive a mark of 0 if an assignment is
handed in late.
Weekly Review At the end of each week students will be responsible for completing short review exercises.
Exercises
Besides questions in a D2L quiz tool, the exercises contain a spreadsheet component. The
highest 8 marks of the 10 exercises will count to the final grade. Exercises versions will be
randomly assigned. Please consult the D2L course website for more details. These must be
completed by 23:59 each Friday except when noted in the class topics schedule. The
associated Excel files will be available through the term, but you will have only 40 minutes
to complete the quiz component in D2L once you begin it, so it is recommended that you
complete your worksheets prior to starting the D2L quiz component.
The completed exercise Excel file (when assigned) and the D2L quiz component must be
completed and handed in by the submission deadline otherwise the quiz is considered
late, and you will receive a zero as a mark.
Weekly Group
Exercises
Are based materials presented during the lecture and on D2L. The exercise component will
allow approximately the last 20-minutes of each Wed/Thur lecture to be completed. It will
be completed in a group, but everyone in the group is required to hand in a completed
version of the exercise (short D2L quiz). The highest 8 marks of 10 exercises will count to the
final grade. The completed exercise will consist of questions in D2L quiz tool based on an
Excel file except in Module 1 and 10 which will be a survey and in Module 1 the additional
task of placing a professional headshot on D2L. These are due by the end of class except
when noted.
It is recommended that you gather with your group prior to class on Wednesday/Thursday
to work on the worksheets and bring the completed file and your questions to class. You will
have time to discuss your answers and final corrections to the quiz tool component, but you
will not likely have time to complete both the worksheets and quiz tool component in the
time given in class.
Chapter &
Appendix
Review
Exercises
There are 3 attempts available for each of the six-chapter and appendix B review exercises
and your best score on each exercise will count towards the 5 of 6 highest scores towards
your final grade. Prepare for these exercises by reviewing the materials in each of the
assigned chapters in the Pride textbook, the chapter slide decks and the chapter specific
activities in MindTap. Each exercise is completed in the D2L quiz tool. Note that concepts
from the chapters will also be applied to materials in the Excel videos and lectures. All
attempts must be completed by Apr 2 @23:59.
In-Person Excel
These tests will be written in the assigned rooms on Fridays at 6 pm on February 16 and
This is Part A of the course outline, which is specific to MGST 217 – Winter 2024.
Please ensure you review Part B for policies and procedures applicable to all Haskayne undergraduate courses.
Bachelor of Commerce | 3
Tests
March 22. As proof that the test was written in the assigned room, students must sign the
attendance sheet. Failure to do so may result in a students’ exam being given a
grade of zero.
Excel Test 1: Will be based on materials presented in Modules 1 through 5. Materials include
class and D2L materials, exercises, and homework. The test will consist of completing an
Excel file with multiple worksheets and a D2L quiz based on the completed worksheets. Test
versions will be randomly assigned. Students have 70 minutes to complete the test. All
students must write this assessment on Friday February 16 at 6 pm.
Excel Test 2: Will be based on materials presented in Modules 1 through part of 9
(regression). Materials include class and D2L materials, exercises, and homework. The test
will consist of completing an Excel file with multiple worksheets and a D2L quiz based on the
completed worksheets. Test versions will be randomly assigned. Students have 70 minutes
to complete the test. All students must write this assessment on Friday March 22 at 6 pm.
Teaching staff and a group of proctors are present in the exam rooms to provide assistance
to students. In case a student has issues attempting to write an exam, we will provide
immediate assistance to the student which may include guiding on how to open the test and
the additional file and/or give an additional attempt in D2L.
Students are advised that they must shut down all VPN programs on their computers prior
to beginning the exam, and must connect to their laptop using the University of Calgary
Wi-Fi for the duration of the exam. Failure to do so may result in a students’ exam being
given a grade of zero. In the unlikely situation that all students are impacted by an unreliable
connection to the network, the exam will either be rescheduled or the weight of it will be
distributed to the other Excel test.
In Class Final
Exercise
Peer Assisted
Study Sessions
(PASS)
Program
Will be based on materials presented in Modules 1 through 10 including textbook readings,
videos, and the associated files and in-class materials. This exercise will be cumulative but
will include some focus on the materials presented in Modules 9 and 10. The exercise is in
the form of a paper quiz. Exercise versions will be randomly assigned. All students must
write this assessment in their assigned class Wednesday April 3 or Thursday April 4.
MGST 217 participates in the Peer Assisted Study Sessions program. PASS mentors will be
available during specific scheduled time starting in the second or third week of term. PASS
is offered through the Student Success Centre, PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) provides
students in designated courses with student-led study groups.
PASS Helps you improve your grades by attending free, organized study groups for PASS
designated courses. PASS workshops are organized weekly by students who have been
successful in your course before. Students who attend PASS can:
• Build their understanding of course content by discussing it with other students in
the class.
• Learn valuable study skills which will help them succeed in the course.
Email
Email is commonly used by students to communicate with their instructor. However, it does
Communication limit the effectiveness of the communications and may not be the best way for instructors
to answer student questions, especially those requiring an explanation of concepts covered
in this course or some personal concerns. Therefore, the instructor may request a telephone
call or virtual meeting. Your instructor will inform you as to his/her expectations about emails
in the first class. When emailing your instructor or TAs you must put MGST 217 in the
subject line of your email otherwise it will not get a response.
Academic
Academic integrity and rigor are critical components of a university degree. Academic
This is Part A of the course outline, which is specific to MGST 217 – Winter 2024.
Please ensure you review Part B for policies and procedures applicable to all Haskayne undergraduate courses.
Bachelor of Commerce | 4
Integrity &
Rigor
integrity is the foundation of the development and acquisition of knowledge and is based
on values of honesty, trust, responsibility, and respect. The Haskayne School of Business
values ethical leadership and personal integrity, and expects its faculty, staff, and students
to live these values. In the online environment, certain additional measures will be put in
place to help safeguard the integrity of online assessments and the intellectual property of
the instructors.
Attendance &
Engagement
Active engagement in class and with course material is essential in any course. In the online
context, students must take increased ownership of their learning. Expectations for face-toface classes are for students to be actively engaged and to sessions and adhere to class
norms.
Internet &
Electronic
Communication
Devices
Any surfing of the Internet during lectures that is not directly related to the class discussion
is distracting and strictly forbidden. Additionally, the use of any electronic devices (e.g.,
cellular phones/smartphones) for e-mailing, text-messaging, etc. is strictly prohibited.
Please turn OFF your phone before the beginning of each lecture.
Course Outline
Part B
The Course Outline Part B contains more generalized information for Haskayne and the
University. You are responsible for reading and understanding all content in both parts of
the outline.
Part B can be found here.
This is Part A of the course outline, which is specific to MGST 217 – Winter 2024.
Please ensure you review Part B for policies and procedures applicable to all Haskayne undergraduate courses.
Bachelor of Commerce | 5
Class Schedule & Topics
Please note that lecture topics and readings are tentative and subject to change. The dates of assessments will not
be changed. Important dates (e.g., Block Week, Lecture start dates, Reading Week, etc.) can be found at the
following web site: http://ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/current/academic-schedule.html
Course Schedule (MGST 217 Winter 2024)
Mod/
Week
of
Topic
Topic Details
Due Friday at
23:59
Due in class Wed/Thur
(with the exception of
the first two weeks)
#1-2
Jan 8
Intro & Parts of Excel
Excel Basics
#2-3
Jan 15
Excel Basics (Cont’d)
Revenue, Expenses, &
Profit
What is Excel? Parts of Excel, Excel
Basics, Why Excel?
Formulas, Summary Functions
Simple Absolute References, Logic
Functions
Income Statement - Revenue, Fixed
& Variable Costs, Profit, Depreciation
(CCA)
Review Exercise
#1
*** Due Jan 26
Review Exercise
#2
*** Due Jan 26
Group Exercise #1
(Profile & Entry Survey)
Due Jan 26 at 23:59
Group Exercise #2
Due Jan 26 at 23:59
#4
Jan 22
Linking Spreadsheets
Review Exercise
#3
Group Exercise #3
#5
Jan 29
Proforma Statements,
Ratios, & KPIs
Review Exercise
#4
Group Exercise #4
#6
Feb 5
Loans, Mortgages, &
Interest
Review Exercise
#5
Group Exercise #5
Feb 12
Balance Sheet, Plugs, Using
Conditional Formatting, Accounting
Equation
Complex Absolute References,
Ratios, Vlookup, Goal Seek, Growth,
Proforma Statements
Payment Functions, Interest Expense
& Interest Calculations, 2-Way Data
Tables
Review
In-Person Excel Test 1 Friday Feb 16
Midterm Break
No Class Feb 19 - 24
Financial Functions
FV, NPV, PV, IRR, RATE, NPER, 1-Way
Data Tables
Pivot Tables & Scenario Pivot Tables & Charts, Scenario
Manager
Manager, Filter & Sort, Expected
Value, Risk
Regression, Charting
Regression
Simple Charts
Feb 19
#7
Feb 26
#8
Mar 4
#9
Mar 11
Mar 18
Review
In-Person Excel Test 2 Friday Mar 22
#9-10
Mar 25
Charting, Histograms
Charts, Histogram, Data &
(Cont’d)
Presentations, Power BI Demo
Power BI
Review
In-class Final Exercise Apr 3 &4
(Easter Monday)
Review Exercise #10 (Due Apr 9 at 23:59 pm)
Group Exercise #10 (Exit Survey)
Apr 2
#10
Apr 8
This is Part A of the course outline, which is specific to MGST 217 – Winter 2024.
Readings
in Pride.
Quizzes
due Apr 2
at 23:59
Chapters
5, 6
Chapters
17, 18
Excel Test Fri Feb 16
at 6 pm
Review Exercise
#6
Review Exercise
#7
Group Exercise #6
Review Exercise
#8
Group Exercise #8
Group Exercise #7
Chapters
19, 20,
Appendix
B
Excel Test Fri Mar 22
at 6 pm
Review Exercise
#9
Please ensure you review Part B for policies and procedures applicable to all Haskayne undergraduate courses.
Group Exercise #9
Bachelor of Commerce | 6