Gordon Ford College of Business News

The WKU Information Systems Department is thrilled to announce the change of its name to the WKU Department of Analytics and Information Systems. The department resides in the Gordon Ford College of Business, an AACSB-accredited college since 1982.

 The department’s focus has continually shifted based on technology and the technology needs for business, and this name change reflects that. The department’s academic programs have evolved from Management Information Systems in the1990s, to Computer Information Technology and Systems Management in the 2000s, to Business Informatics in the 2010s, and to Business Data Analytics since 2015. The Center for Applied Data Analytics, housed in the department, was created in 2016 to promote data analytics research and to provide much-needed outreach to businesses and organizations in the WKU service region. However, through each change, technology and innovation remain at the heart of the department.

 With undergraduate programs in Business Data Analytics and Information Systems and graduate programs in Data Analytics and Cybersecurity Data Analytics, the Department of Analytics and Information Systems more clearly encapsulates the fields of study offered within the department. Plus, it better aligns with the department’s goal: to create the next generation of professional data analysts.

 “We have evolved based on technology and how the needs of tech for business have changed, and we’re trying to follow and respond to industry trends. The department name change reflects the innovation going on in the department to meet the needs of the community we serve,” said Dr. Ray Blankenship, Department Chair.

 To learn more about WKU’s Department of Analytics and Information Systems, visit https://www.wku.edu/bdan/.

For more information contact: Liz Fogle, liz.fogle@wku.edu