ECON 3730 - Advanced Excel and Business Analytics Tools
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 43716,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Joseph Palardy
Email: jpalardy@ysu.edu
Course Description
3730. Advanced Excel and Business Analytics Tools. This course introduces students to essential tools and techniques used in business analytics. It covers advanced spreadsheet functionalities, data workflow design, Microsoft Power Query, and foundational concepts in databases, tailored for a general audience. Crosslisted with: BUS 3730. Prereq.: BUS 3700 AND 2.5 GPA. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optional | no readings |
There is no required textbook for this course, and the YSU Bookstore lists this section as requiring no purchased materials. All course materials, information, and assignments are available through Blackboard, including guided walkthroughs, sample datasets, and reference documentation for each module.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Module 1 walkthroughs and sample workbooks (Blackboard) | Module 1: Foundations of Excel - interface; Tables; array functions (SEQUENCE, FILTER, SORT, UNIQUE); lookups (XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH) | Embedded (25) and Putting It Together #1 (100) due Sun 8/30, 11:59 p.m. (grace to Mon 8/31, 1:00 p.m.) |
| 8/31 | Module 2 walkthroughs and sample workbooks | Module 2: Advanced Excel - LET; LAMBDA; BYROW/BYCOL; MAP, SCAN, REDUCE; PIVOTBY/GROUPBY | Embedded (25) and Putting It Together #2 (100) due Sun 9/6, 11:59 p.m. (grace to Mon 9/7, 1:00 p.m.) |
| 9/7 | Module 3 walkthroughs and multi-table datasets | Module 3: Multiple Tables and Data Modeling - relational data; joins; star schema; Excel Data Model; Power Pivot | Labor Day Mon 9/7, University closed - module dates unchanged |
| 9/14 | Module 4 walkthroughs and raw source files | Module 4: Power Query ETL - ETL workflow; extracting and loading; transformations; dimension tables; Power Query vs formulas | Embedded (25) and Putting It Together #4 (100) due Sun 9/20, 11:59 p.m. |
| 9/21 | Module 5 walkthroughs; Power BI Desktop on Windows (own machine or ysu.apporto.com) | Module 5: Power BI Foundations - architecture; Get Data; semantic models; measures (SUM, AVERAGE, DIVIDE); report pages | Embedded (25) and Putting It Together #5 (100) due Sun 9/27, 11:59 p.m. |
| 9/28 | Module 6 walkthroughs and reference documentation | Module 6: Advanced Desktop Skills - custom columns; date tables; text functions in M and DAX; drill-through, bookmarks, buttons, tooltips | Embedded (25) and Putting It Together #6 (100) due Sun 10/4, 11:59 p.m. (grace to Mon 10/5, 1:00 p.m.) |
| 10/5 | Module 7 readings on governance and deployment; capstone brief | Module 7: Architecture, Governance, and Capstone - connection modes; data flow; enterprise security; BI solution design | NO GRACE PERIOD. Embedded (25) and CAPSTONE PROJECT (100) due Sun 10/11, 11:59 p.m. - final cutoff for the course |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.