BUDT 737 Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Business

Spring 2022 - Syllabus

Lecture Meeting Time: Section 0506 – Monday & Wednesday – 12:30-1:45pm
Section 0507 – Monday & Wednesday – 11am-12:15pm
Lecture Location: Van Munching Hall (VMH) 1528
Questions & Inquiries: ELMS Inbox (do NOT email)

Instructor: Dr. Woei-jyh (Adam) Lee

Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday – 10-10:50am, Tuesday & Thursday – 9-9:20am,
or by appointment
Office Hours Location: https://umd.zoom.us/j/3014054087?pwd=YVh1Uzh1aGNheTJMdzVXYUp3ZjkwUT09
or VMH 4301

Teaching Assistants, Tzu-Chieh (Alex) Chen – ELMS or tchen114@umd.edu

Office Hours, and Tuesday & Thursday – 1-2pm, or by appointment
Locations: https://umd.zoom.us/j/4396545564?pwd=NmJ0OUJCc3NxbEJjM3dGTTJodnBCZz09
Hao Chen – ELMS or hchen137@umd.edu
Monday & Wednesday – 2-3pm, or by appointment
https://umd.zoom.us/j/3870155722

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course uses a learning-by-doing approach to understand key concepts behind Big Data and Artificial
Intelligence (AI), the strategic drivers of these technologies and the value propositions that they provide to
industry. The course covers technologies within this ecosystem including Hadoop, Pig, Hive, Spark, and
Amazon Web Services (AWS). Examples of AI using deep learning will be presented. The focus is on creating
awareness of the technologies, providing some level of familiarity with them through hands-on exercises and
projects, and enabling strategic thinking around the use of these technologies in business.

MATERIALS

Supplement:
Learning with Big Data – The Future of Education (http://www.big-data-book.com/)
Authors: Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Kenneth Neil Cukier
Hadoop Book (http://www.hadoopbook.com/)
Author: Tom White
Mining of Massive Datasets (http://infolab.stanford.edu/~ullman/mmds/book.pdf)
Authors: Jure Leskovec, Anand Rajaraman, Jeffrey D. Ullman
A Human's Guide to Machine Intelligence (https://wsp.wharton.upenn.edu/book/a-humans-guide-to-machine-
intelligence/)
Author: Kartik Hosanagar
Deep Learning (https://www.deeplearningbook.org/)
Authors: Ian Goodfellow, Yoshua Bengio, Aaron Courville

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENT

Much of the software needed for big data applications tend to be open source. Therefore, the source programs
are free and will be provided in class. We will be using Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Colab, as well as
PyTorch and Keras.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Spring 2022 Syllabus – BUDT 737 – Sections 0506, 0507 Page 1 of 7

Big data represents unprecedented opportunities for companies to generate insights and create wealth. Internet
of Things (IoT) is connecting almost all the components together in every aspect of business and our daily life.
As a result, huge amount of data is being generated. At the same time, much of the big data is unstructured, in
real time and only loosely connected. It defies the traditional ways of managing databases. This creates
challenges even to tech-savvy companies on how to leverage the big data to gain competitive advantages.
Challenges and opportunities coexist. To extract the great value from the data, we should be equipped with
advanced techniques. AI is penetrating our daily routines deeply, and shows great promise in exciting areas such
as healthcare and autonomous driving cars.

This course uses a hands-on, learning-by-doing approach to understanding the concepts behind big data, IoT,
and AI, the strategic drivers of these technologies and the value propositions that they provide to industries. In
addition, the course will also serve as an introduction to some of the key technologies within this ecosystem,
such as Hadoop, Pig, Hive, Spark, and AWS. Examples of AI using deep learning will be conducted in class.
The focus is on creating awareness of the technologies, allowing some level of familiarity with them through
assignments, and enabling some strategic thinking around the use of these in business.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This is a demanding course. The technologies are still evolving very rapidly. Therefore, there is a level of
experimentation with new material that will take place during the semester. Students are required to be flexible
as and when topics or material in class are revised or modified. We will do our best to ensure that no undue
burden is placed on students. The course has two primary objectives:

1. To allow students to have working knowledge and exposure to key elements of a big data technology
platform, and a basic AI example.
2. To allow students to understand critical business and strategic issues around the use of these technologies in
organizations and to help guide the successful design and implementation of complex data strategy.

Though mastery of this content requires more than one course, an introductory course, such as this, is useful in
allowing students to gain much-needed familiarity with these technologies and concepts. That is the objective of
this course.

LECTURES

The lectures will focus on discussing concepts with simple examples. The lecture meetings will be in the
classroom. The student will be responsible for all the material and updates presented and discussed in the
lectures. The text, lecture notes, and lectures will provide a base of knowledge that participants can use in
assignments and the course project.

GRADING

The Smith School of Business offers rigorous, academically challenging courses and provides meaningful
feedback on student performance to facilitate learning. Transparency and consistency in grading are important
elements that ensure the integrity of the curriculum.

Grading Method
In-Class Activities 400
Individual Assignments 400
Team Project 200
Maximum Points Possible 1000

Final Grades
The following are indicative of how the points on the course would be mapped to a grade. This is only indicative
and may be adjusted at my discretion.

Spring 2022 Syllabus – BUDT 737 – Sections 0506, 0507 Page 2 of 7

1000 900 800 700 600 500…
A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

In-Class Activities
To reinforce database concepts and encourage you to read the chapters, activities and exercises will be given
during class time throughout the semester. These activities are open-book individual exercises. Each activity
will be worth 20 points. The activities will be relatively simple and based on the readings and lectures.

Individual Assignments
There will be homework assignments to be completed individually. Each assignment will reinforce specific
concepts related to the relevant chapter/lecture. All assignments include conceptual and applied components. As
you will notice, a significant part of the course grade is determined by your performance on the assignments so
working on the assignments will help you learn information systems concepts and their implementation. It is
not wrong to seek clarifications and minor help with completion of each assignment but there is a very
fine line between seeking assistance and cheating. Please stay on the legal side of that line. You are always
welcome to the office hours should you have questions.

To prevent plagiarism in homework assignments, the grading of homework may also include an oral part. For
each homework assignment, I may randomly select a subset of students to come to my office hours and explain
the logic of the code that was submitted. If a student cannot clearly explain how own code works, it is up to my
discretion to decide whether plagiarism occurs and corresponding measures will be taken.

Each assignment will require you to spend time on the computer. Please plan on it. Each assignment will be
worth 60 points. Submission instructions will be covered at the beginning of the each assignment. All
assignments are due by 11:59pm on the day due. ELMS permits multiple submissions, but only the latest
submission will be graded. Late assignments (by less than 24 hours) will result in a grade reduction of
25%. Assignments submitted late by more than 24 hours will receive a zero. You have been warned!

Team Projects
The team project is expected to give you an opportunity to combine the skills you have acquired in the course.
The description of the team project will provide you with more detailed information. All project deliverables are
due via ELMS by the date and time indicated on the schedule.

All projects are due by 11:59pm on the day due. ELMS permits multiple submissions, but only the latest
submission will be graded. Late assignments (by less than 24 hours) will result in a grade reduction of
25%. Assignments submitted late by more than 24 hours will receive a zero. You have been warned!

COURSE-RELATED POLICIES

Students are responsible for knowing their rights and reviewing all course related policies found at The Graduate
School website. The primary goal of our discussions is to enhance the collective learning of the class. The
following guidelines can help you make effective contributions to our class discussions. Please see the following
list of tips for effective and meaningful discussion participation.

Examples of Good Discussion Contributions:

• Comments that report and explain content, opinions, or analysis by stating clear assumptions, critically self
reflecting, citing specific sources, and/or conducting explicit, systematic analysis.
• Comments / questions that provide or seek clarification.
• Comments with good timing as well as good substance providing substantiated claims and evidence and
sharing sources where possible.
• Comments that make points clearly.

Spring 2022 Syllabus – BUDT 737 – Sections 0506, 0507 Page 3 of 7

• Comments that move learning forward by building an argument and/or drawing on other comments without
repeating.
• Comments that respectfully articulate a point of agreement/disagreement.

Examples of Ineffective Discussion Contributions:

• Destructive attacks.
• Interrupting peers.
• Monopolization of the discussion.
• Disrespectfully articulating a point of agreement/disagreement.
• Out-of-sequence comments / destroying the flow of class discussion.

RESOURCES & ACCOMMODATIONS

Accessibility and Disability Services

The University of Maryland is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive educational,
working, and living environment for people of all abilities. The University of Maryland is also committed to the
principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from
participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the University, or be
subjected to discrimination. The Accessibility & Disability Service (ADS) provides reasonable accommodations
to qualified individuals to provide equal access to services, programs and activities. ADS cannot assist
retroactively, so it is generally best to request accommodations several weeks before the semester begins or as
soon as a disability becomes known. Any student who needs accommodations should contact me as soon as
possible so that I have sufficient time to make arrangements. For assistance in obtaining an accommodation,
contact Accessibility and Disability Service at 301-314-7682, or email them at adsfrontdesk@umd.edu. More
information and services are available from the UMD Counseling Center.

Student Resources and Services

Taking personal responsibility for your own learning means acknowledging when your performance does not
match your goals and doing something about it. I hope you will come talk to me so that I can help you find the
right approach to success in this course, and I encourage you to visit UMD’s Student Academic Success website
to learn more about the wide range of campus resources available to you. In particular, everyone can use some
help sharpen their communication skills (and improving their grade) by visiting UMD’s Writing Center and
schedule an appointment with the campus Writing Center. You should also know there are a wide range of
resources to support you with whatever you might need (UMD’s Student Resources and Services website may
help). If you feel it would be helpful to have someone to talk to, visit UMD’s Counseling Center.

Basic Needs Security

If you have difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or lack a safe and stable
place to live, please visit UMD’s Division of Student Affairs website for information about resources the
campus offers you and let me know if I can help in any way.

Statement on Diversity and Inclusion

As part of the Smith School’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, we recognize the importance of a diverse
student body as necessary to a THRIVING environment. We are committed to fostering inclusive and equitable
classroom environments. The Robert H. Smith School of Business strives to ensure all members of the Smith
community feel welcomed, valued, and proud of every aspect of who they are. Through education, knowledge
creation, advocacy, programming, and support, Maryland Smith commits to building an inclusive community
that fosters a sense of belonging among all stakeholders. Additional UMD-wide resources are available to you in
the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

I invite you, if you wish, to tell us how you want to be referred to both in terms of your name and your pronouns
(he/him, she/her, they/them, etc.). The pronouns someone indicates are not necessarily indicative of their gender
identity. Additionally, how you identify in terms of your gender, race, class, sexuality, religion, and dis/ability,

Spring 2022 Syllabus – BUDT 737 – Sections 0506, 0507 Page 4 of 7

among all aspects of your identity, is your choice whether to disclose (e.g., should it come up in classroom
conversation about our experiences and perspectives) and should be self-identified, not presumed or imposed. I
will do my best to address and refer to all students accordingly, and I ask you to do the same for all of your
fellow Terps. For more resources and information, visit the LGBTQ+ Equity Center.

Technology Policy
Please refrain from using cellphones, laptops, and other electronic devices during class sessions unless we have
designated such use as part of a class exercise.

Attendance and Participation

• Given the interactive style of this class, attendance will be crucial to note-taking and thus your performance in
this class. Attendance is particularly important also because class discussion will be a critical component for
your learning.
• Each student is expected to make substantive contributions to the learning experience, and attendance is
expected for every session.
• Students with a legitimate reason to miss a live session should communicate in advance with the instructor,
except in the case of an emergency.
• Students who miss a live session are responsible for learning what they miss from that session.
• Additionally, students must complete all readings and assignments in a timely manner in order to fully
participate in class.

Absences and Late Policy

Late assignments require prior permission from the instructor and must be accompanied by a legitimate reason
for not meeting a target deadline. The complete university policy on absences can be found here. As per
university policy, one missed class with an ELMS notification (preferably before) is acceptable. For absences
longer than one class session or more than twice in the semester, documentation is required. For Major
Scheduled Graded Events (MSGEs), only University approved absences (religious observance, unforeseen life
circumstances out of your control (with documentation), or documented illnesses with appropriate
documentation will be accepted.

Score/Grade Appeals
You must make the appeal in writing. However, score changes are at the discretion of the instructor and may be
up or down based upon a complete review of the work in question. It is important to recognize that a grade
reflects another person’s judgment of your work. In this sense, all grading is subjective. Appealing scores is
discouraged. Changing a few points on assignments rarely makes a difference in the final grade. Time is much
better spent discussing and clarifying the information content presented in the course. In the event of disputes at
the end of the semester, you will be required to produce the testing material in question.

In the case of a grading mistake (i.e., grade is posted incorrectly, grader did not give credit for an item that
exists) you must first contact the TA who graded the assignment.

Incomplete Grades Policy

A grade of ‘Incomplete’ may be awarded to students who have a legitimate reason for needing additional time to
complete a course. Legitimate reasons include emergencies or extenuating circumstances that prevent a student
from completing the course requirements within the normal time frame. Students must initiate the request for an
incomplete prior to the end of the semester. In no case will a grade of incomplete be awarded to someone
seeking more time to master the course material in order to improve grade. However, under all circumstances,
an ‘I’ will be awarded only at the discretion of the instructor.

CRITICAL THINKING STANDARDS

Spring 2022 Syllabus – BUDT 737 – Sections 0506, 0507 Page 5 of 7

Intellectual excellence is one of the key pillars of the graduate program at the Robert H. Smith School of
Business. At Smith and in your professional life after Smith, you will need to excel at meeting the six critical
thinking standards, which are hallmarks of rigorous and evidence-based decision making.

In this course, I will expect you to strive for excellence in meeting these six standards in your contributions to
class discussions and your written work. You should expect me and your classmates to push you to meet these
standards. For example, in a class discussion, please fully explain your point and how it relates to the question
that was posed to the class. Describe the evidence on which you base your claims. Be open to feedback about
where you can do more to meet these standards.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND MISCONDUCT

The University's Code of Academic Integrity is designed to ensure that the principles of academic honesty and
integrity are upheld. In accordance with this code, the Smith School does not tolerate academic dishonesty.
Please ensure that you fully understand this code and its implications because all acts of academic dishonesty
will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of this code. All students are expected to adhere to this
Code. It is your responsibility to read it and know what it says, so you can start your professional life on the
right path. As future professionals, your commitment to high ethical standards and honesty begins with
your time at the Smith School.

It is important to note that course assistance websites, such as CourseHero, Chegg, etc., are not permitted
sources for Smith School courses. Material taken or copied from these sites can be deemed unauthorized
material and a violation of academic integrity. These sites offer information that might not be accurate and that
shortcut the learning process, particularly the critical thinking steps necessary for college-level assignments.

Additionally, it is understandable that students may use a variety of online or virtual forums for course-wide
discussion (e.g., GroupMe or WeChat). Collaboration in this way regarding concepts discussed in this course is
permissible. However, collaboration on graded activities and assignments is strictly prohibited. Examples of
prohibited collaboration include: asking for answers on grading components, asking for access codes to grading
components, etc.

To help you avoid unintentional violations, the following table lists levels of collaboration that are acceptable
for each type of assignment. If you ever feel pressured to comply with someone else’s academic integrity
violation, please reach out to me straight away. Also, if you are ever unclear about acceptable levels of
collaboration, please ask!

Open Notes Use Book Ask Friends Search Online Work in Groups
In-Class
yes yes no no no
Activity
Individual
yes yes cited cited no
Assignment
only within
Team Project yes yes cited cited
your team

Tips for Success

• Participate: Discussions are a critical part of the course. You can learn as much, if not more, from the ideas
and perspectives of your peers and instructor. Participation can also help you articulate your ideas and develop
critical thinking skills.
• Manage your time: Make time for your online learning and discussion participation each week. Give yourself
plenty of time to complete assignments (plus extra time to handle any technology problems).

Spring 2022 Syllabus – BUDT 737 – Sections 0506, 0507 Page 6 of 7

• Login regularly: Log in to ELMS several times a week to view announcements. You may need to log in
multiple times a day when team submissions are due.
• Try not to fall behind: This class moves at a quick pace and each week builds on the previous. It is very
difficult to catch up if you wait until the last minute to complete your assignments or skip a learning unit.
Please reach out to me early if you feel you’re slipping behind on the content and I will try to help.
• Ask for help if needed: If you need help with ELMS or other technology, contact Smith IT or email OTL-
EdTech@umd.edu. If you are struggling with a course concept, reach out to your peers, TAs, and me for
support.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND RIGHT TO CHANGE INFORMATION

Course materials are copyrighted and may not be reproduced for anything other than personal use without
written permission. Although every effort has been made to be complete and accurate, unforeseen circumstances
arising during the semester could require the adjustment of material given here. Consequently, given notice to
students, the instructor reserves the right to change any information on this syllabus or in other course materials.
(end of syllabus)

Spring 2022 Syllabus – BUDT 737 – Sections 0506, 0507 Page 7 of 7