Nov 27, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2018-2019 Graduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Business Analytics, M.S.B.A.


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Director of Graduate Business Programs
Ralph W. Jackson

Program Director
Timothy Urban

The Master of Science in Business Analytics (M.S.B.A.) is a professional master’s program designed for individuals seeking to advance their careers in the emerging discipline of Big Data Analytics.  The curriculum focuses on the analysis and interpretation of Big Data that arises in a variety of contemporary business settings, as well as skills development in the selection and application of state-of-the-art tools and techniques.  Students master the quantitative and computational approaches necessary to derive business insights from diverse data types and sources, and develop an understanding of the related organizational and project management issues within corporations.  Through judicious selection of electives, students may also pursue a specialization in one of six discipline- or functional-specific areas of investigation.

M.S.B.A. courses are offered in the evenings to facilitate participation by working professionals as well as full-time on-campus students. Occasional weekend-long workshops or seminars are required.

Learning Objectives


Students completing the Master of Science in Business Analytics degree shall: 

  • be able to select and apply the appropriate analytical techniques for a wide range of business problems and data scenarios.
  • be able to communicate the results of analytics projects to other analytics professionals as well as to non-analytic audiences.
  • be able to utilize a variety of powerful data-analytic software commonly used in practice.

Admission


Applicants to the Master of Science in Business Analytics program must have completed a baccalaureate degree with an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 in a complimentary discipline (e.g., business, engineering, or science) from a regionally accredited university. Applicants with degrees in other fields may still be considered if they have five or more years of technical work experience.  All applicants must have completed a basic statistics course at the college or university level.

A completed application, along with an application fee, must be submitted to the Graduate School along with:

  • official transcripts from all educational institutions the applicant has previously attended,
  • a professional resume,
  • GMAT (minimum 500) or GRE (equivalent) scores,
  • acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores (for applicants without a previous degree from a country in which English is the primary language), and
  • two letters of recommendation from professional references.

Applications are reviewed by an admissions committee which will evaluate the documentation and evidence submitted by each candidate.  Acceptance is based on a holistic review of prior academic achievement, personal motivation, work experience, and related qualifications that point to the likelihood of success. Other supporting materials may be submitted by the applicant or requested by the admissions committee.  The admissions committee may also request an interview.

Applicants with a post baccalaureate degree (graduate or law) will receive a GMAT/GRE waiver.  Additional waivers for the GMAT/GRE requirement are considered on a case-by-case basis.

 

 

Curriculum Requirements


The Master of Science in Business Analytics is a 30-credit-hour program, encompassing twelve required courses and two electives. Electives can be judiciously selected to create a focus area in marketing and consumer behavior, operations management, finance, accounting forensics, information systems, healthcare, or energy.  A thesis is not required.

Students who enter the program in the fall or spring semester and pursue full-time enrollment can expect to complete it within 16 months.  Students enrolling in less than a full-time course load can expect degree completion to take longer.

Elective Courses (6 hours)


Students may choose electives from a single grouping from those listed below to create a degree focus, or choose electives from different groupings to increase breadth.  Some electives may require additional prerequisite courses to completed and/or additional permission from the professor of record if being offered by a department outside the Collins College of Business.

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