Top Big Data & Analytics Masters Programs

Preparing Students For A Digital Future

Big data means big opportunities.

Businesses are being inundated with information and data, but struggle to make sense of it all. That’s led to a rising demand for data scientists and business analysts. Unfortunately the skills gap for those kinds of jobs has been well documented. Recognizing this growing need, universities are developing data-oriented Masters programs.

Better Buys has built a one-stop resource for these programs. In partnership with each university, we’ve profiled more than 25 of the most prominent big data and analytics degree programs.

Big Data Analytics Degree Programs

Mostly one to two year programs, these degrees help students to think analytically, develop creative problem solving skills, and leverage business intelligence and analytics tools. They encourage strategic thinking and foster data-driven decision making.

Students get the opportunity to work with real-world data-sets and projects that prepare them to solve complex problems. Many of these programs have been developed in close partnership with industry leaders such as IBM, Oracle, and SAS. Upon graduation, these data-savvy thinkers are in high demand and ready to make an impact.

These programs help meet the rising demand for data scientists and analysts who are capable of turning data into insights. Universities interested in having their program considered should contact us.

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: W.P. Carey School of Business
Example Courses: Data Mining, Data-Driven Quality Management, Business Analytics Strategy, Analytical Decision Making Tools, Applied Project
Location: Tempe, AZ
Completion Length: 9-16 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

Through this program, students build on their quantitative and analytical skills while learning to derive value from data to create a business advantage across markets and industries. Housed within America’s largest public university, the W. P. Carey School of Business is committed to building a tight-knit community through small classes, team-based learning, individualized attention, and graduate career services to help with job searches.

What’s Unique

“MS-BA students at the W. P. Carey School choose from a 9-month full-time or a 16-month online program, both delivered by Top 20 nationally ranked departments of information systems and supply chain management. The W. P. Carey School’s MS-BA program includes real-world projects, preparing students to be at the forefront of data-driven analysis, strategic decision-making, and business-process optimization.”

-Professor Michael Goul, Ph.D.
Department Chair, Information Systems
W. P. Carey School of Business
Arizona State University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: Graduate School of Business
Example Courses: Advanced Data Mining, Data Management and SQL, Optimization and Simulation for Business Decisions, Logistic Regression, Decision Trees, Factor & Cluster Analysis, Customer Data Analysis, Derivatives, Web Applications Development, Business Process Management
Location: Waltham, MA
Completion Length: 12-36 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Select courses
Program Details

Students in the program will develop skills in advanced statistics, machine learning and data mining, plus programming and data management. The program is designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of employers now finding themselves at an intersection of standard industry practices and massive amounts of consumer data. Students in the Business Analytics program are able to use advanced knowledge in analytics and cutting edge programs to influence business decisions across many industries.

What’s Unique

“Students in the program will develop skills in advanced statistics, machine learning and data mining, plus programming and data management. The program is designed to meet the needs of a wide variety of employers now finding themselves at an intersection of standard industry practices and massive amounts of consumer data. Students in the Business Analytics program are able to used advanced knowledge in analytics and cutting edge programs to influence business decisions across many industries.”

-Mingfei Li
Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences
Bentley University

Degree: Master of Science in Predictive Analytics
School: School of Computing
Example Courses: Database Processing, Advanced Data Analysis, Knowledge Discovery, Web Data Mining, Data visualization, Mining Big Data, Social Network Analysis, Intelligent Information Retrieval, Programming Data Mining Applications, Machine Learning
Location: Chicago, IL
Completion Length: 24 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

Students gain the necessary technical and quantitative skills for a career in data science. The curriculum emphasizes technical proficiency and practical experience, and provides students with advanced skills in data mining, machine learning, database processing and data visualization to meet the challenge of mining massive amounts of data. Students gain practical experience working on real big data problems through industry sponsored projects or internships in the analytics field.

What’s Unique

“The program is interdisciplinary and includes four different tracks: Computational Methods, Marketing, Health Care, and Hospitality. Students gain core technical and quantitative competencies in data science and have the opportunity to complement their technical skills with domain specific courses offered at DePaul’s Graduate School of Business to gain a deeper understanding of a specific analytics field.”

-Raffaella Settimi, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Computing
DePaul University

Drexel University
Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: Lebow College of Business
Example Courses: Operations Research, Data Mining for Business Analytics, Statistics for Business Analytics, Managerial Decision Models and Simulation Statistical Decision Theory
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Completion Length: 15 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

Designed for students who have an interest in quantitative methods, exploring and uncovering relationships through data analysis, using the data to solve business problems, and want to enter or advance in a career in business analytics. The M.S. in Business Analytics is also ideal for MBA students seeking a quantitative second degree.

What’s Unique

“Turning a deluge of data into useful insights upon which to base decisions has become the managerial challenge of our time. The secret is to integrate unstructured data, such as text, audio, video and social media information with the structured data of company financials and research. Our business analytics program at Drexel LeBow provides comprehensive academics and experiential learning to gain advanced skills in three important areas of business intelligence: statistics, to explore and uncover relationships in data; operations, finance and marketing research, to develop mathematical models for planning and operations; and management information systems, to access and create databases that support the other two areas.”

-Frank Linnehan
Dean, LeBow College of Business
Drexel University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: Graduate School of Business
Example Courses: Business Analytics for Managers, Web Analytics, Database Management, Data Mining for Business, Data Warehousing, Text Analytics
Location: New York, NY
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

The purpose of this program is to train students to become more informed users of analytics and business data. Students enroll in this program because they want to further their careers in business analytics or develop more advanced skills to solve complex business problems.

What’s Unique

“The Fordham MSBA program, developed in partnership with industry, is an applied, technology intensive program focused on the hands-on learning of the tools and techniques of business analytics. Working on real big data projects, students quickly acquire the knowledge and skills to perform analytics to gain insight to support informed decisions. Upon completion of the program they can be readily deployed.”

-Prof. RP Raghupathi, Ph.D
Program Director, MSBA
Fordham University

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Degree: Master of Science, Data Analytics Engineering
School: Volgenau School of Engineering
Example Courses: Analytics: Big Data to Information, Principles of Data Management, Analytics & Decision Analysis, Problem Foundation and Solving in Big Data, Law & Ethics in Big Data
Location: Fairfax, VA
Completion Length: 12-30 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

The MS in Data Analytics Engineering is designed to provide students with an understanding of the technologies and methodologies necessary for data-driven decision-making. It is aimed at students who wish to become data scientists and analysts in finance, marketing, operations, business intelligence and other information intensive groups generating and consuming large amounts of data. The focus of the degree is on the technologies and methodologies of data analytics for solving Big Data problems.

What’s Unique

“The program integrates sophisticated methodologies for a variety of disciplines offering graduate-level training within a single Master’s degree. The course of study is flexible covering and students can study part-time or full-time.”

-Bob Osgood
Director, MS in Data Analytics Engineering Program
Volgenau School of Engineering
George Mason University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: School of Business
Example Courses: Data Warehousing, Programming for Analytics, Stochastic Foundations, Data Mining, Forecasting for Analytics, Optimization Methods & Applications, Computational Optimization, Visualization for Analytics, Marketing Metrics
Location: Washington, DC
Completion Length: 10-12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

GW’s MSBA program is designed for individuals with quantitative backgrounds, particularly recent graduates looking to gain a competitive edge before entering the job market or professionals working in analytics and looking to further develop their analytics skills. The curriculum is a distinctive blend of foundational courses in descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, elective courses in analytics applied to specific functional areas or industries, workshops in communication, team and project management skills, and hands-on exposure to industry standard analytics tools and software.

What’s Unique

“GW’s MSBA program is an industry independent analytics program designed to provide students with applicable and practical analytics skills. The MSBA program offers a perfect balance of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive course work, options to concentrate or focus in specific analytics fields or industries, and develop relevant experience while working on actual analytics projects, using real data and working directly with the program’s Corporate Advisory Board partners both in class and during practicum projects. In GW’s MSBA program, students don’t just learn the theories of analytics, but actually practice and apply what they learn in business settings in order to make them highly marketable and ready to engage in real analytics work upon graduation.”

-Dustin Pusch
Director, MS in Business Analytics
George Washington University

Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
School: Science and Technology
Example Courses: Analytics I: Principles and Applications; Modeling, Simulation and Gamification; Analytics II: Principles and Applications; Risk Modeling and Assessment; Data Mining and Engineering.
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Completion Length: 12-24 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

The M.S in Analytics is a 36 credit-hour online degree specifically designed with help from an influential Employer Advisory Board of top corporate representatives from companies such as LinkedIn, IBM, and Versatile Systems to meet the growing demand for data scientists and big data professionals. Through a comprehensive and applied curriculum students will explore the underlying data science, information technology, and business of analytics. A unique combination of mathematical and statistical study with instruction in advanced computational and data analysis will help you learn to identify patterns and trends; interpret and gain insight from vast quantities of structured and unstructured data; and communicate your findings in practical, useful terms.

What’s Unique

“Throughout your program, you’ll work with real data sets and take on projects provided by Harrisburg University’s industry partners allowing you to graduate exceptionally well-equipped to harness and communicate the full value of data to the organizations you serve. You’ll study all three areas of data analysis-predictive (forecasting), descriptive (business intelligence and data mining), and prescriptive (optimization and simulation). While studying real-world projects, you’ll learn that simple data analysis can be misleading, that large-scale problems are not amenable to naive solutions, and that working with unstructured field data is different than working with the results of a design experiment.”

-Steven Infanti
AVP, Admissions
Harrisburg University

Degree: Master of Data Science
School: College of Science
Example Courses: Data Preparation and Analysis, Data Intensive Computing, Applied Statistics, Machine Learning/Statistical Learning, Bayesian Computational Statistics, Project Management, Public Engagement for Scientists, Data Science Practicum
Location: Chicago, IL
Completion Length: 12-24 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Select courses
Program Details

This multidisciplinary program is firmly rooted in high-level applied mathematics and computational science. Students learn how to define a data science problem, apply advanced statistical and machine-learning techniques, draw significant insights from data, visualize results, and effectively communicate their findings to both scientific and nonscientific audiences. Business skills are emphasized throughout the curriculum, which culminates in a real-world, team based practicum.

What’s Unique

“Illinois Tech created this master’s degree in data science to meet the rising demand for data scientists and analysts who are capable of making sense of large and complex collections of data. Our graduates can effectively analyze data sets and take innovative approaches to finding business solutions, telling compelling and useful narratives based on rigorous evidence. The program places a strong emphasis on ethical responsibility, ensuring confidence that our graduates can be trusted with highly sensitive, business critical, and personal information sets.”

-Professor Shlomo Argamon
Program Director
Illinois Institute of Technology

Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
School: E.J. Ourso College of Business
Example Courses: Web and Healthcare Analytics, Supply Chain Analytics, Database Management with SQL, Data Mining, Marketing Analytics, Survival Analysis, Operations Research, Marketing Engineering, Marketing Linear Models
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

The Master of Science in Analytics (MSA) at LSU is an exciting degree offered by the Department of Information Systems & Decision Sciences (ISDS) in collaboration with the Department of Experimental Statistics (EXST). The MSA program is designed to prepare students to use data-driven methods to contribute to organizational effectiveness and guide decision. It consists of 39 hours that are earned over 12 months.

What’s Unique

“The Master of Science in Analytics is a 12-month, intensive, full-time, day-time program in which all students enter at the same time and take courses together. Students in this program learn specialized skills and knowledge drawn from the fields of computer science, statistics, operations research, and quality management to achieve results through a mixture of classroom instruction, hands–on exercises and team based projects. The MSA program offers students the unique opportunity to complete a major team project using a large data set provided by a sponsoring organization. Students present their results and recommendations to the sponsoring organization in a formal executive decision briefing.”

-Joni Shreve, PhD
Director and Practicum Coordinator, Master of Science in Analytics Program
EJ Ourso College of Business
Louisiana State University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: Eli Broad College of Business
Example Courses: Computational Techniques for Large-Scale Data Analysis, Communication Strategies for Analytics, Applied Statistics Methods, Marketing Technology & Analytics, Data Mining, Emerging Topics in Business
Location: East Lansing, MI
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

More data is available than ever before, and analytics have become a part of every major business decision today. With the Master of Science in Business Analytics from Michigan State University, graduates can be a part of this emerging transformation and leading new industry. The main themes of the program focus on business strategy, data management and experiential project consulting. Graduates from our program have landed employment opportunities in a wide range of industries, such as consulting, automotive, consumer products, retail, and financial services.

What’s Unique

“A key feature of our program is the integration of corporate sponsored projects that allow students to gain real world experience. This occurs every semester of the program that a student is enrolled. This hands on approach ensures our students have the skills necessary to be successful in this growing field of work.”

-Betsey Voorhees
Program Director, MS Business Analytics
Michigan State University

Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
School: Institute for Advanced Analytics
Example Courses: The degree is delivered as a single integrated curriculum (not individual courses) and covers a wide range of topics end-to-end in the data analytics process from cleaning, integration and data management to statistical and mathematical modeling, to data visualization and presentation.
Location: Raleigh, NC
Completion Length: 10 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

The nation’s first Master of Science in Analytics founded in 2007, this highly selective program is an intensive and immersive cohort-based learning experience structured entirely around teamwork. A single integrated course of study designed to produce a well-rounded analytics professional, it is a carefully calibrated mix of applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, and business disciplines taught exclusively to our students in their own facility. Students learn to tackle genuine analytics problems with data provided by industry and government sponsors, and using leading industry standard software tools.

What’s Unique

“Operating independently among the university’s ten colleges, the Institute is a novel university-wide collaboration delivering a truly interdisciplinary education that balances academic rigor with the practical needs of employers. The Institute has an unparalleled 7-year track record of job placement and is highly regarded for producing the country’s most sought-after and highest paid analytics graduates. The Institute publishes detailed employment reports annually.”

-Dr. Michael Rappa
Founding Director
Institute for Advanced Analytics
NC State University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: Stern School of Business
Example Courses: Social Media and Digital Marketing Analytics, Data Science for Business Analytics, Data Driven Decision Making, Decision Models, Data Visualization
Location: New York, NY
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

The NYU Stern Master of Science in Business Analytics, an advanced business degree program, teaches students both to understand the role of evidence-based data in decision making and to leverage data as a strategic asset. The program is designed for experienced professionals interested in gaining a competitive advantage through the predictive potential of data.

What’s Unique

“The program answers a growing business need for trained experts in this field. We focus on five critical skills — the expertise to acquire and manage data, the facility to work with models and algorithms, the mastery of business systems and processes, the sensitivity to broad societal contexts and issues of privacy, and a mind-set geared toward innovation. We believe that the teaching of these skills sets Stern’s MS in Business Analytics apart from other programs”

-Peter Henry
Dean
Stern School of Business
New York University

Oakland University
Degree: Master of Science in IT Management – Business Analytics
School: IT Sciences
Example Courses: Introduction to Databases and Data Warehouses, Advanced Databases and Big Data Management, Business Analytics, Decision Support Systems, Management Science
Location: Rochester, MI
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

Oakland University’s Master of Science in IT Management, with a concentration in Business Analytics, is a one year, half online program that prepares graduates with a balanced emphasis on data skills, statistics and management science reasoning, and business analytics application lifecycle management training. The program emphasizes hands-on skills with a program toolbox that includes Microsoft’s Business Intelligence platform, QlikView, Tableau, and SAS Analytics. Oakland University’s MSITM in Business Analytics is a STEM-designated degree that has an approved in-state, resident tuition rate for all students.

What’s Unique

“Our efforts for making the required capstone project a curriculum-integrated project promises to be another feature that students are unlikely to find elsewhere. The capstone projects are assigned to teams of two students. We recruit companies that have a business intelligence or analytics project on their workload. They provide requirements and anonymized data. Both data visualization and predictive or prescriptive analytic modeling projects are tackled.”

-Mohammad Dadashzadeh, Ph.D.
Chair, Decision and Information Sciences Department
Oakland University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: Lally School of Management
Example Courses: Technology Fundamentals for Analytics; Predictive Analytics Using Social Media; Introduction to Neural Networks; Knowledge Discovery with Data Mining; Data Resource Management; Marketing Analytics; Supply Chain Analytics
Location: Troy, NY
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

This program is designed to provide hands-on experience through real-world problem solving. The curriculum offers a balance between foundational business concepts with skills in analytical and statistical modeling and data management. Academic partnerships with IBM and SAS will allow students to access a suite of software tools from these firms. A capstone course enables students to apply their learned skills to real-world problems in organizations

What’s Unique

“Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a world-class technological research university, is at the forefront of research on data-intensive supercomputing, visualization, and cognitive computing. Students in our program can create their mix of business courses and specialized electives to develop unique skills invaluable to the marketplace. Partnership with industry enables students to test their skills early in the program and ensure they are well-prepared for joining the workforce upon graduation.”

Dorit Nevo
Director, MS in Business Analytics Program
Lally School of Management
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Degree: Master of Business and Science
School: Professional Science Master’s Program
Example Courses: Analytics, Statistics, Database Systems, Programming, Finance & Accounting, Leadership & Communication, Intellectual Property & Project Management
Location: New Brunswick, NJ
Completion Length: 12-36 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Select courses
Program Details

The MBS brings together fields of data management, statistics, machine learning and computation. Students will obtain a variety of skills including the ability to analyze large datasets, to develop modeling solutions to support decision making and a good understanding of how data analysis drives business decision making.

What’s Unique

“The Master of Business & Science (MBS) degree in Analytics & Data Science is a unique degree combining courses in analytics and data science with a specialized set of business courses. This combination prepares students with the necessary business and entrepreneurial skills and know how to translate scientific and technological ideas into profitable products and services.”

-Dr. Deborah Silver
Executive Director
Professional Science Master’s Program
Rutgers University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Intelligence
School: Erivan K. Haub School of Business
Example Courses: Predictive Analytics; Business Analytics; Database Management; Data Mining; Enterprise Data; Critical Performance Management; Management Issues in Business Intelligence
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Completion Length: 18 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

The program’s focus prepares 21st century professionals to drive organizational performance in all functional areas by using data to develop new opportunities, gain competitive advantage, identify effective strategies, and improve decision making. The program addresses the demand for professionals who can leverage organizational knowledge and find success in their data.

What’s Unique

“Saint Joseph’s University’s Master of Business Intelligence & Analytics Program has over a decade of proven success and offers a top-ranked curriculum on a global scale. The program is endorsed by SAS, a leader in business analytics software and services, and it’s faculty are recognized leaders in the field. The culture of this program affords a personalized approach to education, ensuring an excellent student experience.”

-Patricia D. Rafferty
Director, MS in Business Intelligence & Analytics Program
Erivan K. Haub School of Business
Saint Joseph’s University

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Degree: Master of Science in Data Science with Business Analytics concentration
School: School of Business Administration
Example Courses: Introduction to Data Science, Statistics for Data Analysis, Database and Data Warehousing, Statistical Programming, Data Mining, Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics and Experimental Design, Data Visualization, Business Analytics, and Business Intelligence and Business Ethics.
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Completion Length: 18 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

The Saint Peter’s University’s Master’s in Data Science integrates computer science, statistics, and data-based business management principles to inform data driven decision making. The degree program will prepare graduates from around the world for careers as predictive modeler, data mining engineers, and analysts. They will go on to work in data-driven industries such as marketing, finance, banking, and healthcare, among others.

What’s Unique

“Data science, which incorporates gaining business intelligence through big data and machine learning, will be a dominant consideration for every industry vertical over the next 10 years. The Saint Peter’s data science program is the first of its kind in the N.Y./N.J. area and was developed to align with the ‘best of industry applied practice’ in big data solutions. The curriculum reflects the most current approaches to the management of data science technology as developed by leaders in the industry such as the Oracle Corporation.”

-Jeffrey Handler
VP of Enrollment & Marketing
Saint Peter’s University

Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
School: Department of Statistics
Example Courses: Predictive Modeling, Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner, Financial Accounting, Marketing
Location: Houston, TX
Completion Length: 24 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

The Department of Statistics, in partnership with Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, offers a MS in Analytics degree which will prepare working managers and professionals to make better informed decisions more quickly. This will help graduates to optimize business performance and identify new business opportunities. Courses will be taught at Houston CityCentre and via live video around North America in the evenings, offering a convenient two year, part-time program for working professionals.

What’s Unique

“Our unique program revolves around a work-based Capstone project where students apply what they have learned in order to solve a business problem within their organization.”

-Myra Gonzalez
Director, Department of Statistics
Texas A&M University

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: Lindner College of Business
Example Courses: Optimization, Simulation, Probability, Statistics, Statistical Computing, Data Management, Data Mining, Forecasting, Multivariate Methods, Case Studies, Data Visualization
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

We provide in this program a Master of Science degree in operations research and statistics, enabling graduates to address complex real-world analytical problems in a wide variety of fields. Application and placement areas include manufacturing, supply-chain analysis, financial analysis, marketing research, and health care, among others. Demand for our graduates is consistently very strong, and we have grown rapidly in recent years.

What’s Unique

“We have been offering this program for some 35 years so we are not newcomers, and are known and established. We require solid mathematical prerequisites before starting (a rigorous three-semester calculus sequence, plus a course in linear algebra). While we use many advanced and commercial-strength software tools, our focus is on rigorous modeling and analysis of real problems, and not just on how to operate software.”

-Professor W. David Kelton, Ph.D.
Program Director, MS – Business Analytics
University of Cincinnati

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics & Project Management
School: School of Business
Example Courses: Predictive Modeling, Business Decision Modeling, Data Mining and Business Intelligence, Big Data Analytics with Hadoop, Advanced Business Analytics and Project Management
Location: Hartford, CT
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Select courses
Program Details

We offer a hybrid face-to-face and online program that combines in-depth course work in both advanced business analytics and project management. Students can choose from a braod selection of elective courses.  Business analytics courses focus on data development, storage, retrieval and utilization. The program also covers data preparation, predictive modeling, model assessment and model implementation as well as decision analysis, optimization, simulation, sensitivity analysis, time-series analysis and network modeling.

What’s Unique

“The curriculum is designed and delivered by outstanding UConn faculty, with helpful input from the leading analytics solutions provider SAS Institute, IBM, and the Project Management Institute. The program offers unparalleled opportunities to engage with our global corporate partners in high-value, strategic real world projects through SS&C Technologies Financial Accelerator and Innovation Accelerator.”

-Jose Cruz, Ph.D.
Program Director, MSBAPM
University of Connecticut

Degree: Master of Science in Business Marketing Analytics
School: Robert H. Smith School of Business
Example Courses: Advanced Marketing Analytics, Statistical Programming, Data Science, Web Analytics, Market Forecasting
Location: Rockville, MD
Completion Length: 9 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

The program’s unique curriculum is designed to teach students how to harness and process massive amounts of data, design robust analytical models, effectively interpret them to help design products, predict the effects of marketing campaigns, and better understand customers. The M.S. in Business for Marketing Analytics will give students the cutting-edge knowledge and skills they need to apply marketing analytics to daily business practice. The program provides an in-depth understanding of the mathematical and statistical models and tools needed for customer analysis in the context of marketing problems.

What’s Unique

“Analytics is a very broad field. This program focuses on the tools and skills necessary to help answer marketing questions with the massive amounts of customer data that currently exists. How do we predict customer purchasing? How effective are our ads? What is the value of new customers we acquire?”

-Professor Wendy W. Moe
Director, MS in Marketing Analytics
Robert H Smith School of Business
University of Maryland

Degree: Masters of Science in Business Analytics
School: College of Business
Example Courses: Decision Science 630, Applied Forecasting, Management Science, System Simulation, Applied Statistical Modeling
Location: Dearborn, MI
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Select courses
Program Details

The Master of Science in Business Analytics trains students to create business strategies using data and statistics. Professionals in this rapidly expanding field use algorithms and formulas to uncover patterns and trends in aggregate data, then apply that knowledge to real-world business problems. The degree is open to all students with a mind for math and statistics, regardless of their undergraduate major.

What’s Unique

“The unique feature of the Master of Science program at the University of Michigan – Dearborn is its interdisciplinary boundary-spanning curriculum, offering a combination of breadth and depth of knowledge in theory, practice, and application domains on emerging local and national issues of key industrial sectors in manufacturing and service environments. The integrated curriculum emphasizes problem-solving skills from an enterprise perspective to improve decision-making in an enterprise operating in a dynamic global environment. The course contents emphasize building both qualitative and quantitative skills in design, modeling, and implementation of solutions for such enterprises.”

-Professor Charu Chandra, Ph.D.,
Operations Management
University of Michigan-Dearborn

Degree: Professional Science Masters, Data Science and Business Analytics
School: Data Science and Business Analytics Initiative
Example Courses: Big Data Analytics for Competitive Advantage; Business Intelligence and Analytics; Database Systems; Machine Learning, Complex Adaptive Systems, Cloud Computing for Data Analysis, Information Visualization
Location: Charlotte, NC
Completion Length: 15-24 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

The DSBA provides a dynamic solution to the demand for industry talent by creating education, training and research programs in data science and analytics integrated with business and industry expertise. These interdisciplinary programs will develop a new generation of data scientists, business analysts, and managers with the technical and business skills to transform data into smart, innovative business strategies.

What’s Unique

“With the exponential growth of data, businesses need leaders who have the data science skills to understand analytics and the knowledge to apply the data to the mission of the business. Therein lies an opportunity which UNC Charlotte is seizing upon with all the resources we can muster. The DSBA is a top university priority and positions UNC Charlotte and the Charlotte region to lead the nationwide race for Big Data investment and jobs.”

-Dr. Philip L. Dubois
Chancellor
UNC Charlotte

Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
School: School of Engineering & Computer Science
Example Courses: Data Visualization, Text Mining, Data Wrangling, Healthcare Case Studies
Location: San Francisco, CA
Completion Length: 2 years
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

This program equips graduates to understand analytic modeling, build and test data sets, and to analyze, produce, and present results for more effective solutions in fields such as healthcare, business, and technology. Students will use languages such as: Python, R and MATLAB; and will work in areas such as: Amazon Web Services, Machine Learning, and Dynamic Visualization, to name a few. The 32-unit program culminates with the Capstone course, in which students take what they have learned in the previous three semesters and apply it to a real-life, analytics project sponsored by an industry partner.

What’s Unique

“Pacific is uniquely focused on providing personalized education based upon industry case studies and activities, delivering experiential instruction that prepares students for the real world. With small class sizes averaging around 25 students, our faculty is able to focus on the individual needs of every student. To accommodate the needs of working professionals our classes are held outside of normal working hours employing both in-classroom sessions on our brand new San Francisco campus and state-of-the-art live online conferencing technologies.”

-Rick Hutley
Program Director & Clinical Professor, Analytics Program
University of the Pacific

Degree: Master of Science in Business Administration with Business Analytics Concentration
School: Simon Business School
Example Courses: Business Analytics, Information Systems, Business Modeling, Advanced Quantitative Marketing,Database Marketing, Data Structures
Location: Rochester, NY
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

It is a “Big Data” world and this Master of Science program provides the skills and methodologies for analyzing the information that is critical for quantitative decision–making. The Business Analytics concentration appeals to those who are focused on data modeling, statistical analysis, and working with large data sets in a framework that informs and instructs business strategies.

What’s Unique

“We were big on data before data got big. Simon (Business School) has a strong reputation of quantitative analysis, and many members of our faculty are using the cutting edge data modeling and analysis techniques that are highlighted in this program. The Business Analytics concentration combines business frameworks with the latest data analytics techniques to provide students with skills and concepts to deal with big data in organizations. Students will learn concepts for dealing with large volumes, real time and unstructured data from organizational, web and social sources. Economics, statistics, and elements from computer science form the backbone of the program. The program includes a project in which the students will apply the newly learned techniques in real world settings.”

-Rajiv Dewan
Professor of Computers and Information Systems
Simon Business School
University of Rochester

Degree: Master of Science in Management Systems with Business Intelligence Focus
School: College of Business
Example Courses: Advanced Database Systems, Data Warehousing, Data Mining, Statistical Data Mining
Location: Tampa, FL
Completion Length: 12-24 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: Yes
Program Details

The MS in MIS program at University of South Florida’s College of Business is a graduate program that blends business and technology. At the heart of the program is a four-course sequence on Analytics and Business Intelligence that can also help students earn a joint USF-SAS Certificate in Analytics and Business Intelligence. Students from this program have been placed in leading firms throughout the US including Accenture, Citi, Deloitte, DTCC, Goldman Sachs, IBM, Infosys, JPMorgan, Microsoft, Nielsen, Paypal, PWC, SAS, Raymond James and Tech Data.

What’s Unique

“Data Analytics can be taught from a computational, statistical and business perspective. USF’s MS in MIS program is a College of Business degree does all three. The program offers a unique blend of data science, business and information systems, thereby teaching data analytics within the broader management information systems framework in which it is often deployed in enterprises. Faculty teaching in the program are world-class researchers as well, providing a unique resource for students looking to enroll in a graduate program at a top-tier research university.”

-Balaji Padmanabhan
Department Chair
Information Systems & Decision Sciences Department
University South Florida

Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
School: College of Business Administration
Example Courses: Statistical Methods and Data Mining, Data Visualization, Business Process Optimization, Web Analytics, Marketing Analytics, Supply Chain Analytics
Location: Knoxville, TN
Completion Length: 18 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

In addition to teaching technical skills, the program offers leadership and communication development, a summer internship, and a capstone project with an industry client.

What’s Unique

“The program is listed in Information Week’s 20 top big data programs. The program is noted for its close relationships with industry through its Business Analytics Forum. Students from academic common market states should check with their own state for eligibility for in-state tuition in the UT program.”

-Dr. Ken Gilbert
Head of Department of Statistics, Operations, and Management Science
University of Tennessee

Degree: MSIROM: Business Analytics
School: McCombs School of Business
Example Courses: Predictive Modeling, Stochastic Control and Optimization, Database Management, Social Media Analytics, Marketing Analytics I & II
Location: Austin, TX
Completion Length: 12 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

The McCombs School of Business offers a challenging and intensive one-year program for recent graduates with quantitative and technical backgrounds. The MSIROM Program boasts faculty from across the UT campus, and maintains deep industry relationships with top companies like Deloitte, Walmart, IBM, AT&T, and others. It offers workshops in applications for analytics, choice of electives in marketing, supply chain, and finance, and career services support for students. The program is STEM-certified, and no work experience is required to apply.

What’s Unique

“Our program focuses on the idea that the most effective analysts are those with deep quantitative skills who have the communication skills and business context to ‘tell a story’ with the data. Being quantitatively-trained storytellers allows our graduates to inform and support intelligent, data-driven decision making in context.”

-Michael Hasler, Ph.D.
Program Director, MSIROM: Business Analytics
McCombs School of Business
University of Texas at Austin

Degree: Masters of Science in Data Science
School: Data Science Institute
Example Courses: Linear Models for Data Science; Design & Analysis of Algorithms for Data Science; Applied Data Mining; Ethics, Law & Policy of Big Data
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Completion Length: 11 months
Part-Time Option: No
Online Option: No
Program Details

The program is designed to integrate data science into a broad range of disciplines including the humanities, medicine, education, and engineering to provide understanding of complex problems. Core courses are connected through interwoven projects which culminate in a capstone project, where students tackle real world data problems in an interdisciplinary environment. The degree also focuses on ethics, law, and policy of data science.

What’s Unique

“The University’s broad, interdisciplinary approach to data science provides a unique opportunity for students interested in making both fundamental and applied contributions. By exposing students to data, methods and technologies from diverse disciplines, they will acquire the knowledge and skills to address society’s current and future challenges. Our program also provides instruction in the practice of data science as learned by leaders in industry and government, as well as case studies in the ethical, legal, and policy implications of data science applications.”

-Dr. Don Brown
Director, Data Science Institute
University of Virginia

Degree: Masters of Science in Business with Decision Analytics concentration
School: School of Business
Example Courses: Information Systems for Business Intelligence, Statistical Analysis, Data Mining, Forecasting Methods for Business, Text Mining and Unstructured Data, Simulation Models, Risk Analysis
Location: Richmond, VA
Completion Length: 12-18 months
Part-Time Option: Yes
Online Option: No
Program Details

The Master of Science in Business with a decision analytics/traditional concentration provides students with knowledge of quantitative skills and experience in analyzing problems and using data for decision-making in a business environment.

What’s Unique

“VCU Offers a Master’s degree with an Analytics concentration in two distinct formats A Traditional Track which gives students considerable flexibility. Analytics is being applied in many fields and applications. This program gives students the fundamental analytic tools and techniques and then, through a wide range of electives, apply those tools and techniques to fit their specific interest. If a student is interested in medical analytics, sports analytics, financial analytics, marketing analytics… a program can be tailored to make them proficient in the area. A Professional Track which is a weekend cohort program. Student build valuable professional and personal relationships with their fellow students. The fact that all students take the same courses in the same order allows integration of the contents, gives each topic the amount of time it needs and avoids overlaps and gaps. Based on input from our Corporate Advisory Board the program places significant emphasis on teamwork and communications. In addition to team projects and presentations within courses, there are classroom hours and team and individual coaching devoted to both teamwork and communications.”

-Stephen W. Custer, Ph.D
Assistant Professor
Virginia Commonwealth University