Master's in Business Analytics Programs

An M.S. in Business Analytics (sometimes called an M.S. in Analytics) is intended to help you identify opportunities hidden in big data and apply these findings to real-world business challenges. Data analysts provide organizations with ideas for smarter strategic management, improved financial performance and better operational efficiencies.

It’s a wide-ranging and challenging discipline. Successful graduates may find themselves analyzing everything from consumer behavior and social media to supply-chain and marketing data.

Courses

M.S./B.A. degrees usually take one to two years to complete. You’ll typically be required to take a variety of core courses in data analytics and business (e.g., financial accounting), as well as electives in a specific field of interest. Many programs include a capstone project or practicum.

Typical courses include:

Business data analytics
Operations research
Project management
Database analysis
Predictive analytics

Check your preferred school for specific admission requirements. Some will expect an undergraduate degree in economics, mathematics, engineering, business, computer science, statistics or a related field.

On a related note, The M.S. in Marketing Analytics has developed to help marketers manage the explosion of consumer information. Marketers are now expected to make data-driven decisions based on quantitative analysis. Customer-centric approaches have replaced product-focused models. M.S./M.A. programs blend classes on statistics and data analytics with relevant marketing subjects (e.g., customer insight). In addition to the core syllabus, schools usually include a wide variety of electives (e.g., international marketing) and an internship or practicum. Some also offer specific concentrations.

Typical courses include:

Marketing management
Advanced marketing analysis
Customer analysis
Statistical programming
Quantitative methods
Database management
Data mining and visualization
Applied marketing research

New Developments

The big word in business analytics today is prescriptive analytics. While predictive analytics looks at what may happen, prescriptive analytics focuses on why things are happening and recommending appropriate courses of action.

For example, Google has been experimenting with a self-driven car that can anticipate what might be coming round the bend and determine what effect its decisions will have on the ultimate outcome.

The second important trend is consolidation. As data barriers (e.g., siloes) fall away and new sources of data (e.g., sensors) proliferate, analytics is moving to the center of the enterprise. As Timo Elliott notes:

“The next generation of information infrastructures will combine big data, transactional data, analytic data and ‘content’ into a single, coherent set of services that Gartner calls an ‘information capabilities framework.'”

And it is business data analysts who will be responsible for managing this framework.

Want more? Take a look at our in-depth coverage of data science developments in Manufacturing, Gaming and Hospitality and Finance.

Business Analytics in Action

1. World’s Biggest Data Breaches (Developers: David McCandless & Tom Evans)

2. GED VIZ: Visualizing Global Economic Relations (Developer: Jan Arpe)

3. Bloomberg Billionaires Index (Developer: Bloomberg Visual Data)

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Featured Schools

Start your search with respected programs recruiting students from around the US.

More InfoMaryville University

Online Master of Science in Business Data Analytics

Maryville University's 100% Online Master of Science in Business Data Analytics (MSBDA) program provides an opportunity for both current practitioners and career changers to seek graduate-level credentials in a fast-growing area. No GMAT/GRE requirements or business experience necessary; graduate in as little as a year.

More InfoAmerican University

Online Master of Science in Analytics

Make sound decisions using data analysis in 12 months with a Master's in Business Analytics online from American University. No GMAT/GRE required to apply.

More InfoSyracuse University

Online Master of Science in Business Analytics

Looking to become a data-savvy leader? Earn your M.S. in Business Analytics online. GMAT waivers available!

More InfoUniversity of San Francisco

Master of Science in Analytics

Earn your 1-year Master of Science in Analytics from USF - includes nine months of practical training with industry partners

More InfoSouthern New Hampshire University

Online MS in Data Analytics

Multiple term start dates throughout the year - complete your degree at your own pace, in as fast as 15 months. One of the lowest tuition rates in the nation.

More InfoSaint Mary's University of Minnesota

Online M.S. in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics

Earn an Online MS in BI and Data Analytics from a U.S. News & World Report 2016 Best College

More InfoMerrimack College

Master of Science in Business Analytics Online

Less Theory. More Application. This degree was developed with an industry council to ensure students develop the skills today's employers want. You'll learn the top tools and systems such as R, Python, SPSS and Tableau.

School Listings

We found 190 universities in our directory offering Business Analytics programs.

We have another page that provides detailed profiles of all the online Master's in Business Analytics programs in our database: you can find it here.

If you represent a university and would like to contact us about editing any of our listings, or adding new programs, please send an email to info (at) mastersindatascience.org.

Alabama

Auburn University

Auburn University, Alabama

Courses

New Developments

Business Analytics in Action

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More InfoMaryville University

More InfoAmerican University

More InfoSyracuse University

More InfoUniversity of San Francisco

More InfoSouthern New Hampshire University

More InfoSaint Mary's University of Minnesota

More InfoMerrimack College

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