MS in Business Analytics

The Master of Science (MS) in Business Analytics degree prepares students for positions across fields of business. The program begins by providing a foundation in data analysis and programming skills, and then moves into preparation in statistics and machine learning. The program then concludes with a focus on data analysis challenges businesses face across disciplines with particular emphasis on marketing, operations/supply chain, accounting/finance, and human resources analytics.

Initial enrollment in this program will begin in summer 2019.

The MS in Business Analytics will seek to develop graduates who will:

  • Be able to think critically about and frame data problems in a variety of business contexts and apply appropriate analytical methods to find solutions that achieve stated objectives.
  • Consider opportunities, needs, and constraints of data analytics within the business functions and the strategic importance of decisions made using data.
  • Demonstrate critical-thinking skills, connecting quantitative and qualitative tools, concepts, and context to effectively solve problems and make decisions.
  • Demonstrate proficiency with a variety of data-analytic tools.
  • Communicate technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences in speech, in writing, and graphically.
  • Demonstrate interpersonal, team, collaborative, and leadership skills.
  • Demonstrate ethical reasoning skills and understand professional responsibilities.

Curriculum

The MS in Business Analytics program is a full-time, three-semester, 41-credit program that begins in the summer and concludes in the following spring. All students in the program are cohorted for the length of the program. The program has a fixed curriculum; all courses are required for graduation and students must receive permission of the Faculty Director to take any additional courses outside of the program. Any questions related to curriculum sequence can be discussed with the student’s academic advisor.

Summer Session (12 credits)

  • BA 750 Describing, Analyzing, and Using Data (3 cr)
  • BA 760 Introduction to Programming for Data Science (3 cr)
  • BA 770 Business Analytics Toolbox (3 cr)
  • BA 888 Capstone Project (3 cr)

Fall Semester (12 credits)

  • BA 780 Introduction to Data Analytics (3 cr)
  • BA 810 Supervised Machine Learning (3 cr)
  • BA 820 Unsupervised and Unstructured Machine Learning (3 cr)
  • BA 830 Business Experimentation and Causal Methods (3 cr)

Spring Semester (17 credits)

  • BA 840 Data Ethics: Analytics in Social Context (3 cr)
  • BA 860 Digital Marketing Analytics (3 cr)
  • BA 865 Advanced Analytics Topics (3 cr)
  • BA 870 Financial Analytics (3 cr)
  • BA 875 Operations and Supply Chain Analytics (3 cr)
  • ES 710 Teaming (1 cr)
  • ES 720 Management Communication (1 cr)

Academic Standards

Academic Performance Review for MS in Business Analytics Students

The Graduate Academic & Career Development Center (Grad Center) monitors students’ academic performance at the end of the Summer, Fall, and Spring Semesters, up until the time of graduation. A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.70 (on a 4.0 scale) to be in good academic standing (i.e., to graduate). Coursework taken outside Questrom School of Business, which does not count toward the MS in Business Analytics degree, will not be calculated into the student’s CGPA.

The MS in Business Analytics Program Development Committee (PDC) has final responsibility for decisions regarding students with poor academic performance. The committee determines whether students will be permitted to stay in the program, and if so, what specific steps must be taken to regain good academic standing. A PDC decision for permanent academic withdrawal is final and no appeals to the PDC beyond the Student Statement (described below) are allowed.

Students with a CGPA below 2.70 after the fall and spring terms will be referred to the PDC for review. Students will be informed of their academic position via their BU email address prior to the start of the subsequent semester. All students in poor academic standing must meet with their Grad Center advisor (in person or by telephone) within 48 hours of receipt of this communication to discuss the situation. If a Student Statement is submitted, this is due within 72 hours of the performance notification. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the tight window between notice and action and to plan accordingly.

After 12 credits attempted, Business Analytics students with a CGPA less than 2.30 will be withdrawn from the program. Students with a CGPA between 2.3 and 2.69 after 12 credits may be academically withdrawn from the program or receive a written warning with recommendations for improvement.

After 24 credits attempted, students with a CGPA less than 2.30 will be automatically withdrawn from the program. Students with a CGPA between 2.3 and 2.69 after 24 credits may be academically withdrawn from the program or receive a written warning with recommendations for improvement. Business Analtyics students are not permitted to take additional credits, beyond the semester in which they have completed their degree requirements, to improve their CGPA.

After all program credits are completed, all students must achieve a 2.70 or higher CGPA in order to graduate. Students are not permitted to take additional credits beyond the semester in which they have completed their degree requirements in order to improve their CGPA or restart enrollment, nor can they withdraw and re-enroll.

Please be aware that student CGPA can also affect eligibility for continuing financial aid, including scholarships and loans. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (at least a 2.70 CGPA) in order to be eligible for continued Federal Stafford Loan funding and private educational loan funding.

Student Statement

The Student Statement is voluntary, though it is strongly encouraged, as it offers the sole opportunity for student input into PDC decisions. The statement is self-reflective and provides the student’s explanation for their poor academic performance. The statement is due within 72 hours of notice of poor performance by the Grad Center. The statement is the student’s individual work product and must be prepared accordingly.

Degree Completion

To qualify for the MS in Business Analytics, students must:

  • Successfully complete all required courses for a total of 41 credits.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70.
  • Have no “I" grades or no “MG" grades in courses counting toward the degree.