Business Analytics, MS
for the Master of Science in Business Analytics
The Master of Science (MS) in Business Analytics prepares students to master and apply contemporary analytics approaches to identify and address business problems and opportunities. The course work includes foundations in managing, analyzing, and conveying patterns and implications of business data, followed by an array of analytics elective courses that enable students to deepen their skills and understanding in business application areas such as finance, accountancy, and marketing, among others. This is an intensive program for those interested in making decisions and innovating through the use of business analytics approaches.
Admission
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements
Financial Aid
Most Ph.D. students receive some form of financial assistance. This assistance is likely to be in the form of a teaching or research assistantship, which includes a waiver of tuition and some fees, and/or the award of a merit-based fellowship. The M.S. in Business Administration, the M.S. in Management, the M.S. in Strategic Brand Communication, and the M.S. in Technology Management do not provide assistantships.
for the Master of Science in Business Analytics
The MS in Business Analytics requires a minimum of 36 hours. The program rests on three required courses (12 credit hours) covering foundations of business data management, analysis, and communication. Students need to take at least four analytics elective courses (at least 20 credit hours) that will enable them to deepen their understanding of analytics methods and tools as well as to specialize in existing and emerging application areas. Finally, students are able to take general elective courses (up to 4 credit hours) to provide foundations in application areas. Students with sufficient background may petition the academic director to replace core classes, with analytics electives. Additional analytics elective and general elective graduate course offerings may be approved by a program advisor.
For additional details and requirements, refer to the department's Program Curriculum and the Graduate College Handbook.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses: | ||
| BADM 554 | Enterprise Database Management | 4 |
| FIN 550 | Big Data Analytics in Finance for Predictive and Causal Analysis | 4 |
| BDI 513 | Data Storytelling | 4 |
| Analytics Electives | 20-24 | |
| Business Practicum | ||
| Topics in Business Intelligence | ||
| Social Media Strategy | ||
| Digital Business & IT Strategy | ||
| Stat for Mgt Decision Making | ||
| Decision Analytics | ||
| Supply Chain Analytics | ||
| Data Science and Analytics | ||
| Predictive Data Analytics | ||
| Seminar in Business Admin | ||
| Financial Risk Management | ||
| Applied Financial Econometrics | ||
| Machine Learning in Finance | ||
| Financial Innovation | ||
| Special Topics in Finance | ||
| Data Analytics for Management Accounting | ||
| Data Driven Decisions in Accounting | ||
| Data Analytics Foundations for Accountancy | ||
| Statistical Analyses for Accountancy | ||
| Data Analytics Applications in Accountancy | ||
| Data Preparation for Accounting | ||
| Machine Learning for Accounting | ||
| Special Research Problems | ||
| General Graduate Electives | 0 to 4 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Other Requirements
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall | 12 |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
| International students with TOEFL scores below 613 (paper-based), 257 (computer-based), or 103 (internet-based), or IELTS score below 7.0, are required to take the English Placement Test (EPT) when they arrive on campus. After taking the EPT, most students are required to take a Business English course sequence. For these students, completion of the ESL course sequence is mandatory but does not count towards the 36 hour degree requirement. |
for the Master of Science in Business Analytics
Upon graduation, students will be able to:
- Identify research questions to be answered by data
- Identify and frame the business situation
- Specify the problem/question/hypothesis
- Plan the analytics approach
- Source Data
- Plan data sourcing activities
- Identify Data Sources
- Perform data setup, access and preparation
- Analyze Data
- Perform exploratory analysis
- Select and apply causal and predictive models
- Evaluate and adjust analysis process to answer the research question
- Interpret/Report Results
- Derive insights from the analysis and create a narrative with visualizations to communicate the recommendations
Graduate Degree Programs in Business Administration
Majors:
- Business Administration, MBA (online-iMBA)
- Business Analytics, MS
- Management, MS
- with optional concentrations:
- Technology Management, MS
- with optional concentrations:
Minors:
- Information Technology & Control
- Corporate Governance & International Business
- Supply Chain Management
Concentrations:
- Business Data Analytics
- Corporate Governance & International Business
- Information Technology & Control
- Supply Chain Management
Certificates:
- Digital Marketing, CERT
- Entrepreneurship & Strategic Innovation, CERT
- Financial Management, CERT
- Global Challenges in Business, CERT
- Managerial Economics & Business Analysis, CERT
- Strategic Leadership Management, CERT
- Value Chain Management, CERT
Joint Degree Program:
for the Master of Science in Business Analytics
Department of Business Administration
Head of Department: Carlos Torelli
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs: Nerissa Brown
Business Analytics program website
Business Administration Department website
Business Administration Department faculty
3019 Business Instructional Facility, 515 E. Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 244-7602
grad@business.illinois.edu
Gies College of Business
Gies College of Business website
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements
Gies College Admissions & Requirements