QS Rank:

185

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Minnesota

United States

Program Rank

Overview

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The MSBA program is three semesters (12 months) long. You'll take 14-16 credits of full-time coursework each semester. The program’s cohort model means you start simultaneously with all other current students and move through classes together. You begin the program in September and graduate the following August, ready to take your new knowledge and skills into the workforce. Exact dates vary by year; new students are required to attend orientation.

The Carlson School's Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program equips you with the skills to collect, process, and analyze data. It will empower you to harness the potential of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) models to address critical questions and solve real-world business problems.

New curriculum in fall 2024 enhances our AI courses, including a new AI for Business track
Experiential learning through the Carlson Analytics Lab gives you hands-on practice
92% of 2023 graduates accepted employment offers within 6 months after graduation
GMAT/GRE test optional for qualified applicants
Merit-based scholarships up to $20,000 are available
STEM-designated degree

In the MSBA program, you'll take 14-16 credits of full-time coursework each of your 3 semesters for a total of 45 required credits. Most classes for the MSBA program meet during the day. The program’s cohort model means you’ll start at the same time as all other students and move through the required classes together.

Total Tuition Fees

$69,525

Duration

12 Months

Median Salary

$1,20,000

Ranking

#62

US World and News Report

#185

QS World University Rankings

Intake

Fall ( Sept - Nov )

Class Profile

Class Size

119

Average Age

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Language Test Scores

Minimum Score

79 / 120

Minimum Score

6.5 / 9

Minimum Score

59 / 90

Minimum Score

115 / 160

Diversity

International:

10%

Others:

15%

United States:

40%

Minnesota:

45%

Admissions

Application Deadlines

Fall

Round	Deadline	Decision
Final Deadline	Mar 15	NA

Eligibility Criteria

Business Analytics

Business Analytics Requirements & Deadlines

Name: Master's
Price: 69525 USD

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) Program. All materials are submitted electronically through the online application system. Admission decisions are communicated to applicants through the online application system.

For more admissions information, visit our MSBA Events Calendar and sign up for an upcoming Information Session or Application Tips Webinar with our admissions team. If your questions are unanswered below, please email us anytime at [email protected].

Application Requirements

You must complete the online application. The application can be saved and continued later. Your application is complete when you have completed and/or uploaded the following items.

Getting Started

Create an account and password on admissions portal to start the online application.
Select "Fall 2024" for "Entry Term" and "Business Analytics - MS" for "Selected Program."
Read the instructions below carefully before completing your application.
Note that applications must be complete, with all materials submitted and received, by the deadline for which you would like to be considered.

You will receive application update emails from [email protected] and [email protected]. Please add these emails to your contact list or safe list so that important updates are not caught in your spam filter.

START YOUR APPLICATION

Prerequisites - Calculus & Programming

Completion of a Calculus Course

Completion of at least one college-level calculus course is required, at the level of Calculus I or higher. Short Calculus, Pre-Calculus, or Survey of Calculus courses do not meet this prerequisite. Applicants who have not yet completed a calculus course should not submit an application to the program until they have completed the course and received either a final grade or official, verifiable certificate of completion.

This requirement can be satisfied in one of two ways:

Academic coursework, with course title and final grade appearing on an academic transcript from an accredited university or college (Upload a course description or syllabus on the "Carlson Masters Programs requirements" page of the application).

Completion of one of the MSBA faculty-approved online certificate options listed below (Upload your official, verifiable certificate of completion on the "Carlson Masters Programs Requirements" page of the application).

Application Requirements

What Really Matters When Applying

TOEFL
Required
Resume
Required
DUOLINGO
Required
IELTS
Required
TOEFL
Required
PTE
Required
Personal Statement
Required
Academic LOR
Required
Academic LOR
Required
Video Interview
Required
Application Fee
95

Essay Question

Question 1

1. Personal essay You must submit essay responses to the questions detailed below (approximately 2 pages maximum). What draws you to business analytics as a field? Why are you interested in the Carlson School’s Business Analytics program specifically? (approximately 200 words) What career roles (job positions, industries, companies) would you be interested in landing directly after completion of the program? How will the Carlson School’s Business Analytics program help you achieve your career goals? (approximately 275 words) An aptitude for technical and quantitative work is necessary for success in the Business Analytics program. Please provide a specific example(s) from your past academic project, internship, or professional experience where you used a computer programming language, technical/quantitative tool or method to solve a problem. Please provide details describing the problem/situation, the actions you took, the specific tools, programming languages, and methods you used, and the results of your actions. (approximately 275 words) Please answer each prompt separately. You may copy/paste each prompt into your document. The admissions committee will review both the content of your responses and your ability to communicate clearly in writing. 2. Video Essay : The video essay is a required component of the application that provides candidates with an opportunity to show the admissions committee the authentic you. Think of this video essay as if you were answering an interview question with a member of our admissions committee. You will need to use a computer with camera and microphone capabilities. You will have the ability to test your technology before starting the video essay and submit a practice video essay. You can test your technology and run the practice simulation as many times as you wish to be comfortable with the format and technology. You will be able to review your practice video essay(s) and your recording(s) will not be saved beyond the testing phase and will never be reviewed. You can also practice responding to impromptu questions offline with a friend or colleague before completing the video essay portion of your application. You will be prompted to click "Ready" once you are prepared to submit an official video essay. You will be asked one impromptu question from a bank of imaginative or behavioral questions selected by our admissions team. Two minutes (120 seconds) will be provided to prepare an answer and two minutes (120 seconds) to record an answer. Recording will automatically stop after two minutes. You are not required to use the full two minutes. If you have time remaining once complete with your response, click the "Stop Recording" button to end the recording. You will only be provided one attempt to record your official video essay.

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$1,20,000 / year

Graduation Rate

83%

Job Placement

94%

Prospective Job Roles

Statistician

Entrepreneur

Business Intelligence Analyst

Database Administrator

Business Analyst

Marketing Manager

Project Manager

Data scientist

IT Business Analyst

International Business Analyst

Data analyst

Top recruiters

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$69,525 / year

Overall Cost

$1,09,525 / year

Funding Options

Department Funding

Scholarships

Business Analytics Scholarships

The Carlson School offers merit-based scholarships for qualified students joining the full-time MSBA program.

FAQs

Admission interviews are by invitation only. Not all applicants will be interviewed. Interviews may be conducted on campus or online via Zoom. The interview is approximately 30 minutes in length and aimed at better understanding a candidate’s academic and professional background. You should treat the interview as you would a job interview. Appropriate attire is business professional.
The video essay is a required component of the application that provides candidates with an opportunity to show the admissions committee the authentic you. Think of this video essay as if you were answering an interview question with a member of our admissions committee. You will need to use a computer with camera and microphone capabilities. You will have the ability to test your technology before starting the video essay and submit a practice video essay. You can test your technology and run the practice simulation as many times as you wish to be comfortable with the format and technology. You will be able to review your practice video essay(s) and your recording(s) will not be saved beyond the testing phase and will never be reviewed. You can also practice responding to impromptu questions offline with a friend or colleague before completing the video essay portion of your application. You will be prompted to click "Ready" once you are prepared to submit an official video essay. You will be asked one impromptu question from a bank of imaginative or behavioral questions selected by our admissions team. Two minutes (120 seconds) will be provided to prepare an answer and two minutes (120 seconds) to record an answer. Recording will automatically stop after two minutes. You are not required to use the full two minutes. If you have time remaining once complete with your response, click the "Stop Recording" button to end the recording. You will only be provided one attempt to record your official video essay.
MSBA graduates typically have job titles such as Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Sr. Marketing Data Analyst, Digital Insights Analyst, Analytics Consultant, Product Data Analyst, Senior Data Analyst, etc. The careers page highlights information about starting salary, location, and employers of past graduates.
While submission of GMAT or GRE scores is optional for those with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above, strong scores can still boost an application. It is strongly recommended for applicants with academic weaknesses (e.g., lower grades in quantitative or technical/programming classes) to submit scores. The admissions committee does not prefer one test over the other, and we do not have minimum required scores; however we recommend a Quantitative section score in the 80th percentile or above on either test. Note: Applicants interested in pursuing a career in consulting should plan to take the GMAT specifically, as many major consulting firms consider these scores when assessing job candidates. If you do decide to submit test scores, they must be less than five years old at the time of application. The unofficial test scores should be entered directly into the online application. Official test scores should be received before the deadline for which you would like to be considered. For the GMAT, arrange for the testing service to send an official score report to code D2N-VJ-05, Carlson Master of Science in Business Analytics. Results arrive 2-3 weeks after the test. For the GRE, arrange for the testing service to send an official score report using institution code 6874, U of MN graduate school. Results may take up to 8 weeks to arrive.