MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS

Make a Strategic Move in Your Business Career

Median salary for business analysts with a master’s degree.

$90,900

Source: LaborInsight

from BurningGlass.com

PROGRAM SUMMARY

The online Master of Science in Business Analytics program (MSBA) blends

practical and theoretical knowledge of business analytics with an emphasis

on technology approaches. You’ll learn how to interpret and apply data so

you can make evidence-based marketing, operations, financial, and strategic

decisions. With this degree, you’ll be positioned to contribute valuable

insight to organizations and gain a competitive advantage in your career.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

• A business degree with a data emphasis

• Flexible courses accessible from anywhere in the world

• Three specializations: operations, marketing, and

advanced methods

• AACSB-accredited program

• No GRE or GMAT required

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Build descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytical skills in order to guide data-driven decisions and influence organizational success.

• Learn advanced methods in machine learning, market research, operations modeling, and optimization analysis.

• Gain leadership skills to manage teams and lead projects.

• Boost communication abilities to effectively present findings and get buy-in from stakeholders.

• Increase your value to your organization and future employers.

FLEXIBLE, COLLABORATIVE ONLINE LEARNING

The online program allows you to connect with faculty and master the

latest platforms without traveling to campus or following a fixed schedule.

Courses are delivered asynchronously, meaning you can watch lectures

on your own time. Our faculty are responsive and have connections with

technology organizations around the world.

In addition to analytics-driven coursework, students in the MSBA program

work on real-world, team-based projects. Experiential learning is a signature

of WPI and helps develop skills in leadership, collaboration, and critical

thinking. Online students have the chance to build lasting professional

connections.

Data is everywhere, but it is how you use it that really matters. The best business analytics professionals are those who not only understand how to collect and interpret this flow of data, but also find innovative approaches to business problems. At WPI, we equip you with more than a skillset—we help you cultivate a data-driven mindset.

2 | WPI’S ONLINE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS

The demand for business analysts is projected to grow by almost 10% over the next decade.

10%

CURRICULUM

3 | WPI’S ONLINE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS

The MS in Business Analytics program prepares

students to be successful in the changing global

market, where a data-driven, technological business

environment is the new standard. The curriculum

features a blend of theoretical and practical content.

The MSBA consists of 11 courses (33 credits total)

divided into:

• A core module that introduces students to business analytics

• Two specializations (chosen from three options)

• A capstone project

Online coursework elements include discussion

boards, case studies, simulations, projects, and other

interactive elements. You can take courses in your

preferred order, up to three at a time.

REQUIRED CORE COURSES

• MIS 584 Business Intelligence (3 credits)

• OIE 552 Modeling and Optimizing Processes (3 credits)

• MIS 502 Data Management for Analytics (3 credits)

CAPSTONE

Students work in cross-disciplinary teams in order to

find innovative, analytics-directed solutions to business

problems.

• OBC 505 Teaming and Organizing for Innovation (3 credits)

• BUS 596 Master of Science Capstone Project (3 credits)

TUITION AND ADMISSIONS

TUITION AND FEES

• Cost per credit hour: $1,610 $1,182*

• Total credits: 33

• Total tuition: $53,130 $39,000*

• Books and supplies (estimated per class): $100 to $200

*Incoming MSBA students for the 2021-2022 academic year

will be granted inaugural scholarships that reduce the cost

of tuition by up to 27%.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should have the analytic aptitude and academic

preparation necessary to complete a technology-oriented

business degree. This includes:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with a recommended undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (An undergrad GPA below 3.0 will be considered based upon the strength of other aspects of your application.)

• A background in statistics and finance/accounting

SPECIALIZATIONS

Students fulfill two specializations from the following three choices:

ADVANCED BUSINESS ANALYTICS METHODS(Complete three courses)

• MIS 587 Business Applications in Machine Learning (3 credits)

• OIE 559 Optimization for Business Analytics (3 credits)

• MKT 562 Marketing Research (3 credits)

MARKETING ANALYTICS (Complete three courses)

Choose between:

• MKT 500 Marketing Strategy (3 credits)

OR

• MKT 561 Consumer Behavior and Analytics (3 credits)

Take both:

• MKT 565 Digital and Social Media Marketing and Analytics (3 credits)

• MKT 568 Data Mining Business Applications (3 credits)

OPERATIONS ANALYTICS (Complete any three courses)

• OIE 501 Designing Operations for Competitive Advantage (3 credits)

• OIE 542 Risk Management and Decision Analysis (3 credits)

• OIE 544 Supply Chain Analysis and Design (3 credits)

• OIE 548 Performance Analytics (3 credits)

• OIE 558 Designing and Managing Lean Six Sigma Processes (3 credits)

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

• Online application

• Resume/CV

• Transcripts from all post-secondary colleges or universities

• Statement of purpose Tell us who you are and why you’re interested in our program. We want to know why you are pursuing this master’s, what your long-term career goals are, and why you feel WPI will help you meet your goals.

• Two (2) letters of recommendation Two letters of professional recommendation are required, three are preferred, from individuals you have worked with who can comment on your qualifications for pursuing graduate study. Please invite your recommenders to submit their letters electronically via the online application.

• International applicants must also submit:

• TOEFL or IELTS scores (non-native English speakers) Possible exemptions may be made for applicants with two or more years of higher education instruction at an institution in an English-speaking country (US, Canada, Ireland, UK, Australia, New Zealand). Case-by-case exemptions may be made for people who have lived and worked in an English-speaking environment.

Please contact an enrollment representative at 877-974-6391

or onlinebusiness@wpi.edu with any questions about tuition

or application requirements.

4 | WPI’S ONLINE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS

In today’s continually changing global business environment, there’s a demand for analytically savvy students who can navigate analytics tools and techniques and respond quickly to the changing environment of business operations, marketing, supply chains, and finances.” DIANE STRONG Professor WPI School of Business

ABOUT

THE WPI BUSINESS SCHOOL

Situated within a premier technological university, The WPI

Business School integrates science, technology, engineering,

and math into the undergraduate and graduate programs.

Consistent with WPI’s mission of theory and practice, a

project-based approach to learning and doing pervades The

WPI Business School’s curriculum. Graduates of WPI Business

School are prepared to lead at the intersection of technology

and business, applying entrepreneurial thinking and

harnessing the power of technology and teamwork to solve

complex human problems.

WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

Worcester Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1865 to create

and convey the latest science and engineering knowledge in

ways that are most beneficial to society. Today, WPI holds firm

to its founding mission to provide an education that balances

theory and practice.

WPI aims to create a quality experience for its students and a

positive impact for its partner communities. The university’s

curriculum features a flexible, rigorous program that is project-

based and globally engaged. WPI faculty members work with

students on interdisciplinary research that confronts important

and socially relevant challenges, both on campus and at more

than 50 project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-

Pacific, and Europe

Graduate research programs include robotics, materials

science, cybersecurity, and learning sciences and technology.

WPI invests in research in critical areas in such diverse fields as

fire protection engineering, life sciences and bioengineering,

energy, and data science.

AACSB ACCREDITED

WPI shines in its dedication to world-class,

tech-driven business education. Just 5%

of all business programs in the world have

earned accreditation through the Association

to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

(AACSB). We are proud to be an AACSB-

accredited program.

onlinebusiness@wpi.edu | 877-974-6391 | onlinebusiness.wpi.edu

100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280

WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE