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Analytics and AI for Business Advantage

MS in Business Analytics

Master the Art of Data Storytelling with AI-Powered Business Analytics

Data holds the power to shape decisions—when you know how to turn it into a story that speaks. Business leadership extends beyond collecting numbers. It involves transforming them into narratives that inspire action and drive results. The MS in Business Analytics teaches you how to make data tell stories that matter in business.

Our flexible, STEM-designated program emphasizes hands-on learning and ethical leadership, equipping you with practical skills to influence decisions across industries. You'll not only gain expertise in interpreting data but also learn how to guide strategic decisions and lead with integrity.

By integrating Artificial Intelligence into our curriculum, we empower you to leverage AI for predictive modeling and optimizing decision processes. You'll analyze real-time data to fine-tune business strategies and automate routine tasks. This approach frees you to focus on strategic decision-making and invest your time in what truly matters—making a difference with data.

Business Analytics with Proven ROI

86%

of our master's grads reported receiving a promotion while attending the program*

* 2024 MS in Business Analytics student exit survey

71%

average increase in salary upon graduation from the program*

88%

of students reported increased effectiveness in their current role as a direct result of entering the program*

Program Overview

  • Format & Schedule
  • Admission Requirements
  • Elective Courses
  • Applied Learning
  • Career Impact
  • Format & Schedule

    With our flexible schedule and course load, you can set your own pace and tailor the MS in Business Analytics program to your individual situation and career goals. Complete this 30-credit degree in as little as 16 months or up to a maximum of five years.

    8 required courses (24 credits): Get a solid foundation of technical and quantitative knowledge in data science and analytics, and develop your data presentation and communication skills from the program’s core courses.

    2-4 elective courses (6 credits): Build additional analytics skills, develop valuable business context, or focus on a specialty by filling the rest of your program with elective courses of your choosing.

    *International students: The M.S. in Business Analytics is a STEM-designated and approved master's degree program.

    Explore the Curriculum

    Admission Requirements

    • Current resume with education and work experience listed
    • Answers to three essay questions
    • Official Transcript(s) from your undergraduate and other graduate degrees

    International candidates will need to complete additional application requirements, including an approved English Proficiency Exam and a course-by-course degree evaluation from an approved vendor for all degrees earned outside of the United States.

    Application Checklist

    Elective Courses

    Select six elective credits to complete your MS in Business Analytics degree program. Make yourself even more marketable to potential employers with the electives you choose. Expand your technical skills or broaden your knowledge to understand how analytics are applied in various business contexts and industries. Topics of specialized study include supply chain management, marketing analytics, data warehousing, health care analytics, Lean Six Sigma, and more.
    Explore the Curriculum

    Applied Learning

    Our applied learning approach in the MS in Business Analytics program is designed to help you succeed in the classroom, and in today’s evolving business analytics landscape. Through real-world applications, you will explore business concepts through group projects and practical exercises, staying up-to-date by working in programming language used in many leading companies, reading case studies, and engaging with guest speakers. You will also work hands-on with professors and fellow students to promote individual growth as a dynamic, creative problem-solver. This applied learning approach will equip you to:

    • Utilize data-driven decision making skills to influence key business decisions
    • Play a key role and act as the bridge between data analytics and business operations within your organization
    • Translate and provide technical knowledge to senior leadership
    • Network with fellow professionals in your field
    Applied Learning Opportunities

    Career Impact

    According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for a data analyst is $79,990 per year at master's degree level. Growth is also expected to be strong—34% between 2014 and 2024—one of the strongest growth rates of all industries.
    Career Impact Facts and Figures

    Format & Schedule

    With our flexible schedule and course load, you can set your own pace and tailor the MS in Business Analytics program to your individual situation and career goals. Complete this 30-credit degree in as little as 16 months or up to a maximum of five years.

    8 required courses (24 credits): Get a solid foundation of technical and quantitative knowledge in data science and analytics, and develop your data presentation and communication skills from the program’s core courses.

    2-4 elective courses (6 credits): Build additional analytics skills, develop valuable business context, or focus on a specialty by filling the rest of your program with elective courses of your choosing.

    *International students: The M.S. in Business Analytics is a STEM-designated and approved master's degree program.

    Explore the Curriculum

    Admission Requirements

    • Current resume with education and work experience listed
    • Answers to three essay questions
    • Official Transcript(s) from your undergraduate and other graduate degrees

    International candidates will need to complete additional application requirements, including an approved English Proficiency Exam and a course-by-course degree evaluation from an approved vendor for all degrees earned outside of the United States.

    Application Checklist

    Elective Courses

    Select six elective credits to complete your MS in Business Analytics degree program. Make yourself even more marketable to potential employers with the electives you choose. Expand your technical skills or broaden your knowledge to understand how analytics are applied in various business contexts and industries. Topics of specialized study include supply chain management, marketing analytics, data warehousing, health care analytics, Lean Six Sigma, and more.
    Explore the Curriculum

    Applied Learning

    Our applied learning approach in the MS in Business Analytics program is designed to help you succeed in the classroom, and in today’s evolving business analytics landscape. Through real-world applications, you will explore business concepts through group projects and practical exercises, staying up-to-date by working in programming language used in many leading companies, reading case studies, and engaging with guest speakers. You will also work hands-on with professors and fellow students to promote individual growth as a dynamic, creative problem-solver. This applied learning approach will equip you to:

    • Utilize data-driven decision making skills to influence key business decisions
    • Play a key role and act as the bridge between data analytics and business operations within your organization
    • Translate and provide technical knowledge to senior leadership
    • Network with fellow professionals in your field
    Applied Learning Opportunities

    Career Impact

    According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for a data analyst is $79,990 per year at master's degree level. Growth is also expected to be strong—34% between 2014 and 2024—one of the strongest growth rates of all industries.
    Career Impact Facts and Figures

    Featured Courses

    Data Narratives

    This course will focus on developing ability to understand the business needs for data insights, crafting those into an analytics problem statement, and developing a coherent and persuasive narrative of any data findings. Students will learn to create well-crafted data narratives and dashboards for business leaders while being able to translate insights into managerial decisions. Students will also be able to prepare raw data sets for their data narratives, executive summaries and technical memos. The Data Narratives course focuses on providing these fundamental data narrative and storytelling abilities while leveraging various tools to assist in the process.

    Data Life Cycle for Analytics

    This course covers the life cycle of data for analytics from the structure of relational and non-relational data stores through the extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) process into the analysis and presentation of data using data dashboards. Students will learn and practice acquiring, extracting, cleaning, and loading data from databases and other data stores. Students will learn to interpret and create data models, write and interpret the results of Structured Query Language (SQL), practice and apply industry ETL tools to solve business problems, and effectively communicate about data through the use of a dashboarding tool.

    Business Analytics Practicum

    This application-focused course provides the opportunity for students to experience a real-time business analytics project. Under faculty guidance and mentoring, small teams of students will work together to implement the breadth of methods and skills developed throughout the MSBA program to manage all aspects of client and project management; develop the project deliverables including business problem analysis, data transformation and analysis; and presentation of the results at the client site.

    Seeing is Believing

    Get in Touch

    St. Thomas Opus College of Business is an incredible place to learn, meet inspiring peers and mentors, and build a strong career path. Don’t just take our word for it—experience St. Thomas firsthand. Visit a class, attend an info session, or chat with the admissions team.

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