Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)

Big Data for Big Business

Data Analytics is a field of explosive growth and burgeoning opportunity. As organizations scramble to find qualified employees, savvy professionals are looking to cash in on the demand by establishing themselves in the field. Golden Gate University's Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program opens the door to this lucrative world by providing courses that are designed for the application of analytics to address real-world business challenges.

Overview

The Master of Science in Business Analytics presents students with an understanding of the many possibilities for applying data analytics to business problems. Data analytics, and the implications of this strategic discipline, give practitioners new opportunities for discovering insights that can support the strategic goals and decision making of the organization. The discipline has grown so fast that it is impossible to address all of its elements, so this degree should be viewed as a "toolkit" of statistical and analytic theory, processes, tools, and techniques, which can be integrated into the business depending on the discipline and needed outcomes.

The MSBA is relevant to multiple audiences, including the business manager charged with using data analytics to derive value from data and/or leveraging analytics teams to get that value; the subject matter expert (SME) in a business discipline charged with using analytics on the job; the budding business analytics data scientist requiring an understanding of a myriad of data analytics tools from which to draw, and the IT professional responsible for supporting the analytics infrastructure and addressing issues of data security, privacy, and ethics. Students completing the MSBA will have earned 39 units including three units of graduate statistics.

Curriculum

36 credits, 6 core courses, 6 electives, plus Math 240

Core Courses

• Foundations of Business Analytics
• Enterprise Perf. Man. & Metrics
• Managing Data Structure
• Business Intelligence
• Advanced Statistics with R & Python
• Business Analytics Capstone

Electives

• Big Data Ecosystems
• Master Data Management
• Web and Social Network Analytics
• Machine Learning for Predictive Analytics
• Self-Service Analytics
• Natural Language Processing;
• Visualization & Communication

Concentrations

Analytics Management Concentration - 18 units

The Analytics Management concentration is designed for aspiring and current managers who are charged with using data analytics to derive value from data and for leveraging analytics teams to achieve that value. The emphasis on applying soft skills to meet these needs.

• Management and Leadership
• Teamwork in Organizations
• Organizational Behavior and Process
• Master Data Management
• Visualization and Communication
• Self-Service Analytics

Innovation & Management Concentration

• Foundation: Math 240
• Foundations of Business Analytics
• Enterprise Performance Management & Metrics
• Managing Data Structures;
• Business Intelligence
• Advanced Statistics with R & Python;
• Business Analytics Capstone
• Leadership & Management
• Teamwork in Organizations
• Organizational Behavior and Process
• Master of Data Management
• Visualization and Communication
• Self-Service Analytics

Coming Soon: Marketing Analytics Concentration

Learning outcomes

Graduates of the Master of Science in Business Analytics will be able to:

• Explain the differences between structured and unstructured data, aligning each with appropriate business applications.
• Articulate and align with corporate performance, the complexities of data management, including organizational structures, data policy, data governance, data ownership, and data strategies.
• Explain and give examples of the three analytic disciplines of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive (optimization).
• Identify and explain the steps of the CRISP-DM process model.
• Anticipate challenges to data security, privacy, and ethics, recommending reasonable solutions to issues when they occur.
• Recognize the challenges of Big Data and describe the use of supporting technologies.
• Use visual outcomes of analytics to communicate effective messages to members of the business community.
• Describe the different approaches to machine learning, demonstrating the application of the most common algorithms.
• Explain Natural Language Processing, identifying potential uses and challenges.
• Interpret and analyze individual business problems, selecting the best analytic approach, and appropriate tools for extracting value from the data.
• Explain the differences between the R and Python programming languages and demonstrate proficiency in each.
• Promote data quality by effectively acquiring, cleansing, and organizing data for analysis.
• Plan and implement the use of self-service analytics in the workplace, addressing the challenges of stand-alone implementations.

Admission requirements

Admission to the program is selective and limited. To receive full consideration, applicants must submit all required materials by the preferred application deadline. Completed applications will be reviewed by the committee on a weekly basis and qualified applicants will be notified of their admission on an ongoing basis until the incoming class is completed.

Golden Gate University seeks a well-rounded group of students from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. Ideal candidates will have a balance of both quantitative skills and business skills. Students will be selected based on academic transcripts, a statement of purpose, and a resume.

Proficiency requirements

Writing Proficiency

Graduate degree programs require proficiency in writing to ensure that students are successful in their course of study.

Business Proficiency

Students will need to have an understanding of United States business practices to be successful in our graduate programs.

Math Proficiency

Students admitted to this program are expected to possess a level of mathematical skill at least equivalent to MATH 20, Intermediate Algebra.

English Proficiency

79 TOEFL or 6.5 IELTS or 57 PTE is the minimum exam score.

Cost & Fees

Estimated total tuition: $39,240-$45,780.

International Scholarships

Golden Gate University welcomes students from all over the world and offers a scholarship for all qualified international students who enroll in a master's degree program in our School of Business, School of Accounting, or Braden School of Tax. Admitted students that have not previously attended Golden Gate University and satisfy the admissions criteria will be automatically considered for an International Student Scholarship or Grant through the admission process. For the 2020-2021 academic year, a limited number of scholarships will be awarded in each of the following categories:

International President's Scholars -- $15,000

Admitted students who earned a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and who demonstrate English language proficiency as evidenced by a minimum TOEFL a score of 90, Duolingo score of 120, PTE of 65, or IELTS composite of 7.5 with no sub-score of less than 6.5 will be considered. Students who have earned a master's degree after earning a bachelor's degree will be considered using the cumulative grade point average and English language proficiency as noted above. An International President's Scholar is eligible to receive up to $15,000 to complete their degree, $5,000 per term for up to 3 consecutive terms.

International Dean's Scholars -- $12,000

Admitted students who earned a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and who demonstrate English language proficiency as evidenced by a minimum TOEFL score of 85, Duolingo score of 115, PTE of 62 or IELTS composite of 7.0 with no sub-score of less than 6.0 will be considered. Students who have earned a master's degree after earning a Bachelor's degree will be considered using the cumulative grade point average and English language proficiency as noted above. An International Dean's Scholar is eligible to receive up to $12,000 to complete their degree, $4,000 per term for up to 3 consecutive terms.

Welcome Grant -- $3,000

Admitted students who earned a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and who demonstrate English language proficiency as evidenced by a minimum TOEFL score of 79, Duolingo score of 100, PTE of 57 or IELTS composite of 6.5 will be considered. Students who have earned a master's degree after earning a bachelor's degree will be considered using the cumulative grade point average and English language proficiency as noted above. Our Welcome grant is a one-time award of $3,000 applied to tuition in the first term of enrollment.

To be considered for any of the scholarships listed above:

• Students must have their applications complete and ready for review by June 15 for fall 2020 and October 1 for spring 2021 admission.
• The student must be an international student who entered the United State using an F Visa or studying in their home country. Students studying on a J visa are not eligible for these scholarships or grants.
• President's and Dean's scholarship recipients must be continuously enrolled in 9 or more units and maintain satisfactory academic progress as evidenced by achieving and maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in each term of enrollment. These scholarships are renewable for a maximum of three consecutive (3) terms.
• Students may only receive one scholarship or grant. Specifically, President's and Dean's, scholarship recipients are not eligible for the Welcome Grant or the Alumni Referral Grant.

A $1,000 US tuition deposit is required of all admitted students prior to the issuance of visa eligibility documents (commonly known as form I-20). The deposit is credited toward the first term's tuition and is non-refundable. Tuition deposits must be paid by the following dates or students will forfeit the scholarships:

• Priority application for fall 2020 scholarships was June 15, 2020 but GGU is still accepting applications.
• Spring 2021admission - tuition deposit must be paid by October 31st.

Deferring your enrollment may impact your scholarship eligibility. Please speak with your enrollment counselor for further details.

For more information, please see our brochure here.

For more than 100 years, non-profit Golden Gate University (GGU) has been helping adults achieve their professional goals by providing undergraduate and graduate education in Accounting, Law, Taxation, Business and related areas.

GGU is one of California's oldest private universities, enrolling thousands of students and representing more than 68,000 alumni. The university's main campus is located in San Francisco with additional teaching sites in Seattle and Silicon Valley. In addition to evening and weekend classes, most courses and degrees are offered entirely online.