Master of Science in

BUSINESS
ANALYTICS
Find Your Future in a
Data-driven World
Harnessing big data is a 21st century business imperative. The
Carlson School Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)
program teaches students how to extract insights from data in order
to create real value for today’s businesses. Students graduate with
both the data science skills and the business acumen to be leaders
in an increasingly data-driven world.
Analytics
Everywhere
Where can an education in
analytics take your career?
Just about anywhere you want to go.
More than ever, companies across
industries are turning to analytics to
solve real problems for businesses,
communities, and society.
In Technology
From clicks and downloads to mobile computing
and the “internet of things,” data and analytics
fuel tech innovation. Carlson School grads find
opportunities in groundbreaking start-ups and
big-name tech giants.
In Finance
Big data and analytics are changing the financial
services industry in various ways—from product
development and revenue forecasting to loan
application approvals and fraud detection.
In Healthcare
Improve efficiency, safety and compliance,
and important aspects of patient care, such
as deployment of medical personnel. Carlson
School students and alumni have done all of
the above and more in healthcare.
In Marketing
Measurement-driven digital marketing is the
modern standard. Sophisticated data analysis
enables companies to optimize strategies for
competitive advantage.
In Manufacturing
Streamline supply chains, revamp intricate
systems, and enhance productivity for
companies across sectors. Diverse data sets
and complex challenges call for creative
thinking and analytical prowess.
Master Analytics and Business
Context

Move Forward Faster

Demand has never been greater for
professionals who can mine data for
2.5 business value.
quintillion
bytes per day The Carlson School curriculum offers
a unique combination of business
Amount of data created
each day according knowledge, technical skills, and data
to IBM. analysis expertise. Experiential learning
provides opportunities to apply all of
these to answer real business questions.
You’ll graduate from a top-ranked
university with an advanced degree,
ready to put it to work for your future.
The entire program focuses
on the use of analytics
in business, equipping
graduates to assume data
analytics leadership roles in
all kinds of industries.
Management
Fundamentals
Core concepts in
business, communication,
and team leadership provide
a solid foundation for
building a career in
business analytics.
Technical
Capabilities
Courses in SQL, big
data, Python programming,
and R prepare students to
configure the technologies
that power analytics.

Multi-method Data
Analysis
Statistics, machine
learning, predictive
analytics, visualization,
NLP, and advanced AI
methods teach students to
The unmanageable volume and extract value from data.

complexity of the big data that the world

is now swimming in have increased the Experiential
potential of machine learning—and the Learning
The curriculum is infused
need for it.” —McKinsey & Company with opportunities to tackle
complex business problems
using real data sets from
nationally known
companies.
A Transformative Year courses

Graduate in one year with deep knowledge and

Business and Technical Summer Semester
Foundations
in-demand analytics expertise. You’ll begin Arrive on campus in early June for an
Business Essentials orientation that will introduce you to the
the program in June, complete three intensive Introduction to Statistics University of Minnesota campus and MSBA
semesters, and graduate the following May. for Data Scientists program. Interactive workshops and social
Programming for Data activities allow you to get to know your fellow
Along the way, you’ll discover the Twin Cities, Science students.
connect with a cohort of classmates, and gain the Introduction to Business
Summer classes focus on business
real-world experience you need to succeed in a management fundamentals and technical
Analytics in R
foundations including statistics, programming,
data analytics career following graduation. Data Management, and data management. Students will also
Databases, and Data be introduced to various ways analytics can
Warehousing be used to solve business problems. At the
Building & Managing end of the semester, students participate
Teams in experiential learning with a real client
company. This “live case” challenges students
to solve a business problem using data.

1 year Daytime classes STEM 45 credits

begin in June, full-time, cohort- designated by rigorous academic
Analytics
Toolkits
Fall Semester
graduate next May based study Homeland Security study During this intensive semester, you’ll dive into
Exploratory Data Analytics
exploratory, predictive, and big data analytics,
Predictive Analytics among other courses. In addition to case-
Big Data Analytics based learning in class, you’ll have another
opportunity to work on a real client project in
Causal Inference via
your second “live case.”
Econometrics and
Experimentation With classes in session across the entire
campus, the University buzzes with energy.
Building and Managing Students can join clubs, attend Gophers sports
Teams games, and check out all kinds of events.
Ethics and Data Privacy At the end of the semester, you’ll learn
which companies will sponsor the spring
experiential learning projects.

Advanced Analytics +
Experiential Learning
Spring Semester
Beginning in mid-January, the final semester
Advanced Issues in
won’t feel like spring for a while. Bundle up
Business Analytics
and explore ice skating, skiing, or sledding in
Optimization and Minnesota’s great outdoors.
Simulation for Decision During the final semester, you’ll work
Making on a team for a real client company, using
Agile Management of data analytics to solve a real business
Analytics Projects problem. Over the course of 14 weeks, you’ll
Business Analytics be challenged to put your new skills into
Experiential Learning practice for your client. This resume-building
experience provides students with great
Elective Course
talking points in job interviews.
 #8
#7 in the world for
MSBA program value for money
in U.S. QS MSBA
QS Business Masters Rankings
Rankings 2023
2023

Study with
Recognized Experts
Widely recognized as the birthplace of management
information systems, the Carlson School consistently
ranks among the top programs for the discipline. Our
faculty bring field-leading expertise and research to
the classroom.

Meet a Few Professors

Shawn Curley Soumya Sen
Professor, Information and Decision Associate Professor & McKnight
Sciences & Director of Graduate Studies Presidential Fellow, Information Information & Decision Sciences Professor
and PhD Program Director and Decision Sciences
De Liu, Xian Dong Eric Jing Professor for
Expert in these areas: statistics, forecasting, Expert in these areas: machine learning,
decision theory optimization and system design Business Teaching, teaches students how to
leverage massive and unstructured data, parallel
processing, and cloud computing platforms to
solve data science problems at scale. He uses
the same techniques plus econometric methods
to research gamification, online platforms, social
media, and AI.
As the academic director for the MSBA
program, Liu’s course is among the most
popular—and most challenging—in the MSBA
program. His dedication to student learning is
Teng Ye
Svjetlana Madzar evidenced by the fact that he has been voted
Assistant Professor, Information and
Decision Sciences Senior Lecturer, Strategic
Management & Entrepreneurship
“Best Teacher” by MSBA students multiple
Expert in these areas: machine learning, causal times.
Expert in these areas: international team
inference, computational social science, human-
collaboration and management
computer interaction, crowd-based economy
Real Businesses. real-world Solutions

Real Data. MSBA students have worked with some of the top companies in the country on data
analytics projects, including:

Real Experience.
Hands-on learning is a hallmark of the Carlson School. With Students used Wi-Fi access point
experiential learning woven throughout the curriculum in every Mall data to better understand visitor
of behavior and movement inside
semester, students have multiple opportunities to practice America the enormous shopping and
using analytics to solve real business problems. The MSBA entertainment destination.
curriculum includes:

Live Case Real Carlson

Learning
The MSBA program partners
with real companies to bring
students learning experiences
direct from industry. These
“live cases” give students
opportunities to apply
techniques learned in the
classroom for a real client.
Often set up as a friendly
competition, top honors go to
the students who devise the
best solution.
Datasets
While working with clients
or in case competitions,
you’ll have the opportunity
to work with data sets
from the real world. Some
students even participate in
local and national analytics
competitions. Classes also
incorporate case-based study
with real data sets that are
complex, interesting, and
often messy.
Analytics Lab
The year culminates with a
14-week experiential learning
project in the Carlson Analytics
Lab. Working in small teams,
students lead every aspect of
the project from definition to
delivery. Past clients include
Fortune 500 companies from a
variety of industries. National
retailers, manufacturers, health-
care players, agribusinesses,
and others have partnered with
the lab.
Unifying disparate data sources,
Sun students created a cohesive
Country view of customer segments for
Airlines
the airline, informing its entire
marketing operation.
Carlson School students integrated
soil, weather, topography, and crop
data to develop a similarity metric
based on agricultural growing
Land O’ conditions. Using the metric, they
Lakes
analyzed 300,000 farm fields,
matching each to a research plot
and improving performance by
7% on average.

My favorite part of the program was definitely the experiential

learning project. That’s when you truly get to solve business
problems from beginning to end. I would say the experiential
In this “internet of things” project,
learning project definitely helped me grow as a person because that’s students built a cloud-based
when I was able to apply each and every thing that I learned in all Global prototype to monitor streaming
Consulting data from machine sensors and
the classes and bring it all together in one project.” Firm
predict equipment failures—
—Tina Lu, ’17 MSBA
Business Intelligence Engineer, Amazon expanding the firm’s capabilities.
 Prepare for Careers My favorite part of the MSBA
program was how quickly it enabled

at Standout Companies me to augment my skills and change

my career trajectory. Over the course
of a single year, I went from running
a web design agency in Minneapolis
The Carlson School’s extensive network and growing to landing a job at McKinsey and
98.5% MSBA alumni community spans local, national, and global
business communities, connecting students to industry
moving to New York. I honestly don’t
think I could have picked a better
PLACEMENT leaders and future colleagues. Graduates of the MSBA way to spend a year that would have
average since program land exciting jobs with top companies across
2015 had more impact on my future.
the country.
“One of the reasons why I chose the
MSBA program over other business
education is that the program
top companies Hired helps you build a very practical and
$96,816
AVERAGE
MSBA graduates
Amazon McKinsey & Company
hands-on set of skills that are in high
demand. Not only do I now know
SALARY BCG Gamma Microsoft how these big data technologies
Best Buy MN Twins
work, but I was able to put them into
Capital One Optum
practice the first day of my new job.”
$11,502
3-year Deloitte PayPal
averages
Facebook Target —Nick Rosener, ’16 MSBA
Google Uber Strategy & Analytics Lead, Google Cloud
AVERAGE
JP Morgan Chase UnitedHealth Group
SIGNING BONUS LinkedIn US Bank
mcdonald’s Walmart

Shuo Feng Jayanti Trivedi Emily Rong

Data Science Lead, Lead Data Analyst, Senior Applied Scientist,
TikTok Target Amazon Games

Katharine Krawczyk William Eerdmans Badarinath

Senior Business Strategy, Senior Data Scientist, Kanakapura Sriranga
Pilot Company Cargill Senior Data Scientist,
Apple
See yourself Here
Minneapolis-St. Paul is a dynamic place to work and play. Here
you’ll find a host of global headquarters, endless outdoor
possibilities, vibrant arts and culture, the full sports spectrum,
and a diverse culinary landscape. Explore everything the Twin
Cities and the University of Minnesota has to offer.
Join A Big 10 Campus Community
As one of the largest and most prestigious universities
in the country, breakthroughs are happening all across
campus that make an impact around the globe. At the
Carlson School and the University of Minnesota, you’ll
be prepared to meet the great challenges facing our
world.
Outside of the classroom, more exciting
opportunities await you. Find your place among more
than 800 student organizations, meet peers from all 50
states and 142 countries, and make memories at sports
games, concerts, and community service events.
Enjoy a Vibrant
Social Scene
Step off campus, and you’ll find yourself
immersed in a vibrant social scene. Pop by
acclaimed local restaurants and taprooms
for Minnesota-crafted fare and brews, grab
a seat and cheer on professional sports
teams, take a stroll through art museums
and city districts, or wind your way through
hundreds of miles of walking, hiking, and
biking trails.
Connections to Launch
Your Career
The Twin Cities is home to a robust business
community, including the headquarters of 19 Fortune
500 companies. Home to Target, Medtronic, Best
Buy, General Mills, and UnitedHealth Group, the
area also boasts a thriving entrepreneurial scene.
Enjoy connections to endless learning opportunities
through student programs, internships, mentoring,
networking, and more.
#3 16 5 #2 #2 &
5
Best States for Business Fortune 500 of the largest private Best State for Jobs* Best Parks
U.S. News & World companies 2020 companies in the U.S. Zippia, 2020 The Trust for Public
Report, 2019 Forbes, 2019 Land, 2020
*based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data
Admissions
Qualified applicants should demonstrate
a capacity for intense academic study, a
propensity for mathematics and programming,
and a basic understanding of business
fundamentals. Ideal candidates should meet
these criteria (see website for details):
✔ Undergraduate degree in economics,
mathematics, engineering, business, computer
science, statistics, or related field is preferred,
but not required.
✔ Demonstrated proficiency in at least one
of the following computer programming
languages is required: Python, C, C++, C#, VB,
and Java. Academic transcripts, certificates
from online courses, or work experience
may be cited to meet this requirement. See
Connect with Us
Discover how the Carlson School’s
Master of Science in Business Analytics
APPLICATION DEADLINES program can help you achieve your
Full-Time MSBA learning and career goals. Contact us to
The full-time program begins only ask questions, attend a recruiting event,
in June. or schedule an appointment with an
admissions counselor.
Round 1 November 1
Round 2 January 3 Master of Science in Business Analytics
Round 3 February 1 Carlson School of Management
321 Nineteenth Avenue South, Suite 1-110
Round 4 March 15
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(Round 4—domestic students only)
E-mail: msba@umn.edu
Phone: 612-625-5555
carlsonschool.umn.edu/analytics
MSBA class of 2022 profile
undergraduate majors
25 3.56 2.93 700 320 Engineering • 45%

website for details. AverageS Finance/Acctg • 17%

Age GPA Work GMAT GRE
Experience
✔ At least one semester college level calculus CS/MIS/Data Sci • 12%

course is required. Average work experience

115
✔ Work experience is not required, but strongly Application checklist students /
2 Cohorts Economics • 11%
preferred. ■ Online application and 0-1 years 1-3 years 3-5 years 5+ years
processing fee Business/Mgmt • 8%
■ Official GMAT/GRE optional* STEM/other • 4%
women 46% domestic 15%
■ Official academic transcripts Humanities/Other • 3%

■ Current resume
■ Short essays
■ Video essay The Carlson School offers these
■ Two recommendations additional programs to build your career
with business analytics education:
■ English Language Test Scores
(if applicable) • Dual MBA-MSBA degree
■ Interview (only applicants who • Dual Master of Science in Finance-MSBA
present strong credentials will be degree

Apply Now invited to interview with a member • Master of Applied Business Analytics for
of the Admissions Committee) working professionals
• Business Analytics Graduate Certificate
Visit: carlsonschool.umn.edu/msba-application
* GMAT/GRE scores are optional for Visit carlsonschool.umn.edu
applicants with a 3.0 GPA (B average) or
for more information.
above.
Carlson MBA and MS Programs
Carlson School of Management
University of Minnesota
321 Nineteenth Avenue South, Suite 1-110
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455-0438

carlsonschool.umn.edu/analytics

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