Master of Science in Business Analytics

Build a career in the growing and important field of business analytics. As firms have access to increasingly large amounts of data about their customers, costs, and suppliers, highly trained analysts who examine this information have become essential for improving operations, increasing the yield on marketing programs, and optimizing pricing and financing. UCR’s graduate degree in business analytics will extend your background in business or a quantitative discipline to bring your business acumen and statistical computing skills to a level that allows you to make the most of this vast business data.

The UCR graduate program in Business Analytics is a rigorous STEM program jointly offered by the School of Business and the Department of Statistics in the College of Agricultural and Natural Sciences. The curriculum focuses on:

• Statistical computing to describe marketing, logistics, and financing patterns
• Testing models for improved operating efficiency, lowering costs, and targeting the needs of customers
• Forecasting revenues and consumer demand
• Identifying trends in financial markets and using financial data to hedge operations

All students in the program take highly quantitative courses in data analysis and statistical computing, as well as a two-quarter, experiential learning capstone class that applies your understanding of business analytics to a project.

Gain your degree in nine months of intensive study, extend it to 15 months, or follow a flexible schedule that combines your studies with industry work experience.

The MSBA is a STEM-designated degree program (science, technology, engineering, and math). International students in a STEM-designated program are able to apply for 36 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) to work in the United States in their field of study after graduation.

Class Profile

The Master of Science in Business Analytics cohort at UCR is comprised of forward-thinking, high-achieving individuals who want to increase both their business acumen and data analytics skills. Given the diverse environment coupled with hands-on projects, leadership, and teamwork opportunities, MSBA candidates will be well positioned to work with business leaders to make data-informed business decisions that have a real impact.

The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program requires the completion of 48 units for graduation.

Full-time or part-time program

The MSBA program can be completed in as little as three-quarters of full-time study. It is also appropriate for part-time students who wish to spread out the coursework over a longer period of time; however, those students will need to work closely with their academic advisors to arrange the appropriate classes to accommodate their degrees. By taking three courses per quarter, students can do a summer internship and finish the degree in one calendar year. The program allows for study in a particular career path in finance, marketing, or operations, through elective courses in these disciplines. Our dedicated program advisors will help you design the program that best fits your timeline and career interests.

Required Courses

Required courses for all MSBA students.

• MGT 256 Business Analytics for Management
• STAT 208 Statistical Data Mining
• STAT 232 Statistics for Business Analytics
• MGT 286A Capstone in Business Analytics
• MGT 286B Capstone in Business Analytics

Additional required courses for Statistics Track (students coming from business and other STEM-related undergraduate degree programs)

• STAT 205 Discrete Data Analysis
• STAT 206 Statistical Computing
• MGT 233 Marketing Research
• MGT 267 Applied Business Forecasting

Additional required courses for Business Track (students coming from a statistics undergraduate degree program)

• MGT 202 Financial Management
• MGT 204 Cost and Management Accounting
• MGT 207 Operations Management for Competitive Advantage
• MGT 209 Marketing Management

Concentration Courses for a Finance Career Path

Students must complete three courses from the following options:

• MGT 227 Fixed Income

or

• MGT 244 Corporate Risk Management
• MGT 232 Derivatives
• MGT 252 Investments and Portfolio Management

or

• MGT 295F Empirical Methods in Finance

Concentration Courses for a Marketing Career Path

Students must complete three courses from the following options:

• MGT 251 Market Assessment
• MGT 253 Internet Marketing

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• MGT 228 Consumer Behavior

or

• MGT 257 Marketing Strategy

Concentration Courses for an Operations Career Path

Students must complete three courses from the following options:

• MGT 219 Spreadsheet Modeling for Decision-Making
• MGT 239 Simulation for Business
• MGT 258 Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Potential career paths for Master of Science in Business Analytics graduates:

• Analytics Consultant
• Data Scientist
• Business Analyst
• Quantitative Analyst
• Operations Research Analyst
• Market Research Analyst
• Cost Analyst