The Rady School of Management at the University of California San Diego recently launched a FlexWeekend Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) degree program.
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The FlexWeekend Master of Science program is made for working professionals who are asked to provide business recommendations and make critical decisions with analytics and data. The curriculum for the Master of Science in Business Analytics is made to ensure that all master’s graduates have the skill to use machine learning and statistics to solve business problems in the real world. (UCSDNews.UCSD.edu)
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This Master of Science program is the first of its kind in Southern California and is one of only a few similar master’s programs across the US that focuses on the need for current business professionals to master Big Data, advanced analytics, and machine learning. Graduates of the master’s program will be ready to create immediate value in their companies by improving financial, management, marketing, and operational decisions by using data and quantitative analysis. Such careers commonly pursued include:
According to Rady School Dean Lisa Ordonez, the new format for the MSBA program provides students the flexibility to complete the degree on a schedule that fits their needs. One of the unique parts of the program is the curriculum is the same as and taught by the same faculty as the full-time weekday degree program.
Another on staff in the program said that professionals who can improve business performance by using the power of data and analytics are in great demand in today’s data-driven business world. That is the reason this program is being launched at the university, and it has received many applications so far.
The FlexWeekend MSBA is open to students who graduated recently as well as experienced business professionals. It is currently taking applications for the fall 2020 semester. It is a 50-unit program that can be completed in 12 months, or it can be extended to fit the student’s schedule.
For the FlexWeekend program, classes are on Saturday and Sunday between 8 am and 5:30 pm every other week. Your schedule will dictate how many courses you can take each quarter. Note that the program only has one start date in August each year. No transfer credits are accepted from other programs.
More Information About the Master of Science in Business Analytics
The MSBA degree is a STEM Designated program that provides you with the skills you need to succeed in businesses that are data-driven. The program provides rigorous, hands-on training that will ready you to use data and analytics to pinpoint business opportunities, generate insights, and create value for companies and customers. (Rady.UCSD.edu)
In this program, you will learn the following:
- Collect, clean, visualize and analyze business data
- Use statistical, machine learning, and optimization tools
- Leverage data and analytics to drive company decisions and create value
Required courses in this master’s program include:
- Professional Seminar
- Business Analytics in Marketing Finance, and Operations
- Collecting and Analyzing Large Data
- Business Analytics
- Business Analytics Capstone Projects
- Web Data Analytics
- Working with Unstructured Data
- Customer Analytics
- Managerial Judgment and Decision Making
- Recommender Systems
- Big Data Technology and Business Application
- Fraud Analytics
- Research for Marketing Decisions
- Pricing Analytics
Capstone Project
Each student is required to pursue their capstone project as part of a team to solve a business problem that companies are dealing with in the real world. Every team works as an external consultant collaboration on a project to create value for a company in the San Diego area.
Your performance on the capstone project is used as a measure of your learning in the MSBA program. Each student is to be evaluated based on their grasp of the course material, as well as their ability to apply the material to the project. Completing the capstone project is required for graduation.
Also, each student must pass a comprehensive examination to graduate. The exam includes your formal presentation of the capstone project, a written report, an individual oral exam. The capstone project requires each student to complete a project that solves a business issue for a real-world business. The work must be documented in a written report.
Orientation
Another requirement of the program is a pre-term orientation for all new students. During this period, students are to attend workshops about the program’s academic requirements, career services, and life as a student. You also may take refresher and introduction courses on business analytics-related topics, including Python, R, Math, and Statistics.
Admissions
The admissions process is competitive. Most students are required to submit GRE or GMAT scores. It is expected that applicants have an undergraduate degree in mathematics, economics, statistics, physics, engineering, or computer science. Or, you should have at least five or more years of full-time work experience.
Students who do not have a quantitative undergraduate degree and less than five years of work experience may be considered if their work experience is in marketing research or business analytics, or they have grown a strong quantitative background by taking additional classes or gaining relevant work experience.
This master of science program only admits students with a strong foundation in quantitative methods, especially probability and statistics and an understanding of R. SAS, STATA, Matlab, or Python.
Also, every student must show programming proficiency from their earlier college coursework, work experience, a continuing education program, EdX, or Coursera. If you are just starting to study Python or R, it is recommended you complete Python and R programming courses from Coursera or Data Camp.
To apply, you need the following:
- Application
- Transcripts
- Resume
- Quantitative background
- Two recommendations
- Statement of purpose
- GRE or GMAT scores
- Application fee
Some of the companies that have made job offers to MSBA graduates include:
- T-Mobile
- Walmart
- Accenture
- Visa
- Intel
- Qualcomm
- Walmart
- Expedia
- Lyft
- Petco
- com
- 21st Century Fox
The Rady School of Management at UC San Diego was established in 203 and is accredited by the AACSB in 2011. The Rady School is the sole new business school created at a US News and World Report top 10 ranked public university during the past three decades.