Business Analytics
The Master of Science in Business Analytics at Kent State University is an online program designed to prepare students to leverage data to drive business decisions. With a focus on data analysis, predictive modeling, and business intelligence, this degree equips graduates with the skills needed to thrive in the growing field of business analytics and make data-driven decisions for organizational success.
Business Analytics Master’s Degree Program Overview
The Master of Science degree in Business Analytics provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of analytics that balances the technologies, analytical methods and business expertise needed to glean useful information from data to make strategic business decisions. The language of business today is dependent on information and data management, and the emergence of advanced technologies for capturing, preparing and analyzing data provides unprecedented opportunities for those with business analytics expertise that spans all industries and organizations.
Students in the Business Analytics major gain the technical, analytical, communication, decision-making and leadership skills needed to be successful business analysts. The curriculum includes integrative capstone analysis projects, and there is an internship option for additional professional development through the on-site Career Services Office.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Identify key characteristics of the business problem.
- Identify opportunities and constraints of various data analytical frameworks and tools.
- Formulate appropriate data analytic techniques to solve the business problem.
- Perform necessary data preparation steps (retrieve, clean and manipulate data).
- Demonstrate necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to implement several data-analytic frameworks using different tools.
- Lead and work with teams to frame the business problem.
- Convey in writing the outcomes of analytics for stakeholders.
- Use visual outcomes of analytics to communicate orally effective messages for stakeholders.
Business Analytics Master’s Degree Program Admissions Requirements
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university1
- Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:2
- Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
- Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
- Minimum 58 PTE score
- Minimum 110 DET score
1Students entering the program are expected to have the requisite backgrounds in statistics, mathematics, computers and business required for the program. At a minimum, students should have general knowledge of inferential statistics, adequate general business knowledge, basic knowledge of business information systems and technologies and a solid understanding of algebra and general mathematics with some exposure to calculus. Students may fulfill deficiencies in these prerequisites by taking BA 24056, CIS 24053, MATH 11012, MGMT 24163 or equivalents as applicable. The business analytics program director may consider concurrent enrollment according to the strength of the student’s baccalaureate curriculum and preparedness and the courses proposed to be taken concurrently with the prerequisites.
2International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.
Program Courses
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| BA 54038 | ANALYTICS IN PRACTICE | 3 |
| BA 64018 | QUANTITATIVE MANAGEMENT MODELING | 3 |
| BA 64036 | BUSINESS ANALYTICS | 3 |
| BA 64037 | ADVANCED DATA MINING AND PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS | 3 |
| BA 64060 | FUNDAMENTALS OF MACHINE LEARNING | 3 |
| BA 64061 | ADVANCED MACHINE LEARNING | 3 |
| BA 64082 | DATABASE MANAGEMENT AND DATABASE ANALYTICS | 3 |
| Major Electives, choose from the following: | 6 | |
| BA 54050 | DATA VISUALIZATION | |
| BA 54052 | TEXT ANALYSIS AND NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING | |
| BA 64092 | INTERNSHIP IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS | |
| BA 64099 | CAPSTONE PROJECT IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS | |
| CIS 54008 | MANAGING AGILE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS | |
| CIS 54041 | MANAGING CYBERSECURITY | |
| CIS 54046 | HOW TO LEAD AND MANAGE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION | |
| CIS 64042 | GLOBALIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY | |
| CS 54201 | ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | |
| CS 54202 | MACHINE LEARNING AND DEEP LEARNING | |
| CS 61002 | ALGORITHMS AND PROGRAMMING I | |
| CS 63005 | ADVANCED DATABASE SYSTEMS DESIGN | |
| CS 63015 | DATA MINING TECHNIQUES | |
| CS 63016 | BIG DATA ANALYTICS | |
| CS 63017 | BIG DATA MANAGEMENT | |
| CS 63018 | PROBABILISTIC DATA MANAGEMENT | |
| CS 64201 | ADVANCED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | |
| CS 67301 | SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION | |
| CS 67302 | INFORMATION VISUALIZATION | |
| ECON 62054 | ECONOMETRICS I | |
| EMAT 60310 | CREATIVE CODING FUNDAMENTALS | |
| EMAT 62110 | INTERACTIVE DATA | |
| MATH 50015 | APPLIED STATISTICS | |
| MATH 50024 | COMPUTATIONAL STATISTICS | |
| MATH 50028 | STATISTICAL LEARNING | |
| MCLS 50510 | INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING | |
| PSYC 61651 | QUANTITATIVE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS I | |
| Culminating Requirement | ||
| BA 64092 | INTERNSHIP IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS | 3 |
| BA 64099 | CAPSTONE PROJECT IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 30 | |
Graduation Requirements
Minimum 30 credit hours required for the degree is the assumption that students do not have any unmet requirements they need to be successful in the program. The business analytics program coordinator may make further determination of a student’s preparedness for the program and what prerequisite courses, if any, may be required.
Business Analytics Master’s Degree Program Tuition and Fees
Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $594.78 | $1,784.34 | $17,800 part-time1 $13,100 full-time2 |
Non-Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $604.78 | $1,814.34 | $18,100 part-time3 $13,400 full-time4 |
1The $594.78 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time Ohio resident graduate students taking between 11-18 credit hours per semester.
2A flat-rate semester fee of $6,528.50 applies to full-time Ohio resident graduate students taking between 11-18 credit hours per semester.
3The $604.78 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking fewer than 11 credit hours per semester, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour.
4The flat-rate semester fee of $6,528.50 applies to full-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program taking between 11-18 credit hours PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour of actual credits taken each semester (between 11-18 semester credits or $110-$180). This program was calculated at students taking 15 credits for 2 semesters ($150 x 2).
An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change.
Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs, please contact Kent State’s Financial, Billing & Enrollment Center at 330-672-6000 or via our website Contact Us link.
The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken. Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person. Program costs are subject to change without notice.
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