Admissions

Transcripts

You may upload unofficial transcripts to the application portal. Upon admission to the program, please provide one set of official transcripts of all academic work completed in colleges or universities other than MSU. You may send hard copy transcripts prior to admission to expedite admission processing later, but it is not required until admission. Applicants who have attended other colleges and universities must make arrangements with the registrar’s office at each college attended to have the transcripts sent. All transcripts should be sent directly to the program office. When your application is submitted, it will state your official transcripts are “not received” – this is expected and will not delay your review.

GMAT/GRE

M.S. in Business Analytics GMAT code: QHO-5P-59. GRE university code: 1465.

We only require the unofficial score on your application. The application summary will state your scores are not received; your application will still be reviewed with the unofficial scores entered.

GMAT waivers are only provided to MSU graduates with a cumulative GPA over 3.25. However, if you have minimal work experience and/or your GPA is close to that mark, you may wish to take the exam, as a strong score can support your application.

Two Letters of Recommendation

Please arrange to have recommendations from former faculty members or knowledgeable employers who can support your candidacy for the program. The recommendations should provide evidence of your academic potential and demonstrated abilities as a potential graduate student. You will input their email addresses into the portal, and they will be sent a link to fill out a standard recommendation form. Recommenders may also upload a letter to this form if they wish. Applications are not complete without both recommendations.

Personal Statement

The statement should be no longer than two typed, double-spaced pages. Please address the following: 1) Why are you interested in the M.S. in Business Analytics program? 2) How will your background contribute to your success in the program? 3) Briefly describe your career goals and how the program will assist in attaining your objectives.

Resume

Submit a current resume in reverse chronological order of your work (most recent first), education, and other experience. A sample format is available for your reference.

MS Business Analytics Resume Template

For International Students

There are a few additional requirements for international applicants to the M.S. in Business Analytics program:

Transcripts

You may upload unofficial transcripts to the application portal. Upon admission to the program, please request that all colleges or universities attended and examination boards send original or attested copies of all transcripts, diplomas, mark sheets, and certificates directly to the program office in an official, sealed envelope. In addition, where the original documents are not issued in English, also provide an official English translation of each document. While these official documents are not needed to review your application, you may wish to begin the process of having them sent early to expedite later processing if you are admitted.

Applicants from Chinese universities:

Michigan State University requires admitted Chinese students who earned bachelor’s degrees in mainland China to submit a degree conferral verification report from the CDGDC and a transcript verification report from CHESICC. Both of these reports must be made available electronically to MSU’s Office of Admissions.

Chinese students who earned bachelor’s degrees from mainland China will need to submit ALL available official academic records (e.g., transcripts and diplomas earned, in Chinese and English, or English if issued that way) as part of their application for admission. These can be unofficial and submitted electronically attached to your application. AFTER students are admitted, they must do the following:

• Contact the CDGDC and request an electronic degree verification report. This report must be 1) emailed directly to the Office of Admissions from the CDGDC or 2) the CDGDC verification report application number emailed to the Office of Admissions by the student or the CDGDC. The Office of Admissions email address is: admis@msu.edu. Please also have a copy submitted to analytics@msu.edu
• Contact CHESICC and request an electronic transcript verification report in English. The report must include an official copy of the final transcript (in Chinese and English, or just English) along with an English version of the report, which includes all courses taken, program start and end dates, etc. This report must be sent electronically via Parchment directly to the Office of Admissions from CHESICC.

English Competency Test Scores

University code: 1465.

The official results from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS must be submitted to the M.S. in Business Analytics program office. TOEFL scores may be sent electronically, but IELTS scores must be sent in paper copy in a sealed envelope from the testing service – we do not accept electronic official scores from IELTS.

The English language proficiency test requirement may be waived for students with one or more of the following:

• A bachelor’s degree that is earned 100 percent in the U.S., as long as the candidate’s old English language competency scores are included. The B.A. or B.S. program should be a regular four-year degree for which the majority of the degree is earned in the United States, is not 100 percent online, and is not an “experiential” degree (where credits are given for life experiences).
• A bachelor’s degree earned at MSU, with the majority of credits earned while on campus and English language competency scores provided (even if old) for the candidate’s admission into the bachelor’s program.
• A master’s degree earned at an AAU institution on a U.S. campus, with English language competency scores provided (even if old) for the candidate’s admission into the master’s program.