Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact the program’s admissions office via email at analytics@broad.msu.edu.

A key feature of the program is the integration of corporate-sponsored projects that allow students to gain real-world experience. This occurs every semester of the program that a student is enrolled. This hands-on approach ensures our students have the skills necessary to be successful in this growing field of work.

Students take classes with leading Michigan State faculty in the Broad College of Business as well as the College of Engineering (computer science) and the College of Natural Science (statistics).

MSU MS-BDSA is also based on a cohort model, ensuring low faculty-to-student ratios and increased networking opportunities.

The program is designed to be completed in one calendar year. Classes start in January and end in December of the same year.

QS Top Universities ranked the program #9 in the U.S. and #20 globally in its 2021 ranking of business analytics master’s programs. In 2020, The Financial Engineer Times ranked the program #18.

The program is located in the Business College Complex on Michigan State University’s campus in East Lansing, Michigan.

The program is only available on campus full-time. There are no options for part-time or online courses for our master’s degree program.

The curriculum includes courses in business strategy, data mining, data tools, applied statistics, project management, marketing technologies, communications and ethics taught by leading MSU faculty.

Course Descriptions

Yes! The program has a project-driven approach which gives students opportunities to gain exposure to real-world scenarios. Experiential learning allows students to be introduced to companies, work in teams, and solve business problems using analytical techniques. We also hold several workshops and seminars throughout the program.

The program is structured to provide students with skills to gain them access to both business analyst and data science roles upon graduation. Accordingly, applicants should have introductory exposure to  programming languages and statistics. This can be done through online learning platforms and does not need to be through undergraduate or other university coursework. Our program also provides extensive onboarding to ensure all students have an intermediate or above understanding of python, R, and SQL, and basic statistics knowledge.

The M.S. in Business Data Science and Analytics is officially designated as a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) degree program under the Business Statistics CIP code. The STEM certification provides international students in our program with authorization to work in the United States for an additional 24 months beyond the standard 12 months under OPT, for a total of 36 months of work authorization.

The overall average for the class of 2021 was a 640. This is equivalent to a 318-322 on the GRE. We accept either exam.

MSU requires a minimum TOFEL score of 100, or IELTS of 7.0.

Students’ average age is 26.

Overall GPA for admitted students was 3.45.

We target a class of 45-48 per year.

For our most recent graduating class (2019), 100% of students who were job seeking received full-time employment within 2 months of graduation.

For our most recent graduating class (2019), the average salary offer was just over $84,000. This does not include benefits and signing bonuses.

Students have received offers from companies such as PetCo, Ford, Lexis Nexus,  GM, Apple, Sparrow Health, Walmart, PwC, EY, Cognizant Technologies, Deloitte, Mars, Inc., IBM, Intel, and more. Typical job titles include business intelligence developer, data analyst, solutions architect and consultant, but job titles are not standardized across the industry.

The program provides each student with a career services advisor to help in the search for employment. Students receive personalized resume reviews, practice interviews, negotiation advice, etc. The program also provides networking opportunities, workshops and career fairs to help students develop relationships with employers. Specifically, we have a spring analytics fair focused on internships and a fall analytics fair focused on full-time job opportunities.

Current tuition is set at $36,000 for in state students, and $39,000 for out of state/international students. For the most updated information, please visit the Tuition and Financial Aid page.

There are some limited scholarship opportunities available to highly qualified candidates. There is no separate application–admitted students will be notified in December if they are received a scholarship award. While we do not have GA/TA opportunities immediately within our department, students are encouraged to look on grad.msu.edu for outside opportunities. Several students have been able to obtain opportunities in their final term of enrollment as well.

We also guarantee a fellowship of up to $1,000 to assist students in attending industry events and certifications. This is paid out after the event or certification has taken place. This CANNOT be used for tuition or internship expenses.

In addition, the summer internship experience allows students to earn a significant amount to support their educational expenses. This amount is determined by the internship offer a student receives.

Yes, internships are a required component of our program in the summer. The average pay was $24 an hour for 2019 summer interns. For the Class of 2020*, 86% of students secured a paid internship or paid sponsored project for the summer, the other 14% worked on a unpaid corporate-sponsored project (*this was the year of the COVID-19 pandemic)

There are opportunities available for on-campus employment. Often during the school year, our office will receive requests for resumes from other MSU departments. Often, students will continue to work remotely for their summer internship companies approximately 10-20 hours per week in the fall.

For specific details, please visit our Admissions page.

We admit students based on the entire contents of their application, and thus we cannot review or assess your chances until your application is complete. The admissions committee will only review a candidate’s application if all required documents are received.

There is no work experience minimum. We like to target a range of ages to meet the personalized needs of the companies we work with. Some employers prefer students directly from undergrad, all the way to 10+ years of work experience. Our average work experience is 34 months for the class of 2021.

Candidates can choose to take either the GRE or the GMAT. GMAT/GRE waivers are only automatically granted to Michigan State University graduates with a GPA greater than 3.25. Other students can request a waiver by emailing their resume/CV and unofficial transcripts to analytics@broad.msu.edu for evaluation WHEN THEY BEGIN THEIR APPLICATION. The M.S. in Data Science & Analytics GMAT code is QHO-5P-59. The GRE code is 1465.

While we do not have a minimum GMAT/GRE score, our average GMAT score of admitted students is 640 (approximately a 318-322 on the GRE, depending on quant/verbal breakdown). GMAT/GRE scores alone does not guarantee or deny admission to the program as we review applications on a holistic basis.

The program does not require a specific undergraduate degree. However, students from business, statistics, computer programming, actuarial science, economics, etc. are often great fits for the program. If you lack experience in a specific area, Coursera.com and Datacamp.com offers several training classes in R, Python, etc. Gaining additional training will ensure you have the base-level skills required to be successful in the classroom. Basic exposure to a programming language or stats package (Python, R, C, Java, etc.) is highly recommended prior to application.

There are no specific prerequisite courses for the program. However, students must show basic exposure to a programming language and statistics. This does not need to be from formal undergraduate coursework; alternative methods can meet this requirement (Udemy, Coursera, Datacamp, LinkedIn courses, etc.)

Overall, from an application perspective, we look for exposure to all three pillars of our program: business, computer programming and statistics. If you find you are light in one of these areas, we would recommend that you take courses in the gap areas to help you become a better-rounded applicant.

There are several great resources at MSU to help you prepare for a M.S. in Data Science & Analytics:

• Take an introductory-style course such as ITM 481, CMSE 201, CMSE 202, CSE 102,  CSE 231, CSE 232 or PLS 392. All of these would provide some conceptual background and technical skill development.
• Pursue a minor/major in one of the following: computational math (CMSE), information technology, computer science, statistics, or social science analytics.
• Speak with our director on fit for the program.

English competency test scores are required, with minimum scores of 250 on the computer version of the TOEFL and 100 on the internet-based test, or a minimum of 7 on the IELTS. English competency test takers should use the Michigan State University code 1465.

The English language proficiency test requirement may be waived for students who earned a bachelor’s degree in the United States. For example, if you earned a bachelor’s degree at MSU, with the majority of credits earned while on campus, your English language competency scores are usable (even if old) for admission into the program. Additionally, students who attended international universities but had instruction solely in English are also eligible to waive the TOFEL/IELTS requirement. Find out more on our Admissions page.

The Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) is dedicated to providing support to Michigan State University’s international students, scholars and families.

The program requires that applicants complete a four-year undergraduate degree. A select number of exceptional students with a 3-year degree may be admitted, but will need to go through a waiver process at the university level for full admission to MSU (done by the program admissions office and MSU graduate school). Admission to the program for these 3-year applicants does NOT guarantee admission to MSU–the waiver process must be followed. 2022 will be the first year we allow students to go through this process.

Applications will open for spring enrollment (January 2021) on March 15, 2021, and will close October 15, 2021. Apply early for the best chance at admission. All applications must be completed by October 15 in order to be considered for admission to the program for the upcoming spring term. Domestic applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. MSU students graduating in May 2021 who apply by April 1 will have an interview decision no later than April 15, 2021. Most domestic applicants will receive a response to their application (interview, waitlist, or not admitted) within three weeks of a complete and submitted application. Interviewed candidates will have a decision within two weeks post-interview. For international applicants, applications will be reviewed as they are completed and interview decision will go out in five batches: May 1, July 1, August 15, September 15 and October 16.

All documents must be received by Oct. 15. We can’t guarantee a place in our class if your documents are submitted after this date. Our maximum class size is 48; however we do still consider applications for waitlist decisions through our application deadline. Students interviewing will be notified if this is only for a remaining waitlist slot. Students on the waitlist can be admitted up through November 20th.

Documents and unofficial test scores can be loaded onto our online application system. Official test scores must be sent to the program office. The GMAT code is QHO-5P-59. The GRE code is 1465. English competency test takers should use code 1465. International students, please be sure to send ATTESTED copies of your transcripts.

The program will contact you once a decision is made on your application. We will only review your application once it is complete. You can log onto the application system to verify your documents are in place. TRANSCRIPTS WILL SAY NOT RECEIVED AS THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED UNTIL AFTER ADMISSION–THIS IS NORMAL. GMAT/GRE scores not received will also not impact your application review as long as you inputted your unofficial scores.

The admissions team will review completed applications. Based on the strength of the candidate, the admissions team would schedule an interview as the next step. Interviews are conducted by invitation only, via Zoom.