MSBA Program

Earn your Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) at UCO

Businesses generate or collect enormous amounts of data about their business processes, operations, customers, employees, suppliers and competitors ─ this is referred to as big data.

Business analytics involves accumulating, processing and analyzing this data to inform business decision making. 

Your MSBA degree can help you identify:

• market or product trends
• ways to raise customer satisfaction
• new opportunities to create a competitive advantage
• new avenues to increase operational efficiency

MSBA Courses

The MSBA program is a STEM designated major at the University of Central Oklahoma that will equip each graduate with data analysis skills and business knowledge for great business decision making.

MSBA Program Courses Include:

• Applied Regression Analysis
• Managing Analytics
• Spreadsheet Modeling
• Managerial Finance
• Managerial and Operational Analytics
• Financial Analytics
• Programming for Analytics
• Marketing Analytics
• Database Foundation for Analytics
• Data Visualization
• Applied Analytics
• Advanced Applied Analytics

MSBA Program Goals

The goals for graduates of this M.S. in Business Analytics program are:

• The ability to understand, manage and improve analytics processes within a business.
• The ability to identify appropriate big data technologies to support analytics goals within a business.
• The ability to create and present a professional, meaningful representation of business data.
• The ability to determine the best analysis model to apply for a variety of business cases covering multiple disciplines and industries.
• The ability to write and present a business proposal based on data analysis of a real-world business case.

Job Opportunities

Data-savvy managers are needed to pose the right analysis questions, interpret and challenge the results, then make the appropriate business decisions. The MSBA program will engage our students in practical, hands-on and transformative learning experiences with real-world data.

This degree is categorized as a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) designated degree program per federal government categories (USCIS STEM). The degrees enumerated in the expanded STEM designation list qualify for a 17-month optional practical training (OPT) extension for F-1 nonimmigrant students (USCIS F1).

Admission Requirements

Any student who meets the minimum admission requirements is encouraged to submit an application.

Minimum Admission Requirements Include:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree from an appropriately accredited institution, with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75* or above.

*Students with GPA not meeting these requirements may be granted conditional admission but typically must complete five hours in graduate MSBA courses with cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for these hours, as approved by the College of Business Graduate Office.

Applicants should be aware that admission is competitive and meeting the admission requirements alone does not guarantee admission.

Application Details

Required Documents for Applying to the MSBA Program

• Application for UCO Graduate Admission
• A 500-word letter of application expressing interest in the program and providing any additional information you believe will be helpful for admission decisions.
• Current resume**
• Evidence of English language proficiency. See Graduate Admissions Information – English Language Proficiency
• Official copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts from each institution attended with all degrees posted. All transcripts must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

**The MSBA Admissions Committee recommends applicants have 1-2 years of industry experience, although this is not strictly required.

Candidates should be willing to participate in a Skype/phone interview.

Technology Recommendation

Once accepted into the MSBA program, we recommend a Windows laptop with a 64-bit version of Windows 10 installed, an i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, which will provide optimal performance. For students looking for a bargain, the minimum requirement is a 64-bit version of Windows installed on a laptop (preferable) or a desktop having an i5 (2.6GHz) processor, 4GB RAM and 300GB hard disk.

Lauren Eichinger
Director of Business Graduate Enrollment

Michelle Hepner, Ph.D.
MSBA Program Coordinator/Professor

Patty Blevins
MSBA Student Career and Service Coordinator

Quality Faculty

focused on your learning

Advisory Board

MSBA Advisory Board