Business Analytics Requirements & Deadlines

Completion of a Quantitative Course

Completion of a Quantitative Course: Completion of at least one college-level quantitative course is required, with a course at the level of Calculus 1 or higher being preferred. The course must pertain to one of the following subjects: Statistics, Probability Theory, College-level Algebra, Linear Algebra, Matrix Algebra, or Calculus. Financial or Business Math are also acceptable if they utilize Calculus or Linear Algebra.  Short Calculus, Pre-Calculus, Survey of Calculus, or Quantitative and Research Methods courses do not meet this prerequisite. Applicants who have not yet completed a quantitative course should not submit an application to the program until they have completed the course and received either a final grade or official, verifiable certificate of completion.

This requirement can be satisfied in one of two ways:

• Academic coursework, with course title and final grade appearing on an academic transcript from an accredited university or college (Upload a course description or syllabus on the "Carlson Masters Programs requirements" page of the application).
  
  OR
• Completion of the MSBA faculty-approved online certificate listed below (Upload your official, verifiable certificate of completion on the "Carlson Masters Programs Requirements" page of the application).

Demonstrated Computer Programming Competency

Demonstrated competency in computer programming is required. The following programming languages satisfy the requirement: Python, C, C++, C#, VB (not VBA), Java, Rust, or Javascript. Competency is required in only one of these languages. Competency may be demonstrated one of two ways:

1. Academic Coursework - University class on transcript showing formal education in and successful completion of programming coursework as an undergraduate or graduate. Upload a course description or syllabus which includes the name of the programming language learned. This course must appear on your transcript (uploaded in the Educational Background section of this application.) Do not re-upload your transcript on the "Carlson Masters Programs requirements" page of the application; this upload must be a course description or syllabus indicating the language learned in your programming class.
2. Completion of Online Coursework* - Certificate(s) of completion for an online course (or a course sequence) in computer programming (preferably Python) with a duration of no less than 20 hours*. The course (or course sequence) must cover basic programming concepts and techniques including but not limited to: conditional statements, loops, functions, input/output, file handling, foundational data types and structures such as strings, lists, and dictionaries. The recommended course, which is strongly preferred by our Academic Director, is listed in a table down below.

Please upload a verifiable certificate of completion on the "Carlson Masters Programs requirements" page of the application. If the certificate title does not include the programming language used, please include a course description or syllabus with the upload indicating programming language taught. 

Applicants who have not yet satisfied the computer programming requirement can submit an application to the program and they may be admitted; however, it is preferred that an applicant has fulfilled this prerequisite by the time they apply. If a student is admitted without having fulfilled the programming prerequisite, they must fulfill the prerequisite before orientation.

Selecting an Online Programming Course to Meet the Prerequisite

If you have not completed academic coursework in or professional experience using one of our accepted programming languages, the online course you select to meet our prerequisite should cover basic programming concepts and techniques. A recommended course, which our Academic Director strongly prefers, is listed below. Regardless, the course must cover the following topics at a minimum:

• conditional ("if") statements
• loops
• functions
• input/output
• file handling
• foundational data types and structures (e.g., strings, lists, dictionaries)

While our basic requirements for the online course option are 20 hours minimum of instruction and an official, verifiable certificate of completion, we strongly recommend taking additional steps to become more comfortable with object-oriented programming before applying. Consider taking a full specialization track or professional certification online, consisting of a variety of programming courses in your chosen language (we recommend Python). Strongly consider also applying what you learn in your online studies to your work, internship, or personal projects, and add these new experiences to your resume.

While a 20-hour online certificate course will meet our basic prerequisite, additional study and applied practice will:

• Boost your application
• Better prepare you for our programming-heavy curriculum
• Impress hiring managers in your post-program job search

Listed below are some MSBA faculty-suggested online certificate options that will each meet our basic programming prerequisite. You are not limited to the options on this table to meet the basic requirement; however, these options are strongly preferred by our Academic Director.

Submit a completed application. Application requirements are listed below.

To be considered for admission, you must have a first university degree that is equivalent to a 4-year U.S. bachelor's degree. Students with a 3-year degree from India do not satisfy this minimum requirement and must complete an additional year of accredited post-baccalaureate study before submitting an application to the program. Visit the Graduate School website for additional information. 

Unofficial transcripts must include your name and the name of the institution and can be uploaded in the online application or emailed to [email protected] for attachment to your application file. Please do not mail in paper copies of your transcript. 

You will need to submit a transcript from each college or university where you have completed coursework before your application will be considered complete and reviewed by the admissions committee. This includes institutions where you have earned credit that transferred towards degree credit at another college/university. Third Party credential evaluation reports and degree planning documents are not accepted as equivalent to a transcript. 

If you have previously enrolled at any University of Minnesota campus, you can obtain electronic copies of your transcripts from OneStop Services. 

There is no need for official transcripts or academic records for initial admissions review. Official transcripts will be required if you are admitted to the program.

The University of Minnesota reserves the right to require the submission of official transcripts or credentials any time during the admission review process.

You must submit essay responses to the questions detailed below (approximately 2 pages maximum). Please answer each prompt separately. You may copy/paste each prompt into your document. The admissions committee will review both the content of your responses and your ability to communicate clearly in writing.

• What attracts you to business analytics as a field? Why is an MSBA program the next logical step for you in your career, and why are you interested in the Carlson MSBA program specifically?
• Please list all the computer programming languages and other relevant data analytics tools or methods you’ve learned and used in your academics, internships, work experience (as documented on the resume/CV), and/or otherwise. Rather than using a narrative essay, we suggest a bulleted list with details about where/how you have applied each will help the committee understand the depth of your expertise.
  • Examples:
    • C/C++: In my undergraduate studies, I took Data Structures and an introductory programming course. I also used C for [project or task] in my Summer 2022 internship at [company].
    • Python: I completed a 28-hour Coursera certificate last year and have since used it at [company] for [purpose].
    • SQL: I learned SQL at [company] and use it daily for [purpose].
    • Rust: I started learning Rust last year and used it at [company] for [purpose].
    • JavaScript: I learned JavaScript at [company] and use it regularly for [purpose].

• The video essay is a required component of the application that provides candidates with an opportunity to show the admissions committee the authentic you. Think of this video essay as if you were answering an interview question with a member of our admissions committee.
• You will need to use a computer with camera and microphone capabilities. You will have the ability to test your technology before starting the video essay and submit a practice video essay.
• You can test your technology and run the practice simulation as many times as you wish to be comfortable with the format and technology. You will be able to review your practice video essay(s) and your recording(s) will not be saved beyond the testing phase and will never be reviewed.
• You can also practice responding to impromptu questions offline with a friend or colleague before completing the video essay portion of your application.
• You will be prompted to click "Ready" once you are prepared to submit an official video essay. You will be asked one impromptu question from a bank of imaginative or behavioral questions selected by our admissions team.
• Two minutes (120 seconds) will be provided to prepare an answer and two minutes (120 seconds) to record an answer. Recording will automatically stop after two minutes. You are not required to use the full two minutes. If you have time remaining once complete with your response, click the "Stop Recording" button to end the recording.
• You will only be provided one attempt to record your official video essay.

Full-time work experience is not required. We do strongly recommend having at least some related internship(s) involving analyzing data, using technical software, and/or applying computer programming languages (e.g., Python, R, SQL, C, C++, C#, VB, or Java), in addition to having related academic or extracurricular experiences.

Prepare a current resume that includes a detailed education and employment history in no more than 3 pages.

Resume guidelines:

• List both employer(s) and official position(s) held.
• Specify both month and year for dates of employment in each role.
• Detail job responsibilities and accomplishments in approximately 3-5 bullet points.
• Include details of any programming languages, technical software, and/or analytical methods used in each.
• You may include a separate section for academic projects with significant quantitative and/or technical components.
• Do not worry about exceeding 1 page.

For additional guidance, visit our Carlson Business Career Center's resume advice webpage, and feel free to use their resume template to simplify the process.

Upload your completed resume in the online application where prompted for your Resume or CV.

Two recommendations are required. Recommendations can come from professional and academic recommenders, though we suggest at least one recommendation come from a supervisor if you have professional experience. 

Note: You do not need to solicit letters of recommendation from your recommenders. You will provide the contact info for your recommenders and the form will automatically be emailed to them from GMAC's Common Letter of Recommendation. Your recommender may attach a letter of recommendation should they choose. 

We recommend starting your application early so you can enter the recommender contact information right away before continuing to work on your application. Both recommenders must complete the recommendation form for your application to be considered complete. All recommendations must be received before the deadline for which you would like to be considered. 

Test optional 

GMAT or GRE General Test scores are optional for admission to the MS in Business Analytics program for domestic or international applicants who meet the following requirement:

• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale (or overall B grade equivalent on another scale)

In the online application, in the "Carlson Masters Programs Requirements" section, you will indicate whether or not you meet this GPA requirement.

If the grades on your undergraduate academic transcripts do not meet our minimum requirement (3.0 or B grade), you must submit official GMAT or GRE General Test scores with your application in order to be considered for admission.

If you indicate in your application that you meet our GPA requirement, but the cumulative grades on your undergraduate academic transcripts show otherwise, your admissions decision may be severely delayed, and we will still require official GMAT or GRE General Test scores before moving forward with your admissions consideration.

When are GMAT or GRE Scores Strongly Recommended?

While submission of GMAT or GRE scores is optional for those with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above, strong scores can still boost an application. It is strongly recommended for applicants with academic weaknesses (e.g., lower grades in quantitative or technical/programming classes) to submit scores. The admissions committee does not prefer one test over the other, and we do not have minimum required scores; however we recommend a Quantitative section score in the 80th percentile or above on either test.

Note:  Applicants interested in pursuing a career in consulting should plan to take the GMAT specifically, as many major consulting firms consider these scores when assessing job candidates.

If you do decide to submit test scores, they must be less than five years old at the time of application. The unofficial test scores should be entered directly into the online application. Official test scores should be received before the deadline for which you would like to be considered.

For the GMAT, arrange for the testing service to send an official score report to code D2N-VJ-05, Carlson Master of Science in Business Analytics. Results arrive 2-3 weeks after the test.

For the GRE, arrange for the testing service to send an official score report using institution code 6874, U of MN graduate school. Results may take up to 8 weeks to arrive.

International and domestic applicants whose first language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency. Proof of English language proficiency is measured according to the categories detailed below. You are not exempt if you have lived in an English-speaking country for several years, but have not completed any prior education in English.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Applicants providing an exam score must have an exam date within two years of the graduate program start date. Exams exceeding two years will not be accepted.
• We do not offer an option for the English language ability to be assessed upon arrival on campus.

For additional details regarding this requirement, please visit the Office of Graduate Admission's website or contact them at [email protected].   

The application fee is:

• $75 (non-refundable) for U.S. citizens
• $95 (non-refundable) for international applications and U.S. residents with foreign credentials

Your application fee will be automatically waived if you have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for any length of time prior to submitting an application. We are unable to offer application fee waivers to any other applicants.

Applicants will be sent an email invitation within 24 hours of paying the application fee and submitting their application to complete the self-recorded Video Interview. 

Following the instructions in the email invitation, candidates must log into the application portal to complete their recordings in one sitting. 

The Video Interview consists of three questions. Candidates will need to respond individually to each question within the 3-minute time limit. 

Candidates will have 1 week (7 days) from the initial email invitation to complete the Video Interview. 

Applications will not be reviewed by the admissions committee until the Video Interview requirement has been completed.