Business Analytics Curriculum

Gain the analytics and AI skills to land your next job

The field of analytics is broad, and that means lots of choices. You can focus on functional areas such as analytics for marketing, finance, HR, or supply chain management. Or you can specialize in a particular kind of analytics role, such as data analyst, data scientist, business intelligence analyst, artificial intelligence consultant, data engineer, and machine learning engineer. And because data has become essential to all kinds of businesses, you can work in just about any industry that interests you.

The Carlson MSBA program is recognized by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security as a STEM-designated degree.

Program format

The MSBA program is three semesters (12 months) long. You'll take 14-16 credits of full-time coursework each semester. The program’s cohort model means you start simultaneously with all other current students and move through classes together. You begin the program in September and graduate the following August, ready to take your new knowledge and skills into the workforce. Exact dates vary by year; new students are required to attend orientation.
 

OrientationFall TermSpring TermSummer TermGraduation
AugustSeptember to DecemberJanuary to MayJune to AugustAugust

 

New curriculum in fall 2024

Our faculty recently conducted a regular review of the MSBA curriculum. To ensure we are providing a high-quality analytics education that reflects the current field, we made several updates that will go into effect in fall 2024. For example, we:

  • Enhanced our AI offerings, including new elective courses and an AI for Business track
  • Reshaped the business essentials and ethics course
  • Expanded/optimized elective courses
  • Revised the professional courses

 The courses below are from the new curriculum. Please note: Courses are subject to change.


View all course descriptions Explore AI offerings

 

Incoming students will complete pre-work to prepare them for the technical aspects of the MSBA program. Pre-work will include a virtual Python bootcamp, and details will be shared with incoming students several months before the program begins.


 

Business & Technical Fundamentals

Your first semester focuses on fundamentals like statistics, programming, and the use of analytics in today’s business environment. You’ll get to know your classmates throughout the fall as you learn to use tools like Python, SQL, and R to tackle analytics problems.

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6111Business Essentials for Analytics ProfessionalsRequired10 weeks3
MSBA 6121Introduction to Statistics for Data ScientistsRequired10 weeks3
MSBA 6131Introduction to Business Analytics in RRequired10 weeks + 4 weeks live case3
MSBA 6311Programming for Data ScienceRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6321Data Management, Databases, and Data WarehousingRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6335Effective Communication for Analytics ProfessionalsRequired*Custom.5
MSBA 6355Building and Managing TeamsRequired*Custom.5

*These courses are offered along with experiential learning components in the program and have customized meeting dates and schedules.


 

Core Analytics Classes & Intro to AI

Because it begins in January, it may be a while before your spring semester feels like spring. In the meantime, you’ll keep busy with courses such as exploratory analytics, predictive analytics, and big data. And you’ll start learning various AI topics as well. 

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6331Big Data AnalyticsRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6335Effective Communication for Analytics ProfessionalsRequired*Custom.5
MSBA 6355Building and Managing TeamsRequired*Custom.5
MSBA 6411Exploratory Data AnalyticsRequired10 weeks + 4 weeks live case3
MSBA 6421Predictive AnalyticsRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6441Causal Inference via Econometrics and ExperimentationRequired14 weeks3

Students will need to take 2 elective credits. Below are some examples, or you can view all electives.

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6155Generative AI for Business ApplicationsElective7 weeks2
MILI 6963Healthcare AnalyticsElective*Custom2
MKTG 6052Marketing Analytics: Managerial DecisionsElective7 weeks2

*Course length varies based on term and format


 

Advanced Analytics, Experiential Learning & More AI

In your final semester, you'll finish the program with advanced topics like time series forecasting and responsible AI, as well as electives. You’ll also join the Carlson Analytics Lab, where you’ll work as part of a team of students on a 14-week long experiential learning project for a real client. 

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6341Responsible AIRequired7 weeks2
MSBA 6345Consultative Prob-Solving and Agile Management for Analytics ProjectsRequired14 weeks1
MSBA 6351Time Series Analysis and ForecastingRequired7 weeks2
MSBA 6511Business Analytics Experiential LearningRequired14 weeks5

Students will need to take 4 elective credits. Below are some examples, or you can view all electives.

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6431Recommender System Techniques and ApplicationsElective7 weeks2
MSBA 6451Prescriptive Analytics for Optimal Decision MakingElective7 weeks2
MSBA 6461Advanced AI for Natural Language UnderstandingElective7 weeks2
FINA 6322Financial ModelingElective7 weeks2
SCO 6085Sales, Inventory, and Operations PlanningElective7 weeks2

Incoming students will complete pre-work to prepare them for the technical aspects of the MSBA program. Pre-work will include a virtual Python bootcamp, and details will be shared with incoming students several months before the program begins.


 

Business & Technical Fundamentals

Your first semester focuses on fundamentals like statistics, programming, and the use of analytics in today’s business environment. You’ll get to know your classmates throughout the fall as you learn to use tools like Python, SQL, and R to tackle analytics problems.

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6111Business Essentials for Analytics ProfessionalsRequired10 weeks3
MSBA 6121Introduction to Statistics for Data ScientistsRequired10 weeks3
MSBA 6131Introduction to Business Analytics in RRequired10 weeks + 4 weeks live case3
MSBA 6311Programming for Data ScienceRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6321Data Management, Databases, and Data WarehousingRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6335Effective Communication for Analytics ProfessionalsRequired*Custom.5
MSBA 6355Building and Managing TeamsRequired*Custom.5

*These courses are offered along with experiential learning components in the program and have customized meeting dates and schedules.


 

Core Analytics Classes & Intro to AI

Because it begins in January, it may be a while before your spring semester feels like spring. In the meantime, you’ll keep busy with courses such as exploratory analytics, predictive analytics, and big data. And you’ll start learning various AI topics as well. 

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6331Big Data AnalyticsRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6335Effective Communication for Analytics ProfessionalsRequired*Custom.5
MSBA 6355Building and Managing TeamsRequired*Custom.5
MSBA 6411Exploratory Data AnalyticsRequired10 weeks + 4 weeks live case3
MSBA 6421Predictive AnalyticsRequired14 weeks3
MSBA 6441Causal Inference via Econometrics and ExperimentationRequired14 weeks3

Students will need to take 2 elective credits. Below are some examples, or you can view all electives.

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6155Generative AI for Business ApplicationsElective7 weeks2
MILI 6963Healthcare AnalyticsElective*Custom2
MKTG 6052Marketing Analytics: Managerial DecisionsElective7 weeks2

*Course length varies based on term and format


 

Advanced Analytics, Experiential Learning & More AI

In your final semester, you'll finish the program with advanced topics like time series forecasting and responsible AI, as well as electives. You’ll also join the Carlson Analytics Lab, where you’ll work as part of a team of students on a 14-week long experiential learning project for a real client. 

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6341Responsible AIRequired7 weeks2
MSBA 6345Consultative Prob-Solving and Agile Management for Analytics ProjectsRequired14 weeks1
MSBA 6351Time Series Analysis and ForecastingRequired7 weeks2
MSBA 6511Business Analytics Experiential LearningRequired14 weeks5

Students will need to take 4 elective credits. Below are some examples, or you can view all electives.

Course numberTitleRequired or ElectiveLengthCredits
MSBA 6431Recommender System Techniques and ApplicationsElective7 weeks2
MSBA 6451Prescriptive Analytics for Optimal Decision MakingElective7 weeks2
MSBA 6461Advanced AI for Natural Language UnderstandingElective7 weeks2
FINA 6322Financial ModelingElective7 weeks2
SCO 6085Sales, Inventory, and Operations PlanningElective7 weeks2

Curriculum tracks

We offer two tracks to help you select which courses to take. The tracks help you align your career goals and interests with courses that will teach you the skills you need to succeed in these areas.

  • Analytics for Business track: These courses cover foundational and advanced topics in analytics to prepare you to add value in any industry. There are no specific suggested courses for this track, as students can utilize any number of electives available to them.
  • Artificial Intelligence in Business track: These courses dive deeper into AI to give you more advanced skills in this area.

Please note that the Analytics for Business and Artificial Intelligence for Business tracks are not mandatory selections. These tracks serve as suggested groupings of elective courses to help guide students towards specific areas of specialization based on their career goals and interests.

Master of Business Analytics Curriculum & Faculty

The MSBA faculty and curriculum prepare students to succeed in business analytics careers after graduation and beyond.

Industry Advisory Boards

Analytics professionals from leading organizations make up two advisory boards for the school's graduate programs in business analytics and the Information and Decision Sciences (IDSC) department. Working in collaboration with faculty, advisory board members bring industry perspective to ongoing program strategy and development. 

MSBA students have opportunities to meet and engage with board members at various department events. 

  • Adnan Awow, Sr. Director Data Science, Target
  • Colleen Chrisco, Managing Director of Analytics and Player Data Services, Bungie
  • Bonnie Holub, Associate Partner, Business Consulting, Infosys
  • Chelsea Ihle, Sr. Director of Data and Analytics, Slalom Consulting
  • Chris Manrodt, Head of Data Transformation, Philips
  • Jennifer DeGennaro, Sr. Manager Data Science, Best Buy
  • Prasoon Sharma, Partner, McKinsey Digital
  • William Stentz, Senior Manager, Data and Analytics, Esri
  • John Tong, MSBA ‘16, Director, Data Science, Meta
  • Erik Tonsfeldt, MBA/MSBA ‘19, Senior Manager, West Monroe
  • Veronika Torarp, Partner, PwC
  • Jack Vishneski, Principal Analytics Consultant, Cargill
  • Jim Willenbring, Principal, Willenbring Consulting and Board President
  • Teddy Bekele, CIO, Land O'Lakes
  • Rajeev Duggirala, Senior Vice President, Ameriprise
  • Justin Kershaw, President, Four Corners Cyber
  • Deb Bauman, CIO - Retired, Hazeltine Betty Ford (Retired)
  • Prashant Gandhi, Chief Business Officer, Melio
  • Janette Smrka, VP of IT, Hollywood Park
  • Tammylynne Jonas, CIO, Donaldson
  • Erik Erickson, Chief Data Officer, Hennepin County
  • Dan Johnson, Director, TailorMed
  • Jason Staloch, VP, Digital Core, General Mills
  • Kelly Olin, CIO, Cargill
  • Pat Bajari, Partner, Keystone Strategy

Explore analytics coursework

Contact MS Business Analytics