M.S. in Business Analytics

The UIC Liautaud Master of Science in Business Analytics helps you develop skills and training to work in data-rich environments, and enables you to develop capability in business intelligence and analytics. After completing the program, you will be able to bring together information technology, data science and business so that you will be able to analyze communicate the value of data.

Career Outcomes: Career opportunities in business analytics abound, and promise to grow exponentially for the next decade. The program prepares students for roles such as business analyst, data analyst, quantitative analyst, data scientist, digital marketing analyst, supply chain analyst, risk analyst, product manager for information and analytics-driven organizations, as well as managerial roles leading to chief data officers, chief analytics officers and chief information officers.

• IDS 521 Advanced Database Management    
• IDS 560 Analytics Strategy and Practice    
• IDS 572 Data Mining for Business    
• IDS 575 Statistical Models and Methods for Business Analytics    
• IDS 517 Enterprise Application Development    
• IDS 520 Enterprise Information Infrastructure Planning & Security    
• IDS 514 Management of Information Systems    
• IDS 515 Information Systems Strategy and Policy    
• IDS 523 Audit and Control of Information Systems    
• IDS 507 Advanced Systems Analysis and Design Project    
• IDS 508 E-Commerce Project    
• IDS 596 Independent Study in Information and Decision Sciences    
• IDS 435 Optimization Models and Methods    
• IDS 561 Analytics for Big Data    
• IDS 56 Social Media and Network Analysis    
• IDS 566 Advanced Text Analytics for Business    
• IDS 567 Business Data Visualization    
• IDS 576 Advanced Predictive Models and Applications for Business Analytics    
• IDS 594 Special Topics in Information and Decision Sciences

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Baccalaureate Field Individuals from all baccalaureate fields are encouraged to apply. The exact course requirements will be determined based on an individual’s baccalaureate field and work experience. All applicants must have had the following background course work: mathematics through the level of calculus covering integration and differentiation, and statistics through regression analysis.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate studies. Applicants with a master’s degree must have maintained a GPA of at least 3.00/4.00 in that program.
• Tests Required GMAT or GRE taken within five years of entry into the program.
  • UIC and UIUC students or alumni (graduated within five years of applying) with a cumulative GPA of 3.00/4.00 and a GPA of 3.00/4.00 in selected IDS-related courses will be waived from the GMAT or GRE requirement.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL 585 (paper-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based), OR,
  • IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation Two required.
• Personal Statement Required.

Graduate Assistantships

Students who enrolled for eight or more credit hours during the fall and spring semesters are eligible to apply for a graduate assistantship. These on-campus job opportunities provide students with a partial tuition waiver and a stipend that varies in amount according to the time worked. They also provide valuable work experience in areas related to their degree program. Students are responsible for finding their own assistantships, just as one would find a job.

Partial Tuition Waivers

A number of partial tuition and fee waivers are available for incoming UIC Liautaud students. Funding awards are based on academic merit. Students do not need to apply separately for a waiver. You will be notified during the admissions process if you are being considered for a scholarship or a partial tuition and service fee waiver.

We also offer the Liautaud Scholars program for highly qualified full-time MBA students, a program that includes merit-based scholarships providing tuition remission. Ask an admissions representative to learn more about the program.