Students automatically get 12 months of OPT. If they are employed with an E-Verify company, they may receive an additional 24 months for a total of 36 months of OPT.

The program structure is designed in such a way that typically it takes 4 semesters to complete the degree for on campus students. However, you can pursue flexible internships/externships with companies lasting from 3 to 11 months in the last year of your program.

There’s an online option for MS BAnDS program for working professionals. Please check the link for more information.

There are no hard prerequisite courses for our program. Students from various non-technical disciplines (including business, marketing, economics, finance, and social psychology) and technical disciplines (including computer science, engineering, information technology, and statistics) have successfully completed our program. For all students, we provide a free 10-12 weeks of online summer learning content of how to use Python, R, SQL and SAS as a self-study, so everyone is fully prepared to start their program in Fall.

The typical full-time cohort is expected to be about 60 students. However, many of the BAN designated core courses are run with section sizes of about 30 to facilitate better student-faculty interaction.

The program offers students with a unparalleled set of opportunities to learn and grow in their careers. Here are a few highlights:

• Free online summer learning content to help you get ready to start the program in Fall
• One-on-one mentoring by an alum working in the field of analytics
• Help with flexible Internships/Externships lasting 3 to 11 months at the end of your first year
• Help you with resume building, Linked In profile and soft skills such as consulting, systems thinking, project management and so on.
• Help with FT placements
• Year-long real company projects in the first year of your program
• Opportunities to participate in national analytics competitions, research symposiums, analytics case competitions, present papers at conferences and so on
• Opportunities to participate in our annual analytics conference in May of each year
• Opportunities to interact with companies in our corporate advisory board.

The set of tools used in the program change often to reflect current needs in the marketplace. The program is fully multi-platform and currently students get hands-on training with software and tools such as Alteryx, Data Bricks, GCP, Power BI, Python, R, SAS, SQL, and Snowflake.

Yes. We do have advanced machine learning concepts like Random Forest, Gradient Boosting etc. We also teach deep learning concepts such as deep neural networks, convolution neural networks and recurrent neural networks. In addition, the course curriculum is very flexible to choose electives from other colleges/departments in the university such as computer science, statistics and industrial engineering.

Typically careers include: data scientist, data/business analyst, consultant or statistical analyst.

Yes, you can work part-time (up to 20 hours a week) during any semester while taking a full-load (9-12 hours) of classes. This requires excellent time management skills and some scheduling flexibility on the part of your employer. After your first two semesters, you may do flexible internships/externships with companies lasting from 3 to 11 months (we don’t call these co-ops because companies feel co-op is too restrictive.)

We strongly encourage our students to focus on research. Our students attend various conferences, which is one of the best global opportunities to present your research and network with industry professionals.

Our employment numbers best answer this question. For example, 100% students received paid internships over the last 5 years. Also, 100% students received full-time offers within 6 months of graduation (most receiving it within 3 months of graduation) over the last 5 years.

Yes. You can stay off campus. Stillwater is a university town and there is plenty of available housing in and around the campus.

Students make up the majority of the Stillwater population. Stillwater offers tons of entertainment options such as college sports, performing arts and more. It is a safe and economical place to live. It was one of the 100 Best Places to Live in 2010, according to CNN Money Magazine.

For on campus enrollment as a full time student (including international applicants), we only have fall admissions. The priority deadline is January 15 and the final deadline is March 1. We do not admit on-campus students for spring semesters.

 

For online enrollment as a part-time student (including working professionals), we offer both fall and spring admissions. The spring application deadline is November 1 prior to the spring semester, and the fall deadline is June 1 prior to the fall semester.

The following documents are required as a part of the application.

• Graduate college application form.
• Three letters of recommendation (LOR)
• Current resume (as an attachment to application form)
• Statement of purpose (SOP) discussing your strengths and weaknesses, and reason(s) for pursuing this degree (as an attachment to application form)
• GMAT or GRE, with minimum recommended scores above 51st percentile in each of the test areas. Please submit your scores electronically to OSU's institution code 6546. No department code is required. If you are a U.S. citizen, we may waive this requirement for admission purposes. Contact the program coordinator with your resume to see if you qualify for GRE/GMAT waiver.
• TOEFL/IELTS for international students

Applications are weighted using a holistic approach. The past academic success of the applicants, their scores in GRE/GMAT, relevant work experience, their passion to pursue this degree which is measured from their statement of purpose and the letters of recommendation are weighted as a whole for the admission decision.

Work experience is considered as part of the overall application review process. While strongly preferred, it’s not a mandatory requirement. However, it is difficult for international students to get good placement in the U.S. without at least two years of prior experience. As part of your application process, we require a current resume to clearly outline your work history. Yes, all on campus students will have to go through about two non-technical interviews with faculty and/or alums of the program. The purpose of these interviews is to ensure you are the right candidate for our program and it's the right program for you.

TOEFL/IELTS scores are required for students whose native language is not English or those who have not completed their full four years of bachelor’s or master’s degrees in the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Uganda or New Zealand.

 No. The applicant does not need to convert their GPA to a 4 scale using WES.

The full-time, on-campus program is fall enrollment only. The online MSBAnDS program has both fall and spring enrollment. 

Our acceptance rate in the full-time program has been around 20% over last 5 years.

There are no hard prerequisite courses for our program. Students from various non-technical disciplines (including business, marketing, economics, finance, social psychology) and technical disciplines (including computer science, engineering, information technology, and statistics) have successfully completed our program. For all students, we provide a free 10-12 weeks of online summer learning content of how to use Python, R, SQL and SAS as a self-study, so everyone is fully prepared to start their program in Fall.

No. We do not offer any kind of conditional admission for on-campus students. The applicant’s profile is evaluated holistically and given admission, only if qualified.

Yes, we have rolling admissions. We review applications starting mid-November until application deadlines. We send offers of admission periodically starting mid-November to mid-April.

Beginning with the Fall 2024 semester, OSU will no longer accept three-year bachelor’s degrees received in India as equivalent to the 4-year bachelor’s degrees received in the U.S. This is in accordance with updated AACARO EDGE (electronic database for global education) guidance. From Fall 2024 and beyond, to be eligible for a graduate program at OSU, applicants with degrees from India must have at minimum 1) a four-year bachelor’s degree OR 2) a master’s degree in addition to the three-year bachelor’s degree.

No, it is not possible to waive the application fee.

Yes, for all foreign students applying for the on campus program. If you are a US citizen or permanent resident, we may waive your GRE/GMAT requirements for on campus program admission. If you are applying for online program and have 5 years of relevant experience, we may waive your GRE/GMAT requirement regardless of your citizenship status. Contact the program coordinator with your resume to see if you qualify for GRE/GMAT waiver.

Yes, in the first semester, there are few one-semester long assistantships and some scholarships awarded based on incoming credentials. From the second semester, some students are awarded graduate assistantships based on their first semester performance and incoming credentials.

Cost for the program varies depending on credit hours taken, scholarship funding, assistantships and financial aid. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to calculate eligibility for aid.  Students planning to enroll under F-1 student visa status should not complete the FAFSA, yet eligibility for need-based aid will be further determined through a process provided by the program post-admission.   

 

Cost estimates are outlined here. Estimates do not include textbooks nor do they factor in individual transfer credits or scholarship information. Tuition and fees are subject to change at any time without prior notice. 

Most student loans are based on financial need or creditworthiness and are available only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Eligible OSU graduate students can receive Subsidized Direct Loans, Unsubsidized Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans and Federal Work-Study. Graduate students are not eligible for Pell Grants.

 

For financial aid purposes, OSU graduate students carrying nine or more hours which are required for their degree, during the fall and spring semesters are considered full-time; graduate students carrying 4-7 hours which are required for their degree are considered half-time. Graduate students carrying 3 hours or less in the fall or spring semesters are not eligible to receive Subsidized or Unsubsidized Direct Loans.

 

Domestic students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The deadlines for submission of this form vary by state. The Institutional Code for OSU is 003170.