Curriculum and Program

• Is MS in Business Analytics and Data Science a stem degree?

  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.

• Can the program be completed in 18 months or earlier?

  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.

• Is there an online/distance based learning option?

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

• Are there any prerequisite course requirements?

  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.

• What is the typical cohort strength?

  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.

• What does your program offer in terms of career relations, strategy and support?

  The program offers students with a unparallel 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.
• What are the analytics tools taught as part of the course?

  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.

• Do I get to learn advanced machine learning concepts from the core courses?

  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.

Careers and Jobs

• What sort of careers should I expect after graduating from this program?

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

• Can I work during the course curriculum? Advance internships or co-ops?

  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.)

• What kind of research opportunities can I expect at OSU?

  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.

• Is location a disadvantage for the program in terms of job prospects and career development? How are the employment statistics?

  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.

Housing, Cost of Living and Quality of Life

• What are the available housing options for the students? Can I stay off campus?

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

• How is Stillwater as a city to live in?

  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.

Application and Admission

• What are the application deadlines?

  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.

• What documents are required to complete the admission process?

  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
• How are parts of the application weighed?

  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.

• Is work experience required to apply to the graduate programs? Is an interview required?

  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.

• Are TOEFL/IELTS scores required for all international applicants?

  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.

• My GPA is out of 10; do I need to convert it?

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

• Does the program have spring or summer intake?

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

• What is the acceptance rate? 

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

• I have not done any calculus or statistics or computer science programming? Am I eligible to apply?

  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.

• Do you offer any kind of conditional admission?

  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.

• Is there rolling admissions for the Masters in Business Analytics and Data Science program?

  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.

• Does this program accept a three-year degree?

  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.

• Is it possible to waive the application fee?

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

• Is GRE/GMAT required for all applicants?

  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.

Scholarships, Assistantships and Fees

• Do you offer any graduate assistantships?

  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.

• What is the cost for online and on-campus programs?

  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.   

   

  Students enrolled in the full-time Business Analytics and Data Science master's program will complete 37 credit hours during the course of their studies. Cost estimates below are calculated based on 2020-2021 rates.

  2020-2021 estimated costs	Resident	Non-resident
  Total cost per credit hour	$501.80	$1147.75
  Spears Business professional program fee (Fall and Spring only)	$250	$250
  Total cost per 3-credit hour course (excluding professional program fee)	$1505.40	$3443.25
  Total program cost based on 37 hours (includes professional program fees over 21 months)	$19566.60	$43466.75

  Additional cost details and OSU’s tuition and fee estimator are available on the Bursar website.

   

  * This is only an estimate of cost, based on currently approved 2020-2021 rates. Cost 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. 

• Do you offer financial aid or student loans?

  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.