Curriculum

Learn to tell the stories behind the numbers with the thorough and intensive SMU Cox MSBA curriculum.

Learn to tell the stories behind the numbers with the thorough and intensive SMU Cox MSBA curriculum. This unique program draws nationally renowned faculty from two departments —Information Technology and Operations Management, and Marketing — reflecting the hybrid nature of the discipline. Whether you study full or part-time, your classes are led by professors with real-world business expertise and a scholarly passion for analytics. Choose a specialty in Business Process Analytics or Customer Analytics. Either way, you’ll cover all the essentials, from predictive analytics to data mining, and decision models to programming. To help you prepare for this rigorous curriculum, we'll get you started with a summer program of self-study.

The MSBA is a thirty-three-credit hours degree with Full-Time and Part-Time attendance options. The Full-Time program can be completed in nine months across two semesters (four, seven-week Modules). The Part-Time program can be completed in seventeen months across four semesters (eight, seven-week Modules). It is the same curriculum; however, the part-time program is done over a longer time period with fewer classes each Module and classes taught in the evenings for students who wish to work while taking the program.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS CURRICULUM
Curriculum (As of Fall 2023 entry)
Total Credit Hours: 33

Fall Term – Module A Courses

Managerial Statistics

• Business Metrics
• Decision Models
• Programming for Analytics
• Managing Your Career (continues throughout every module in MSBA program)

Fall Term – Module B Courses

• Database Design for Business Applications
• Data Mining
• Business Analytics Consulting
• One Elective*

Spring Term – Module A Courses

• Business Analytics Capstone or Business Analytics Internship
• Applied Predictive Analytics I
• Advanced Decision Models
• One Elective*

Spring Term – Module B Courses

• Test and Learn (a.k.a. Applied Probability Models)
• Business Analytics Capstone or Business Analytics Internship
• Two Electives*

*A total of 4 electives (totaling 8 hours) are required for the Full-Time program.

**Max credits per semester is 20; minimum is 9. Data Visualization and Communication is an elective offered only in Fall B. If in the Spring, your gpa is 3.5 or greater, students can take up to 2 additional electives at no additional cost.

Term 1 Fall Credit Hours: 16

Term 2 Fall Credit Hours: 17

Credit Hours Summary for MSBA Program

• 25 credit hours of required courses
• 8 hours of elective courses
• 33 credit hours total for MSBA degree

(Curriculum subject to change. See course details for more information.)

Self Study, Orientations, and Boot Camps

Summer Self Study

In the summer, students will complete the following:

• DataCamp - Review/learn skills such as SAS, SQL, R and Python with over 100+ courses online
• CMC Kickstart - prep work for your year ahead, including some resume work and various career activities

Required Orientations and Boot Camps

Classes typically begin mid-August but it is highly recommended that students arrive in Dallas the beginning of August. International students can arrive up to 1 month before the start date of classes. Prior to the start of classes, students will be required to attend the following:

MSBA Orientation - This is mandatory for ALL students!
It is held the first week in August for 2 days. Specific dates will be sent in the summer.

International Orientation - This is mandatory for International Students
International students are required to attend both the MSBA Orientation as well as the International Orientation. International Orientation is one day scheduled in the beginning of August. Specific dates will be sent in the summer.

Boot Camps – These are mandatory for ALL students!
There are 2 bootcamps that will be held in August that are required for all Students.

• Introduction to Analysis
• Excel / VBA Bootcamp

Beyond the Classroom

The best way to gain leadership experience and confidence is by connecting with people in leadership positions and immersing yourself in real world business environments. At SMU Cox, we bring opportunities for hands-on experience to life outside the classroom setting, tapping our strong ties with business leaders in Dallas and beyond.

Highlight: The MSBA Hands-On Intern/Capstone Project

Full-time MSBA students are expected to have hands-on experience with companies in the analytics area during the program. In the Spring semester, students can either work on an internship with a company from January until May in the analytics area or enroll in a semester-long Capstone project. In the Capstone project, you and a team of peers following the Process Analytics specialization will design, build and test an analytics system for a real company. By the end of the semester, you’ll have a solid grasp of the system development life cycle — plus a deeper professional network.

This is a powerful way to test the academic concepts you've discussed in the classroom. And with Dallas's global business center on your doorstep, you'll find many exciting options for completing your practicum. If you do an internship, you will be expected to complete similar deliverables for course credit. International students will be able to take in internship using Curricular Practical Training (CPT) credits.

In the past year, students in the MSBA program have secured internships or completed Capstone projects with the following companies: