MS in Business Analytics/MS in Finance

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the admission criteria of both programs and are admitted separately to each through separate applications.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

  • Minimum Semester Hours Required 56.
  • Coursework Depending on their background, students may be required to take additional technical, business, and other background courses as part of the degrees' requirements.a
Required Courses—MS in Business Analytics (16 hours)
IDS 521
Advanced Database Management
IDS 560
Analytics Strategy and Practice
IDS 572
Data Mining for Business
IDS 575
Machine Learning and Statistical Methods for Business Analytics
Required Courses—MS in Finance (12 hours)
FIN 510
Investments
FIN 520
Corporate Finance
FIN 570
Quantitative Methods in Finance
Electives—MS in Business Analytics (8 hours)
Select 8 hours from the following analytics electives. Students must select another 8 hours of analytics-related business electives to be chosen with the approval of the director of graduate studies.
IDS 435
Optimization for Analytics
IDS 561
Analytics for Big Data
IDS 564
Social Media and Network Analysis
IDS 566
Advanced Text Analytics for Business
IDS 567
Business Data Visualization
IDS 576
Deep Learning and Modern Applications
IDS 594
Special Topics in Information and Decision Sciences
Electives—MS in Finance (12 hours)
Select 12 hours from the following finance electives. Other finance electives may be taken with the advice and approval of the director of graduate studies.
FIN 512
Portfolio Analysis
FIN 516
Theory and Structure of Options and Futures Markets
FIN 530
Money and Banking
FIN 531
Capital Markets
FIN 542
International Finance
FIN 551
Financial Decision Making I
FIN 571
Empirical Issues in Finance
FIN 594
Special Topics in Finance
FIN 596
Independent Study in Finance
Shared Electives
Preapproved suggestions for the 8 hours of shared courses across two degrees are listed below. Students must work with the directors of graduate studies of both programs to identify other appropriate courses.
FIN 510
Investments
FIN 512
Portfolio Analysis
FIN 516
Theory and Structure of Options and Futures Markets
IDS 521
Advanced Database Management
IDS 560
Analytics Strategy and Practice
IDS 561
Analytics for Big Data
IDS 564
Social Media and Network Analysis
IDS 566
Advanced Text Analytics for Business
IDS 572
Data Mining for Business
IDS 573
Risk Management
IDS 575
Machine Learning and Statistical Methods for Business Analytics
IDS 576
Deep Learning and Modern Applications
a
  • Prerequisites for the MS in Business Analytics include two business prerequisites in any two functional areas of business (ACTG 500, FIN 500, IDS 532, or MKTG 500); technical prerequisites of business statistics (IDS 570); and database/programming (at the level of IDS 410 or equivalent). Business prerequisites may be waived based on equivalent prior coursework or appropriate work experience in the functional area.
  • Prerequisites for the MS in Finance are ACTG 500, FIN 500, IDS 570, and ECON 520.