Business master’s programmes producing agile business leaders in a global market

Numbers. Market research. Statistics. More businesses, whether start-ups or MNCs, are beginning to adopt data-driven approaches to innovate, solve problems and make a difference. 

A data-driven approach is essentially a form of business analytics, where professionals crunch and interpret numbers to help businesses make strategic decisions, understand the market, and make predictions. The more data put to good use means the higher the chances for businesses to excel in a highly competitive market. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way consumers and businesses behave, data has become more important than ever. A survey on 500 data professionals in the US shows that 49% of companies are now using data analytics much more than before. Small businesses, in particular, had to rely heavily on data analytics to survive. 

As such, more students and working professionals from different backgrounds are looking into business analytics to equip themselves with the data skills and knowledge to help businesses thrive in today’s fast-paced industries. 

If crunching numbers, analysing data, doing market research, and making insightful predictions are what interest you, consider pursuing these dynamic business analytics master’s programmes:

Purdue University: Krannert School of Management 

Krannert School of Management’s rigorous curriculum and experiential learning opportunities will develop you to become analytical business professionals. Source: Purdue University

Krannert School of Management’s MS Business Analytics and Information Management (MSBAIM) is ranked sixth in the US and has consistently been highly ranked globally, according to the QS Business Masters Rankings: Business Analytics 2022.

With such impressive rankings, the MSBAIM programme is popular and heavily enrolled by international students who wish to flourish and transform into well-paid, highly sought-after analytical business leaders in the market. This is especially true, as 100% of its 2021 graduates landed a placement successfully. These graduates found success in their career, earning an average annual salary of US$121,632.

Indeed, the Krannert School of Management’s rigorous curriculum and experiential learning opportunities will develop you to become analytical business professionals. The flexible MSBAIM programme will acquaint you with state-of-the-art information technologies and analytical techniques that will benefit all levels of an organisation. You’ll develop software proficiencies in the use of Python, SAS SQL, R, Hadoop, Minitab, Gurobi and various big data technologies that are in high demand across all industries around the world.

Upon graduation, MSBAIM students may be eligible for STEM OPT extension, which is a 36-month period of work authorization in the U.S.. This will prove beneficial to international graduates seeking employment in the US.

If you seek a 100% online, flexible programme, check out the Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) programme that is based on the school’s MSBAIM programme. It’s ideal for working professionals seeking to capitalise on the exploding demand for technical and analytical expertise. Although online, students will obtain career and experiential learning opportunities, such as working closely with the Krenicki Centre for Business Analytics and Machine Learning. Students may also work with faculty to develop an Industry Practicum project that uses real-world data to solve a business problem or explore a personal interest. Plus, students will gain access to a success coach for study, stress and time management as well as career support services by the Krannert Professional Development Centre. Find out how you can transform into a professional that makes data-driven decisions at Krannert School of Management here.

University of Manitoba: Asper School of Business

Advancing or fast-tracking a career in business has never been easier thanks to the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business Master of Business Administration (MBA)  program. How easy? For the Winter 2023 intake, if you apply to the program, have a GPA of 3.3 or above (on a 4.5 scale) and meet the other requirements, you are not required to submit a GMAT score to be accepted to the program. The GMAT is replaced with an interview with the Stu Clark Graduate School admissions team. If you already have a GMAT score of 500 or higher, you can submit it and the interview will not be conducted.

The Asper School’s prestige stems from a unique combination of intimate class sizes, dynamic course offerings, ample opportunities for collaboration, and strong connections with the business community. Hence, endless options for postgraduate students interested in making a name for themselves well before graduating. 

The business school also recently introduced an optional Master’s Co-op Program for all students pursuing the Master of Business Administration, Master of Finance, or Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics. The opportunity lets students gain real-world experience and network within their field of choice, across Canada and beyond.

The Master’s Co-op Programs are facilitated by Asper’s award-winning Career Development Centre and each co-op lasts four months. Flexibility is an option too, depending on the needs of both the employer and student. The Career Development Centre also facilitates other types of work-integrated learning, including part-time work and strategic short term projects that can be completed while studying. Apart from co-ops, Asper also encourages participation in case competitions, mentorship programs and international study trips. 

The best part? Thanks to the Immigrate to Manitoba initiative, career-ready graduates who completed the programs in a minimum of two full-time years are welcome to apply their newfound knowledge in Canada with a three year work visa post-graduation. Discover the campus that produces leaders here.

UT Dallas: Naveen Jindal School of Management 

At UT Dallas, postgraduate business programmes are always improving. Source: UT Dallas

Maximise your future potential with the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas Dallas (UT Dallas). This business school is on a mission to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing, technology-driven, global society. Postgraduate programmes are always improving, as are its suite of management education courses.

To enrol in the UT Dallas MBA is to expand your business network by making valuable connections and relationships. The MBA programme also hosts a two-week boot camp for the incoming cohort called LEAD Camp (Leadership, Enhancement, Academic, Professional Development). It prepares students for the future of work with a wide range of seminars, workshops, lectures and activities.

Plan to manage or lead a high tech firm or research institution? UT Dallas’s combined degree of MS/MBA engineering and management lets you earn an Master of Science Electrical Engineering (MSEE) degree in combination with an MBA or MS degree in management. This programme is administered by the faculty members in the Department of Electrical Engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and the School of Management.

New York University: Stern School of Business

At New York University Stern School of Business, students build relationships that last far beyond the one-year programme. Source: NYU Stern School of Business/Facebook

If studying business analytics in the world’s largest city is what piques your interest, you’ll love the New York University Stern School of Business (NYU Stern). 

NYU Stern is both a top rated business school and one of the world’s leading research institutions. It’s ranked second in the world for its research productivity, according to the University of Texas’s Research Contribution 2017-2021. 

Its Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) programme is one of NYU Stern’s top master’s programmes designed for experienced professionals looking to gain a competitive edge through the predictive potential of data. This advanced business degree programme teaches students how to synthesise data to make better decisions. Students will gain experience in quantitative and technical methods as well as further develop their strategic and business management skills. 

Designed with busy working professionals in mind, the one-year, part-time programme’s format is flexible for working profeseionals and allows students to apply learning in real-time. It is divided into five on-site class sessions that take place at NYU Stern and in two rotating global locations — Europe and Abu Dhabi in 2022 — for unrivalled experiential learning and international networking opportunities. Students will have access to world-renowned faculty members, many of whom are global thought leaders, industry veterans, strategic advisors, and creators of knowledge. 

That’s not all. Here, students build lasting relationships that last far beyond the one-year programme. Graduates of the MSBA programme have access to the school’s alumni resources, such as career support, lifelong learning, and social networking opportunities. NYU Stern has a strong alumni network, with 110,000 graduates from over 130 countries.