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Application Requirements

We look forward to learning about you through your application.

Here you'll find a detailed explanation of each admission application requirement. Most of the information here applies to both first-year and transfer applicants, and requirements are the same for domestic and international applicants.  

Don't forget to reference our Application Tips for guidance on filling out the Common Application.

Application

We accept the Common Application  and the Coalition Application by Scoir . Both are treated equally by the Admissions Committee. Complete and submit your materials as soon as possible to ensure full and timely consideration of your application. Your portions of the application are due by the application deadlines (November 1 for Restrictive Early Action and January 1 for Regular Decision); high school counselors are given an additional week to submit materials on your behalf. 

If you use the Common Application , you must submit your application before your supporting materials (Secondary School Report, Teacher Recommendations, etc.) can be released to a college. Until you submit your own application sections, no part of your application will be transmitted to the Harvard Admissions Office.

If you use the Coalition Application , remember you must submit the separate Harvard supplement in addition to the application by the application deadline for your application to be considered complete. 

Submitting Your Application

Receiving confirmation of your application.

After you submit your application, we will send an email confirmation with a PIN to access the Applicant Portal. We begin sending these daily application confirmation emails in mid-September each year. Most applicant receive their confirmation email the day after they submit their application online. Applications sent in the mail will take up to two weeks to process.

If you have not received your confirmation email, please check your spam/junk folder for messages from [email protected] or [email protected]

If have searched your inbox and still cannot find your confirmation email, we encourage you to check the application system you used and ensure you clicked "Submit" and not just "Save".

If you still cannot locate your application confirmation email, please contact us . Choose the category “Admissions” and then the subject “Applicant Questions (if you've already submitted your application)” in the drop-down menu, or call 617-495-1551.

Paying the application fee or requesting a fee waiver

You may pay your application fee online with a credit card via the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir websites.

You may also send a check or money order to Harvard College Admissions, 86 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Please include the applicant’s name with the payment.

Fee waivers: We are committed to making the application process accessible for all students. If the admissions application fee presents a hardship for you or your family and you plan on applying for financial aid, the fee will be waived. Please follow these instructions to request your fee waiver . Requesting a fee waiver will not disadvantage your application in any way.

Completing the Harvard supplement questions

Complete the Harvard Questions with the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir*. This includes the following five required short-answer questions, each with a 200 word limit. 

  • Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?
  • Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you. 
  • Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.
  • How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
  • Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you. 

*Please note that the Harvard supplement is separate for the Coalition Application, so you must submit both the application AND supplement for your application to be considered complete. 

Additional application questions

What if i am homeschooled.

Each applicant to Harvard College is considered with great care and homeschooled applicants are treated the same as all other applicants. There is no special process, but all relevant information about your educational and personal background is welcome. In addition to the application, all applicants are required to submit a transcript (which can be created by the family member or agency overseeing your schooling), and recommendations. If the application fee presents a hardship for your family,  simply request a fee waiver .

Hear from Harvard students who were homeschooled, in the Harvard Gazette article ‘ Homeschooled en route to Harvard .’

What if I need to make updates to my application after I submit it?

Do not resend your application in order to make updates. If you need to update your identification or contact information, or send updates, additional information, or corrections, please do so via the  Applicant Portal .

Misrepresentation of Credentials

Be completely accurate in your application materials. If we discover a misrepresentation during the admissions process, you will be denied admission. If you have already been admitted, your offer will typically be withdrawn. If you have already registered, your admission will normally be revoked, and we will require you to leave the College. Harvard rescinds degrees if misrepresentations in application materials are discovered.

The determination that an application is inaccurate or contains misrepresentations rests solely with the Admissions Office and will be resolved outside the student disciplinary process.

School Reports and Teacher Recommendations

Secondary school report.

The secondary school report is a required form that is submitted by your school counselor or another school leader. This form gives an overview of the student's academic record. It includes the applicant's academic transcript(s), a letter of recommendation, and a school profile (if available). If a counselor is unable to submit a letter of recommendation for the applicant, another teacher or school leader may submit an additional recommendation letter. 

Midyear School Report

When you apply, your school counselor will often send your transcript with few or no senior year course grades included. That is why the midyear school report is required - to allow us to review your performance in the first half of your senior year coursework .  The midyear school report must be completed by your school counselor or other school official. Please request that the midyear school report is completed and returned to our office as soon as possible. 

Midyear School Report FAQs

What if i'm applying restrictive early action and i don't have my midyear grades yet.

Restrictive Early Action applicants are not required to submit the midyear report by the November 1 deadline. If you applied Restrictive Early Action and are deferred to Regular Decision, please submit the midyear report and transcript in February, or as soon as your midyear grades are available.

I'm an international student and my academic year is different. Do I still need to submit the midyear report?

If you study the IB curriculum or the A-level curriculum, then we expect that your school will send predicted grades, based on your current classroom work and the results of any internal or mock exams you have taken up to that point. If your school does not issue official or predicted midyear grades for your final year of school, then you do not need to submit the midyear report form, although the item may remain on your checklist.

What if I have already graduated from high school?

If you have already graduated from high school, you should ignore the midyear report requirement (though the item may remain on your Checklist in the Applicant Portal) and simply ask your school to send a final school report if you have not already done so.

Teacher Evaluations

Ask two teachers in different academic subjects who know you well to complete the Teacher Recommendation forms (which includes an evaluation form and a letter of recommendation). If you wish to submit additional letters of recommendation, you can do so after you submit your application. In your application confirmation email, there will be a personalized link to send to your recommenders.

What courses should I take to prepare for applying to Harvard?

There is no “one size fits all” rule about which curriculum to study during secondary school years. Students should challenge themselves by taking courses deemed appropriate by their teachers and counselors. But some students believe that “more is always better” when it comes to AP, IB or other advanced courses.

While some students prosper academically and personally by taking large numbers of such courses, others benefit from a more balanced approach that allows them additional time for extracurricular and personal development. Even the best students can be negatively affected by taking too many courses at once, and might benefit instead from writing, reading or research projects on subjects of great interest to them.

To learn more, read our Guide to Preparing for College. To avoid the “burnout” often seen among secondary school students, please refer to our article, Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation .

Is there a specific math requirement?

Applicants to Harvard should excel in a challenging high school math sequence corresponding to their educational interests and aspirations. We recommend that applicants take four years of math courses in high school. Ideally, these math courses will focus on conceptual understanding, promote higher-order thinking, and encourage students to use mathematical reasoning to critically examine the world. Examples include rigorous and relevant courses in computer science, statistics and its subfields, mathematical modeling, calculus, and other advanced math subjects.

Students’ math records are viewed holistically, and no specific course is required. Specifically, calculus is not a requirement for admission to Harvard. We understand that applicants do not have the same opportunities and course offerings in their high schools. Moreover, many programs of study at Harvard do not require knowledge of calculus. We encourage applicants to take the courses that are available to them and aligned with their interests and goals.

Students intending to study engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, statistics or other fields where calculus is needed may benefit from taking calculus in high school. However, students at Harvard can still pursue such fields by starting with one of our introductory calculus classes that has no high school calculus prerequisite. On balance, we encourage all students to master foundational mathematical material instead of rushing through any of the more advanced courses.

Final School Report and Transcripts

All admitted students who choose to enroll are required to send a Final School Report and transcript as soon as their final grades become available – no later than July 1. The Final School Report and transcript should be completed and sent by a school counselor or other school official through Parchment/Docufide or Scrip-Safe International, if your school has access to these submission options.

IB students should send their final results as soon as they are released in mid-July. We will expect to see final A levels results by mid-August.

Standardized Test Scores

For the College Classes of 2027-2030, students may apply for admission without standardized test scores. Please read our announcement for more details on the application changes for the upcoming cycles. 

If you choose to submit standardized tests, you may submit the SAT or ACT (with or without the writing component). While the College Board no longer offers Subject Tests and they are not a requirement for applying, you may submit Subject Tests taken in the last 5 years. If you choose to submit Subject Tests, it is more useful to choose only one mathematics test rather than two. Similarly, if your first language is not English, a Subject Test in your first language may be less helpful.

Standardized Testing FAQs

How do i let harvard know whether i would like my application reviewed with or without test scores.

When you apply for admission, you can choose whether or not our review of your application will include your standardized test scores (SAT and ACT).

  • If your scores already are on file before you apply and you choose at the time of your application to proceed without scores, we will not consider those scores. 
  • If you initially chose an application review without scores and would now like to include scores in your file, you may make this request by submitting the "Change to consideration of test scores" form on your Applicant Portal. 
  • If you ask that our review includes your scores, either at the time of application or after you apply by submitting the form in the Applicant Portal, they will be part of your application throughout the admissions process.

Can I self-report my test scores?

Yes. Applicants may provide self-reported SAT and ACT test scores (including Subject Tests, Advanced Placement, IB, etc.). Admitted students who decide to enroll at Harvard College will be required to submit official test scores.

How do I send my test scores?

You are free to use the College Board Score Choice option or the similar option offered by the ACT. Our official codes are 3434 for the College Board SAT Reasoning Tests and 1840 for the ACT if you are submitting official test scores as part of your application.

  • How to send your SAT scores
  • How to send your ACT scores

Are there test score "cutoffs"?

There are no score cutoffs, and we do not admit “by the numbers.” For the ACT, we will evaluate your highest composite score and any other scores you choose to share with us. We take into account your educational background when reviewing your scores.

Should I prepare for standardized tests?

Opportunities to prepare for standardized tests vary greatly for students of different socioeconomic backgrounds. Research indicates that short term test preparation usually has little effect, but the free “test prep” now offered by the SAT and the ACT might make a significant difference for students who follow their programs for extended periods of time. Such free programs could help to level the playing field for students from under-resourced schools by providing the academic skills that will serve them well on standardized tests and also in college. Students can also do well by studying widely and deeply over a long period of time on their own with the help of family, school, or community organizations.

What do standardized tests and grades indicate about academic preparation for college?

Standardized tests provide a rough yardstick of what a student has learned over time and how that student might perform academically in college - but they are only one of many factors considered. High school grades in a rigorous academic program can also be helpful in assessing readiness for college courses, but the thousands of secondary schools around the country and the world employ various high school curricula and a wide range of grading systems - and some have no grades at all. Other students have been homeschooled or prepared for college by taking part in multiple schooling opportunities both in person and electronic.

Given the wide variation in how students prepare for Harvard – as well as the fact that most applicants and admitted students have outstanding academic records – it is difficult for high school grades to differentiate individual applications. That does not mean that high school grades are unimportant. Students who come to Harvard have done well day to day in their high school studies, providing a crucial foundation for academic success in college, including a 97% - 98% graduation rate.

SAT and ACT tests are better predictors of Harvard grades than high school grades, but this can vary greatly for any individual. Students who have not attended well-resourced schools throughout their lives, who come from modest economic backgrounds or first-generation college families have generally had fewer opportunities to prepare for standardized tests. Each application to Harvard is read with great care, keeping in mind that talent is everywhere, but opportunity and access are not.

Does Harvard accept SAT Subject Test scores?

As announced by the College Board, Subject Tests and the essay portion of the SAT have been terminated, except in certain special circumstances. See the  College Board's announcement for more details. Harvard admission officers review all material that an applicant submits, so if you have already taken Subject Tests or the essay portion of the SAT, you may still submit it along with your other application materials.

How do I choose whether to submit my standardized test score?

Choosing whether or not to submit test scores is a personal decision for every applicant. There are many reasons why students do not submit test scores, including expense. In general, though, anything that might give a more complete or positive picture of an applicant can be helpful. Even if you feel your test scores do not fully represent your strengths, perhaps because of a lack of resources at your school or limited opportunities to prepare for or take the tests, you could note this fact in your application to provide context. There are no score cutoffs and we do not admit “by the numbers.”

Why can't I view my standardized test scores in the Common Application?

Since Harvard College is not requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores for the 2022-2026 application cycles , your standardized scores will not display in the Common Application PDF preview, even if you have chosen to submit them. However, if you entered your test score information and would like it to be considered, that data will still be transmitted to us with your application and we will review it. You can verify this by viewing the Application Checklist in your Applicant Portal. You will see a green check mark if we have received your standardized test scores.

How will Harvard evaluate the new digital SAT?

The College Board's shift to a digital delivery of the SAT will not impact the way in which Harvard reviews test scores within applications. For the College Classes of 2027-2030, students may apply for admission without standardized test scores. Students who do not submit standardized test scores will not be disadvantaged in their application process. Please  visit the College Board FAQs  for more information.  

Supplemental Materials

Our standard application materials typically give us ample information for making admission decisions. However, we recognize you may have truly exceptional talents or achievements you wish to share, and we want you to have every opportunity to best represent yourself.

At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, supplementary materials—such as music recordings, artwork, or selected samples of academic work—may be evaluated by faculty. These materials are entirely optional.

Material Types

How to submit documents and articles.

Scholarly articles, research, creative writing or other documents of which you are the primary author should be submitted in the Upload Materials section of the Applicant Portal . This is the most efficient and direct method of submitting these materials, because they will be added directly to your official application. All submissions should include a list of any individuals with whom you collaborated in the production of the work. If appropriate, please identify your research sponsor, mentor, and/or laboratory or research group leader and provide a short description of your particular contribution to the work.

How to submit media (video, audio, or images)

You may submit optional supplementary media materials (e.g. videos, audio recordings, or images) electronically via Slideroom . Details for submissions in art, dance or choreography, musical performance or composition, will be found on the Slideroom website. There is a small submission fee, but if this fee causes you economic hardship, you may request a fee waiver at the point of submission. You may also contact us to request a fee waiver.

If you encounter technical difficulties on Slideroom, you may submit a document via your portal with YouTube video links. Our team may follow up to request a Slideroom submission at a later time. 

Should I submit other academic materials?

Harvard accepts other standardized tests or other academic credentials if you choose to submit them. In any admissions process, additional information can be helpful. For example, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, A-levels, national leaving examinations, national or international contests, early high school assessment scores such as the PSAT or pre-ACT, or courses taken outside your school during the school year or summer are just some examples of information that could be submitted. Subject Tests and the essay portion of the SAT have been terminated, except in certain special circumstances. Harvard admission officers review all materials that an applicant submits, so if you’ve already taken Subject Tests or the essay portion of the SAT, you may still submit them along with your other application materials.

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“ HBS is the ideal environment because I get to think about the world like an economist, but I have the freedom and resources to draw on methods from other disciplines as I study market design and industrial organization. ”

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Recent placement, john conlon, 2023, erica moszkowski, 2023, ran zhuo, 2023, matthew lilley, 2022, david zhang, 2022, karen shen, 2021, ravi jagadeesan, 2020, christopher anderson, 2019, yizhou jin, 2019, william diamond, 2018, neil thakral, 2018, spencer yongwook kwon, 2023, daniel ramos, 2023, francesca bastianello, 2022, frank pinter, 2022, andreas schaab, 2021, edoardo maria acabbi, 2020, michael thaler, 2020, vitaly bord, 2019, weiling liu, 2019, anastassia fedyk, 2018, robert minton, 2023, sagar saxena, 2023, talia b. gillis, 2022, ron yang, 2022, gregor schubert, 2021, xiang ding, 2020, oren danieli, 2019, janelle schlossberger, 2019, yueran ma, 2018.

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Harvard Business Analytics Program / Program Overview

Harvard Business Analytics Program

harvard phd business requirements

The Harvard Business Analytics Program is offered through a collaboration between Harvard Business School (HBS), the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

Designed for aspiring and established leaders in any industry, the program leverages a rigorous cross-disciplinary curriculum to help students not just analyze data but also understand it, translate it, and incorporate it into strategy at the top levels of their organizations. Students benefit from world-class instruction in courses designed by esteemed Harvard faculty and collaborate with diverse peers in highly interactive online classes. In addition, students attend two in-person immersions hosted at Harvard Business School, where they formulate solutions to real-world business scenarios and develop a network of data-minded business leaders. Students emerge from the program poised to advance into analytics-focused leadership roles and drive disruptive innovation through data.

Program Structure

6 Core Courses

Online, eight weeks each

Online, two weeks each

2 Immersions

On campus, three days each

Class cohorts begin four times per year in January, April, July, and October. The program can be completed in nine months.

Program Fees

The total fees for the Harvard Business Analytics Program is $51,500.

Program fees will be paid incrementally each term based on the number of courses taken. Financial aid is not available for certificate programs.

Note that all quoted rates are based on the 2019 – 2020 academic year and are subject to change without notice.

Curriculum and Learning Outcomes

harvard phd business requirements

Designed for experienced professionals who are realizing the impact of data and analytics on business strategy and operations, the Harvard Business Analytics Program explores new ways to analyze, interpret, and take advantage of data to drive competitive business advantages.

Courses and Seminars

  • Digital Strategy and Innovation
  • Programming and Data Systems
  • Leadership and People Analytics
  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • Foundations of Quantitative Analysis
  • Data-Driven Marketing
  • Data Science Pipeline and Critical Thinking
  • Leadership, Innovation, and Change

Read full descriptions of each Harvard Business Analytics Program course.

Learning Outcomes

The Harvard Business Analytics Program helps students build capabilities in technical, analytical, and operational areas. As a student, you will

  • sharpen your core data analysis and management skills;
  • explore emerging technologies and practices in next-generation analytics, such as blockchain, digital strategy, and AI/ML; and
  • learn how to interpret your findings and use them to uncover valuable business insights.

Learning Experience

Attend weekly live classes hosted in an interactive online classroom.

Complete coursework on your time via web or mobile app.

Attend on-campus immersions to network and apply new skills firsthand.

Learn more about the Harvard Business Analytics Program learning experience.

World-Renowned Faculty

Study with top faculty members from HBS, SEAS, and FAS who are accomplished leaders and innovators in their fields.

Meet the faculty members and learn more about their accomplishments.

Admissions Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • No minimum experience (however, curriculum is designed for experienced professionals)
  • Proof of English language proficiency
  • World Education Services transcript evaluation (for international applicants only)

Explore the full breakdown of admissions guidelines.

Application Requirements

  • Transcripts from all degree-granting institutions you have attended (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
  • At least one letter of recommendation, preferably from a professional contact (maximum of two letters accepted)
  • Current professional resume
  • One essay explaining your objectives and goals as they relate to attending this program
  • Application fee of $75

View the full requirements and upcoming application deadlines.

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The Ph.D. Program in the Department of Economics at Harvard is addressed to students of high promise who wish to prepare themselves in teaching and research in academia or for responsible positions in government, research organizations, or business enterprises. Students are expected to devote themselves full-time to their programs of study.

The program prepares students for productive and stimulating careers as economists. Courses and seminars offered by the department foster an intellectually active and stimulating environment. Each week, the department sponsors more than 15 different seminars on such topics as environmental economics, economic growth and development, monetary and fiscal policy, international economics, industrial organization, law and economics, behavioral economics, labor economics, and economic history. Top scholars from both domestic and international communities are often invited speakers at the seminars.  The Harvard community outside of the department functions as a strong and diverse resource. Students in the department are free to pursue research interests with scholars throughout the University. Faculty of the Harvard Law School, Kennedy School of Government, and Harvard Business School, for example, are available to students for consultation, instruction, and research guidance. As a member of the Harvard community, students in the department can register for courses in the various schools and have access to the enormous library resources available through the University. There are over 90 separate library units at Harvard, with the total collections of books and pamphlets numbering over 13 million.  Both the department and the wider University draw some of the brightest students from around the world, which makes for a student body that is culturally diverse and likely unequaled in the range of intellectual interests of its members. These factors combine to add an important dimension to the educational process. Students are able to learn from one another, collaborate on research projects and publications, and form bonds that are not broken by distance once the degree is completed and professional responsibilities lead them in different directions.

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Wharton regains status as best business school for MBAs, according to FT ranking

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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Wharton has regained its position as the world’s leading provider of MBAs in 2024, according to the latest FT ranking of the top 100 global business schools .

The US business school, part of the University of Pennsylvania, topped the assessment, which takes into account measures including value for money, alumni study aims achieved, gender and international diversity, the quality of academic research and school environmental policies, as well as salary and increases in pay. Schools’ participation is voluntary.

Wharton was followed by Insead in France, in second place, then Columbia in New York, SDA Bocconi in Milan and Iese in Barcelona.

MBA alumni are finding times tougher after graduation. In line with recent job cutbacks, including in banking and technology at a time of broader uncertainty in the global economy, graduate employment within three months of MBA completion across the ranked schools dipped to an average of 89 per cent, compared with 93 per cent the previous year.

The ranking also follows a year in which demand for business degrees has stagnated. The latest survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council in 2023 shows a drop of 5 per cent in applications for MBAs and a shift away from the full-time, in-person course and towards more flexible, part-time and online alternatives .

Global MBA Ranking 2024

harvard phd business requirements

Read the ranking and report , plus how we compiled our league table . Spotlight on the MBA webinar, February 21: businesseducation.live.ft.com .

The Wharton School , led by Dean Erika James, is ranked top in the research category, measured by recent faculty publications in leading academic and practitioner journals, followed by the University of Chicago: Booth , Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School .

Wharton’s alumni reported the third-highest average weighted salaries at $245,772, adjusted for those working in different sectors and for international purchasing power parity, three years after completing their courses. Stanford alumni had the highest weighted income, at $250,650, with Harvard graduates just behind at $246,509, while those from Columbia averaged $232,760.

Just four of the top 20 business schools ranked by highest weighted alumni salaries were from outside the US, led by Insead , south of Paris. The others were Milan’s SDA Bocconi , Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad .

Erika James, dean of the Wharton School

Stanford, in California, was ranked top for alumni assessments of aims achieved on their MBA, followed by Dartmouth College: Tuck in New Hampshire and the University of Virginia: Darden .

The University of Georgia: Terry is top for “value for money”, calculated by dividing the average alumni salary three years after completion by the MBA’s total cost, including tuition, forgone salary, opportunity cost and other expenses.

Four US schools were rated highest by former students for the quality of their alumni networks: Stanford first, followed by Dartmouth, Cornell in New York state and the University of Notre Dame: Mendoza in Indiana.

Georgia Institute of Technology: Scheller was judged top by former students for its career services, followed by UCLA Anderson School of Management , Shanghai’s Fudan University School of Management and then Peking University: Guanghua .

The highest salary increases — from when alumni began their MBA to three years after completing it — were reported at the Indian School of Business and two Chinese business schools: Fudan, followed by Shanghai University of Finance and Economics: College of Business.

MBA classes remain predominantly male, with an average of 41 per cent female students

The Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad is top for career progress — measured as an increase in responsibility in alumni’s role in employment and size of organisation — followed by Stanford and then Fudan.

SDA Bocconi School of Management is placed top for a public audit of carbon emissions in its operations and net zero emissions targets, followed by the University of Virginia: Darden, IE Business School in Madrid, Duke University: Fuqua in North Carolina, Esade Business School in Barcelona, and Rotterdam School of Management , Erasmus University.

MBA classes remain predominantly male, with an average of 41 per cent women across the 100 schools. Only Wharton, France’s ESCP and Audencia reported top-scoring parity between male and female MBA students, while 10 schools had more women than men.

The greatest diversity of employment by sector among students before starting their MBAs was at ESCP Business School in France, followed by Esade, Warwick Business School in the UK and then Brigham Young University: Marriott in Utah.

The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta is ranked top for the extent to which the most recent completing class carried out exchanges and internships of at least a month abroad, followed by HEC Paris, ESCP and then the Lisbon MBA Católica | Nova .

For insights into the ranking and business study, sign up for Spotlight on the MBA, a free online event on Wednesday February 21. The webinar is presented in partnership with leading business schools and will feature academics, admissions experts and FT journalists. businesseducation.live.ft.com

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International Edition

Concentrations:

  • Analytics and Business Intelligence
  • Information Assurance

Also offered as:

  • track under Business Administration, Ph.D.     and application area in Business Administration, M.B.A.    

The online global BAIS is a self-supporting program.  Information on tuition and fees can be found  here .

Please note: With the exception of the Department of Children and Family (DCF) waivers, all other waivers (including State of Florida and USF employee) are not accepted for Self-Funded/Self-Supporting or Market Rate Tuition program courses. For additional information, visit:  USF Tuition Waiver .

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Business Analytics and Information Systems (BAIS) meets the needs of the marketplace for expertise in analytics, information technology and management. Highly qualified individuals with motivation for leadership in information technology and analytics are encouraged to apply for admission to this program. The major meets the needs of organizations in information services, software development, management consulting, and other sectors wherer data analytics is used in industry. An Advisory Board consisting of senior business analytics and information systems executives works closely with the department to ensure that the program stays relevant and maintains high standards.

Accreditation Accredited by the AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Admission Information

Must meet University Admission and English Proficiency requirements , as well as requirements for admission to the major, listed below. Students are admitted to the M.S./BAIS program based on the evaluation of their application in its entirety, including:

  • For students with 3 years or more of relevant full-time work experience in Information Technology/ Information Systems/ Business Analytics in the region the program is offered, the requirement of standardized scores may be waived.
  • Students requesting such waivers should provide information justifying such waivers based on the above criteria. Additional documentation may be sought when deemed appropriate by the program.
  • Two letters of recommendations.
  • statement of purpose, and
  • For applicants with a 3-year Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution, the following requirements need to be met in addition to those listed above: Minimum GMAT score of 650 or a minimum GRE score of at least 321 (combined verbal and quantitative), and a minimum of 25th percentile in the verbal portion of the test. When the 3-year Bachelor’s Degree is less than 120 hours from Non-Bologna Accord Institutions, a transcript evaluation from A NACES member is required to confirm equivalency.

Curriculum Requirements

Total Minimum Hours: 33 credit hours

  • Core Requirements– 12 credit hours
  • Capstone – 3 credit hours
  • Concentration or Electives – 18 credit hours

The major requires 33 hours of coursework and may be taken either full-time or part-time. Full-time students with appropriate prerequisites may be able to complete the major in one full year (3 semesters) of study. Part-time students and full-time students who need prerequisites will typically need from 1 ½ to 3 years to complete the degree.

Prerequisites Incoming students are expected to have the following as prerequisites

  • A course in high-level, object oriented programming language (e.g., C#, C++, Java and Python) or substantial programming experience;
  • A course in Information Systems Analysis and Design or equivalent experience;
  • A course in Database Systems or equivalent experience;
  • A course in Statistics or equivalent professional qualification or experiences
  • A course in economics, or equivalent professional qualification or experiences and
  • A course in financial accounting.

These required prerequisite courses may be taken simultaneously with courses in the M.S./BAIS major. Prerequisite courses do not count toward the 33 credit hours of course requirements in the M.S./BAIS major.

Core Requirements (12 Credit Hours)

The following four courses provide an understanding of the state-of-the-art in research and practice in technical areas of Information Systems Management.

  • ISM 6124 Advanced Systems Analysis and Design Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6218 Advanced Database Management Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6225 Distributed Information Systems Credit Hours: 3
  • QMB 6304 Analytical Methods for Business Credit Hours: 3

Capstone Course (3 Credit Hours)

This course is considered the capstone of the M.S./BAIS major and as such it must be taken during one of the last two semesters of the student’s major.

  • ISM 6155 Enterprise Information Systems Management Credit Hours: 3

Concentration or Elective Option

Students select from the following concentrations or complete 18 hours of electives.

Analytics and Business Intelligence Concentration (18 Credit Hours)

Students will have to complete four of the following courses (12 credit hours):

  • ISM 6136 Data Mining Credit Hours: 3 *
  • ISM 6208 Data Warehousing Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6137 Statistical Data Mining Credit Hours: 3 *
  • QMB 7566 Applied Multivariate Statistical Methods Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6642 Statistical Programming Credit Hours: 3 *
  • ISM 6562 Big Data for Business Credit Hours: 3

And a minimum of 1 credit hour of internship:

  • ISM 6945 Business Analytics and Information Systems Internship Credit Hours: 1-2

(repeatable) (1 Credit hour required)

And five (5) credit hours from the Electives

In addition, graduate students who take the required four courses for this concentration and earn an average GPA of 3.00 or higher in these courses, will receive a SAS approved Certificate in Analytics and Business Intelligence, when they use a SAS analytics package (SAS Enterprise Miner or an equivalent SAS analytics package in the Data Mining, Statistical Data Mining and Statistical programming for Business Analytics courses, among other tools) as part of some of these courses.

If students take at least one of the courses marked with a * as part of the analytics and business intelligence concentration, they will receive a SAS approved Certificate in Analytics and Business Intelligence.

FinTech Concentration (18 Credit Hours)

  • FIN 6406 Financial Management Credit Hours: 2
  • ISM 6945 Business Analytics and Information Systems Internship Credit Hours: 1-2 repeatable
  • ISM 6930 Selected Topics in Management Information Systems Credit Hours: 1-6 taken as Fundamentals of FinTech (Proposed as FIN 6774)  Credit hours: 3
  • FIN 6779 FinTech and Payment Technologies Credit Hours: 3

And nine (9) credit hours as follows.  Students opting to complete electives in lieu of a Concentration, complete 18 credit hours of electives as noted.

Any one course out of the following:

  • FIN 6246 The Financial System and FinTech Innovation Credit Hours: 3
  • FIN 6416 Advanced Financial Management Credit Hours: 3
  • FIN 6455 Financial Modeling and Analytics Credit Hours: 3
  • FIN 6465 Financial Statement Analysis Credit Hours: 3
  • FIN 6515 Quantitative Investments Credit Hours: 3
  • FIN 6605 International Financial Management Credit Hours: 3

Any two (2) courses out of the following

  • ISM 6136 Data Mining Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6930 Selected Topics in Management Information Systems     Credit hours 1-6  taken as Data Science Programming (3 Credit hours)
  • ISM 6137 Statistical Data Mining Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6642 Statistical Programming Credit Hours: 3

Information Assurance Concentration (18 Credit Hours)

  • ISM 6328 Information Security & Risk Management Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6577 Decision Processes for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6945 Business Analytics and Information Systems Internship Credit Hours: 1-2 repeatable (1 credit hour required)

And any two courses (6 Credit hours) from the set of courses listed below:

  • ISM 6145 Seminar on Software Testing Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6316 Project Management Credit Hours: 3

and five (5) credit hours from the Elecctives

Electives (18 Credit Hours)

Students opting to complete electives in lieu of a Concentration, complete 18 credit hours of electives as noted:  

Up to eighteen graduate level credits may be selected from additional Information Systems courses or (with prior approval by the academic advisor) other areas of specialization such as areas of Management, Decision Sciences, Computer Science, Logistics, etc. Existing Course Offerings:

•    Other electives from across the campus may also be taken to meet the 33-credit hour requirement with prior approval of the academic advisor of the major.

  • ISM 6156 Enterprise Resource Planning and Business Process Management Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6251 Data Science Programming Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6419 Data Visualization Credit Hours: 3
  • ISM 6905 Independent Study Credit Hours: 1-6 (Repeatable)
  • ISM 6945 Business Analytics and Information Systems Internship Credit Hours: 1-2 (Repeatable)
  • ISM 6930 Selected Topics in Management Information Systems Credit Hours: 1-6

In addition, the following Special Topics are being offered:

  • ISM 6930 Selected Topics in Management Information Systems Credit Hours: 1-6 (Multimedia Applications)
  • ISM 6930 Selected Topics in Management Information Systems     Credit Hours: 1-6 (Mainframe Technologies)
  • ISM 6930 Selected Topics in Management Information Systems     Credit Hours: 1-6 (Text Analytics) (3 Credit Hours) (3 Credit Hours)

Practicum Option (1-6 Credit Hours)

The practicum option requires an investigation of a new information technology artifact. The project typically occurs in the student’s place of employment and is jointly supervised by a faculty member and a manager in the company. One credit of ISM 6905    would be taken for each semester that the student works on a project. The practicum would count for one to six hours of the 18 hours of BAIS electives.

Research/Project Option (1-3 Credit Hours)

The research/ project option requires working on an BAIS related project that involves research or community engagement. The project is supervised by a faculty member. One to two credits of ISM 6905 would be taken for each semester that the student works on a project. The research/ project option would count for one to three hours of the 18 hours of BAIS electives.

Comprehensive Exam

In lieu of a comprehensive exam, assessments comprising the capstone course ( ISM 6155   ) fulfill the requirements for the comprehensive assessment in the program.

Graduate Certificate Options

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