Student Experience
Master of Science in Business Analytics students will appreciate the support and access to resources that come from deliberately smaller class sizes and a cohort-based approach. You’ll be on the same journey as your classmates, working in teams and gaining exposure to real-world problems and hands-on learning opportunities. Foster is known for attracting high performers who are also skilled collaborators, which creates a strong community that extends to our alumni network.
Students have easy access to professors who are contributing valuable research to their disciplines while teaching at the highest level. Career Services’ professionals on campus help you plan your trajectory. Fellow students become partners in helping you succeed. Every facet of the program is designed to help you succeed.
Program Highlights
Flexible Schedule
The MSBA program schedule is geared toward enabling students to work full-time while enrolled in the program.
Classes meet:
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, weekly, from 6 – 9:30 pm
Saturdays from 9 am– 4:45 pm
Hands-on Learning
An applied business intelligence project provides the capstone experience in the MSBA program. Student teams serve as consultants tasked with a company-sponsored business analytics project. Drawing upon the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program, teams conduct in-depth analyses and present actionable recommendations to solve real-world challenges.
Teams
We’ve all worked on teams, but how do you optimize teamwork for the best results? Effective collaboration is a matter of discipline and drive. Greg Bigley, associate professor of management, developed a tested-and-proven framework for initially building and then further developing teams. Foster students greatly benefit from this learning, which was designed for broad application, from business school teams to corporate board rooms.
Guest Speakers
Hear from influential members of the business analytics community who come to Foster to provide guest lectures and share personal insight as part of the MSBA Leader Series. This speaker series connects students with innovative business analytics leaders through interactive seminars that impart valuable lessons as students see the application of classroom concepts to real-world scenarios.
Mentoring program
The MSBA Mentoring Program pairs professionals with students for monthly group mentoring sessions from late fall to late spring. Groups decide how to structure their time together and the MSBA Program Team provides training, guidance, and additional opportunities to connect.
The program allows students to have candid conversations with industry leaders- most of whom are Foster alumni- and help refine and work towards professional goals. This is a wonderful opportunity for students and mentors to build their networks and establish connections that last beyond graduation.
Company Treks
Company treks and tours allow students to build real-life connections with the work they do in class. While on-site, students tour facilities, engage with recruiters and learn about an organization’s unique culture and priorities. We often connect with UW alumni, and on special occasions, even meet top-level executives. In addition to the professional development aspects of these treks, we work to create opportunities for students to connect with their peers and build community.
Capstone Projects
Spring is when our students take what they have learned in the previous three quarters and apply it to a hands-on project provided by a sponsoring company. This practicum not only allows students to engage in real-world problem-solving but also provides them with invaluable industry experience. Past sponsors include Microsoft, Amazon, Alaska Airlines, and Nike. By collaborating with company leaders, students gain insights into their field of study and create tangible outcomes that enhance their resumes. The practicum is a unique opportunity to transition from academic learning to impactful, real-world application- preparing our graduates to lead and innovate in their careers.
Class of 2025 Profile
Average age: 26
Average years of work experience: 2.75
Average GPA: 3.6
Average GRE: 320
Student demographics
- 30% Domestic
- 70% International
- 53% women
- 47% men
Undergraduate majors
- Business: 35%
- Computer Science & Engineering: 34%
- Economics: 10%
- Social Studies & Humanities: 17%
- Math & Science: 4%
Regions represented
- Armenia
- Canada
- China
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- S. Korea
- Pakistan
- Saudi Arabia
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- United States
- Vietnam
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