MSc Business Analytics

Learn how to become a business-oriented data scientist

This course aims to take your analytics career to the next level and develop your ability to support and make decisions using big data confidently. You’ll learn and apply a range of techniques and tools to analyse data related to a range of diverse business operations contexts.

Develop analytical skills employers seek

You’ll gain a deep and thorough understanding of quantitative analytical methodologies and learn through hands-on experience with a range of decision-making software and data management tools.

Develop problem-solving skills

Your studies will focus on two major areas: analysing business data and using data to solve business challenges. On this course, you’ll learn how to apply new knowledge and demonstrate your skills prowess through practical problem-solving challenges.

Learn how to become a critical thinker

You’ll gain the ability to independently evaluate critical approaches and techniques relevant to business analytics. You’ll learn how to relate existing knowledge structures and methodologies to analytical business challenges.

Learn how to manage analytics projects

You’ll master the skill of running data analytics projects, from assessing and analysing raw data to preparing visualisations, and concluding by optimally communicating your results effectively to a select audience.

Software

You’ll get hands-on experience using a wide range of tools in the course, including:

• “R” as the number one analytics language for machine learning, artificial intelligence and prescriptive analytics
• Tableau and Power Business Intelligence (PBI) for decision making and visual analytics
• IBM SPSS Modeler for data mining and text analytics
• Stata and SPSS for Statistical Analysis
• PostgreSQL, MySQL and Microsoft’s SQL server for databases and structured query language
• SAP for enterprise resource planning
• Excel (using the Solver and Data Analysis add-ins)
• Simul8 and SIMIO for discrete event simulations and virtual reality animations.

Placement opportunity 

Our two-year MSc Business Analytics with professional placement year course enables you to spend time working in industry.

After a year of full-time study at Surrey you’ll be able to spend up to an additional 12 months gaining paid, professional work experience with an organisation. You’ll be responsible for securing your own job offer(s), however you’ll be supported in your search with a series of employability workshops and you’ll benefit from some individual coaching.

The University works closely with several potential employers to help facilitate successful placement applications and there are several resources setup by the Employability and Careers Centre to assist you.

If you decide not to complete a placement, or don’t secure an offer from an employer, you’ll complete nine months of teaching followed by three months working on your dissertation. This means you’ll complete your course in 12 months studying full-time.

Our 15-month MSc Business Analytics course enables you to spend time studying abroad.

If you choose and secure a place at a partner university, you’ll complete two semesters (nine months) of study at Surrey and spend a semester studying abroad. This means you’ll complete your course in 15 months studying full-time. You’ll not be writing a dissertation.

If you decide not to study abroad or don’t secure a place, you’ll complete nine months of teaching at Surrey followed by three months working on your dissertation. This means you’ll complete your course in 12 months studying full-time.

MSc – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University. Our graduates have lifetime access to Surrey Pathfinder, our online portal for appointment and events bookings, jobs, placements and interactive development tools.

Business analytics students often pursue careers as:

• Data scientists
• Finance analysts
• Operations researchers
• Consultants
• Managers
• Business intelligence analysts.

Our course runs over three semesters. You’ll take four modules in both Semester 1 (October to January) and Semester 2 (February to June). Semester 3 runs from June to September. You’ll carry out your independent project (dissertation) during this time.

Students who start in February will take four modules in Semester 1, two compulsory modules in Semester 2 and two optional modules in the Semester 3. For February students, Semester 2 starts in June/July of the first year, and Semester 3 starts in October of the following academic year. You’ll also carry out your independent project (dissertation) during this time.

Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.

The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff. Modules can be either 15, 30, 45, 75 and 120 credits, and additionally for some masters dissertations, 90 credits.

A minimum of a 2:2 UK honours degree in either Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Finance or Mathematics, or a recognised equivalent international qualification. We’ll also consider a minimum of three years relevant work experience in an analytical and data-intensive field if you don’t meet these requirements.