(SISDS)
To view the departmental website for this program, click here.
Students enrolled in the Master of Science in Analytics (MS) program (ISDS) learn to blend information management techniques and advanced statistical methods to distill critical business information from massive and often complex data sets. Graduates will use data-driven problem-solving and decision-making methods to improve their organization’s internal efficiency and its external competitiveness. Their work will influence key organizational decisions and strategies. The program is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in business, mathematics, statistics, engineering, or computer science with strong quantitative skills. Typical areas of application include Fraud Detection, Financial Analytics, Marketing, Web Analytics, Supply Chain Management, and Health Care Analytics. Graduates can expect challenging and rewarding jobs with above average salaries and above average opportunity for advancement.
Students will complete 36 hours of intensive coursework over a ten month period. The MS curriculum integrates relevant topics from statistics, operations research, information technology, and communication to provide graduates with concentrated sets of knowledge and proficiencies that are relevant to private companies, non-profits, and government organizations. The program uses a cohort–based learning model that emphasizes teamwork and engages students in multiple roles. The curriculum emphasizes management of very large, real-world data sets, advanced statistical methods, teamwork, and presentation and communication skills including state-of-the-art visualization techniques. Specific curricular requirements are listed below:
- A total of at least 36 hours of credit at the graduate level.
- At least 21 hours of the graduate credit must be at the 7000 level or above.
- Six hours of thesis/project work (two three-hour sections of ISDS 7990 taken consecutively in the fall and spring semesters)
- Completion of a thesis, project, or exam.
- A passing grade on the final examination, which is a defense of the student’s thesis or project.
Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. The following information should accompany applications submitted to the Graduate School: transcript(s) of all previous undergraduate and graduate work attempted or completed; GMAT or GRE scores (quantitative, verbal, and total) and TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores (for international students). These items should be sent directly from the university or ETS to the LSU Graduate School Student Services Office (see gradschool.lsu.edu/ for information).
All applicants are required to provide recent scores for the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Admission decisions are primarily based on academic records, recommendation letters, and the GMAT/GRE test scores. Students who have graduated from a non-US school should check the LSU Graduate School’s Admission Requirements to determine if a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE exam is required. All applicants must meet the minimum requirement for LSU, which are listed on the Graduate School web pages. When all requirements are met, the Graduate School requests that the Department of ISDS review the application. The final admission decision is made by the department’s Master’s Degree Admissions Committee. Preference is given to applicants with higher GPAs and higher scores on the GMAT or GRE, and particularly to those with higher scores on the quantitative portion of the GMAT or GRE. All materials should be submitted to the Graduate School. The Department of ISDS admits students to the MS program in ISDS with a concentration in BA and BI only for the summer semester. Classes start on August 1st (or the first week day after August 1st). The application deadlines for the MS in ISDS are the same as the Graduate School’s deadlines.