The 3 + 1 accelerated plan permits students to receive both the B.S. and MSBA degrees in four years. Students admitted to this program will be allowed to take all 33 hours of graduate coursework prior to receiving their undergraduate degrees. Students interested in the 3+1 program must apply when they apply for undergraduate admission to Elon.
Graduation and Degree Requirements
To earn an M.S. in Business Analytics degree, the graduate student must:
- Have an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all graduate courses.
- Satisfactorily complete 33 hours and non-credit foundational courses related to analytics, power skills, finance, and accounting.
Degree Requirements
Non-Credit Requirements - Foundations in Technical and Communications Basics
The Elon MSBA program requires that all students demonstrate adequate preparation in Excel, Statistics, Python, and Power Skills prior to enrolling in the MSBA courses. *Adequate foundational knowledge can be demonstrated in one of three ways:
• Evidence of prior undergraduate coursework in these functional areas. To be acceptable, coursework should have been completed within five years of entering the MSBA program. If after review, the coursework is deemed as acceptable, students must also pass a qualifying exam (waiver exam) in Excel, Statistics, and/or Python. Course evaluations will be completed by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business. Waiver exams are administered by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business.
• To complete a waiver exam in Excel, Statistics, and/or Python, a student must be enrolled in the program (have Elon student status).
• Completion of Elon learning modules in Excel, Statistics, Python, and/or Power Skills. These learning are taught by Elon MSBA faculty and are designed specifically to prepare students for the core MSBA classes. A satisfactory grade must be obtained (at least a “C” or “P” grade).
• Completion of learning modules or foundation classes, usually taken at the undergraduate level, in Excel, Statistics, and/or Python from Elon or other approved course providers and institutions. Approval is granted by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business. After completion or upon approval, students are required to take the waiver exam in Excel, Statistics, and/or Python and obtain a satisfactory score. Waiver exams are administered by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business.
Foundational knowledge must be demonstrated in one of the three ways described above at least one week before you plan to take MSBA classes.
*Adequate foundational knowledge in Excel, Statistics, and Python are reviewed independently; therefore, a student does not have to demonstrate adequate knowledge for each in the same manner. For example, a student may demonstrate foundational knowledge in Excel through option one (evidence of prior undergraduate coursework) but utilize option two (completion of Elon learning module) to demonstrate foundational knowledge in Python.
Foundations in Accounting and Finance
The Elon MSBA program requires that all students demonstrate adequate preparation in accounting and finance prior to enrolling in graduate-level MSBA courses. *Adequate foundational knowledge can be demonstrated in one of four ways:
• Evidence of prior undergraduate coursework in accounting and/or finance. To be acceptable, coursework should have been completed within five years of entering the MSBA program. If after review, the coursework is deemed as acceptable, students must also pass a qualifying exam (waiver exam) in accounting and/or finance. Course evaluations will be completed by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business. Waiver exams are administered by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business.
• To complete a waiver exam in accounting and/or finance, a student must be enrolled in the program (have Elon student status).
• Completion of Elon learning modules in accounting and/or finance. These learning are online, asynchronous and are taught by Elon MSBA faculty and are designed specifically to prepare students for the core MSBA classes. A satisfactory grade must be obtained (at least a “C” or “P” grade).
• Completion of Elon undergraduate courses in accounting (ACC) and/or finance (FIN). classes. A satisfactory grade must be obtained (at least a “C” or “P” grade).
• Completion of learning modules or foundation classes, usually taken at the undergraduate level, in accounting and/or finance from other approved course providers and institutions. Approval is granted by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business. After completion or upon approval, students are required to take the waiver exam in accounting and/or finance and obtain a satisfactory score. Waiver exams are administered by the Martha & Spencer Love School of Business.
Students are not required to complete foundation courses before enrolling in the MSBA program. Upon admission to the program, students must demonstrate foundational knowledge in one of the four ways described earlier.
*Adequate foundational knowledge in accounting and finance are reviewed independently; therefore, a student does not have to demonstrate adequate knowledge for each in the same manner. For example, a student may demonstrate foundational knowledge in accounting through option one (evidence of prior undergraduate coursework) but utilize option two (completion of Elon learning module) to demonstrate foundational knowledge in finance.
Foundations Bootcamp
Non-Credit Requirements
Finance and Accounting Foundations
Technical and Communications Basics
For-credit Requirements
Analytics Core: 12 semester hours
| MSBA 6605 | Data Driven Analytical Models | 3 sh |
| MSBA 6615 | Information Storage and Visualization | 3 sh |
| MSBA 6620 | Business Data Mining & Machine Learning | 3 sh |
| MSBA 6650 | Responsible Analytics: Data Security, Ethics, and Governance | 3 sh |
Management Core: 9 semester hours
Students take MSBA 6450 plus two courses from the list below.
Management Electives
Two courses selected from
Analytics Electives: 9 semester hours
Students must complete three semester hours in Analytical Methodology and six semester hours in Analytics Practice.
Analytical Methodology
One course selected from:
| MSBA 6610 | Business Forecasting and Decision Models | 3 sh |
| MSBA 6660 | Deep Learning for Business | 3 sh |
Analytics Practice
Take six semester hours from:
Professional Development Workshop
Capstone Experience
Students take two semester hours total – taken over one semester or two semesters selected from one of the following: Industry internship, Internship with one of the Center for Organizational Analytics partners, or Research project (with paper submission) mentored by a faculty member.