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OFFERING A CONCENTRATION IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS
AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
The Department of Information Systems & Decision Sciences MS Program now offers a new concentration in business analytics, business intelligence, and related IT skills. This program consists of 36 hours of coursework taken over a 10-month period from August to May. Additionally, the program emphasizes analyzing real-world large datasets, working on multiple teams, and presentation skills, which includes state-of-the-art visualization techniques.
Information about the Master of Science in ISDS program at LSU, including a program overview, admission requirements, prerequisites, and degree requirements.
Information regarding the many sources of financial assistance available to graduate students.
Information regarding the application process.
Miscellaneous resources available to graduate students at LSU. Includes links to information regarding financial aid, course descriptions, course offerings, career services, and more.
For more information contact:
Masters Advisor
James Van Scotter
3191 Patrick F. Taylor Hall
Phone: 225-578-4792
ISDS_MS_prog@lsu.edu
Program Overview
Admission Requirements
Degree Requirements
The special Master of Science (MS) program in Information Systems & Decision Sciences (ISDS) is pre-dominantly for students with backgrounds in other quantitative fields. The program emphasizes business analytics, business intelligence and information technology used. The student who will gain the most from the program will have an undergraduate degree in mathematics, statistics, engineering or computer science.
Overview:
- The Business Analytics/Business Intelligence Concentration (BA&BI) in the ISDS program is an intensive 36 course hour, 10-month program covering one summer at the beginning of the program and the following fall and spring semester.
- The program is based on an integrated curriculum including areas such as statistics, operations research and information technology. It is designed to produce a well-rounded business analytics & business intelligence professional ready to succeed in private industry as well as in government and non-profit organizations.
- The program includes a wide variety of business areas such as financial analytics, marketing analytics and healthcare analytics.
- The program has a very practical orientation. It uses large real-world databases with hands-on exercises to prepare the students to be productive employees immediately as they transition from the classroom to the workforce. While the ISDS Department faculty will mentor each student in the program to optimize individual learning, the program also employs a cohort learning model that emphasizes team-based learning.
- The program will be housed in the newly constructed Business Complex.
- Students are encouraged to obtain valuable professional certifications such as SAS certification during the program.
- The program strives for student placement at fortune 500 companies with above average salaries.
All applicants are required to take either the Graduate Management Admissions test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The admission decision is based primarily on the student's academic records and on the GMAT or GRE test score. Students who have graduated from a non-us school should check the LSU Graduate Schools Admission Requirements to determine if a TOEFL Exam is required. All candidates must meet the LSU minimum requirements (see business).
Project option requires 36 hours of graduate level course work described in the link below and passing a final examination, which is a defense of the student's project.
Project Committee - A committee of 3 ISDS faculty members to supervise the project, and assess the students' performance in the examination.
View the ISDS MS Program of Study here.
Overview
Graduate School Tuition Awards
Federal Work-Study Program
Loan Programs
Veterans' Benefits
In general no financial aid will be provided for this program. However there are some competitive assistantships and scholarships available. Students who receive a 10-hour assistantship qualify for tuition waver for the fall and spring semester, but not the summer semester. There are a limited number of research assistantships available in the Highways Safety Research Group (HSRG) to work for 10 hours on business intelligence and business analytics projects.
The graduate dean can award up to 200 tuition exemptions to graduate students from under-represented groups. These tuition awards provide for an exemption from the resident or nonresident fee, or both the resident and nonresident fees. Preference is given to students from Latin American countries and to African-Americans. Students must be admitted to a graduate program at LSU and be nominated by their respective departments.
Another form of financial assistance available to graduate students is the federal work-study program. A graduate student who qualifies for this program can be assigned part-time employment in an academic area or in any other University office. The amount of aid available is determined by assessment of the student's needs. Students may also be assigned to community service agencies.
To be considered for the work-study program, a current or prospective graduate student must file the "Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)." This form should be completed and filed as soon after January 1 as possible. It is to the student's advantage to apply early. Aid is awarded on a yearly basis, and students must reapply each year. Application forms are available from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid: 1146 Pleasant Hall, 225-578-3103.
The Office of Student Aid & Scholarships administers a number of loan programs created to help deserving graduate students who need financial assistance to continue their education . All such funds are subject to policies and regulation authorized by the Faculty Senate Student Aid and Scholarships Committee. To be eligible, a student must be making satisfactory academic progress. For more information on the available loan programs, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid: 1146 Pleasant Hall, 225-578-3103.
The Office of Veterans' Affairs has the responsibility for handling all applications for benefits under the various public laws. In order to receive full VA benefits, a veteran graduate student must be registered for nine or more semester hours. Details and additional information concerning benefits for veterans may be obtained from the Office of Veterans' Affairs: 112 Thomas Boyd Hall, 225-578-1547.
Students can learn more about the application process by visiting the Graduate School homepage. For specific information about the online application process, students should visit Graduate School Prospective Student Information. The ISDS department will only accept Masters students for the program in spring to begin classes in summer. The deadline for application is April 31st.
The ISDS department requires the following documents in addition to the standard LSU Graduate School application materials:
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of Purpose
- Résumé
These materials must be included with your other application materials. Please do not send material to the ISDS Department directly. Note that the application process requires you to first be accepted by the LSU Graduate School. The Graduate School evaluates all applications and then forwards them to the appropriate department with their recommendation. The Graduate School will not forward incomplete applications. Students can check their application status by visiting the admissions Web site. During peak application processing periods it may take 6-8 weeks for an application to complete the evaluation process, particularly for international applicants whose GPA's must be evaluated according to the appropriate standards for their country.
Minimum requirements for admission into the program are listed below:
- A GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- GMAT or GRE scores that meet the Graduate School’s requirements (the ISDS Department accepts either GMAT or GRE).
- International students must have TOEFL scores that meet the Graduate School’s requirements.
- International students must certify that sufficient funds are available to meet all costs while studying at LSU.
Work experience in business intelligence, business analytics, data mining, data warehousing, data management, programming, web development, and related fields is advantageous.
A degree in a relevant field is desirable. Some examples include: business, engineering, computer science, management science, operations research, production/operations management, economics, statistics, mathematics, physics, healthcare, and industrial/organizational psychology.
Admission to the program is competitive, so completion of a graduate degree, higher grades, test scores, and more relevant experience will improve your chances of being admitted.
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