Online Master of Science in Analytics

Total credit hours per program: 36 credit hours

Cost per credit hour: $867

Total cost with fees: $31,212

*The specific elective course will be determined by the term schedule. Please consult with your advisor for details. 

LSU Graduate School Requirements:

1. Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited U.S. institution or equivalent from a foreign institution
2. GPA – 3.0 on all undergraduate work (or last 60 credit hours) and a 3.0 on any graduate work already completed
3. Official transcripts of all previous college or university work
4. Professional resume

Applicants who meet the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School's minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission. 
 
Any of these items may enhance your application package:

1. Work experience in the field of analytics.
2. An undergraduate degree or certificate in a STEM field, or analytics related.
3. A GRE/GMAT score is not required for application. However, a GRE/GMAT score may be requested at the department's discretion.
4. A statement of purpose (one (1) page maximum) that summarizes your reason(s) for pursuing a Master of Science in Analytics, and your reason(s) for applying to LSU. It may be helpful to draw attention to your specific experiences and education that make you feel that you will be successful in your pursuit of advanced graduate study in this field.

Applicants should have a working knowledge of statistics prior to entering the program (e.g., expected value, random variable, sample mean, median, variance, margin of error, correlation coefficient, sampling distributions, and hypothesis testing.). Applicants should be comfortable with accessing and using basic statistics and analytics software packages.  An updated Windows based laptop or computer is strongly recommended.

Additional information about LSU Graduate admission requirements are located here.

• Data Analyst
• Data Scientists
• Management Analyst
• Operations Research Analyst
• Quantitative Analyst/ Modeler
• Market Research Analyst

The online Master of Science in Analytics program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Students who graduate with an online MSA will earn valuable skills in business analytics, business intelligence, and information technology. 

 Topics covered in this degree program include: 

• Structured query language (SQL)
• Business forecasting and applications
• Multivariate statistics
• Operations research
• Clustering and data-mining
• Design of experiments​
• Predictive modeling
• Written and oral communication 
• Presentation skills 
• Visualization techniques

Why choose LSU’s online Master of Science in Analytics?

Our MSA program is a designated STEM degree that provides students the chance to engage with data-driven methods for problem-solving and decision making. The curriculum emphasizes the latest advanced data management tools such as SAS, SQL, R, SPSS, Tableau, and more. Students will also complete a team project that offers hands-on learning and relevant experience.

Additionally, students who complete the program are well prepared for employment. Graduates of LSU’s MSA program have found careers in sectors including the following: consulting, healthcare, insurance, oil and gas, and telecommunications.

The laptop requirements below are set forth so that students may not have any issue loading data or software to their machine.

• Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise, or Education (Education is available through OnTheHub)
• 4 Core, X64, 64 Bit processor
• 16 GB RAM (16 recommended)
• 500GB Hard drive
• ATA 100/7,200 RPM hard drive is preferred but a 5,400 will work
• A graphics card supporting higher resolution than 1024×768 (32-bit). (1 GB dedicated, non-shared, memory card is recommended.)​

By becoming familiar with the types of technologies taught in this program, students are given a head start in their field post-graduation. Apple Systems are not recommended as all software utilized in this course requires the Windows operating system. However, if you do decide to utilize an Apple computer you must have Windows (10 or higher) running prior to starting courses.​ This can be done through a partitioned hard drive or other means of split operating systems.

Question:  Will my degree say LSU Online?

Answer: No, upon program completion you will receive the same diploma as your on-campus peers.

Question: Do I ever need to appear at the LSU campus for LSU Online programs?

Answer: No, you do not. LSU Online programs are 100% online and require no on-campus appearance. Check with your program for any activities or events that may be available to you should you be in the Baton Rouge area.

Question: How do I find out who my advisor and/or class instructor is?

Answer: Your advisor will be assigned by your department. Feel free to contact your department for specifics as to who your instructor will be for a class. Generally, Moodle (the class delivery system) displays class information at least 10 to 14 days before the class begins. Instructions for Moodle are covered in the LSU Online Orientation.

Question: Is financial aid available for online students?

Answer: Yes, students in an LSU Online graduate program may be eligible for financial aid. For more information email your questions to lsuonlinefinaid@lsu.edu.

Question: Is the Master of Science in Analytics from LSU fully accredited?

Answer: Yes, the Master of Science in Analytics is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Question: Do I have to pay the full tuition upfront?

Answer: No, you pay as you go for each course you’re registered in for the term.