FAQs

Our MSBA program leverages curriculum from our world-class MBA program to offer a unique one-year degree that balances technical data management and analytics subjects with a deep understanding of business context. It uniquely offers three flexible curricular tracks in data analytics, marketing analytics and operations analytics. It also offers a six-month, hands-on Capstone Project in which students work on a real-world data-analytic problem with a local company.

No, but we encourage a strong quantitative background that includes coursework in subjects such as mathematics, computer science, economics, statistics, engineering, and physics. Moreover, if the undergraduate training is not sufficiently quantitative, we recommend three or more years of work experience in a field related to business analytics.

The program will accept students with and without work experience. In either scenario, it’s essential to demonstrate in your essay how the Master of Science in Business Analytics supports your professional trajectory.

The MSBA program is STEM-designated. Eligible students may apply for up to 36 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon graduation. This longer duration is especially attractive to companies interested in providing immigration sponsorship to international students. For more information about OPT and OPT STEM eligibility, please visit the UC Irvine International Center website.

The MSBA program is an 11-month (four-quarter) full-time program. It requires eight core courses and five electives, for a total of 52 units to complete the program. Elective courses are organized into three curricular tracks;, however, the tracks are flexible and students can mix and match electives across the tracks. All MSBA students are expected to complete the program within four consecutive quarters during a consecutive 11-month period.

Students complete a group experiential Capstone Project in the winter and spring quarters. The project is drawn from industry and involves involve solving a real business analytics problem for a company, typically based in Southern California. The School has developed partnership opportunities with companies (e.g., Coca-Cola, Experian and IBM) utilizing business analytics in areas that align with the curricular tracks.

Students can choose their electives to specialize in one of three tracks: data analytics,; marketing analytics,; and operations analytics. The tracks are flexible in that there are no strict credit requirements, and you can mix and match electives to design a custom curriculum that fits your career goals.

We encourage applicants to review the admissions deadlines in advance to ensure all materials are submitted on time. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible to ensure they receive a decision by the corresponding decision deadline.

We use a waitlist to ensure that we can make admission offers across every application deadline. We do not have a specific number of available offers for any given deadline. Our offers vary each year, depending on the quality and size of the applicant pool.

International applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow sufficient time to obtain their student visa.

The GMAT or GRE are not required but strongly recommended for applicants whose GPAs are under 3.3. While these tests are not required, the admissions team is looking for evidence of strong verbal and quantitative skills. Note that GMAT and GRE scores are good for up to five years.

GRE results should be sent to UC Irvine institution code: 4859. For more information on the GRE, please visit: ets.org/gre.

GMAT results should be sent to UC Irvine institution code: 0DP-7R-40. For more information on the GMAT, visit: mba.com.

The minimum score for admission is 80 for the Internet-based test. TOEFL scores are valid for up to two years from your test date. Applicants may receive a waiver of the TOEFL if (1) all the requirements for the high school diploma, bachelor’s degree, or an advanced degree in a country where the primary and dominant language is English, and (2) English was the language of instruction of the school where the requirements were completed. If transfer credits were applied to your degree, these courses must have been completed in a country where English is the primary or dominant language for the TOEFL waiver to apply. For more information, visit UCI Grad Division's English Proficiency page.

As an alternative to the TOEFL, you may also take the Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). For the IELTS, the minimum required score for admission is 7, with a score of no less than 6 on any individual module.

TOEFL: Be sure to have your exam results sent to UC Irvine using the institution code: 4859. Visit TOEFL for more information.

IELTS: UC Irvine Graduate Division only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS test center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. An institutional code is NOT required. Please contact the test center where you took the IELTS test and request that your test scores be sent electronically directly using the IELTS system. All IELTS test centers worldwide can send scores electronically to our institution.

Applicants are waived from the English Language Proficiency requirement if they have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from a U.S. institution or institution at which English was the sole language of instruction according to the World Higher Education Database (WHED). Please see WHED's instructions on how to search for your institution. If English is not the sole language of instruction listed or if no language is listed at all, the waiver does not apply and the applicant is required to take and pass an approved English proficiency test. We accept both the TOEFL and IELTS exams. The scores from either exam are valid for up to two years from your test date. The minimum score for TOEFL (Internet-based) is 80. For the IELTS, the minimum required score for admission is 7, with a score of no less than 6 on any individual module. Exam results should be sent to UC Irvine institution code: 4859. Review the English Proficiency requirement.

We are looking for students who want to become “data scientists” or “business analytics specialists”; i.e., professionals with the training and skill set to handle big data and gain intelligence from it to create business value at companies across a range of industries. We consider a number of criteria, including test scores, academic performance, essays, résumé, work experience, and letters of recommendation. An Admissions Committee will balance the diversity of education, work experience, background, and leadership potential to build a diverse and high-quality classroom environment. We encourage you to apply if you have a genuine interest in the program.

To check the status of your application, log into your application and review your Checklist. We will notify applicants via email if their application is incomplete once it has been reviewed.

You may only apply to one program at the Merage School in a given admissions year. If you are uncertain about which program you would like to pursue, our admissions team is happy to discuss your background and career interests to determine which program would be the best fit. If you have already started an application, submitted an application, or received an admissions decision from one program but wish to apply to a different program, please contact the admissions office associated with the program you initially applied to. The admissions office will provide further guidance and instructions.

Contact our program office at specialtymasters@merage.uci.edu to schedule a consultation.

If you applied to a Merage School Master’s program within the last two years, you are considered a re-applicant. The first step towards reapplying is to contact the Recruitment and Admissions office of your program of interest and request instructions to re-apply.

Applications will be processed when the minimum requirement of two recommendations has been met. If you would like to hold your application for review until we receive an additional letter of recommendation, please email our program office.

No. Our program staff handles all transcript evaluations. WES services are non-binding, meaning they do not have the authority to overrule the evaluations conducted by UC Irvine’s Graduate Division. WES is considered a suggested guide and not an official evaluation of your credentials.

We are unable to accept unofficial test scores or transcripts. For your application to be complete, official documents should be sent to:

UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business
Attn: Master of Science in Business Analytics Program
4293 Pereira Drive, SB1 Suite 4200
Irvine, CA 92697-3125

GMAT: UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, Master of Science in Business Analytics Program, institution code: 0DP-7R-05
GRE: UC Irvine institution code: 4859
TOEFL: UC Irvine institution code: 4859
IELTS: You must submit a Test Report Form (TRF) to:
UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business
Attn: Master of Science in Business Analytics Program
4293 Pereira Drive, SB1 Suite 4200
Irvine, CA 92697-3125

We will not receive your official TOEFL or GRE score reports until 2-3 weeks after you have submitted your online application.

Applicants with a 3-year bachelor's degree* (except for the United Kingdom) need either an additional 1-year master's degree, a 1-year Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in the same field of study as the 3-year degree, or a 2-year master's degree in any field to be recognized as equivalent to a 4-year bachelor’s degree from the United States. We also accept the Chartered Accountant Final Examination certificates as postgraduate coursework when it is combined with a 3-year bachelor’s degree in accounting.