STEM Designation
The MSBA is a graduate degree program with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) designation. Due to the demand of graduates with expertise in STEM fields, the Department of Homeland Security permits international students graduating from STEM programs to apply for a 24 month extension of their initial year of Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more detailed information, please visit the ISSO webpage.
MSBA Curriculum
11 Courses
31 Credits
Program Length:
Full-time in as few as 9 months
Part-time in as few as 21 months
Required Course (1 credit)
Must be taken on campus in the first semester of the program.
| SBS-700 | Unlocking Your Professional Potential | 1 |
Business Analytics Core Courses (18 credits)
| ISOM-631 | Data Analytics with SAS Base | 3 |
| ISOM-801 | Solving Business Problems Using Advanced Excel | 3 |
| ISOM-821 | Data Management and Modeling | 3 |
| ISOM-825 | Enterprise Data Management | 3 |
| ISOM-827 | Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence | 3 |
| ISOM-835 | Predictive Analytics | 3 |
Capstone Course (3 credits)
Should be taken as late in the program as possible.
| ISOM-837 | From Data Mining to Business Insights | 3 |
Required Electives (9 credits)
Students must complete three (3) courses, nine (9) credits of electives, 800-level or higher (exception 600- and 700-level MBA courses and 700-level HLTH and ISOM courses), within the Sawyer Business School and from the approved MSBA electives lists.
If a concentration is declared, three electives must be in one concentration area. The schedule of when courses within a concentration are offered vary by semester. Concentrations include: accounting, data science, finance, fintech, healthcare management or marketing.
Students who declare a concentration must submit an SBS Graduate Program Concentration Request Form. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor before they declare a concentration.
The concentration appears on the transcript, not the diploma.
Electives:
| ACCT-800 | Graduate Financial Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT-801 | Graduate Financial Accounting II | 3 |
| ACCT-802 | Graduate Financial Accounting III | 3 |
| ACCT-803 | Advanced Topics in Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-804 | Cost and Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-805 | Auditing and Assurance Services | 3 |
| ACCT-806 | Fraud Examination | 3 |
| ACCT-807 | Forensic & Investigative Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-824 | Big Data and Financial Statement Analytics | 3 |
| ACCT-825 | Management Decisions and Control | 3 |
| ACCT-865 | Accounting Information Systems | 3 |
| ACCT-871 | Not-For-Profit and Governmental Accounting | 3 |
| FIN-800 | Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation | 3 |
| FIN-801 | Money & Capital Markets | 3 |
| FIN-808 | General Theory in Corporate Finance | 3 |
| FIN-810 | Investment Analysis | 3 |
| FIN-812 | Capital Budgeting | 3 |
| FIN-814 | Options and Futures | 3 |
| FIN-816 | Risk Management in Banking and Finance | 3 |
| FIN-818 | Financial Econometrics | 3 |
| FIN-820 | Financial Policy | 3 |
| FIN-825 | International Finance | 3 |
| FIN-830 | Introduction to FinTech | 3 |
| FIN-831 | Portfolio Management | 3 |
| FIN-841 | Financial Forecasting | 3 |
| FIN-881 | Real Estate Finance | 3 |
| FIN-882 | Applied Risk Management | 3 |
| FIN-884 | Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
| FIN-885 | Enterprise Risk Management | 3 |
| FIN-887 | Fundamental Equity Analysis | 3 |
| FIN-890 | Data Analytics & Credit Risk | 3 |
| HLTH-705 | Health Systems I: Healthcare in the U.S. | 3 |
| HLTH-720 | Health Systems II: Economics, Law, and Policy | 3 |
| HLTH-730 | Healthcare Operations Management and Performance Improvement | 3 |
| HLTH-805 | Big Data Strategies for Health and Healthcare | 3 |
| HLTH-807 | Innovation: The Future of Healthcare | 3 |
| HLTH-810 | Quality, Patient Safety, and Patient Experience | 3 |
| HLTH-840 | Innovation and Strategic Management in Healthcare | 3 |
| HLTHIB-870 | Global Travel Seminar: Comparative Analysis of the Healthcare Systems in England and United States | 3 |
| ISOM-730 | Python for Business Analytics | 3 |
| ISOM-829 | Advanced Data Management Leveraging ETL Tools | 3 |
| ISOM-839 | Prescriptive Analytics: Modeling & Optimization | 3 |
| ISOM-840 | Security and Privacy | 3 |
| ISOM-845 | Business Intelligence, Data Visualization, and Storytelling | 3 |
| ISOM-851 | Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| ISOM-861 | Project Management: Gaining Competitive Advantage | 3 |
| ISOM-910 | Directed Individual Study | 3 |
| ISOM-920 | ISOM Internship | 0-3 |
| MBA-635 | Operations Management: Design and Analysis | 3 |
| MBA-640 | Corporate Financial Reporting and Control | 3 |
| MBA-650 | Value Based Financial Management | 3 |
| MBA-660 | Marketing: the Challenge of Managing Value | 3 |
| MBA-721 | Collaborate | 3 |
| MBA-730 | Innovative Thinking | 3 |
| MBA-740 | Immerse- Travel Seminar | 3 |
| MBA-760 | World Class Strategies | 3 |
| MBA-920 | MBA Student Business Clinic | 3 |
| MGOB-845 | People Analytics | 3 |
| MGT-860 | Leading Teams | 3 |
| MKT-810 | Marketing Research for Managers | 3 |
| MKT-814 | Strategic Marketing | 3 |
| MKIB-816 | Managing Relationships in the Global Supply Chain | 3 |
| MKT-818 | Global Product Innovation | 3 |
| MKT-820 | Sales Management | 3 |
| MKT-845 | Advanced Digital Analytics | 3 |
| MKT-846 | Marketing in the Age of Exponential Technology | 3 |
| MKT-854 | Biotech Industry & Marketing Application | 3 |
| MKT-855 | Digital Marketing Challenges | 3 |
| MKT-860 | Qualitative Methods and Customer Insights | 3 |
| MKT-870 | Advanced Marketing Analytics With R | 3 |
| MKT-877 | Customer Experience: a Neuromarketing Perspective | 3 |
| TAX-801 | Federal Taxation of Income | 3 |
Concentrations
Accounting Concentration (9 credits)
Required Course: (3 credits)
| MBA-640 | Corporate Financial Reporting and Control | 3 |
Elective Courses
Select two of the following (if MBA-640 is waived, must select three): (2-3 courses, 6-9 credits)
| ACCT-800 | Graduate Financial Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT-801 | Graduate Financial Accounting II | 3 |
| ACCT-802 | Graduate Financial Accounting III | 3 |
| ACCT-803 | Advanced Topics in Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-804 | Cost and Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-805 | Auditing and Assurance Services | 3 |
| ACCT-806 | Fraud Examination | 3 |
| ACCT-807 | Forensic & Investigative Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-824 | Big Data and Financial Statement Analytics | 3 |
| ACCT-825 | Management Decisions and Control | 3 |
| ACCT-865 | Accounting Information Systems | 3 |
| ACCT-871 | Not-For-Profit and Governmental Accounting | 3 |
| TAX-801 | Federal Taxation of Income | 3 |
Data Science Concentration (9 credits)
Required Courses: (9 credits)
| ISOM-730 | Python for Business Analytics | 3 |
| ISOM-829 | Advanced Data Management Leveraging ETL Tools | 3 |
| ISOM-839 | Prescriptive Analytics: Modeling & Optimization | 3 |
Finance Concentration (9 credits)
Required Course: (3 credits)
| MBA-650 | Value Based Financial Management | 3 |
Elective Courses
Select two of the following electives (if MBA-650 is waived, must select three): (2-3 courses, 6-9 credits)
FinTech Concentration (9 credits)
Required Courses: (6 credits)
Elective Course (1 course, 3 credits)
Take one from the following list of electives:
| FIN-882 | Applied Risk Management | 3 |
| FIN-884 | Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
| FIN-885 | Enterprise Risk Management | 3 |
| FIN-887 | Fundamental Equity Analysis | 3 |
| FIN-890 | Data Analytics & Credit Risk | 3 |
| ISOM-840 | Security and Privacy | 3 |
| ISOM-845 | Business Intelligence, Data Visualization, and Storytelling | 3 |
Healthcare Management Concentration (9 credits)
Required Courses: (6 credits)
| HLTH-705 | Health Systems I: Healthcare in the U.S. | 3 |
| HLTH-805 | Big Data Strategies for Health and Healthcare | 3 |
Elective Courses
Select one of the following electives: (1 course, 3 credits)
| HLTH-720 | Health Systems II: Economics, Law, and Policy | 3 |
| HLTH-730 | Healthcare Operations Management and Performance Improvement | 3 |
| HLTH-807 | Innovation: The Future of Healthcare | 3 |
| HLTH-810 | Quality, Patient Safety, and Patient Experience | 3 |
| HLTH-840 | Innovation and Strategic Management in Healthcare | 3 |
| HLTHIB-870 | Global Travel Seminar: Comparative Analysis of the Healthcare Systems in England and United States | 3 |
Marketing Concentration (9 credits)
Required Course: (3 credits)
| MBA-660 | Marketing: the Challenge of Managing Value | 3 |
Elective Courses
Select two of the following electives (if MBA-660 is waived, must select three): (2-3 courses, 6-9 credits)
| MKT-810 | Marketing Research for Managers | 3 |
| MKT-814 | Strategic Marketing | 3 |
| MKIB-816 | Managing Relationships in the Global Supply Chain | 3 |
| MKT-818 | Global Product Innovation | 3 |
| MKT-820 | Sales Management | 3 |
| MKT-845 | Advanced Digital Analytics | 3 |
| MKT-846 | Marketing in the Age of Exponential Technology | 3 |
| MKT-854 | Biotech Industry & Marketing Application | 3 |
| MKT-855 | Digital Marketing Challenges | 3 |
| MKT-860 | Qualitative Methods and Customer Insights | 3 |
| MKT-870 | Advanced Marketing Analytics With R | 3 |
| MKT-877 | Customer Experience: a Neuromarketing Perspective | 3 |
Business Analytics Learning Goals and Objectives
| Learning Goals |
Learning Objectives |
| Demonstrate ability to apply analytical reasoning skills in applying business analytics to solve business challenges (Analytical Reasoning) |
1. Identify the problem and related issues
2. Identify key assumptions
3. Generate salient alternatives
4. Examine the evidence and source of evidence
5. Identify conclusions, implications, and consequences |
| Demonstrate application of business analytics knowledge even in new and unfamiliar circumstances through conceptual understanding (Knowledge Integration) |
1. Acknowledge that the project covers different key functional areas in business
2. Display understanding across different key functional areas in business
3. Identify the methodologies appropriate to solve the problem
4. Apply and coordinate the methodologies to get the best solution for the problem
5. Display understanding of the implications of the solution for each functional area
6. Demonstrate overall ability to integrate knowledge from the different functional areas |
| Apply ethical principles to business analytics decision making.(Ethics) |
1. Identify conflicts of interests and pressures that could lead to unethical conduct
2. Understand what kinds of questions are helpful to ask oneself when confronting an ethical dilemma
3. Demonstrate the ability to identify and take into account the interests of different stakeholders
4. Understand how business strategies that facilitate "doing good" can be made consistent with profitability
5. Understand that what is legal may not always be ethical and that what is ethical may sometimes not be legal
6. Appreciate that ethical norms vary across different countries and cultures |
| Demonstrate effective oral communication about the entire business analytics cycle (Oral Communication) |
1. Organize the presentation effectively
2. Deliver the presentation with attention to volume, clarity, grammatical correctness and precision
3. Develop the topic
4. Communicate with the audience
5. Use communication aids effectively
6. Summarize the presentation |
| Demonstrate effective written communication about the entire business analytics cycle (Written Communication) |
1. Develop a topic with supporting details
2. Organize written communication effectively and logically
3. Use correct word choice and effective sentence structure
4. Employ normal conventions of spelling and grammar
5. Provide examples and supporting evidence
6. Communicate accurate quantitative results |
Course Substitution Policy
To substitute an approved elective for a core course, a student must successfully complete equivalent academic coursework at the graduate level in the seven (7) years prior to MSBA matriculation, “B” or better, and provide official transcripts (with English translations, if applicable).
All substitutions are evaluated upon a student's acceptance into the MSBA Program.
All MSBA students must complete a minimum of 31 graduate credits in the Sawyer Business School (10 courses and SBS-700)
Transfer Policy
Review of any coursework taken previously from an AACSB-accredited MSBA program will be completed on a case-by-case basis. The credits cannot apply to a previously completed degree and must be substituted with an approved elective. Only courses for which an earned grade of "B" or better and taken within seven (7) years prior to enter the MSBA program will be considered.
Students Who Leave Boston Before Their Degree is Complete
Occasionally, Suffolk MSBA students must leave the Boston area having not yet completed their degree. You may be able to transfer in six credits of elective courses from an AACSB-accredited MSBA close to your new place of residence. Courses must be pre-approved by Suffolk’s assistant dean of graduate programs and have a grade of "B" or better.
Students who leave the area may also be able to complete all or a portion of their Suffolk MSBA on a part-time basis online.
Transfer Credits from the Moakley Center for Public Management's Certificate Program
Students who have completed a certificate program through the Suffolk University Moakley Center for Public Management may have an opportunity to reduce credit requirements to an SBS graduate degree program (MBA, MMOL, MSA, MST, MHA, MSBA, or MSM). All course waivers and/or transfers vary by program and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the respective SBS Graduate Programs Office.
In order for a course to be considered, it must have an SBS graduate program course equivalent, the student must have earned a grade of B or better, and the student must have successfully completed the certificate prior to enrolling in the SBS graduate degree program.
Applicants must also meet the admission standards for the SBS graduate degree program to which they are applying.