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MS in Business Analytics Admissions

We are thrilled you are considering the Rady School of Management for your MSBA. The Rady Admissions team takes a holistic approach to reviewing all applicants and in recruiting a cohort that reflects academic excellence, innovation, diverse perspectives and hard work. We encourage you to explore the application process, meet our advisors, and to take the time to put together a high quality application that reflects you and your career aspirations. This is your opportunity to invest in yourself and make the impact you want to have on the world.

Successful applicants to the Rady MSBA program will have either:

  1. An undergraduate degree in a quantitative discipline such as mathematics, economics, statistics, physics, engineering, or computer science,
    - or -
  2. Relevant work experience, a strong quantitative foundation, a curiosity about data and how it can solve business problems, and familiarity with the use of quantitative information in the workplace. 

Students with a non-quantitative undergraduate degree and less than five years of work experience will be considered on an exceptional basis if:

  1. Their work experience is in the area of business analytics or marketing research
    - or -
  2. They have developed a strong quantitative background through additional coursework or relevant work experience.

Given the concentrated curriculum, the program prioritizes students who have a solid foundation in quantitative methods. Successful applicants will have completed college coursework in calculus and in either probability or statistics. Additionally, each student must demonstrate evidence of programming proficiency from prior college course work, professional experience, or a certificate from a continuing education program (e.g., a Coursera course on R-programming)

Additionally, each student must demonstrate evidence of programming proficiency from ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: prior college coursework, professional experience, a continuing education program, Coursera, or EdX. If you are new to Python or R, we strongly recommend you also complete courses on programming in Python and R from Data Camp or Coursera.

The Rady Admissions Committee reviews applications as they are received and makes decisions on a rolling basis. The number of seats is limited so applying early increases your likelihood of gaining admission, housing, and financial assistance.

Summer 2024 Application Deadlines

MSBA

  • Round 1: October 1, 2023
  • Round 2: November 15, 2023
  • Round 3: January 15, 2024
  • Round 4 (Fellowship & International Deadline): March 15, 2024
  • Round 5 (Domestic Deadline): April 15, 2024

Program Start Date: August 2024

Admitted students who enroll in the program are required to arrive on campus in time for the FT MSBA Program Orientation at the end of July 2024  (exact dates to be determined for 2024). 

 

*Applicants who apply by the Special Fellowship Consideration deadline have priority consideration for all donor supported and special fellowships (including all fellowships listed here).

 Watch: Full-Time MSBA Application Tips and Tricks: How to put your best application forward

 

Application Checklist

Application Form

Fill out the application form online.

Transcripts

You may provide academic transcripts in two ways: upload a PDF or Word document of your transcripts directly into the online application, or you can have your academic records sent to us from the institutions at which you studied. If you upload your documents and are offered admission, official transcripts of all your previous academic work will be required to verify the information provided in the uploaded files.

For international applicants ONLY: All international transcripts require an official translation into English by a certified translator. International applicants must submit a certified copy of their diploma indicating the degree received.

Upon Provisional Admission to UC San Diego

Beginning with the Fall 2023 admissions cycle, all admitted, international applicants are required to complete and submit a WES Course-by-Course evaluation. Please go to wes.org to create your account. You will be prompted to input your academic history, and will then be provided with a list of documents required for the completion of your evaluation. Applicants with academic work in progress who expect to complete a degree program before the intended date of enrollment at UCSD must provide evidence of degree conferral and a final academic transcript as soon as they are available.

Please do not send official documents to the Graduate Admissions Office. As an international applicant, you must submit a WES Course-by-Course evaluation via WES once you have been admitted for your admission to UC San Diego to be finalized.

Resume or CV

Submit your up-to-date resume or CV.

Quantitative Background

Provide details regarding your experience with computational programming (for example, C++) and with statistical, econometrics and mathematical applications and tools (for example, SAS, Stata, MatLab, R, S-Plus, Mathematica).

Recommendations

All applicants are required to submit two recommendations. It is highly encouraged that recommendations be submitted online. It is most important that recommendations be completed by individuals who are in a position to analyze your ability and academic promise.

Statement of Purpose

Your Statement of Purpose should be no longer than 500 words, double-spaced, 12-point font: The Rady School of Management MSBA program is designed to train the next generation of technology leaders who can help businesses deliver successful outcomes through business analytics and technology. This requires leaders who can make a significant commitment to developing strong technical and business skills. Tell us about a major commitment you have made in your life that challenged you (in business or your personal experience). What was it, how did you pursue that commitment, and how did you handle roadblocks along the way? 

GMAT or GRE Scores

The Rady Admissions Office encourages all applicants to prepare appropriately for these examinations. Study can be done individually, in classroom environments, or online. Though the Rady School does not endorse any particular test prep organization, the following are organizations that have been utilized successfully by previous applicants:

The GMAT/GRE test requirement is optional for the Full-Time MSBA application. Applicants are welcome to include valid GRE or GMAT test scores at the time of application submission.  You should be aware that your application will be considered incomplete and will not be moved forward or reviewed until official scores are received from the testing institution and verified by the Rady Admissions Office.

The code for the GMAT is 3NS-ZK-10
The code for the GRE is 4836

TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Score (for international applicants only)

  • TOEFL scores are to be sent from ETS to institutional code 4836. The average TOEFL for the Full-TIme MSBA program is 107.
  • IELTS scores are to be sent directly from the British Council or test-taking institution. The minimum IELTS score is 7 with a class average of 7.3.
    Select University of California, San Diego as the institution and have scores released electronically to Rady/ UC San Diego
  • PTE test takers must select the University of California, San Diego as a score recipient, then submit a copy of your scores directly to our Graduate Admissions office at: Rady School of Management, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive #0553, La Jolla, CA 92093-0553. Include your registration ID number and exam date on your application. Official scores will be verified online. The minimum PTE score is 65.

Demonstrated proficiency in the English language is required for all international applicants whose native language is not English. Non-native English language speakers may be exempt from this requirement if they have earned or will be earning a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree with grades of B (3.0) or better from either:

  • A regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction, or
  • A foreign college or university which provides instruction solely in English. You may verify whether your institution meets this requirement by looking up your institution in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). If English is not the sole language of instruction listed, if no language is listed at all, or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, you are required to submit English proficiency exam scores. No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) may be used in place of WHED as a means to obtain an exemption from the English proficiency requirement. 

Application Fee

The application fee is $135 for Domestic Applicants,  $155 for International Applicants. The non-refundable fee is payable by credit card through the online application. You may also pay by check, following the instructions in the online application. If you choose to pay by check, please note that your application will not be processed until your check has been received. Your application cannot be reviewed until the application fee is paid.

After You Apply

The Rady School admissions team reviews applications as they are received and makes decisions on a rolling basis. The number of seats is limited so applying early increases your likelihood of gaining admission.

  • After you submit your application, you will receive confirmation and instructions for further action, if necessary.
  • Once you have submitted a complete application, it will be reviewed to determine if the admissions committee would like to schedule an interview.
  • Interviews are required for admission and are by invitation only. Interviews are completed via an online and asynchronous interviewing platform. The Rady Admissions Office reserves the right to request to live interviews in certain cases.

If you have questions about the application process, please contact the Rady Admissions Office.