Business Analytics MSc – 2021 entry

KEY INFORMATION

Start date: October 2021

Full-time: 1 year

Full-time (with study abroad): 15 months

Full-time (with placement): 2 years

Part-time: 2 years

Why choose this course

In our fast-paced, data-driven modern world, business analysts help organisations turn big data into big ideas. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and management science power decisions in business. You’ll gain data-led insights and optimise businesses by using descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics.

Our highly practical MSc Business Analytics course will transform you into a confident lateral thinker who is up-to-date on the latest theory and practice. While you benefit from the input of inspiring industry experts, in class and on-site, we will also make sure you’re immersed in the business problems faced by the global business community today.

We are ranked in the top 10 for business and economics in the United Kingdom by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020.

Software

You’ll get hands-on experience using a wide range of tools in the course, including:

• “R” as the number one analytics language for machine learning, AI and prescriptive analytics
• Tableau and Power Business Intelligence (PBI) for decision making and visual analytics
• IBM SPSS Modeler for data mining and text analytics
• Stata and SPSS for Statistical Analysis
• PostgreSQL, MySQL and Microsoft’s SQL server for databases and structured query language
• SAP for enterprise resource planning
• Excel (using the Solver and Data Analysis add-ins)
• Simul8 and SIMIO for discrete event simulations and virtual reality animations.

Placement opportunity 

Our two-year  MSc Business Analytics with professional placement year course enables you to spend time working in industry.

After 12 months of full-time study at Surrey you will be able to spend up to an additional 12 months gaining paid, professional work experience with an organisation. You will be responsible for securing your own job offer(s), however you will be supported in your search with a series of employability workshops and benefit from some individual coaching.

The university works closely with a number of potential employers to help facilitate successful placement applications and there are a number of resources setup by the Employability and Careers Centre to assist you.

If you decide not to complete a placement, or do not secure an offer from an employer, you’ll complete nine months of teaching followed by three months working on your dissertation. This means you will complete your course in 12 months studying full-time.

Study and work abroad

There may be opportunities to acquire valuable European experience by working or conducting research abroad during your degree or shortly afterwards. It is possible to do this in the summer period with an Erasmus+ grant working on your dissertation or as a recent graduate. In order to qualify your Erasmus+ traineeship must be a minimum of two months.

Our 15-month MSc Business Analytics course enables you to spend studying abroad.

If you choose and secure a place at a partner university, you’ll complete two semesters (nine months) of study at Surrey and spend a semester studying abroad. This means you will complete your course in 15 months studying full-time. You will not be writing a dissertation.

If you decide not to study abroad or do not secure a place, you’ll complete nine months of teaching at Surrey followed by three months working on your dissertation. This means you will complete your course in 12 months studying full-time.

Professional recognition

MSc – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Careers and graduate prospects

We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.

Business analytics students often pursue careers as:

• Data scientists
• Finance analysts
• Operations researchers
• Consultants
• Managers
• Business intelligence analysts.

Schools and departments

Surrey Business SchoolDepartment of Business TransformationDepartment of Digital Economy, Entrepreneurship and InnovationDepartment of Finance and AccountingDepartment of Marketing and Retail ManagementDepartment of People and OrganisationsDepartment of Strategy and International Business

Research areas

Centre of Digital EconomyCentre for Management EducationCentre for Social Innovation ManagementProgramme leaderDr Masoud Fakhimi

Accreditation

Modules

Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps. 

Important: In light of the Covid-19 pandemic the University has revised its courses to incorporate the ‘Hybrid Learning Experience’ in a departure from previous academic years and previously published information. The University has changed the delivery (and in some cases the content) of its programmes. Further information on the general principles of hybrid learning can be found at: Hybrid learning experience | University of Surrey.

We have updated key module information regarding the pattern of assessment and overall student workload to inform student module choices. We are currently working on bringing remaining published information up to date to reflect current practice in time for the start of the academic year 2021/22. This means that some information within the programme and module catalogue will be subject to change. Current students are invited to contact their Programme Leader or Academic Hive with any questions relating to the information available.

The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff. Modules can be either 15, 30, 45 or 60, 75 and 120 credits, and additionally for some masters dissertations, 90 credits.

The structure of our programmes follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:

Please note: this course is subject to validation, therefore no modules have been confirmed at this moment in time. These modules will appear once the course has been validated.

English language requirements

Course length	IELTS Academic requirements or equivalent
Full-time: 1 year	6.5 overall including 6.0 in each category
Full-time (with study abroad): 15 months	7.0 overall including 6.5 in each category
Full-time (with placement): 2 years	7.0 overall including 6.5 in each category
Part-time: 2 years	6.5 overall including 6.0 in each category

View the other English language qualifications that we accept.

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Credit transfer

The University of Surrey recognises that many students enter their higher education course with valuable knowledge and skills developed through a range of professional, vocational and community contexts. If this applies to you, a process called recognition of prior learning (RPL) may allow you to enter your course at a point appropriate to your previous learning and experience, or to join the start of a course without the formal entry requirements. This means that you may be exempt from certain elements of study in the course for which you have applied and be awarded credit based on your previous qualifications/experience. There are restrictions on RPL for some courses and fees may be payable for certain claims.