Residential MSBA Admissions

Start Your Journey

The MS in Business Analytics program is designed for individuals who want to delve into the art and science of deriving insights from data, within the context of business. We are looking for candidates who have strong quantitative skills, are intellectually curious, and can effectively communicate and work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Our Admissions Team wants to see you be a part of the Big Data Revolution. We are eager to help you through the admissions process so you can begin your journey at William & Mary in pursuit of your MSBA. If you have any questions regarding our MS in Business Analytics requirements or your application, connect with our team.

The William & Mary Advantage

The William & Mary MSBA curriculum is managed by our Analytics Board, a group of industry professionals who incorporate their perspective on the industry into the academic experience so our students are as prepared as possible to pursue a career in analytics.

Our program is classified as CIP code: 52.1301 under "Managerial Science." The competitive advantage you come to market with through our technical master's program allows you to pursue employment opportunities categorized as either a data scientist or business analyst.

Help leverage your new skill set to land the optimal job by connecting with our extensive network of employers and recruitment partners, alumni, and a variety of senior business executives from over 30 different industries across every functional area through our exclusive Executive Partners program.

Typical Residential MSBA Class Profile

85

Total Students
3.5

Average GPA
42 _%

Female Students
2 _years

Average Work Experience
33 _%

International
68 _%

Out-of-State Students
72 _%

Business & Economics Majors
26 _%

Students of Color

Application Deadlines

msba application deadlines
Application Deadline	Admission Decision
October 1	October 20
November 15	December 20
January 15	February 20
March 1	March 20
May 1	May 20

Application Requirements

All students admitted to the graduate programs at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business must have a conferred bachelor's degree from an accredited institution prior to matriculation. Admission to the MSBA program requires completion of the following steps:

Online Application Form & Fee

Each candidate is required to submit an online application form. In addition, a non-refundable application fee of $100 is required of all applicants. The fee is payable by credit card, personal check, cashier's check drawn from a U.S. bank or subsidiary, or wire transfer. William & Mary undergraduates and alumni, active-duty, veterans, and those who have served in humanitarian organizations such as the U.S. Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, etc., are eligible for an application fee waiver. Please contact [[m|MSBA]] to receive a waiver prior to submitting your online application.

GRE/GMAT Score & Waiver Process

GRE/GMAT Score Reports are required for all international candidates and recommended for domestic candidates with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0. While only recommended for some domestic candidates, if your academic background lacks a strong quantitative foundation, candidates may also benefit from submitting a score that can indicate a strong quantitative affinity. For a more individualized recommendation, please consult with Graduate Admissions at [[m|admissions]].

For those submitting scores, please request that official test scores be forwarded directly to Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William & Mary. You may submit an unofficial GRE or GMAT score report to the Office of MSBA Admissions at [[m|MSBA]] or via your application to expedite the processing of your application. However, if required, official test scores must be received prior to admission approval. Test scores are only valid for five years.

GRE Institution Code: 1996
GMAT Institution Code: 9DD-X7-77

Academics Transcripts

To expedite the application review process, applicants must submit an unofficial transcript. Note: unofficial transcripts will not appear as "complete" on the checklist until a candidate has submitted official reports at the time of enrollment. Please disregard this checklist status.

Once admitted, you will be required to provide an official transcript from your degree-granting institution. Official transcripts should arrive in a sealed envelope with the signature of the Registrar across the seal. Do not open official transcripts. Official transcripts can also be submitted electronically to Toni Sturdivant at [[m|toni.sturdivant]] via your institution's electronic vendor and using secure portals. A transcript sent directly by the applicant will not be accepted as official. William & Mary graduates are only required to upload an unofficial transcript.

Transcripts for study abroad programs or transfer credits are not required if the course and grade are included on the transcript of the degree-granting institution but can be requested by the Admissions Committee if deemed necessary. If your transcripts are in other languages other than English, also submit translated versions. Upon receipt of the official transcript, the status will be updated in the application checklist.

Recommendations

Two recommendations are required. It is strongly recommended that applicants request at least one recommendation from an academic reference, as it is important to know that you can handle the quantitative coursework required in the program. Please select individuals who are able to provide specific and relevant information about your intellectual and quantitative abilities, performance, and motivation. During the online application process, you will be given the opportunity to provide email contact information for your recommenders so that they can complete your recommendation online using our template (preferred method).

If one of your recommenders is unable or chooses not to complete the online recommendation form, you may print out a recommendation form to be mailed to our offices or returned to you in a sealed envelope with a signature across the seal. Letters should be written on letterhead stationery and must include a signature and full contact information for the recommender.

Personal Statement

Please provide a personal statement (required) and additional statement (optional) for the following questions, each on a separate page, following the guidelines regarding the length of each personal statement. At the top of each page, please include your full name and restate the question being answered. Use at least 11-point font and 1.5 spacing.

What are your professional goals, and how does a Master of Science in Business Analytics degree support those goals? (Required - 500 words maximum)
Is there any additional information that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee which would be helpful in reviewing your application? Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented in your coursework or resume, for example, an academic statement supporting analytics educational experiences not listed on transcripts. (Optional - 250 words)

Resume & Employment History

Work experience is not required for admission into the MSBA program. However, previous work or internship experience in data analytics are all considered when evaluating your application. Candidates with limited professional experience must be strong in other aspects of the MSBA application, such as excellent quantitative academic performance and clearly articulated professional goals. The application will require a resume to be uploaded.

Interview

An interview is a required element of the admissions process and is offered by invitation only to candidates whose applications have already passed through an initial evaluation. Candidates who are contacted for an interview are encouraged to conduct the interview in person in conjunction with a campus visit, but we understand that this is not possible for all candidates. For candidates unable to conduct an interview in person, interviews are also offered via Skype, telephone, or Google Hangout.

TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE

(International Applicants Only)

Applicants must have a fluent command of rapid, idiomatic English; they must be able to express thoughts clearly in speech and in writing. Applicants who have not completed a degree within the United States or who have not earned a university degree in an English-speaking country (not simply an English-speaking institution), or who have not lived and worked full-time in an English-speaking country for the past four years must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). We expect international applicants to obtain a score of 100 or higher (internet-based), 250 (computer-based), or 600 (paper-based) on the TOEFL and a 7 on the IELTS. The TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years. We consider the TOEFL or IELTS score along with the GRE/GMAT scores in the verbal and AWA sections, essays, and the interview to determine a candidate's language readiness to compete in and contribute to the William & Mary MSBA community. Our Institution Code for TOEFL is B308. Please have the scores sent to the office of MSBA Admissions. Please submit official test score reports. We do not accept copies.

If you have pursued an undergraduate degree in the U.S. or another English-speaking country, then you may be eligible for a waiver for the language-proficiency test. We will waive the test requirement in the following circumstances:

You have studied for at least four years in an English-speaking country.
You completed your undergraduate degree during that time.

International applicants must have successfully completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree to be eligible for admission to a graduate program at William & Mary's Raymond A. Mason School of Business.

Under current regulations, our program is STEM-certified (CIP Code 52.1301) and qualifies for the OPT-STEM extension of 24 months for a total of 36 months. Please see the Reves Center for International Studies for more information.

Military Applicants

Please note that the application fee of $100 is waived for active and retired U.S. military. Contact the MSBA Admissions Office at 757-221-1763 to request your application fee waiver prior to submitting your application.

Provisions in the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 allows William & Mary to offer in-state tuition to veterans making use of the GI Bill®.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites are not a barrier to entry into the MSBA program. By design, we accept a variety of formats to demonstrate that you satisfy the requirements through prior undergraduate and graduate coursework, remote competency exams, or in-person boot camps. All prerequisite waivers for Linear Algebra, R Programming, and Python Programming are required to be submitted no later than July 1^st, at which point every student without a waiver will be automatically registered for our intensive on-campus boot camp ($300/course) beginning July 29^th. Business prerequisite waivers are required by August 15^th.

Please note that all prerequisites do not need to be completed prior to applying.

The William & Mary advantage is that 1/3 of our program teaches advanced skills in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. We structured the MSBA curriculum so that students begin coursework at the intermediate level. This requires students to have a solid foundation by completing the following prerequisites prior to matriculating:

Probability and Statistics

This prerequisite can be met by the following:

University coursework (including community college) in Probability & Statistics. If a student has taken AP Statistics and/or Probability, an additional higher-level college-level course must be completed. There are online classes offered through the University of Maryland's University College (UMUC - Intro to Statistics) and Virginia's Community College System (VCCS - MTH 240) that have been pre-approved by the faculty. If you plan to take an alternative course in Probability and Statistics, please submit the class for curriculum approval before enrolling.

Linear Algebra

All deposited students are automatically registered for the boot camp sequence. Under certain circumstances, it may be possible to waive attendance by requesting approval by the program office to complete the competency test required by the faculty over the summer. The LA boot camp competency test-out window will be announced in the spring. You can prepare for this test in the following ways:

University coursework (including community college) in Linear Algebra.
Complete the following free online MIT linear algebra course.
Complete the following online course offered through Coursera.
Complete a self-study of the Linear Algebra concepts that are required for the program:
- Matrix operations
- Linear Systems of Equations
- Determinants
- Matrix inverse
- Dot and cross product
- Norms
- Vector spaces
- Linear dependence and independence
- Linear transformation
- Rank
- Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
- SVD/Singular value decomposition
- Linear transformations
- Gaussian elimination
- LU decomposition

Practice Test Practice Test Solutions

R Programming

All deposited students are automatically registered for the R Programming boot camp. Under certain circumstances, it may be possible to waive attendance by requesting approval by the program office to complete the competency test required by the faculty over the summer. The R boot camp competency test-out window will be announced in the spring.

DataCamp is a great way to prepare for the boot camp and your course of study. The following are a few short, self-paced courses you can take to get solid programming practice before beginning your Machine Learning course sequence.

Python Programming

All deposited students are automatically registered for the boot camp sequence. Under certain circumstances, it may be possible to waive attendance by requesting approval by the program office to complete the competency test required by the faculty over the summer. The Python boot camp competency test-out window will be announced in the spring.

DataCamp is a great way to prepare for the boot camp and your course of study. The following are a few short, self-paced courses you can take to get solid programming practice in Python, which is the language used in many of the MSBA courses.

Required Business Foundation Courses for Non-Business Majors

Non-business majors will be required to submit proof of completion of the courses prior to orientation. Send the certificates of completion to the MSBA program office at [[m|MSBAprogram]].

SQL (Optional)

DataCamp is a great way to prepare for your course of study. The following are a few short, self-paced courses you can take to get solid practice before entering your Database Management course.

Introduction to SQL

Min Zhao '22

"The MSBA at William & Mary was more in-depth in terms of the curriculum design, but what I think really distinguishes this program from others is that fellow students are from diverse backgrounds. I'm studying alongside music majors, economics majors, computer scientists, marketing professionals and logisticians."

Residential MSBA FAQs

Why pursue an MSBA at William & Mary?

William & Mary has a reputation of cultivating principled, ethical, innovative leaders since 1693. This institutional foundation and history, along with our passion for developing data scientists with technical caliber and strategic insight, is what attracts applicants to our program.

What are some unique attributes of your program?

Our curriculum is focused. Our faculty is world-class.

In 10 months, you will cover the hallmark subjects of analytics, including courses in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.

What sort of career placement help does William & Mary provide?

The Graduate Career Management Center offers personalized, dedicated career guidance to our job-seeking students. Seasoned career counselors work with our students to refine their resumes, hone interview skills in mock interviews, and develop their networks. The school hosts and partakes in networking events and job fairs throughout the year, including Meet the Firms, Tech Day, and Grace Hopper, which provides our students vital connections to Fortune 500 companies and esteemed alumni looking to hire William & Mary graduates.

Do all prerequisites need to be completed prior to applying?

Prerequisites are not required to be completed at the time of application to our program. However, they must be completed prior to the fall program start date. You can also connect with our team to find out more about transferring undergraduate or graduate credits to fulfill a prerequisite.

What are some ways prerequisites can be completed?

Many of our students complete their prerequisites the summer before matriculation using a variety of flexible and affordable ways like our intensive on-campus boot camp ($300/course), DataCamp online course, or remote competency exams.

Why are there so many prerequisites?

We believe a certain level of business acumen, mathematics, and programming is necessary for students to succeed in our intensive, 10-month program. By fulfilling the prerequisites, you will have the necessary tools and skills to immediately jump into our more advanced curriculum.

How does the application process work?

First, apply by the deadline(s). Then we holistically evaluate each applicant taking into account your undergraduate degree, GPA, quantitative background experience, personal attributes expressed in your resume, and your interview.

Are there scholarship opportunities?

Yes. Every applicant is considered for merit-based scholarships. On your application, you may also opt to be considered for a Graduate Assistantship, which pays an hourly wage and can offset your educational costs. Graduate Assistantships are limited and available in areas of research or administration.

What is the classroom like?

Ninety students are divided into two cohorts. Within each cohort, students are further divided into diverse learning teams. Your learning team is, in a sense, a mini-classroom that works together to dive deeper into the academic material.

What is student life like?

When you come here, you become part of our family, our Tribe. Our students seamlessly integrate into the greater William & Mary community through a variety of athletic, academic, and personal enrichment opportunities. Each cohort naturally becomes a tight-knit group because they live and learn closely together. Many of our students live on campus in graduate housing. This, coupled with our collaborative, team-based cohort model of learning, cultivates close, supportive relationships among our students.

Where do your graduates go after graduation?

Our graduates are all over the world, working in analytics and consulting as well as a variety of other dynamic industries. Some of our most recent graduates secured employment at Deloitte, IBM, Accenture, and KPMG.

What kind of salary could I expect?

Employers know the value of a William & Mary education, and our extensive alumni network enthusiastically supports our new graduates on their journey to land a job. On average, our graduates earn $80,000 annually but can earn as high as six figures in major markets.

Residential MSBA Admissions Events

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NON-DISCRIMINATION NOTICE

Unless otherwise constrained by law, William & Mary is committed to providing an environment for its students that is free from discrimination based on any personal factor unrelated to qualifications or performance such as race or color, citizenship, national origin or ethnicity, ancestry, religion or creed, political affiliation or belief, age, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, parental status, height, weight, military service, veteran status, caretaker status, or family medical or genetic information. (Full non-discrimination notice available online at https://www.wm.edu/compliance/discrimination.)

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF ANNUAL SECURITY REPORT

Information about campus safety and security may help you in your decision to apply. The most recent Campus Security and Fire Safety Report for the College of William & Mary, including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, is available on William & Mary’s website for review. This report is required by federal law and contains policy statements and crime statistics. Three years’ worth of statistics are included for certain types of crimes that were reported to have occurred on campus, in or on off-campus building or property owned or controlled by the university or on public property within or immediately adjacent to the campus. This report is available online at: https://www.wm.edu/clery/report or you may request a paper copy in person or to be mailed to you at no expense from the Office of Compliance & Equity, James Blair Hall, Suite 101, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23185, 757.221.3146

Residential MSBA Admissions

The William & Mary Advantage

Typical Residential MSBA Class Profile

Total Students

Average GPA

Female Students

Average Work Experience

International

Out-of-State Students

Business & Economics Majors

Students of Color

Application Deadlines

Application Requirements

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Prerequisites

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Min Zhao '22

Residential MSBA FAQs

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Residential MSBA Admissions Events

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Audiences

Resources

The William & Mary Advantage

Typical Residential MSBA Class Profile

Total Students

Average GPA

Female Students

Average Work Experience

International

Out-of-State Students

Business & Economics Majors

Students of Color

Deadlines

Application Deadlines

Application Requirements

Prerequisites

Min Zhao '22

Residential MSBA FAQs

Residential MSBA Admissions Events

Notices for Admissions

Audiences

Resources