Master of Science in Data Analytics

Program Description/Overview

The Master of Science of Data Analytics (MSDA) degree enables students to learn the techniques and skills needed to work with diverse data sets, a range of analytics platforms and reporting tools, to ultimately tell an actionable data driven story, tell that story right, and tell it right now. 

Students are given the opportunity to roll up their sleeves in structured classroom environments to work directly with top enterprise solutions such as Google Analytics 360 Suite, Adobe Analytics Suite, Python, R, SQL, Hadoop, Moz, Hitwise, IBM CoreMetrics, Gephi, Power BI, Power Pivot, and so much more. Coupled to a dynamic range of statistical data modeling methods and functions, students learn the critical skills required to work with stakeholders and descriptive, predictive, prescriptive, diagnostic and logistical performance outcomes. 

In the emerging fields of Big Data, Data Science, Analytics, and Reporting, analysts are in demand across all vertical industries. The MSDA program puts these roles within the grasp of graduates, including Analytics Associates, Enterprise Analysts, CRM and Customer Journey Analysts, market analysts, data scientists, Optimization Analysts, Supply Chain Analysts, and more.

Practical Training Throughout the Program: Practical training is an integral part of the California School of Management Leadership (CSML) programs and aligns with the academic goals and learning outcomes for each program. CSML graduate programs at Alliant International University require practical training from the first term until graduation.

Students in the ground program are required to participate in curricular practical training as part of their experiential learning throughout the program. Practical training is intended to develop professional and applied practice related skills and expertise in the student’s program through a variety of work and learning experiences which could involve supervised practical training and/or applied client projects. This is intended for students to gain in-depth, supervised practical learning experiences. This is required throughout the academic program from start on Day 1 to program completion.

Domestic students can contact the CSML Professional Development (CPD) Coordinator directly for guidance. International students must apply for authorization for Curricular Practical Training to the Designated School Official (DSO) and schedule an appointment at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the Curricular Practical Training. Please email ISSO@alliant.edu to schedule an appointment. Note that an international students may begin curricular practical training ONLY after receiving their Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement. To be considered Curricular Practical Training, the work must be related to your major field of study. Please view CSML CPT Application Process for International Students  for application information.

Emphasis/Concentration/Tracks

Concentrations

Healthcare Analytics

This concentration targets the expertise required in current healthcare analytics environments and provides a clear understanding of practical healthcare analytics decision-making. Students will be enabled to learn techniques and skills needed to work with diverse data sets, a range of analytics platforms and reporting tools to improve health care through the use of innovative and essential techniques that enable the delivery of efficient and quality healthcare analytics. Students will learn to select, prepare, analyze, interpret, evaluate, and present health data related to health system performance and effectiveness.

Informatics

Within the informatics concentration, students will focus on enterprise level information management tactics, techniques, and modeling methods for extracting, transforming, and loading data into essential reports and visualizations utilized for evaluation, synthesis and interpretation of business operations results. Students will learn to establish optimal data-driven recommendations and prescriptions from historic, current, and future data that align with stakeholder departmental end-state objectives, conversions, and goals.

Fast Track Program

Students who are in good academic standing (3.0 GPA) are eligible to participate in the Fast Track program for the DBA program. Students whose GPA is lower than 3.0 and interested in the Fast Track option will be interviewed by the PD.

MSDA students who are interested in the Fast Track opportunity to doctoral programs will write an application essay which will be evaluated by a faculty committee. Those students who are approved by the committee will be allowed to take Fast Track courses.

In the Fast Track program, MSDA students can take up to 9 units of doctoral level bridge courses from Alliant’s Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program. If students complete the bridge courses with a B or above grade, they can transfer these courses into these doctoral programs if they enroll in them at Alliant International University upon completing their MSDA program.

The following Fast Track is available for this program:

1. DBA

Program Learning Outcomes/Goals

1. Demonstrate an understanding of techniques for maximizing the value of data in organizations
2. Apply critical thinking skills in the context of problem solving in the business workplace
3. Project a positive, proactive and non-judgmental attitude towards diverse cultural and international identities in interpersonal and professional interactions
4. Demonstrate competence in communicating data solutions to organizational audiences
5. Apply knowledge and skills in data science in the context of the organization
6. Be able to make ethical and socially responsible decisions for data applications in business
7. Leverage teams in the applications of data analytics and information technology

Internship, Practicum, and/or Dissertation Information

Practical Training 

Alliant is approved to offer practical training throughout the CSML program curriculum to domestic as well as international students. Practical training is defined as an approved work experience which is an integral part of an established curriculum and is directly related to the student’s major area of study. This schedule is repeated throughout the entire program. Practical training can be part-time (less than 20 hours a week) or full-time (more than 20 hours a week), paid or unpaid. International students should see guidelines from the International Office regarding details of FT and PT practical training (see Curricular Practical Training section).  

Approval of practical training sites: Program Director or Faculty Internship/Project Coordinator will have final approval, which is required each term. Detailed procedures for approval of a practical training site and the training details will be provided by the program. International students will meet the International Office and the PDSO for guidance and approval. 

Class schedule: For each course, students attend ground classes on weekdays per the published schedule for the courses. Each course duration is 8 weeks. 

Students in the ground program are required to participate in curricular practical training as part of their experiential learning throughout the program starting on Day 1.  

A student will have eight weeks (one term) to secure a practical training/internship site once they start their selected program. Students who do not have practical training/internship by the end of their first term will be placed in a project by the school’s practical training coordinator. If a student loses their practical training at any point during their program, they must notify the practical training coordinator immediately. They will have a maximum of 4 weeks to get a new practical training site or to be assigned to a CSML professional development client project. Students are required to be involved in an internship or a project throughout the program from start on Day 1 to program completion. 

In practical training courses students will be engaged in developing professional and applied practice related skills and expertise per the student’s program learning objectives. This is achieved through a variety of work and learning experiences which could involve supervised practical training and/or applied projects and/or client projects.  

CSML’s Career and Professional Development (CPD) plan and infrastructure: Goals: 

Practical training courses are part of CSML’s Career and Professional Development (CPD) plan and infrastructure. Its goals are the following: 

1. To enable students to gain their real-world experiences before graduation, CPD aims to assist them in developing and polishing their resumes and cover letters while also equipping them with application of a discipline-specific body of knowledge and encouraging continuous learning in their chosen field of study. 
2. To provide students with opportunities to participate in real-world application, consulting and research projects, including business development, professional development, applications in minority-owned businesses and humanitarian causes, while also emphasizing the importance of multicultural/international competence and promoting team-based and multidisciplinary approaches. This approach ensures that students develop a well-rounded set of skills, including cultural sensitivity and the ability to work collaboratively across diverse teams, which are essential in today’s global and interconnected workplace. 
3. To provide students with support, resources, and opportunities to develop their professional literacy and communication skills, including written and verbal communication, presentation skills, and interpersonal skills. This will help students effectively communicate their knowledge, skills, and experiences to potential employers, colleagues, and clients. 
4. To encourage students to engage in application, research, and learning / scholarship opportunities independently to enhance their knowledge and skills. CPD achieves this goal by providing students with resources, guidance, and support. 
5. To take a holistic approach that directs, equips, and empowers students to take control of their future selves by providing resources, accountability, and motivation to remove ambiguity and replace it with confidence and inspiration, while also fostering conduct, judgment, dispositions, and ethics. This approach ensures that students develop not only the skills and knowledge necessary for success but also the ethical values and personal qualities needed to make sound decisions and contribute positively to society. 
6. To offer students real opportunities, inspirational instructors, and authentic practical experiences that can make a real difference in the world, while also helping students build their resumes and set them apart in the job market. 

It is the student’s responsibility to find practical training opportunities, however the CSML Practical Training Coordinator will support students in providing practical training opportunities. 

International students should meet the International Student Office (ISSO) and the Designated School Official (DSO) for guidance and approval to start their practical training. International students must apply for authorization for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to the DSO and schedule an appointment at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Day 1 CPT. Please email ISSO@alliant.edu to schedule an appointment. Note that international students may begin curricular practical training ONLY after receiving their Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement. To be considered for Curricular Practical Training, the work must be related to your current field of study in your program at CSML. Please view  CSML CPT Application Process for International Students  for application information. 

Credit Units

Total Credit Units: 33

Total Core Credit Units: 24

Total Elective Credit Units: N/A

Total Concentration Credit Units: 9

Degree Requirements

In addition to classroom instruction, all students in the on-ground program are required to get practical training experience in an approved setting for a minimum of 45 hours in every academic term throughout the program.

Prerequisite Courses

Applicants can submit a request for waiver to the program academic advisor. For consideration to waive the pre-requisite courses, students must satisfy one of the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s degrees: Students with undergraduate majors including a course in math or a course in statistics and a course in programming are eligible to apply for waivers of the program pre-requisites courses.
  • A 3-unit equivalent course completed at the bachelor’s level within the last 3 years in math or in statistics with a grade of B+ or better will waive the DAT50050  pre-requisite course. A 3-unit equivalent course completed at the bachelor’s level in programming (e.g., C++, .NET/C#, JAVA, R, or Python) within the last 3 years with a grade of B+ or better will waive the DAT50000  pre-requisite course.
  • In cases where the course(s) described above were completed more than 3 years ago, students can still apply for a waiver with the course syllabus from the year when they completed the course, and the program will assess the course contents to make a waiver decision.
• Master’s degrees: Students with a masters including a course in math or statistics in the previous 3 years completed with a grade of B or better can waive the pre-requisite course DAT50050 , and a course in programming, in the previous 3 years completed with a grade of B or better can waive the pre-requisite course DAT50000 . In cases where the above course(s) were completed more than 3 years ago, students can still apply for a waiver with the course syllabus from the year when they completed the course, and the program will assess the course contents to make a waiver decision.

The prerequisite courses for this program are to be completed during Session 1 and 2 of Year One:

• DAT50000 - Essentials of Informatics Using Python  (3 units)
• DAT50050 - Basic Applied Statistics  (3 units)

Emphasis/Concentration/Track Requirements

Curriculum Plan

The following curriculum plan is a sample and serves only as a general guide. Curriculum plans and course sequence are subject to variation depending on a student’s start term. Students must complete all coursework required for their program as set forth in their individual master plan of study.