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Krannert School of Management: Preparing analytical business leaders for impactful careers

The business analytics job market is booming. Organisations are collecting more data now than ever before, and the demand for technical and analytical expertise to analyse that data is ever-increasing. Decisions need to be better informed by this data — and Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management has the graduates that meet this industry demand.

Although there are many other programmes to choose from, not many can acquaint you with state-of-the-art information technologies and analytical techniques that can be applied to all levels of an organisation. The Krannert School of Management offers two programmes that can help you do this and fulfil your dreams of landing that high-paying job in tech you’ve always wanted.

The Master of Science in Business Analytics and Information Management (MSBAIM) will help develop your existing skills, while teaching you the know-how of big data technologies such as Python, Rstudio, Excel, SQL, SAS, Minitab, and Gurobi. The 11-month in-residence — a feat made possible by its rigorous curriculum and track record in producing industry leaders. The best part? It is open to students of STEM and non-STEM backgrounds and prepares them for success in various roles.

Michael Jonelis, who graduated in May 2022, confirms this. “The great thing about the MSBAIM programme is that no matter what your background is, you can get set up for the future you want,” he says. “Having a background in business, I’m more interested in the courses in analytics and data science. Some of my classmates have strong coding skills and are more interested in learning econ, marketing, and operations. Either way, we’re able to prepare for the type of jobs we’re looking for when we graduate.”

The MSBAIM degree is STEM-designated is which means successful graduates of the programme may be eligible for a STEM OPT extension. This is a 24-month period of temporary training that directly relates to an F-1 student’s programme of study in an approved STEM field, in addition to their initial period of regular post-completion OPT (often for 12 months).

These graduates are set for fulfilling lucrative careers. As many as 96% of recent graduates state they were satisfied with their decision to attend the MSBAIM programme. This should come as little surprise — the programme has a 100% placement rate and an average graduate salary of US$121,632 (December 2021 graduates). For graduates, the average change in salary three years past their first placement is +$22,750. Five years out, it’s an average increase of $62,000.

What sets the Krannert School of Management apart is its emphasis on experiential learning. Both the MSBAIM and the Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) provide students with the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to an equally applicable area in a thesis or a project. Referred to as “Management Practicum” the module was designed to polish and integrate the knowledge and skills students gain from their coursework so that they can translate that into analytics solutions for an industry partner. Select MSBAIM Management Practicum students compete in analytics competitions to showcase their analytics skills.

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If you seek a secure, high-paying job that is also in demand right now, start with a master’s degree from the Krannert School of Management. Source: Purdue University

Students continuously use what they learn even outside the classroom, according to Chandeepa Cooray, an Online MSBA student originally from Sri Lanka. “The skill set and the theoretical knowledge that I learned from Krannert’s Online MSBA programme is amazing. Every single day, every single minute at work, I get to use the knowledge,” he says. “All the programming languages I use, or things like forecasting and descent modelling, it’s used at work. So right now, I’m learning and executing at the same time.”

Like many other students, Cooray is a prime example of a successful graduate of the Online MSBA programme. Based on Krannert’s residential MSBAIM, the programme has been consistently ranked in the top 10 in the US. Courses are taught by the same faculty teaching the in-residence MSBAIM.

Although as an undergraduate Cooray found online learning difficult, today it’s a convenient option now that he works for Subaru as a Senior Specialist in Operations. The flexibility of the 30-credit, 100% online programme, alongside its supportive and expert faculty, were some of the reasons why he chose to continue his studies at the Krannert School.

Above all else, it was the structure of the Online MSBA that he credits for his eventual success. “You have deadlines, but you have flexibility. Everything is recorded – that’s the best thing. You won’t miss anything,” Cooray notes.

Besides being able to improve his time management skills, Cooray has learned Python, a skill that he has long since wanted to master for work.  “I’m very new to Python,” says Cooray, who is learning from faculty member Roy Dejoie. “I’ve built a tool to track all the damages to our parts. Before, it was on Excel. It was inefficient,” he muses.

There is never a need to worry about not being able to take these skills you have learned at the Krannert School of Management to contribute to the workplace. This is partially due to the fact that Krannert is home to the Krenicki Center for Business Analytics and Machine Learning, a hub for businesses and students to find answers to data-driven business challenges. The centre hosts student-led consulting projects, conferences, and competitions, which also exponentially increases networking opportunities.

Are you ready to meet the demands of the business analytics sector? Apply now for the Master of Science in Business Analytics and Information Management (MSBAIM) and the Online Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) at Purdue University.