FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Students should have basic programming skills or a fundamental understanding of programming.
If you have already successfully completed coursework required for the MSBA-BA program, you will not need to retake those courses. Contact our Academic Director for additional information.
There is a tremendous shortage of people with analytics skills, especially in the area of analytics applications for business strategies. “Forty percent of respondents to a 2015 MIT Sloan Management Review survey say they have difficulty hiring analytical talent. Only 17 percent of “analytically challenged” firms say they have the talent they need.” ( 2015 MIT Sloan Management Review)
Virginia Tech is a leader in engineering, sciences and business and can address these needs by providing graduate students with a working knowledge of business analytics and the opportunity to hone these skills by working on multi-disciplinary project teams. This multi-disciplinary program–coupled with its capstone project in business analytics —will give students the preparation to excel in a managerial, data-centric, and technological environment.
Fee's are posted on the Bursar's website: https://www.bursar.vt.edu/tuition-fee-rates/tuition-fees.html
Undergraduate students with at least a 3.3 GPA may apply for accelerated admission to the MSBA-BA program. If admitted, this allows a student to take up to 12 graduate hours during the last two semesters of their undergraduate studies. With the approval of the student’s undergraduate department, some or all of these 12 graduate hours may apply to both their undergraduate degree and the MSBA-BA degree. Please contact the Academic Director to determine if this program is right for you.
The circumstances of each student are unique. The MSBA-BA program is designed as a full-time, cohort based program; the course structure along with the required capstone project will involve full-time interaction with corporate sponsors as well as project-based collaboration with classmates. If your circumstances will not permit you to enroll in the program on a full-time basis, please contact the Academic Director to determine if this program is right for you.
There are some exceptions but students must petition. Petitions must be submitted to the Academic Director.
Students will submit an online application through the Virginia Tech Graduate School. To get started, click here.
The circumstances of each student are unique. Please contact the Academic Director at msba-ba@vt.edu to determine if this program is right for you.
Once admitted into the program, students cannot delay or defer enrollment. If emergency issues or other circumstances arise after being admitted, please contact Academic Director at msba-ba@vt.edu.
The deadline for applications is March 1. Late applications are welcome and will be processed as space allows. Per Virginia Tech Graduate School policy, international students must apply by February 1.
No. As of the 2022-23 application cycle, we are no longer requiring GMAT/GRE test scores.
No. It helps if students have had an economics class (or can complete one before the program starts) and some exposure to programming and database concepts. However, none of these things are pre-requisites for applying or admission to the program. All undergraduate majors are welcome to apply.
Students enrolled in our MSBA-BA program can choose to participate in the INFORMS aCAP Academic Pathway. Participants pay a discounted INFORMS membership fee and receive access to a 1-hour Foundations of Data Ethics course. Once these students complete the course and graduate from the MSBA-BA program, they will receive the aCAP credential. Learn more here.