Hello everybody!

I was curious to see if anybody had any suggestions for me. I'm currently looking for an MBA in business analytics in the USA. Here's a bit about my background:

I did my undergrad at UNC with a major in regional planning. Since then I've been working in the transportation department of a major US city as an analyst. I research transportation data and work on proposed plans and overall system planning. I've been there for four years and have been given some pretty big projects but I can't see a future in terms of career development.

I'm considering an MBA because I'd like to build my management skills so that I can advance in my career. I really like working with data, but I don't think I want to continue in transportation. I may try to move into healthcare or finance after I'm done with my MBA.

Can anybody suggest some good programs in the US?

I think only the Kelley school has an MBA in data analytics. Why not focus on getting into the best MBA you can, and then decide when you are there which specialisation (if any) to take?

Stanford, Carnegie Mellon all have very good courses maybe without a formal specialization but the quality is simply top notch

At this stage I would suggest you to look for the best possible college you can get and then concentrate on the specialization because not many top collges offers MBA in Business Analytics .

Thanks, everybody for your help. It seems like the leaning is for me to pursue a more general MBA, rather than one with a specialization.

The only thing is that a specialized program could help me beef up my background in very specific ways. I saw that the Kelley program that Duncan mentioned offers targeted classes in modeling, which I think would be very appropriate for where I want to go in my career.

What about the NYU Stern program? Seems like they also offer some really interesting classes, including data mining and econometrics.

Since most business schools which are in universities will allow you to take some electives in other departments, I think most top-tier universities offering MBAs will be able to provide that. Certainly the great concentration of finance in the Metro NYC area give all the business schools around there more scale.

Since most business schools which are in universities will allow you to take some electives in other departments, I think most top-tier universities offering MBAs will be able to provide that. Certainly the great concentration of finance in the Metro NYC area give all the business schools around there more scale.

Notre Dame - Mendoza also has a concentration track in business analytics. There's a really interesting classes in data mining, as well as some analytics courses geared towards marketing and supply chain.

I dont know how directly relevant is this course. But I found that this may be suitable for your profile if you are interested in Europe.No harm to have a look !!!
There is a Masters in System Dyamics in University of Bergen.
And there is one Erasmus mundus masters also.

http://www.europeansystemdynamics.eu

Thanks, but I'm really only interested in MBA programs in the U.S.

I just found out Emory/Goizueta offers a related concentration in marketing analytics. Interesting stuff, but more geared toward those interesting in marketing, I'd wager.

I just found out Emory/Goizueta offers a related concentration in marketing analytics. Interesting stuff, but more geared toward those interesting in marketing, I'd wager.

Also, SMU Cox and Georgia - Terry both have MBA concentrations in business analytics. Might look into those as well.

How do you think the MBA program at University of Tennessee at Knoxville (with the concentration in business analytics) stands up to these other ones?

I think that the Tennessee program is probably not going to be as good as the ones at Carnegie Mellon, IU Kelley, and especially NYU.

I just don't understand why MIT Sloan doesn't offer an MBA track in analytics. Their tracks seem very limited, overall.

I just don't understand why MIT Sloan doesn't offer an MBA track in analytics. Their tracks seem very limited, overall.

Ok. I was looking at the program in Tennessee because it seemed more affordable than many of the other programs (the MIT MBA program is over $100,000!!)

But maybe there's a good middle ground - the one at Indiana Kelley looks fairly relevant.

I think the Tennessee program is interesting, but it's hard for me to imagine that there is a huge demand for analytics-type people in the region. Rutgers has a similarly-ranked MBA program with a specialized focus in analytics, and is in a place where you could network with larger companies who have more demand for these skills.

It is a more expensive program, if you're a resident of neither state. Just my opinion.

I agree that Rutgers is probably a better place - but really, what kind of demand is there for managers with analytics skills? I keep reading that this is the "hot new topic" for MBAs, but when you come out, aren't you just essentially an analyst?

I think that it's like managing in a finance environment: you definitely need to understand the nuts and bolts of finance to work as a financial analyst, but you also need to know finance if you're managing those analysts.

Same thing with analytics: if you're at a management level overseeing people who are analyzing data, you need to at least know the basics of how to collect it and the associated applications.