An overview of the Master of Science in Analytics degree program at the Institute for Advanced Analytics at NC State University. Founded in 2006. By Professor Michael Rappa, Director.

1. MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
ANALYTICS
Michael Rappa
Goodnight Director and Distinguished University Professor
Institute for Advanced Analytics
North Carolina State University
• January 2018 •
analytics.ncsu.edu

2. The Institute for Advanced Analytics has been preparing
data savvy professionals for leadership in a digital world
since 2007. Our mission is to produce the world’s finest
practitioners of analytics — individuals who have mastered
complex methods and tools for large-scale data modeling,
who have a passion for solving challenging problems
through teamwork, guided by intellectual curiosity, honesty
and integrity, and who strive to attain the highest level of
professionalism through continuous self-improvement.
Jonathan, Jennifer, Jeremiah, Mirna and Viola
Class of 2016

3. Today, data is everywhere.
But there’s a scarcity of talent
with the skills to make sense
of it and create value.
The Master of Science in
Analytics (MSA) is a
professional degree that
focuses on the tools, methods
and applications of advanced
analytics. Launched in 2006,
it is the nation’s first full-
fledged graduate degree in
Analytics.
The goal of analytics is to
derive and effectively
communicate actionable
insights from a vast quantity
and variety of data. It covers
a broad spectrum of activities,
including data quality and
management, mathematical
and statistical methods for
data modeling, and data
visualization.
A new interdisciplinary
academic unit — the Institute
for Advanced Analytics — was
established at NC State in
2007 to oversee the program.

4. As the need of analytics becomes more widespread, there is
mounting demand for—and a growing shortage of—professionals
with the relevant data skills coupled with an understanding of how
the techniques are applied to business and the variety of critical
tasks facing decision-makers.
Jessie, Clare, Max, DT and Lisa
Class of 2017 Practicum Team
United Network for Organ Sharing
Richmond, Virginia

5. The Master of Science in Analytics seeks to:
enrich students with a challenging learning experience;
give them relevant skills valued by employers;
with a rapid time to degree completion;
and affordable tuition with a solid return on investment.
Most importantly...
open doors to professional employment at graduation.
Jaewon
Class of 2017
B.S., Mathematical Decision Sciences
UNC–Chapel Hill, 2016
Senior Associate Analytical Consultant
SAS Institute

6. Steve (’14) and Ryan (’12)
Preston, Doug, Nicole, Shannon and Pranav
Class of 2017 Practicum Team
eBay
New York City

7. The MSA is a comprehensive education that gives students:
the necessary technical skills;
while enhancing their ability to work effectively in teams;
strengthening their communication and problem-solving capabilities;
gaining hands-on experience with real world data using industry
standard analytical tools.
Most importantly...
prepare them to be productive analytical professionals from day one!
Asurion
Sam, Kiersten, Jola, Brannan and Shawna
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
AMC Theatres
Leawood, Kansas

8. As the country’s first full-fledged Analytics degree, the MSA was created
literally from scratch—an integrated curriculum with a unique blend of
statistics, applied mathematics, computer science and business disciplines.
It is a dynamic curriculum that continually evolves to meet the need.
John, Laura, Scott, Jennifer and Kelvin
Class of 2017 Practicum Team
Disney Parks & Resorts
Orlando, Florida

9. Intensive – accelerating the
learning curve through the
intensity that comes from
condensing 2-years of
graduate study into the
shortest possible duration;
Interactive – leveraging peer-
to-peer learning through
teamwork threaded
throughout the entire
curriculum;
Immersive – learning by
doing, by engaging in practical
problems from the real world,
and being totally immersed in
the subject.
The MSA is designed to be…
Francis
Class of 2016
B.A., Economics; Mathematics
Vanderbilt University, 2013
Senior Data & Analytics
Consultant at EY
Sarah
Class of 2016
B.S., Clinical Laboratory Science
UNC–Chapel Hill, 2012
Senior Associate Analytical
Consultant at SAS
Ahdieh
Class of 2015
B.S., Business Management
Babson College, 2012
Senior Consultant, Advanced
Analytics Enablement at Deloitte
Chelsi
Class of 2016
B.S., Mathematics
Claflin College, 2014
AVP, Operations Research
Analyst at Bank of America

10. 10-months of full-time residential study (Mon.-
Fri. / 9-to-5);
a fully integrated curriculum with its own faculty;
limited to 120 students, split into two 60-student
sections;
taught as a cohort, with all classes restricted to
students in the program;
delivered in a modern 30,000 sq. ft. facility for
the exclusive use of our students;
a professional degree aimed at placing its
students in employment upon graduation.
a menu of core and elective courses;
overly theoretical in its focus;
a research or teaching apprenticeship;
intended to be a prelude to a Ph.D.;
a business, computer science or statistics degree
in disguise;
a day longer than necessary to accomplish its goals.
The MSA isn’t…
The MSA is…

11. The MSA is a single integrated curriculum aimed at acquiring practical
skills that can be applied to real world problems, drawing upon…
applied mathematics
statistics
computer science
econometrics
operations research
marketing science
communications
Dustin
Class of 2017
B.S., Civil Engineering
NC State University, 2013
Data Scientist at Cognizant
Rocky
Class of 2017
B.S.B.A., Business Administration;
Economics UNC–Chapel Hill, 2013
Senior Consultant at EY

12. Matthew, Damon, Kristy, Darin and Manaswini
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
Elevate
Fort Worth, Texas

13. The MSA advantage:
students hone their skills working on gigabyte- to terabyte-scale data
problems drawn from real world organizations;
students use industry standard software tools and can obtain
professional certifications while completing their degree;
team-based learning emulates the reality of today’s workplace and
provides an opportunity to develop leadership potential;
frequent performance evaluations and individualized coaching guide
continuous self-improvement.
Joshua, Lucia, Sam, Jiajing and Nikhil
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
Asurion
Nashville, Tennessee

14. Manuel, Christopher, Bailey, Jennifer and Kevin
Class of 2016 Practicum Team
Cargill
Minneapolis, Minnesota

15. Experiential Learning: The Practicum
students work in teams of 4-5 individuals;
work on real world problems and data provided by industry
sponsor (under confidentiality);
highly structured, substantive work conducted over 8-months;
culminates in final report and presentation to the
sponsor;
projects are selected from a large pool based on learning
value (there is no sponsorship fee).
Tori, Alec, Polly, Shreye and Liping
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
Museum of Fine Arts
Boston, Massachusetts

16. Holden, Ryan, Catherine, Cecilia, and Kosta
Class of 2017 Practicum Team
B2W
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

17. Advertising
Agriculture
Airlines
Asset Management
Banking
Chemicals
Consumer Products
E-Commerce
Energy
Entertainment
Financial Services
Healthcare
Heavy Machinery
Hospitality
Insurance
Intelligence
Manufacturing
National Security
Non-Profits
Pharmaceuticals
Publishing
Retail
Social Media
Software
Sports
Telecommunications
Textiles and Apparel
Transportation
Since its inception, the Institute’s students have taken on 156 projects from 110 sponsors representing
virtually every industry sector.
Michael, Ashley, Alex, Cindy and Daniel
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
Revenue Management Solutions
Tampa, Florida

18. Jeremiah, Viola, Mirna, Jennifer, and Jonathan
Class of 2016 Practicum Team
Art Gallery of Ontario
Toronto, Canada

19. Class of 2018 Practicum Sponsors
AMC Theatres (Leawood, Kansas)
Asurion (Nashville Tennessee)
Central Intelligence Agency (McLean, Virginia)
Chick-fil-A (Atlanta, Georgia)
Direct ChassisLink (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Disney (Orlando, Florida)
Duke Health (Durham, North Carolina)
Elevate (Ft. Worth, Texas)
General Motors (Detroit Michigan)
M&T Bank (Buffalo, New York)
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Massachusetts)
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Texas)
National Council on Compensation Insurance (Boca
Raton, Florida)
Piedmont Health (Carrboro, North Carolina)
ProMetrics (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania)
Putnam Investments (Boston, Massachusetts)
Red Hat (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Revenue Management Solutions (Tampa, Florida)
The Home Depot (Atlanta, Georgia)
Trillium Health (Greenville, North Carolina)
Visionist (Columbia, Maryland)
Volvo Trucks (Greensboro, North Carolina)
Jabari, Allison, Caroline, TJ, and Ricky
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
NCCI
Boca Raton, Florida

20. Class of 2016 students run in Krispy Kreme Challenge to
raise money for the North Carolina Children’s Hospital.

21. MSA graduates are in high demand...
for 10 consecutive years over 90% of the candidates have received
one or more employment offers before graduation;
in 2017, 98% had offers of employment and 93% were employed at
graduation;
candidates averaged 11 initial interviews and 2-3 job offers;
many sectors of the economy are hiring;
wide variety of employers, from new ventures to global enterprises.
Ruth, Chris, Anderson and Eliza
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
Visionist
Columbia, Maryland

22. Kristi, Virginia, Aditya, Carlos and John
Class of 2016 Practicum Team
NFL Jaguars
Jacksonville, Florida

23. LEADING EMPLOYERS OF MSA GRADUATES
• Accenture
• Ally Financial
• Amazon
• Ankura
• Bank of America
• BB&T
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
• Boeing
• Cigna
• Citrix
• Cognizant
• Community Care of NC
• Deloitte
• eBay
• Elder Research
• Elevate
• Elicit, LLC
• EY
• Facebook
• Fifth Third Bank
• Genworth Financial
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Google
• IBM
• JP Morgan Chase
• Lash Group –
AmerisourceBergen
• Liberty Mutual
• M&T Bank
• Marriott International
• Northrop Grumman
• Putnam Investments
• PwC
• Red Hat
• Rho
• RTI International
• SAS Institute
• The Home Depot
• The Walt Disney Company
• TIAA
• U.S. Government
• Visionist
• Zencos
(Top-10 employers are highlighted in RED)
Barrett, Jennifer, Elliott, Amanda and Idrees
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
General Motors
Detroit, Michigan

24. Class of 2018 Intramural Soccer Team – League Champions

25. MSA graduates are highly valued...
In 2017, the average base starting salary was $95,000
over $100,000 for candidates for 3 or more years of
professional experience prior to entry
$90,000 for candidates with little or no work
experience prior to entry
base salary range: $70,000 to $140,000
median signing bonus: $9,150
ROI payback period: 24 months
Ned, Kyle, Kimberly, Veer and Carrie
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
Putnam Investments
Boston, Massachusetts

26. Julia
Class of 2016
B.S.P.H., Environmental Health
Sciences, UNC Chapel Hill, 2015
Advanced Analytics Data Scientist
at IBM
Taylor
Class of 2016
M.A., B.S.B.A., Economics; Finance
University of Alabama, 2014
Senior Business Intelligence Analyst
at The Home Depot
Ryan
Class of 2016
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
NC State University, 2015
Analytics Professional
at General Motors
Jason
Class of 2016
M.S., Chemical Engineering, Stanford, 2000
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Washington
University in St. Louis, 1998
Data Scientist at BCBS of North Carolina
Data Scientist Analyst Consultant Manager
24% 20% 20% 18%
Distribution of Alumni (n=650) by Major Employment Category

27. Citizenship
Non-U.S.
19%
U.S. Citizen
81%
Residency
Non-Resident
47% NC Resident
53%
Gender
Male
60%
Female
40%
Domestic Employment
3%
U.S.
97%
Distribution of Employment
Outside NC by Region
West
14%
Midwest
17%
Southwest
6%
South
40%
Northeast
23%
Employment by Major
Industry Sector
Other
13%
Gov/Mil
2%
Res/Edu
4%
Health
5%
Consulting
20%
Financial Services
25%
Technology
32%
Student Demographics,
Education and
Employment
Graduates by Cohort Year
40
80
120
Cohort Year
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Undergraduate Major
Other
8%
Engineering /
Science
30%
Economics / Finance
Business
29%
Mathematics
Statistics
33%
Prior Work Experience
3 or more
years
50%
1-2 years
21%
None
29%
Highest Prior Degree
PhD
3%
Masters
19%
MBA
4%
Bachelors
74%

28. Sean, Keona, Deborah, Jared and Craig
Class of 2016 Practicum Team
VF Corporation (The North Face)
Greensboro, North Carolina

29. Brazil
Canada
China
Germany
India
Myanmar
Poland
Russia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Thailand
U.S.A.
Uruguay
Armenia
Belgium
Canada
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
India
Nicaragua
Russia
Taiwan
Turkey
U.K.
U.S.A.
Armenia
Belarus
Canada
China
Colombia
Côte d’Ivoire
Hong Kong
India
Mexico
Peru
U.K.
U.S.A.
Vietnam
China
India
Mexico
Turkey
U.S.A.
China
Hungary
India
Pakistan
Poland
Taiwan
Ukraine
U.K.
U.S.A.
Bangladesh
Brazil
China
Colombia
Eritrea
India
Peru
Romania
Russia
U.S.A.
Australia
Belgium
Canada
China
Czech Rep.
India
Romania
Thailand
U.S.A.
Student Enrollment by Country of Origin
5
10
15
20
25
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Bermuda
Brazil
Canada
China
Colombia
Ecuador
Egypt
France
Germany
Italy
Hong Kong
India
Jamaica
Mexico
Russia
Taiwan
U.S.A.
Vietnam
Bulgaria
Brazil
Canada
China
Croatia
Egypt
Ethiopia
Ghana
Israel
India
Nepal
Nigeria
Pakistan
Russia
Taiwan
Ukraine
U.S.A.
Venezuela
Argentina
Australia
Canada
China
Dominican Rep
Germany
Greece
Ghana
India
Mexico
Peru
Poland
Rep. of Korea
Russia
Singapore
Spain
U.K.
U.S.A.
Uzbekistan
57 countries of origin since the Class of 2008.
Argentina
Brazil
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Egypt
Germany
India
Iran
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Spain
U.K.
U.S.A.

30. Geographic Distribution of Alumni (n=650)
332
69
34
17
16
11
30
12
22
15
19
12
8
3
2
2
6
3
1
1
3 1
2
1
2
1

31. 4.6/5.0
4.6/5.0
4.8/5.0
Satisfaction with
learning experience
Satisfaction with
employment
Likelihood to recommend MSA
to prospective students
Student Satisfaction Ratings
Class of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Exit Surveys
High
Low
0 150 300
High
Low
0 150 300
High
Low
0 150 300
n=346
91.4% response rate

32. Most peer programs in analytics and data science provide little or no data on
admission and student outcomes needed to make benchmark comparisons.
Instead we rely on MBA programs, which provide data publicly as part of the
ranking process, for benchmarking our performance.
The MSA compares favorably to the top-5 highest ranked MBA programs with
similar cohort sizes:
the MSA out-performed the selected MBA programs on 11 of 13 key
performance metrics;
were the MSA ranked alongside MBA programs, the analysis suggests it
would fall in a range between 21 and 29;
5th consecutive year the MSA performed favorably to MBA programs of
similar cohort size in the 20-30 range of the U.S. News annual ranking.
Ashley, Jared, Tom, Haani and Caroline
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
The Home Depot
Atlanta, Georgia

33. The Master of Science in Analytics
by the numbers…
Annual Benchmark Report
Annual Alumni Report
Annual Employment Report
Annual Admissions Report
http://go.ncsu.edu/msa-alumni
http://go.ncsu.edu/msa-benchmarks
http://go.ncsu.edu/msa-employment
http://go.ncsu.edu/msa-admissions
Elizabeth, Sarah, Daniel, Lindsay,
Matias and Adam
Class of 2018 Practicum Team
DCLI
Charlotte, North Carolina

34. Class of 2017 Commencement

35. Michael Rappa is the founding director of the Institute for
Advanced Analytics and a member of the faculty in the
Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State
University. As head of the Institute, he leads the nation’s first
Master of Science in Analytics as its principal architect. Before
joining NC State as Distinguished University Professor in 1998,
for nine years he was a professor at MIT. Appointed the inaugural
Goodnight Director in 2015, his current position is endowed and
named in honor of the University’s distinguished alumnus and
prominent American business leader Dr. James Goodnight.
About the Director
Jeremy
Class of 2015
B.S., Economics, University of South Dakota–Vermillion, 2014
Predictive Modeler at Great West Casualty Company
South Sioux City, Nebraska

36. THE
Institute for
Advanced Analytics
901 Main Campus Drive, Suite 230
NCSU Centennial Campus
Raleigh, NC 27606
twitter: @analyticsinst
email: analytics@ncsu.edu
analytics.ncsu.edu