Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the general Graduate School requirements for admission to master’s degree programs. Applications must include all of the materials listed by the Graduate School as typical for master’s degree application submissions. In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, an earned baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by an accepted accrediting body in any scientific, engineering, or business discipline or a closely related field is required. Official GRE or GMAT scores are required for all applicants without an earned baccalaureate degree or higher from an accredited U.S. college or university. Applicants who do not meet a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) require GRE or GMAT scores.
In addition, prior to matriculation, the program requires:
- A current working knowledge of at least one higher-level (procedural) language; and a familiarity with computer applications
- A minimal background in mathematics is also required, including one semester of calculus and one semester of statistics
Individuals who have worked at a high professional level in the computer industry or business may be able to substitute work experience for specific subject area admission requirements.
GRE/GMAT Waiver
The GRE/GMAT requirement may be waived for applicants who meet one of the following:
- Earned a degree from an accredited U.S. college or university with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and above
- Hold a terminal degree (e.g., J.D., M.D., or Ph.D.)
- Have successfully completed a minimum of two of the required courses in the Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Business Analytics with a GPA of 3.5 or above, and a letter of recommendation from at least one of the DSBA course instructors
Waiver from GRE/GMAT must be requested from the DSBA Graduate Program Director when submitting the completed application. All waivers are at the discretion of the DSBA Graduate Program Director. Applicants satisfying one of the above criteria may be asked by the DSBA Graduate Program Director to report GRE/GMAT scores.
Early Entry Program
Exceptional undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte may apply for the Early Entry Program and begin work toward a graduate degree before completion of the baccalaureate degree. See the Undergraduate Catalog for details and requirements. Also see the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies section of the Graduate Catalog for more information about Early Entry Programs.
Accelerated Master’s Program
Academically talented high school seniors and UNC Charlotte undergraduate freshmen are encouraged to apply for the Accelerated Master’s Program to begin work toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees in their Freshman year. See the Undergraduate Catalog for details and requirements. Also see the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies section of the Graduate Catalog for more information about Accelerated Master’s Programs.
Degree Requirements
To earn the DSBA, M.S. degree, students are required to complete thirty-three graduate credit hours. This is broken down into 18 credit hours of core courses, 12 or 9 credit hours of electives, and a capstone requirement of either 3 credit hours for an Internship or 6 credit hours for a Master Thesis. A minimum of 21 credit hours contributing to the M.S. in Data Science and Business Analytics must be from courses numbered 6000 or higher. A maximum of 6 hours of graduate credit may be transferred at the discretion of the Graduate Program Director. All credit hours earned in the Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Business Analytics can be applied toward the M.S. degree with the approval of the DSBA Graduate Program Director.
