Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Louisiana State University Baton Rouge

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics at Louisiana State University combines business knowledge with data analytics, preparing students to collect, prepare, analyze, visualize, and interpret data to support smarter business decisions. It is well suited to students interested in data-driven careers across areas such as finance, marketing, human resources, operations, and supply chain management, with the 120-hour curriculum covering preparative, descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics.

Curriculum Structure

Freshman Year: Students establish their business and quantitative foundation through subjects such as ENGL 1001 English Composition, MATH 1021 College Algebra, ECON 2000 Principles of Microeconomics, and ISDS 1102 Introduction to Management Information Systems for Business Majors. This stage introduces students to communication, economics, information systems, and quantitative thinking that they will use throughout the analytics curriculum.

Sophomore Year: Students develop stronger analytical and business fundamentals through ISDS 2000 Business Statistics and Analytics I, ISDS 2001 Business Statistics and Analytics II, ACCT 2001 Introductory Financial Accounting, and ACCT 2101 Introductory Managerial Accounting. They also study BLAW 2201 Business Law, FIN 3716 Principles of Finance, and MKT 3401 Principles of Marketing, helping them understand how analytics is applied across core business functions.

Junior Year: Students move into specialized analytics through courses such as GBUS 3301 Descriptive Analytics, GBUS 3302 Predictive Analytics, and GBUS 3304 Visual Analytics. The curriculum also connects analytics with specific business areas through MKT 3501 Marketing Analytics I, MGT 4321 Human Resource Analytics, and FIN 4820 Financial Modeling and Analytics, giving students opportunities to apply analytical methods to real business decisions.

Senior Year: In the final stage, students deepen their analytical and business problem-solving abilities through advanced business analytics coursework and electives, including ISDS 3303 Spreadsheet Modeling for Business and additional business analytics applications. Students refine their ability to work with data, develop predictive models, create visualizations and dashboards, and use analytics to support decisions in finance, accounting, management, and marketing.

Focus Areas

Preparative Analytics, Descriptive Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Prescriptive Analytics, Business Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Database Design, SQL, Data Visualization, Tableau, Predictive Modeling, Financial Analytics, Marketing Analytics, Human Resource Analytics, Business Decision-Making, Data-Driven Strategy

Learning Outcomes

Students learn to understand big-data analytics and database design, write SQL queries, create and manipulate SQL views, prepare data using the CRISP-DM framework, build Tableau visualizations and dashboards, explain business intelligence concepts, select and evaluate predictive models, and apply analytics to finance, accounting, management, and marketing decisions.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The E. J. Ourso College of Business has been continuously accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) since 1931 and was most recently reaccredited in 2021. LSU states that AACSB accreditation has been earned by fewer than 5% of the world's business programs, providing an internationally recognized quality framework for the business education delivered through the college.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

The E. J. Ourso College of Business is ranked T-116 overall in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Undergraduate Business Programs ranking; this ranking applies to the college's undergraduate business programs rather than specifically to the BS Business Analytics major. For program-specific career information, LSU reports an average Business Analytics alumni salary of $47,000 two to five years after graduation, while the college's 2024–25 data shows 92% of graduates reporting positive post-graduate outcomes and an average starting salary of $77,266 across all Ourso College graduates.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students gain practical analytics experience by working with real data, developing visualizations and dashboards, applying predictive models, and connecting analytics techniques to business functions such as finance, marketing, and human resources. The Business Education Complex provides a collaborative environment for business learning, while LSU also offers faculty-mentored undergraduate research, internship and professional-development advising, and access to industry-focused opportunities.

Students can build practical skills through:

Analytics tools: The curriculum specifically develops SQL skills for extracting and manipulating database information and Tableau skills for creating visualizations and dashboards. Students also learn the CRISP-DM framework for preparing data for predictive modeling.
Spreadsheet modeling: ISDS 3303 Spreadsheet Modeling for Business gives students focused experience with spreadsheet-based business modeling; LSU also reports that Business Analytics students have earned Microsoft Office Specialist recognition through this coursework.
Business Education Complex: The award-winning Business Education Complex is designed around collaboration, innovation, and hands-on learning for real business challenges, giving students a dedicated environment for business study and interaction.
Undergraduate research: Business Analytics students can participate in faculty-mentored research through LSU's undergraduate research opportunities. One documented Business Analytics project examined cybersecurity laws using FBI cybercrime data, and the student researcher earned first place in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts category at LSU Discover Day.
Internship and career advising: The Office of Business Student Success provides academic and professional-development coaching, while the Business Analytics major has a dedicated undergraduate advisor. The office specifically supports students with résumé and cover-letter preparation, interview preparation, internship searches, and job searches.
Industry exposure: LSU's 2026 AI and Tech Virtual Career Fair specifically invited Business Analytics students to connect with employers about internships, full-time positions, and emerging technology career pathways.
Business research and knowledge centers: Students have access to the wider Ourso College ecosystem, including the Center for Analytics, Research & Transportation Safety (CARTS), Center for Economics, Business & Policy Research, and Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management, which provide additional exposure to applied business research and analytics-related topics.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS Business Analytics prepares graduates to use data and analytical methods to solve business problems across consulting, finance, operations, human resources, information security, supply chain, and strategy. LSU specifically identifies careers such as data scientist, financial analyst, human resource analyst, information security analyst, operations research analyst, strategy consultant, and supply chain manager, while the program also develops transferable SQL, predictive modeling, visualization, and business intelligence skills.

Typical job roles include:

Data Scientist
Business Analyst
Financial Analyst
Operations Research Analyst

Career Development and Graduate Outcomes:

Career services: The Office of Business Student Success provides academic advising, career and professional-development coaching, résumé and cover-letter assistance, interview preparation, and internship or job-search support. Business Analytics also has a dedicated undergraduate advisor.
Employment and salary: LSU reports a $47,000 average Business Analytics alumni salary two to five years after graduation. For the Ourso College overall, 92% of graduates reported positive post-graduate outcomes for AY2024–25, with an average starting salary of $77,266 across all graduates.
Industry connections: The 2024–25 Ourso College first-destination report lists employers including Acadian Consulting Group, Arrive Logistics, BASF, Chevron, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Fidelity Investments, Grant Thornton, JPMorgan Chase & Co., KPMG, and Wells Fargo among the college's top hiring employers. These are college-wide employers rather than employers reported specifically for the BS Business Analytics major.
Industry-facing career opportunities: LSU's AI and Tech Virtual Career Fair specifically includes Business Analytics among the fields targeted by participating employers, with opportunities focused on internships, full-time positions, and emerging technology careers.
Accreditation value: The Ourso College's AACSB accreditation has been maintained continuously since 1931 and was last renewed in 2021. LSU notes that fewer than 5% of the world's business programs hold AACSB accreditation.
Graduation outcomes: The latest Ourso College report records 1,058 bachelor's degrees conferred and 92% positive post-graduate outcomes for the reported AY2024–25 graduate cohort.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BS Business Analytics, students can continue into LSU's Master of Science in Analytics, Flores MBA Program, or Graduate Certificate in Financial Analytics. The Ourso College also offers graduate programs including the Master of Finance, Master of Financial Economics, Master of Accountancy, and doctoral programs for students interested in deeper specialization, management, research, or academic careers.