Business Administration BS - Data Analytics Concentration/Business Analytics and AI MS

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University at Buffalo SUNY

Program Overview

The Business Administration BS – Data Analytics Concentration/Business Analytics and AI MS combines a broad business education with focused preparation in data analytics, followed by advanced graduate study in business analytics and applied artificial intelligence. It is well suited to students who want to understand how businesses operate while developing the analytical, data visualization, AI and communication skills needed to turn complex data into business decisions.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by building the broad business and academic foundation expected of a UB business student, developing an understanding of economics, mathematics, communication and the role of business in society. Courses such as Introduction to Macroeconomics, Introduction to Microeconomics and Mathematical Analysis for Management establish the quantitative and business context that students later apply to analytics-focused study. UB describes the Business Administration curriculum as covering areas including marketing, finance, operations, management, technology, data analytics and organizational behavior.

Year 2: The second year develops students' understanding of accounting, statistics, communication and management while introducing the analytical thinking needed for data-driven business work. Courses such as Introduction to Financial Accounting, Introduction to Statistics for Analytics and Introduction to Management Accounting help students connect numerical information with business performance, decision-making and organizational activity.

Year 3: Students move deeper into management and analytical applications, combining subjects such as Statistical Decisions in Management, Corporation Finance and Organizational Behavior and Administration. The Data Analytics concentration is designed to help students apply advanced methods and models to business challenges, analyze and manipulate large datasets, and draw meaningful inferences from data.

Year 4: Advanced undergraduate study brings together business strategy, information systems and analytics through subjects such as Data Modeling, Database Management Systems and Business Analytics and Data Science. This stage prepares students to work across business functions while using data to support strategic decisions and provides a strong foundation for the graduate-level analytics and AI curriculum.

Graduate Stage – Business Analytics and Applied AI MS: The master's component moves from foundational business analytics into advanced technical and managerial capabilities. Core study includes Database Management Systems, Foundations of AI and Society, Mathematical and Computational Fundamentals for AI and Society, Statistical Foundations of Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Applied AI for Managers, Data Visualization for Business Insights and an AI Capstone; students can further specialize through options such as Programming for Data Analytics, Digital Marketing Analytics, Supply Chain Analytics, Cybersecurity Analytics or Adopting AI in the Enterprise.

Focus Areas

Data analytics, business intelligence, statistical decision-making, data modeling, database management, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, data visualization, data storytelling, business strategy, marketing analytics, finance analytics, supply chain analytics and applied AI.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to analyze large datasets, apply analytical models to business problems, use data to support decision-making, communicate insights through visualization and storytelling, understand AI applications in business, and connect technical analysis with managerial and strategic objectives.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The University at Buffalo School of Management is accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). UB states that AACSB conducts a site visit every six years, with the next visit scheduled for spring 2027.

Reputation (Employability Rankings / Official Statistics)

UB reports that 95% of its 2025 School of Management BS graduates were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation, while BS Business Administration graduates recorded a 94% outcome rate. The 2025 BS cohort reported an average base salary of $63,061 and a median base salary of $65,000. For the graduate Business Analytics pathway, UB reports that 94% of job-seeking MS Business Analytics graduates accepted jobs by graduation or within six months in 2025, with a mean salary of $87,143 and median salary of $80,000.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students have opportunities to apply analytics and business knowledge beyond the classroom through internships, employer engagement, applied projects and analytics-focused activities. UB's School of Management specifically supports internships connected to students' concentrations, while its analytics and AI initiatives give students exposure to real business datasets, visualization tools, AI applications and practical problem-solving.

Students can build practical experience through opportunities such as:

Concentration-focused internships: UB's Internships and Experiential Learning program helps School of Management students find internships related to their concentration, with opportunities available in fall, spring and summer. Internships may be virtual, hybrid or in person, and eligible internships can be taken for academic credit.
Data analytics projects: UB's Projects Clinic gives School of Management graduate students the opportunity to work in small teams with local and global business partners on real organizational problems. Projects have included a Surgery Clinic Dashboard using MS Excel and Power BI, a Marketing Performance Dashboard using MS Excel and Google Analytics, and Production Optimization using MS Excel and Tableau.
AI Hackathon Challenge: UB students have used generative AI to develop technological solutions for real-world challenges presented by local businesses and community organizations. The challenge brought together the School of Management, UB Startup and Innovation Collaboratory, TechBuffalo, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and the UB Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.
Analytics and AI facilities: Students have access to an academic environment supported by the Center for AI Business Innovation, Center for Marketing Analysis, Behavioral Research Lab and Center for Supply Chain Analytics, providing connections to research and applied business analytics.
Industry-standard analytics tools: UB's business analytics ecosystem includes practical exposure to technologies such as Power BI, Tableau, Excel and Google Analytics, while the graduate curriculum includes database systems, predictive analytics, programming, data visualization and applied AI.
Career and employer engagement: The Career Resource Center provides access to BizLink for job and internship postings, employer recruiting sessions, career fairs, workshops and networking opportunities. Students can also receive career advising, résumé and interview support and participate in practice interviews.

Progression & Future Opportunities

This combined pathway can prepare graduates for roles that sit between business strategy, analytics and technology, with the undergraduate stage developing business knowledge and the master's stage adding advanced analytics, AI, visualization and data-storytelling capabilities. UB's analytics career resources identify opportunities across areas such as business intelligence, data analysis, machine learning, data engineering, AI product management and data governance.

Typical roles include: Business Analyst, Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Data Analytics Consultant

Key opportunities and progression support include:

Career Resource Center: UB's School of Management Career Resource Center provides career advising, career courses, résumé and interview support, networking resources, employer events and access to job and internship opportunities through BizLink.
Career engagement: UB reports that 100% of first-year Business Administration and Information Technology students were required to meet Career Resource Center staff during recitation, while 100% of second-year undergraduates were required to defend their Career Action Plan one-on-one in Career Connections I. During 2025–26, the CRC recorded 1,182 one-on-one career appointments.
Employment outcomes: For the 2025 BS cohort, 94% of Business Administration graduates were employed or in graduate school within six months. The overall BS cohort reported an average base salary of $63,061 and a median of $65,000.
Graduate analytics outcomes: UB's 2025 MS Business Analytics employment data reports 94% of job-seeking graduates accepting jobs by graduation or within six months, with a mean salary of $87,143 and a median of $80,000. The reported salary range was $65,000–$135,000.
Employer connections: UB's Career Resource Center allows employers to recruit interns and full-time employees, conduct on-campus interviews, host information sessions and participate in job fairs.
Industry-connected analytics environment: UB identifies organizations and partners connected with its AI and business analytics activities, including M&T Bank, Citi, Johnson & Johnson, Northrop Grumman, Northwell Health, ServiceNow, Target, Walmart and Wegmans, while its wider analytics ecosystem works with organizations and institutions such as TechBuffalo, the National Science Foundation and the UB Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.
Long-term accreditation value: The UB School of Management holds AACSB accreditation, providing an internationally recognized quality framework for its business education.
Graduation and career flexibility: The broad Business Administration foundation allows graduates to work across business functions, while the Data Analytics and Business Analytics/AI components provide additional preparation for data-driven roles. UB also reports alumni working in technology companies, other industries, nonprofits and government.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into advanced study in business, analytics, information systems, management, finance or related fields. Within UB's School of Management, students can pursue further graduate education such as an MBA, specialized master's study or, for students interested in research and academia, a PhD in Management; the combined BS/MS pathway itself provides a structured route from undergraduate business study into advanced Business Analytics and Applied AI education.