Business Analytics (BBA)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Texas Austin

Program Overview

The BBA in Business Analytics at The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business prepares students to turn business data into practical decisions by combining statistical analysis, data mining, natural language processing, optimization and machine learning with business knowledge. It is well suited to students who enjoy both business and technology and want to apply analytics to areas such as finance, marketing, supply chain management and other data-driven business functions.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their mathematical, economic and data foundations through courses such as M 408Q Differential and Integral Calculus for Business, ECO 304K Introduction to Microeconomics, and STA 301 Introduction to Data Science. They also develop communication and technology awareness through RHE 306 Rhetoric and Writing and MIS 301 Introduction to Information Technology Management.

Year 2: The second year introduces students to core business and analytics skills through BAX 304 Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming, BAX 325 Database Management, and STA 235 Data Science for Business Applications. Courses such as ACC 311 Fundamentals of Financial Accounting, O M 235 Operations Management, and D S 235 Introduction to Decision Science connect analytical methods with real business functions.

Year 3: Students progress into advanced analytics and business decision-making through BAX 357 Predictive Analytics and BAX 358 Optimization Methods and Decision Making, while MKT 337 Principles of Marketing and MAN 336 Organizational Behavior broaden their understanding of how organizations use analytical insights. The predictive analytics course introduces machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques for business applications, while optimization covers areas such as portfolio selection, production planning, marketing allocation and pricing.

Year 4: The final year allows students to deepen their specialization through upper-division BAX electives and complete BAX 375 Business Analytics in Practice, which uses case studies to examine how analytics influences business performance and firm value. Students also complete LEB 323 Business Law and Ethics or BGS 337 Strategy Beyond Markets, bringing together analytical, strategic and ethical perspectives before graduation.

Focus areas: Business analytics, data science, statistical analysis, data mining, machine learning, artificial intelligence, programming, database management, predictive analytics, optimization, decision science, finance, marketing analytics, supply chain analytics, business intelligence

Learning outcomes: Apply business analytics concepts and methods, critically analyze and synthesize data, use data and models to solve complex business problems, interpret analytical results and recommend managerial actions, apply ethical and socially responsible judgment when using analytics technologies.

Professional alignment (accreditation): Texas McCombs is accredited by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), providing external quality assurance for its business education.

Reputation (employability rankings): In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings presented by McCombs, the undergraduate business program is ranked No. 6 in the U.S., while Business Analytics is ranked No. 6 among undergraduate business specialties.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BBA in Business Analytics gives students practical exposure to programming, databases, predictive modeling and optimization rather than limiting analytics to theory. Students use Python for hands-on programming and optimization work, develop data pipelines and work with relational and NoSQL data stores, while the BAX 375 Business Analytics in Practice course uses business case studies to connect analytics with real organizational decisions. McCombs also requires every BBA student to complete an internship before graduation, providing an opportunity to apply classroom skills in a professional setting.

Key hands-on opportunities include:

Python programming: BAX 304/BAX 305 develops programming and problem-solving skills, while advanced analytics coursework uses Python for data exploration, visualization and decision-making.
Database and data engineering: BAX 325/BAX 327 Database Management covers data acquisition, efficient storage and processing, relational and NoSQL data stores, data pipelines, analytics data stores and APIs.
Machine learning and AI: BAX 357 Predictive Analytics introduces tree-based methods and artificial neural networks for business applications and includes coding.
Optimization applications: BAX 358 Optimization Methods and Decision Making uses Python and applies optimization to portfolio selection, production planning, marketing allocation, revenue management and pricing.
Business case studies: BAX 375 Business Analytics in Practice examines how analytics operates within firms and how analytical approaches can improve business performance and firm value.
Required internship: All McCombs BBA students complete an internship before graduation, gaining hands-on professional experience and opportunities to explore career paths and build networks.
Analytics specializations: Students can choose advanced subjects such as Supply Chain Modeling and Optimization, Financial Technology, Data Analytics for Marketing, Supply Chain Analytics, Health Care Analytics, Financial and Econometric Time Series Modeling, and Social Media Analytics.
Internship outcomes: McCombs' 2024–25 data reports 73 Business Analytics internship acceptances, with 61 students reporting salary and a mean monthly salary of $4,796.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Business Analytics BBA prepares graduates for data-driven roles across business, technology, consulting and specialized analytical functions. McCombs specifically identifies roles such as Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Marketing Data Analyst, Risk Analyst and Supply Chain Data Analyst, while its employment data shows Business Analytics graduates entering a range of industries and functions.

Typical job roles: Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Data Analyst, Data Scientist

Career development and progression opportunities include:

Career Management: McCombs provides career advising, peer career coaches, internship and recruiting guidance, career fairs, employer information sessions and networking opportunities.
Employment and salary outcomes: For the 2024–25 BBA employment data, Business Analytics graduates accepting full-time positions had a reported mean base salary of $89,662, based on 42 graduates accepting and 33 reporting salary.
Internship outcomes: Business Analytics students recorded a $4,796 mean monthly internship salary in the 2024–25 BBA statistics, based on 73 internship acceptances and 61 salary reports.
Employer connections: McCombs connects students with employers through career fairs, information sessions, networking events and on-campus programming. Its reported BBA internship sources include the McCombs Corporate Partner Ecosystem, alumni/staff network and other UT Austin resources.
Industry reach: The Business Analytics major identifies opportunities with large companies such as Amazon, Google, Walmart and Uber, as well as startups, government agencies and consulting companies.
Long-term accreditation value: Texas McCombs maintains AACSB accreditation, an internationally recognized quality-assurance framework for business schools and programs.
Graduate career functions: McCombs' BBA employment data includes functions such as business intelligence/data analytics/data science, financial analysis, research analysis, strategy and innovation, consumer insights and product management.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BBA, graduates can pursue postgraduate study in business analytics, artificial intelligence, information technology, finance, marketing, management or related quantitative fields. UT Austin's McCombs also offers an MS in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, and eligible UT undergraduates can apply through the school's bridge pathway during their junior year.