Norman, Okla. – The Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma has risen in the rankings for its Master of Science in Management Information Technology Data Analytics program. TFE Times recently announced that the college’s recently designed analytics program has joined the nation’s Top 20 in its 2019 Best Master’s of Business Analytics Programs.
“As the future of work changes with unprecedented speed, so must our robust curriculum and leadership preparation programs in information systems and data analytics,” said Daniel W. Pullin, dean of the Michael F. Price College of Business. “I’m proud of the extensive collaboration between our world-class faculty and private-sector technology leaders who, together, generate the ideas, courses and experiential learning opportunities necessary to offer one of the greatest graduate data analytics programs in the world. Joining the Top 20 brings important recognition to OU’s Price College and signals our commitment to providing the skill and mindsets necessary for students to succeed in our dynamic global business community.”
Radhika Santhanam, Management Information Systems division director and the Michael F. Price Chair of MIS at Price College, said the ever-evolving nature and flexibility in the program is part of its success and popularity among students.
“Our MIS division houses the Center for MIS Studies, an academic-industry partnership with members from many different organizations,” she said. “Therefore, our program benefits from close collaboration with these industry professionals who provide suggestions to ensure that our curriculum is leading-edge and relevant to industry. Our program is intentionally designed to be agile, so we change our curriculum quickly to mirror new developments. Our program’s flexibility allows students to customize their educational journey to suit their background and interest, including the option to take a few courses outside of our college.”
The TFE Times rankings are based on a weighted average of components for qualifying business analytics program, including GMAT scores, starting compensation on graduation and mean incoming undergraduate GPA. Other factors such as acceptance rate and employment rates following graduation were considered. A total of 41 universities were included in the final rankings, with Price College’s rank of 20th up one spot from 2018.
The news comes on the heels of two other recent Price College graduate program recognitions.
In December, Times Higher Education and the Wall Street Journal released their research findings regarding business schools around the world. Nearly 115 business schools that offer master’s degree programs from 24 countries were ranked based on four criteria: resources, engagement, outcome and environment. Based on these criteria, the Price College of Business was ranked 29th among the top-tier one-year MBA degree programs.
Last month, U.S. News and World Report issued its annual rankings for best online programs. Factors such as engagement, student excellence and faculty credentials and training were used to calculate each school’s ranking. More than 150 schools with non-MBA master’s degree programs in business were ranked. Price received its premier ranking of 70 in the Best Online Graduate Business Programs (Excluding MBA) category, its first ranking score since the launch of its online Master of Accountancy program in fall 2017.
“OU’s Price College is honored to be recognized among the greatest business schools in the country,” said Pullin. “While success in national rankings will never exhaustively define the impact our faculty, staff, students and alumni make every day, this recognition serves as a barometer for the strength of our people and programs. These top rankings indicate OU’s commitment to providing Oklahomans the same level of educational opportunity as citizens anywhere in the world.”
The college’s Master of Science in Management Information Technology degree is a STEM program that emphasizes big data and analytics, with applications to business, cybersecurity, health and related areas. Through this value-priced program, students develop technical and analytical skills, as well as their business process knowledge, that will enable them to identify organizational benefits from data and information technology.
Santhanam said students have several options while pursuing analytics degrees at the Price College of Business.
“Our program offers several different pathways to earn a degree in analytics,” she said. “Undergraduate business students can earn their graduate degree within a year of their undergraduate program through what is known as an accelerated program. Some students who work hard and make good elective course choices may earn their undergraduate and graduate degree within four years. MBA students, part-time or full-time, can earn their dual degree in business analytics with a few extra semesters. Students who want to solely pursue the full-time degree in analytics can do so without having to earn an MBA. Additionally, graduate students can earn a graduate certificate in analytics with a smaller set of courses.”
In addition to residential full-time and professional MBA programs, the Price College of Business offers master’s degrees in accountancy and management of information technology, with accelerated B.B.A. offerings for both, as well as an online master’s in accountancy. Price also offers doctoral degrees in seven specializations. Overall, Price College programs are featured in 28 different national and global business school rankings.
Established in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a doctoral degree-granting university and leader in research, health care, and academic activity impacting the state of Oklahoma and global community. The Norman campus enrolls more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City enroll more than 3,000 students and the OU-Tulsa campus enrolls more than 1,000. Of the 4,385 incoming freshmen in 2018, the average ACT score is 26.2 and is one of the most diverse and inclusive groups of incoming students in university history. OU began a new focus in 2018 to double research efforts in the next five years, promote OU Medicine as the health care provider of choice in the State of Oklahoma, and grow the university in northeastern Oklahoma.
The Michael F. Price College of Business, originally established in 1928, ensures the enduring global competitiveness of Oklahoma and the nation. As OU’s second-largest college, the Price College of Business educates more than 4,500 students through undergraduate, master’s, executive and doctoral programs across six academic divisions in Accounting, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, Finance, Management and International Business, Management Information Systems, and Marketing and Supply Chain Management.
The Price College of Business’s website is price.ou.edu and the Management Information Systems division’s website is www.ou.edu/price/mis.
