Financials

Are there need-based scholarships or merit fellowships available?

We are able to offer many of our students assistantships for at least one semester. A few students also receive fellowships. Initial fellowship and assistantship offers are decided during the regular admissions process. There is no separate application process. Every applicant is automatically considered.

Is an admission deposit required?

Yes, a $2,000 non-refundable deposit is required when a student accepts an offer of admission to the MSA Atlanta program only. The deposit is applied to the first semester’s tuition when the student enrolls.

Is there an application fee? Can I receive an application fee waiver?

The application fee is $75 for U.S. applicants and $85 for international applicants. Your application will not be received until the fee is paid. 

Fee Waivers
Current Federal TRIO program applicants, such as McNair Scholars, are eligible for an application fee waiver. For consideration, you should email a PDF of your current program participation certificate to grad.ask@gatech.edu(link sends e-mail) for guidance on how to obtain this waiver. You will receive an email response within 5-7 business days indicating whether or not the application fee has been waived. Do not pay the application fee until you receive a response from our office, as the fee is nonrefundable. No other fee waivers are available.

What is the cost of attendance for this program?

The total tuition and fees for Georgia residents amount to approximately $39,799. For students applying out of state, the combined amount is approximately $53,947. For a detailed breakdown of tuition and fees, click here.

Student Life

Are there student clubs and organizations available for students of this program?

All Georgia Tech clubs and organizations are open to all GT students, both undergraduate and graduate with a few exceptions but for the most part, whatever you're interested in you can be a part of.There are also a number of Data Science, Analytics, and Consulting clubs. Learn more about Student Life at Georgia Tech.

Careers/Career Support

Can I qualify for Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM benefits if I complete the program?

Yes, MSA is an official STEM program (CIP code 52.1399), with that On-Campus MSA Atlanta students on an F1 visa do qualify for OPT.

What are the differences between the tracks, with respect to job opportunities?

Students in each track are able to choose from a large array of extra electives targeted toward that track's topics. In regards to job opportunities from one track to another, there are no measurable differences.

What career services and support are offered? What companies have hired your students? How many graduates got jobs?

The GaTech MSA Career Services team works hard to ensure every graduate receives the guidance and training needed for the working world. The MSA program has strong relationships with a number of employers.

In addition, to practicum projects and weekly workshops, potential employers make regular visits and presentations to MSA students. The School also provides opportunities for students to talk with recruiters through technical talks, workshops, conferences and career treks. Learn more about the career services and opportunities that we offer.

What is the placement rate?

Throughout the years, every MSA graduate has received one or more job offers. Annually, the placement rates are usually in the 95-100% range. You can find detailed placement stats at https://www.analytics.gatech.edu/career-services/placement.

Program/Curriculum

Can the program be started at times other than the Fall?

We generally only start on-campus cohorts in the Fall, but occasionally we do allow GT students to begin the program in the Spring if they have the right background in computing and statistics/operations research. If interested, please contact the Director of MSA Program Operations, Candice McLemore, to discuss the details.

Is this a STEM degree?

Yes, MSA is an official STEM degree (CIP code 52.1399).

What are the differences between the On-Campus MSA and Online MSA programs?

Academically, the two programs are the same: same requirements, same courses (with fewer elective options online), and taught by the same faculty. There's clearly a difference in the delivery style between face-to-face in a classroom and full online delivery. The other main differences are in the non-academic pieces. On-campus students pay significantly higher tuition; in return, they get a lot of perks, such as personalized assistance from MSA’s Career Services experts, a conference travel budget for networking and job search, special bootcamps in technical topics (math, statistics, programming, software, etc.) and non-technical topics (e.g., professional communication, interview skills), career panels and job fairs restricted only to MSA students, etc.

What does the practicum entail?

The goal of the MSA Practicum is to give students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real-world data science problem. The practicum is a one-semester experience that equates to 6 academic credits. Students can choose to fulfill the MSA Practicum through an internship, on-campus practicum project, or – in the case of US Citizens and Permanent Residents – a full-time job.

For the on-campus practicum project option, students have an opportunity to work in a team on a data science project of significant interest and value to a company, government agency, non-profit or other organization. Students will work to define and scope the analytics problem, apply appropriate analytics ideas, methodologies & tools, and present their findings to the sponsor. Past projects have included performing social media sentiment analysis for a tech company, predicting the likelihood of injury for professional athletes, and developing a predictive model to identify patients as high risk for hospital readmission.

For more information on the practicum click here.

What would the program look like as a part-time student?

Our part-time on-campus students generally have the flexibility to come to campus during the day to take their courses (usually 1-2 courses per semester). Most finish in about two years, though some have taken longer -- you are free to go at your own pace, and even take a semester off if you need it for family or work reasons. The Institute allows up to 6 years for students to complete a Master's degree.

TOEFL/IELTS

Do I need to take the TOEFL or IELTS? Does the program accept lower scores?

Unless you qualify for one of the exemptions listed at https://grad.gatech.edu/english-proficiency you will need to take the TOEFL, IELTS, or Georgia Tech-specific option of the GTLI English Language Proficiency Assessment.

It's rare for us to admit someone whose TOEFL, IELTS, GTLI assessment score is below the minimum, but does occasionally happen. 

My degree was taught in English, do I have to take the TOEFL?

The TOEFL/IELTS is not required of applicants who have or will have obtained an undergraduate degree entirely from an institution (or institutions) in which English is the primary language of instruction. Click HERE for a list of exempt countries.

The TOEFL/IELTS requirement will be waived automatically for an applicant who submits an application with evidence of these circumstances. 

 

What English proficiency tests does the program accept?

All international students from countries in which English is not the primary native language must take an English-language-proficiency test, except international students who have attended a college or university in the United States for at least one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).

English Testing Options
You can submit one of the following score types:

  1. TOEFL IBT
  2. TOEFL IBT Special Home Edition
  3. IELTS Academic Test
  4. IELTS Indicator Academic Test (IELTS Home version of the test)
  5. Language Assessment provided by the Georgia Tech Language Institute (A score of 3 is required for admission.)

GRE/GMAT

How do you handle multiple GRE scores? Do you consider only the highest in each section?

We look at all of the scores we receive. We consider the highest in each section, but we also look at the other scores you've earned.

I have lots of experience and/or an advanced degree, etc. Do I still need to take the GRE, or can I get a waiver?

We generally require all applicants to submit a GRE or GMAT score. However, if you have a previous graduate degree we do accept old/expired scores.

What is the average GRE/GMAT score for admitted students?

Over the last few years, our students' median GRE/GMAT scores range in the 92nd-94th percentile quantitative and 85th-90th percentile verbal. However, when considering your application we don't solely look at GRE/GMAT scores. Taking a holistic approach, we look at many parts of your application, including academic background, test scores, resume, experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement, etc.

What is the GRE Code for this program?

GRE test scores can be ordered at www.ets.org. Our school report code is 5248. No specific department designation is required. 

For complete information regarding the GMAT, go to www.mba.com/exams/gmat.  

International Applicants

My degree was taught in English, do I have to take the TOEFL?

The TOEFL/IELTS is not required of applicants who have or will have obtained an undergraduate degree entirely from an institution (or institutions) in which English is the primary language of instruction. Click HERE for a list of exempt countries.

The TOEFL/IELTS requirement will be waived automatically for an applicant who submits an application with evidence of these circumstances. 

 

Admissions

What is the GRE Code for this program?

GRE test scores can be ordered at www.ets.org. Our school report code is 5248. No specific department designation is required. 

For complete information regarding the GMAT, go to www.mba.com/exams/gmat.