The MSc in Business and Data Analytics (MScBDA) programme aims to cultivate students with professional knowledge of business data analytics through active learning of the theories, methods, supporting techniques across a wide range of knowledge areas such as applied statistics, big data management, data mining and social media analytics. The MScBDA programme has two streams. A student will be admitted to either the Information Analytics Management (IAM) or the Quantitative Analysis for Business (QAB) stream.

Applicants must:

• hold a recognized Bachelor’s degree in any disciplines with the curricula covering appropriate mathematical knowledge.

Selection will be based on the candidate’s academic performance in previous studies, relevant working experience (if any), motivation and potential of the candidate and performance in the interview.

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is NOT English should also fulfill the following minimum English proficiency requirement:

• 79 (Internet-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)^@#; or
• an overall band score of 6.0 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS)^@##; or
• a score 450 in the new College English Test (CET6) of Chinese mainland; or
• other equivalent qualifications.

^@ TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the start of the University's application period. 'TOEFL iBT Home Edition', ‘TOEFL MyBest Score’, ‘IELTS Indicator’, ‘IELTS One Skill Retake’ and ‘IELTS Online’ are not acceptable.

^# Applicants are required to arrange with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send their TOEFL results directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityUHK is 3401.

^## Applicants are required to arrange for sending their IELTS result(s) via the IELTS Results Service e-delivery to the University. Please note that applicants with an overall band score of 6.0 will be required to pass an interview for English proficiency conducted by the concerned academic unit. Interviews for other applicants may not be required.

Core Courses

• Database Management Systems
• Data Visualization
• Statistical Data Analysis
• Data Mining

Information Analytics Management Stream Core

• Machine Learning and Social Media Analytics

Information Analytics Management Stream Electives

Complete 15 credits with at least 9 credits obtained from the following stream elective courses:

• Analytical Programming with Python
• Business Data Analytics
• Blockchain Technology and Business Applications
• Information Systems Project
• Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship
• Management Support and Business Intelligence Systems
• Project Management and Quality Assurance
• Generative Artificial Intelligence for Business
• Artificial Intelligence for Business Applications
• Large Language Model with Prompt Engineering for Business
• AI Ethics and Regulations
• Business Practice Internship
• Foundations of Information and Electronic Business Systems
• Information Analytics Management Project

The remaining credits can be obtained by taking postgraduate elective courses offered by any department in the College of Business.

Quantitative Analysis for Business Stream Core

• Applied Linear Statistical Models

Quantitative Analysis for Business Stream Electives

Complete 5 electives with at least 4 chosen from the following list:

• Contemporary Topics in Quantitative Analysis for Business
• Decision Analytics
• Managerial Decision Modeling
• Predictive Analytics with Excel and R
• Predictive Modeling and Forecasting for Business
• Predictive Modeling in Marketing
• Project Management
• Statistical Modelling in Economics and Finance
• Statistical Modelling in Risk Management

The remaining elective is a postgraduate course offered by any department in the College of Business.

Department of Information Systems

Department of Decision Analytics and Operations

Last updated on 16 January 2026