FAQs
Program Questions
Yes, the online MS AI for Business program is STEM-designated
We offer 6 application deadlines throughout the year. The deadlines for all students are four weeks before courses begin. Only completed applications will be reviewed and considered for admittance. Click here to review application deadlines.
- Business: If you do not have sufficient business background, you may be required to take up to six credits of business courses. You will be informed of this requirement upon admittance.
- Technical: This program requires students to have a background in one or more computer programming languages. Students are expected to be comfortable writing computer programs in Python and queries in SQL. Basic knowledge in linear algebra, probability and statistics is recommended. Deficiencies may be addressed through university coursework or via online learning platforms, such as Coursera, Udemy, edX and others.
Based on educational background and work experience, online students may start the program while completing their prerequisites. They should work with their advisor to determine the best course sequence.
No. We accept students from a wide variety of academic and professional backgrounds.
No. Any required business background courses can be taken while in the program. You will be notified of any possible business courses that are needed upon your acceptance into the program.
Before joining our program, students should have experience in writing computer programs in Python and queries in SQL. This can be gained through university coursework or via online learning platforms, such as Coursera, Udemy, edX and others.
No, work experience is not required for admission.
While work experience is not a mandatory requirement for entrance, dependent upon your work experience, you may be waived from the 6 credits of business foundation course work.
The program is delivered in 7-week sessions. There are two sessions per fall, spring, and summer semesters.
The courses offered each session are asynchronous. The material is available online 24/7. Students receive weekly assignments at the beginning of each week and must complete the assignments within a designated time frame – usually one week.
The Online AI for Business program requires 30 units (not including business foundation, Python, SQL, and statistics prerequisites, if applicable). Full-time students that have already completed all prerequisites can complete the program in as little as 12 months. A more typical length would be taking six credits for each of five consecutive semesters. This would allow you to complete the program in 20 months.
All requirements for a graduate program must be completed within 6 years. Time-to-degree begins with the earliest coursework to be applied toward the degree including any credits transferred from other institutions. Coursework more than 6 years old is not accepted toward meeting program requirements.
Students must enroll in a minimum of one class each fall and spring semester. Graduate students may apply for a Leave of Absence from their program for a semester or for the academic year using the Graduate Petition for a Leave of Absence form.
The Online AI for Business program allows transferred graduate coursework. However, there are a number of restrictions:
- The transferred courses cannot cause your entire program to exceed 6 years in length
- There is a limit of 6 units that you may transfer
- The transferred coursework must have a grade of A or B
- Correspondence courses or extension work from other institutions will not be accepted for graduate credit
- Transferred courses must be approved by the Director of Masters Programs
- Transferred courses must have a close correlation of subject matter between the courses in the MS AI for Business program and the graduate level courses you have already completed.
- Transferred courses must be approved by the Director of Masters Programs
- Transferred courses were not used toward an undergraduate degree Please see the Graduate College for more information.
Please see the Graduate College for more information.
Yes. Please be aware international students would not be granted documents to enter the US and participate in an online program. In addition, this program does NOT allow for OPT work authorization.
Yes, we offer the Master's in MIS on campus. Visit Master's in MIS Programs for more information.
Online students pay by course. The amount charged includes tuition and UA Bursar fees. Learn about costs and return on investment.
No, the diploma will not indicate that the degree was completed online.
Application Process
No.
The admission GPA that we use to determine your eligibility may be calculated in one of the following ways:
- Undergraduate GPA is calculated over the last 60 semester units or last 90 quarter hours of the U.S. undergraduate degree. In this situation, only the highest grade of repeated courses is counted.
- If the undergraduate degree was completed outside the U.S., grades are converted to the U.S. grading system and the GPA is calculated using the last two years of coursework.
- If you have completed 12+ semester units or 16 quarter hours of graduate-level coursework for graduate credit in the U.S., the Graduate College will ignore your undergraduate grades and use this GPA for admissions purposes. If you have completed a master's or doctorate degree in the U.S., the Graduate College will admit you based on this GPA. Grades that are excluded from the GPA calculation include S, P, Audit, and grades awarded for professional programs (i.e., law, medicine, etc.).
The 3.0 GPA is a University of Arizona requirement for all graduate programs. However, applicants with a lower undergraduate GPA can start taking courses by applying and being accepted as a non-degree seeking student. Non-degree seeking students take either two or four classes first. If they achieve a 3.0 GPA or higher in those initial classes, they can then apply to the program as a degree seeking student and complete the requirements.
Official (sealed) transcripts should be sent to:
Department of MIS, Online Admission
The University of Arizona
McClelland Hall 430
P.O. Box 210108
Tucson, AZ 85721-0108