All of our on-campus MS Programs are STEM-designated degrees and graduating students are eligible for the STEM OPT extension depending on their situation. Length depends on whether or not students have used any OPT time prior to joining our program.

Applications are normally open 9 months in advance of the application deadline.

Yes. Applicants are eligible to apply without the prerequisite(s), but must fulfill the prerequisite(s) prior to enrolling.

• MS Business Analytics: 1 course of college-level calculus and 1 course of college-level statistics
• MS Financial Analytics: 1 course of college-level calculus and 1 course of college-level statistics
• MS Information Systems: 1 course of college-level programming (accepted languages are Python, Java, R, C and C++ only)
• MS Marketing: No prerequisites

Courses from Coursera, Straighterline, Udacity, edX, or the like, are not accepted. Prerequisites must be taken at an accredited university. Applicants may take the prerequisites through a University of California Extension, though a comparable university or community college is accepted, if accredited.

Prerequisites must have at minimum the following course content:

• Statistics - Topics in statistics should include descriptive statistics, regression, probability, random variables and distributions, the central limit theorem, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing for 1 & 2 populations, goodness of fit, and contingency tables.
• Programming Language - C, C++, Java, Python, or R. Students should have an intermediate understanding of the language after the completion of their course. Languages such as Javascript, HTML, SQL and CSS will not fulfill the requirement.
• Calculus 1 - Topics should include differential and integral calculus, key concepts of limit, derivative and continuity, derivatives in graphing and optimizing functions, and fundamental theorem of calculus.

No. Prerequisite competencies must be taken from accredited colleges/universities who can provide us with an official transcript showing successful completion (grade)

Our MS programs do not require full-time work experience. However, work experience is preferred and many MS students have had between 1-3 years of work experience prior to enrolling, including internship experience. College seniors and recent college graduates are eligible to apply.

While the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) has been the standard exam used for business schools, the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is also accepted. We do not prefer one exam over the other.

We do not have minimum test scores for the GMAT or GRE and your application evaluation is based on a comprehensive review. The average GMAT score for MS programs is 650. The average GRE score is 309 for MS programs. Scores from either test are valid for five (5) years. Applicants are welcome to take either exam more than once; we will only consider the highest score.

Applicants whose first language is not English must achieve a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL (internet-based test), or 7 on the IELTS, or 125 on Duolingo. Scores are valid for two years. This requirement also may be met by scoring at or above the 50th percentile on the verbal portion of the GMAT or GRE, or if the applicant has a degree from an accredited U.S. university.

GMAT School Code: BV3-WB-51

GRE School Code: 4851

TOEFL School Code: 4851; or BusinessCAS B888

Duolingo English Test - Send to Leavey School of Business

Yes, you may submit, however it is preferable that GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, Duolingo and/or IELTS scores are submitted with the application. We recommend that applicants take the test at least 4 weeks before the posted deadline. Delays in taking and/or reporting the test scores will postpone the completion of your application, and ultimately a decision. All scores must be verified.

Yes, but only to strong candidates who demonstrate a combination of good full-time work experience and a strong, verifiable (usually with transcripts) quantitative/technical background. Students who submit waivers risk not being eligible for any merit scholarships.

Yes. All students who submit their completed application by the priority deadline are reviewed for scholarship when we evaluate their application. No additional paperwork is required. Students who submit after that date may be considered if scholarship funds are still available. Scholarships are merit-based.

In addition, the university offers federal and private loans. Domestic students (US citizens and permanent residents) are eligible for both federal and private loans, while international students are only eligible for private loans with or without a creditworthy US cosigner.

On-Campus Programs

MSIS:

Winter Deadline (approximate start date early January)

• October 1st final deadline

Fall Deadline (approximate start date mid-September)

• April 1st for scholarship priority
• May 1st final deadline

MSBA, MSFA: 

Fall Deadline (approximate start date mid-September)

• April 1st for scholarship priority
• May 1st final deadline

For the application process, NO. However, you are required to submit an official transcript for each school you attended or an official foreign evaluation (if you’ve attended an international school) before the first quarter begins.

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree from outside of the United States are required to have their official transcripts evaluated, regardless if the transcript is printed in English. (Applicants with a US master’s degree are waived this requirement.) We require a course-by-course, cumulative GPA, and U.S. degree equivalency evaluation. We have several service providers.

• SPANTRAN
• WES
• Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), Inc.
• Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
• International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
• Educational Perspectives
• Scholaro (AICE)

Maybe. All international bachelor’s degrees MUST be evaluated (see above) and determined to be equivalent to a US bachelor's degree. Click here to read about the policy for admitting students with a three-year degree.

To qualify for internships, international students on an F-1 visa MUST complete three consecutive quarters as a full-time student. They must also submit a request to pursue the internship with student programs and the ISS Office.

We prefer letters of recommendations from your professional network, that is, supervisors and colleagues; however, we also accept letters of recommendations from those you have worked with in academic and volunteering settings, particularly for those who will or have recently completed an undergraduate degree prior to the start of the program.

Qualified applicants will be invited to interview either in person or via Zoom.

After an application is submitted, applicants will receive an email with login credentials to access their Application Status page. This page will show the application checklist, any missing materials, and provide the option to upload any additional documents. 

Once the application is complete, qualified applicants will receive an invitation to schedule an on-campus or video admission interview. Following the interview, most applicants will receive an admission decision within two weeks after the final admissions interview.

Once admitted students must place a nonrefundable deposit within 2 weeks to hold a seat in the program to which they were admitted. The deposit is credited toward the first quarter of tuition.

MSIS: $750
MSBA, MSFA: $1000

We offer a total of four online programs, including three MS programs - MS Business Analytics, MS Finance and Analytics, and MS Marketing - as well as our Online MBA. To learn more about our online offerings, visit here. 

Yes, SCU offers Graduate Housing options.

Many of our Graduate Students choose their own accommodation within walking distance of campus. The admission team will not work with students directly to secure housing, but may offer opportunities to connect with other admitted students prior to the start of the program.