The MS Analytics program capstone is a career enhancer. Students utilize real data from their organization (or another) and partner with a project coach to build a predictive model. The individual project is completed over the five semesters. Graduates have earned significant raises because of their capstone projects. The Cohort of 2021 reported an average annual estimated value of their capstone of $18.2 M.
Examples of capstone projects submitted by students according to industry:
Advertising/Marketing
Construction
Education
Business/Finance/Insurance/Tax
Government
Real Estate
Social Impact Analytics
Manufacturing
Food Manufacturing/Distribution
Healthcare/Biotechnology
Human Resources
Oil/Gas/Energy
Sports
Telecommunications
Capstone Project Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I have to know what my capstone project will be when I apply?
We will begin discussing the capstone project in orientation, but you won’t have to submit an initial topic proposal until the end of the first semester.
2. Will my data be secure?
Your data never leaves you and is not stored on university servers. We recommend you anonymize, rescale, and sanitize your data. Your project coach can sign a non-disclosure agreement to further ensure confidentiality.
3. How large does my dataset have to be?
The answer really depends on your business problem/question. Our definition of big data is n=all. You will discuss data with your project coach to determine what variables are needed.
4. Will I be required to publish my project or present it?
Students typically do not publish their findings due to company confidentiality agreements. Peer presentations are made, but specific variables and findings do not have to be shared as we are interested in the process of modeling more than the specific outcomes.
5. Is the capstone project individual or group?
Our capstone project is an individual project specific to each student and his/her organization or interests. It is a unique feature of our program which is both time and resource intensive, but yields enormous return on investment.
6. What makes a good capstone project?
Think about what keeps your boss up at night? What is her/his (or your) bonus based on? Typically a project that is interesting to your employer makes a great project.
