MSBAi FAQ — Canonical Answers

This page holds the approved wording for the program facts most often quoted to stakeholders and applicants. Each answer carries the date it was last verified against the decision record. It is deliberately short — for anything not on this page, ask K-ai directly (channels at the bottom): K-ai answers from the live knowledge base, which is always current.

Program

How long is the program, and how many credits? 15 months — 3 semesters plus 1 summer, starting Fall 2026. 36 credits total: 16 core + 8 advanced + 8 elective + 4 Practicum. Verified against the decision record: 2026-06-12

What is the course format? 8-week courses within 16-week semesters. Each course runs the 90/90/60 weekly model: two 90-minute live sessions (content + project studio) plus at least one hour of office hours, all recorded within 24 hours, alongside self-paced recorded content. Verified: 2026-06-12 (model confirmed 2026-04-23)

How are students assessed? 100% applied — no exams. One major team project per 8-week course plus weekly assignments (exceptions: Quantum Approaches for Decision Making runs one project per 4-week part; Practicum is an individual portfolio effort). Weight ranges (recommended defaults in parentheses): Individual assignments 25–35% (30%), individual project deliverables + oral defense 20–30% (30%), team project deliverables 25–35% (30%), peer engagement 8–12% (10%); the four weights must total 100%. Peer engagement covers teammate evaluation (required), peer review of work products, and discussion posts. Every course includes an individual oral component; teams of 3 are standard for 8-week team projects. Expect 8–12 hours per week per course. Verified: 2026-08-18 (ranges + peer engagement terminology per 2026-08-15 clarification)

What tools do students need, and what do they cost? VS Code (free), Python, GitHub, plus a student-provided base AI subscription (~$10–20/month). GitHub Copilot is free for verified students via GitHub Education. Google Colab is the browser fallback. Total out-of-pocket tool cost is capped at $500 program-wide. Full list: program/tools Verified: 2026-07-26 (Copilot free-for-students restored; cost model decided 2026-06-04)

What laptop or computer do students need? While there are no strict requirements, it is recommended that your screen is at least 14 inches and your laptop has at least 16 GB of RAM and a newer processor. The latest and most powerful processors are not required — 256 GB or more storage should be sufficient. Both Mac and Windows will work. Verified: 2026-08-04 (language approved by Vishal Sachdev; aligned with residential MSBA program)

Can students use their own company or corporate datasets? MSBAi students work with real, industry-grade data from the start of the program. Gies provides access to professional platforms used by working analysts and real-world data sets. In select courses, students are encouraged to bring datasets from their current or prior industry roles, giving them the option to apply program tools directly to work that is already meaningful to them. Dataset scope in any given course is ultimately the instructor’s call. Verified: 2026-08-04 (language approved by Vishal Sachdev)

Calendar

When does Fall 2026 start? Official program start is August 24, 2026 (BADM 554 first). Soft launches — early student access — precede each course: BADM 554 Aug 17, BDI 513 Sep 14, FIN 550 Oct 12. Verified: 2026-06-12 (soft-launch dates confirmed 2026-06-12)

What is the Spring 2027 sequence? Quantum Approaches for Decision Making (BADM 590, Weeks 1–8) → Big Data Infrastructures (BADM 558, Weeks 5–12) → Agentic AI (BADM 590, Weeks 9–16). Exact calendar dates are being finalized. Verified: 2026-06-12 (sequence confirmed 2026-06-01/02)

Admissions & Preparation

What is the admissions status? Open — applications are being reviewed (priority deadline June 4 has passed; final deadline July 23, 2026, with some flexibility). Admitted students can already register: BADM 554 CRN 81817, BDI 513 CRN 81818, FIN 550 CRN 77523. Verified: 2026-06-12

What are the admissions requirements? Bachelor’s degree in any discipline; no GMAT/GRE; English proficiency; live Zoom interview (an async 3-minute video may also be requested); no courses required before admission. Recommendation-letter requirements are being re-verified — confirm with the admissions team before quoting. Verified: 2026-06-12 (letters item flagged for confirmation)

Are there prerequisites? None before admission. After admission, preparatory coursework runs on a staggered model: GitHub + VS Code prep before Day 1; Gen AI literacy by Week 4; Python and statistics readiness via self-diagnostic quizzes before the courses that first need them (Week 5 and Week 9). Quiz scores are not evaluated by the program. Verified: 2026-06-12 (staggered model confirmed 2026-05-18)

Anything else — ask K-ai

K-ai answers from the live knowledge base, so its answers are always current. Questions that used to live on this page (break policy, session times, studio details, what to do when something looks wrong) are now K-ai’s job.