The Big Idea About Big Data at Rutgers
Rutgers University appears in our ranking of the 20 Best Data Science Certificate Programs.
Undergraduates seeking a degree in data analysis, particularly as applied to business, can study for a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics and Information Technology at Rutgers University. The degree combines the study of Information Technology, Data Analysis, and Decision Modeling. Respectively, these core areas involve learning how to collect and store data, detect patterns and trends and build an understanding of such, and applying gleaned information to real-world situations. The degree involves 35 credit hours of core classes and several pre-business classes in addition to the specific classes required to complete the degree. In total, students must complete 120 credit hours to earn the bachelor’s degree.
The Master of Information Technology and Analytics comprises 30 credit hours and can be completed in just a year. Students may also specialize in accounting analysis and its accompanying technology. This degree’s secondary focus is auditing.
Rutgers also offers a Ph.D. program in Information Technology, which also encompasses the study of analytics. In addition to the dissertation, students will have to complete 20 or so courses, depending on approvals by students’ advisers. These include Data Mining, Machine Learning, and Independent Study in Information Systems.
About Rutgers University
Rutgers is famous for winning the first ever game of collegiate football in the United States in 1869, 103 years after its founding. The Scarlet Knights defeated Princeton 6-4. At the time, Rutgers University was a still fairly small school, but today it has morphed into a powerhouse university that enrolls more than 35,000 students. U.S. News and World Report ranks Rutgers University No. 56 among National Universities. The university also ranks No. 17 among Top Public Schools and No. 28 among Best Colleges for Veterans.
Rutgers University accepts fewer than two in three applicants, and despite its great size and sprawl, it keeps the student-to-faculty ratio to 13-to-1. More than 90 percent of polled students say they’re satisfied with the school before their sophomore year.
Rutgers University Accreditation Details
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is the accrediting body that bestowed regional accreditation upon Rutgers University. The university is also a member of the exclusive Association of American Universities, which is a collection of research-dedicated institutions. Many other accrediting bodies have recognized Rutgers University, including:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
- American Psychological Association
- Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
- National Association of Schools of Dance
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Teacher Education Accreditation Council
- American Bar Association
- American Physical Therapy Association
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- American Occupational Therapy Association
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing Inc.
- Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
- American Dental Association
- Association for Clinical Pastoral Education Inc.
- Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
- Council on Education for Public Health
- Liaison Committee on Medical Education
- Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant Inc.
- Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Council on Social Work Education Office of Social work Accreditation
- American Library Association
- Planning Accreditation Board
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc.
Rutgers University Application Requirements
Undergraduates must submit letters of recommendation, an essay, and all transcripts from each high school attended or GED course completed. Either SAT or ACT scores are also required. Class lists from high-school studies may be self-reported, but official transcripts and scores must come from either the schools themselves or the testing agencies.
The general requirements for graduate study at Rutgers University include having a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university, full transcripts from all undergraduate study, and any applicable test scores on the Graduate Record Examination, Graduate Management Admission Test, or Miller Analogies Test. Letters of recommendation and a personal statement are also required. Each of Rutgers University’s component schools, along with all degree programs, have their own set of guidelines. Students should peruse the website to find out what the requirements are for their particular fields of choice.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The different campuses that comprise Rutgers University as a whole have slightly different tuition charges. Certain majors also have higher or lower charges. For comparison’s sake, the tuition for the students studying business, per semester, is as follows:
New Brunswick Campus
- Undergraduate in-state: $6,122
- Undergraduate out-of-state: $14,106
Newark Campus, Including Rutgers Business School
- Undergraduate in-state: $6,122
- Undergraduate out-of-state: $14,106
- Graduate instate: $13,461
- Graduate out-of-state: $23,370
Camden Campus
- Undergraduate in-state: $6,122
- Undergraduate out-of-state: $14,106
- Graduate instate: $11,944
- Graduate out-of-state: $20,260
The assorted fees differ between campuses, too, and students should check the Rutgers University website for details.
More than half of the students who attend Rutgers University receive some form of need-based financial aid. Some receive merit-based aid, and some receive both. Financial aid comes in three basic types: grants, which include work-study programs, scholarships, and loans. Neither grants nor scholarships must be paid back as long as students maintain any academic standards associated with any financial awards they receive. Loans, by definition, must be paid back after graduation, although most loans allow a student to pay them off beforehand if such circumstances arise that allow a student to do so.
There are two kinds of loans: subsidized and unsubsidized. Students with the former don’t have to pay any interest as long as they are enrolled and in good standing. Students with the latter must pay interest during their studies. They must also pay interest on the accrued interest. Any grant or scholarship can turn into an unsubsidized loan if students do not maintain the requisite standards.
In any event, all students should begin their financial aid process with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is a comprehensive form from which the university determines a student’s eligibility for need-based aid. Students may qualify for merit-based aid, whether from the school itself or not, at any time too.
In all, Rutgers University, as the eighth-oldest university in the country, brings nearly 300 years of academic excellence to each student who enrolls.
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