Master of Professional Business Analysis – MBusAn
If you want to pivot into a new career as a business analyst, this degree equips you with a strong industry-focused skillset.
Learn about how and what you’ll study on the MBusAn programme.
Programme structure and duration
The MBusAn programme has eight core courses and three electives. Full-time students can complete the programme in four consecutive trimesters over 16 months. Part-time students take their electives at the end of their studies to complete the degree in five or six trimesters, approximately 2 to 2.5 years.
Course delivery
The Master of Business Analysis programme focuses on practical learning through on-campus experiences with instructors, industry experts, and peers. It emphasises hands-on engagement to develop job-ready skills, so the MBusAn is not offered as a fully online programme.
The programme includes pre-recorded content, seminars, and various hands-on activities like workshops and team-based tasks. These activities are crucial to help you understand business analysis concepts and skills.
In the final trimester, there's a capstone industry project (MBUA 532). You will work closely with industry partners, an academic supervisor, and each other. This intensive hands-on project will consolidate your learning and develop teamwork and client-facing skills while providing practical work experience for your CV. Your physical presence in Wellington for this project is essential. If you foresee any challenges meeting this requirement, please contact us to discuss possible solutions before enrolling. While we support virtual participation to some extent in most courses, for MBUA 532 remote participation is only possible in exceptional circumstances.
Core course overview
Business and Systems Analysis—MBUA 510 (15 points)
Learn modelling and design techniques used by business analysts, including the methods and tools used to document business flows, information analysis, rules, classes, and other related elements required for business analysis.Process Design—MBUA 511 (15 points)
Explore the role and potential of IT in supporting business process management and design. You’ll learn modern business process modelling techniques, apply them to designing an improved business process, then test and evaluate their proposed design using simulation software.Databases and Analytics—MBUA 512 (15 points)
Learn about databases, starting with the fundamentals of relational databases, relational database modelling, and SQL database queries using enterprise databases. The analytics component covers data extraction, visualisation, and predictive analytics.Management of IT Projects for Business Analysts—MBUA 513 (15 points)
Equip yourself with contemporary IT project management tools and skills, including traditional and agile methodologies. Understand risk management and how to develop change management strategies for internal and external stakeholders. And learn how to deal with social and cultural issues in project environments.Enterprise Architecture—MBUA 514 (15 points)
Examine the alignment between enterprise goals and strategy, business processes, data, information systems, and the associated technical infrastructure. Learn how to analyse, model, design, and evaluate enterprise architectures, how to plan the transition from a baseline to a target architecture, and how to create effective governance instruments for successful enterprise architecture management.Digital Innovation and Strategy—MBUA 515 (15 points)
Develop the skills required for formulating IS strategy. Learn about the role of IT in designing new business models and enabling innovation. You’ll develop expertise in the IS strategic process, including governance, application portfolio management, business case development, sourcing decisions, and benefits assessment.Information Systems Consulting Practice—MBUA 531 (15 points)
Acquire specific intervention tools and techniques used by business analysts and consultants when assessing organisations and undertaking change projects. Business analysts are required to understand political, managerial, and economic considerations of business analysis practice. You’ll learn about effective change strategies and how to communicate effectively with stakeholders.Research Project in Business Analysis—MBUA 532 (30 points)
Conduct an industry research project on a selected aspect of business analysis. Work with an industry partner under the guidance of an academic supervisor. Identify and implement or present a system, intervention, analysis, or project situation in consultation with an industry partner.Set study plan
First Year
Trimester 1
- MBUA510 Business and Systems Analysis
- MBUA 513 Leading Digital Projects & Solutions
- INFM 585 Communication and Critical Thinking in Information Management
Trimester 2
- MBUA 514 Digital Architecture
- MBUA 515 Digital Innovation & Strategy
- An elective course
Trimester 3
- MBUA 511 Process Management & Design
- MBUA 512 Data, Analytics & Insights
- MBUA 531 Digital Transformation Consulting Practice
Second Year
Trimester 1
- MBUA 532 Business Analysis Project
- An elective course
Workload
Studying full time, you can expect a workload of 40 to 45 hours a week for much of the year. Make sure you take this into account if you are balancing other commitments.
You can estimate your workload by adding up the number of points you’ll be doing. One point is roughly equal to 10 to 12 hours work.
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