According to a newly released national ranking, graduates of the Harbert College’s online Master of Science in Information Systems program can expect “big returns from a career in big data.”

Auburn placed No. 18 on ValueCollege.com’s list of the Top 50 Online Big Data Programs of 2016. The website’s rankings were influenced by such factors as entry level salary, U.S. News & World Report ranking, and tuition costs.

ValueCollege.com reported that the strengths of Auburn University’s business, engineering, and design programs can be seen in the Harbert College’s online Master of Science in Information Systems degree. The site describes the 30-credit hour program as a “business degree heavy on IT” and one that is “perfectly developed for working professionals.”

The Harbert College M.S. program enables students to design a course of study that matches their career interests and needs. Students work with an advisory committee of faculty members to develop a plan that meets personal goals and objectives. Coursework focuses on such areas as predictive modeling, project management, internet programming, knowledge management, security and information assurance, information risk analysis, and e-commerce.

Carnegie-Mellon, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Oklahoma State University earned the top three positions on the ValueCollege.com list.

To learn more about the program, contact Graduate Programs Officer Dianne Hall at gradcor@auburn.edu.