All The STEM Programs At Major U.S. Business Schools

USC Marshall offers a STEM-designated specialization in Management Science in its MBA. USC photo

University of Southern California Marshall School of Business

MBA Specialization in Management Science; IBEAR MBA Program

Starting last fall, USC Marshall offered a new specialization “designed to combine data-driven decision-making and analytics with the overall MBA program learning objectives of developing a global and entrepreneurial mindset, building a deep understanding of business fundamentals, and leading high-performing teams,” Suh-Pyng Ku, vice dean for graduate programs, told Poets&Quants in May 2019. “The specialization in STEM-certified Management Science will require the students to enroll in STEM-qualified courses for about half of their electives program.” The new specialization requires 63 units including MBA core, management science electives, and general business electives and promises students will walk away with “the ability to demonstrate expertise in subjects such as statistics, data analytics, operations and supply chain optimization, finance, forecasting, and digital marketing and modeling to prospective employers increasingly valuing such skills.”

Effective June 2020, the IBEAR MBA program will offer a STEM track as part of its curriculum. Students who opt for this track as part of their IBEAR MBA curriculum will be pursuing the International Management Science (STEM) MBA Program.

Babson College F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business

Quantitative Finance Concentration in the Full-Time MBA; Business Analytics & Machine Learning Concentration in the Full-Time MBA; Master of Science in Finance; Master of Science in Business Analytics

“Rigorous, quantitative STEM training (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Babson’s unique entrepreneurial mindset are a powerful combination, giving graduates of our STEM Masters programs a competitive edge in the market.” The Quantitative Finance major includes such executives as Financial Trading Strategies, Risk Management, and Financial Macroeconomic Data Analysis; the BAML major includes
Machine Learning Methods for Business, Marketing Analytics, and Programming for Business Analytics. The two specialized master’s degrees can be completed in nine to 16 months.

University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business 

Full-Time MBA Specialization in Operations & Technology Management or Supply Chain Management

Wisconsin’s STEM OTM specialization was the pioneer. Launched in 2016, it promised applicants they would acquire “leadership abilities, cross-functional business knowledge, and problem-solving skills needed to drive change and create value for organizations.” The specialization, supported by the Erdman Center for Operations and Technology Management, is for those with a background in engineering, science, or other areas of technology and operations who are interested in seeking advanced positions while priming themselves for future senior leadership roles. Those in it will “Gain broad and deep business and entrepreneurial skills from a flexible curriculum applicable to designing, managing, and improving processes and systems.” The supply chain management specialization is ranked 10th by Gartner among graduate supply chain degree programs in North America. Students undergo training in everything from data analytics and demand to the marketing, promotion, and sourcing of goods. Delivered through the Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management, the specialization “includes extensive experiences solving real-world issues under the direction of an engaged advisory board and alumni network.”

Duke Fuqua offers a “second major” in its MBA program that is STEM-approved. Duke photo

Duke University Fuqua School of Business 

Second Major in Management Science and Technology Management (MSTeM)

This program offers to “deepen your expertise in the tools, frameworks, and models that address managerial problems.” The MSTeM is not a concentration but a second major which “prepares students to both lead and direct analysis, and to get deeply involved with and understand the tools and models that should be utilized to inform and improve decisions.” Duke says the program prepares students for management and leadership roles in health, consulting, tech, and several other fields. 

University of North Texas Ryan College of Business

MBA with Business Analytics Concentration

Launched in fall 2019, the MBA with a Business Analytics concentration is designed to provide an extensive base of knowledge of managerial responsibilities. It has an 18-hour core, with 12 hours of required courses and six hours of electives. The program “is designed for students who desire a more general management background than an MS in Business Analytics, which has more of a specialization and focus in the field.” Career opportunities after completion of the MBA program through the Department of Information Technology and decision sciences are “abundant.” An MBA with a concentration in Business Analytics supports growth and development from two perspectives, the school says: “One, if you have an established career path, the concentration provides you the opportunity to gain the broader, more general perspective necessary for promotion to leading managerial positions. Two, if you are preparing for the business world, the combination of an undergraduate degree with an MBA concentration in Business Analytics provides an excellent foundation for additional career opportunities.”

The University of Georgia Terry College of Business offers a one-year STEM MBA for university undergrads majoring in a STEM discipline. Georgia Terry photo

University of Georgia Terry College of Business

One-Year STEM MBA Option for University of Georgia Undergraduates Majoring in a STEM Discipline 

The Georgia STEM MBA is a one-year degree option for current University of Georgia undergraduates majoring in an eligible science, technology, engineering, or math discipline. There are around 45 University of Georgia majors eligible for the degree option each year. The specialized program is designed for “high-achieving undergraduate students who want a broad base of foundational business courses and the business skills needed for professional advancement and career success.” The curriculum is comprised of eight core courses, an experiential learning course, a business intelligence course, and an additional elective of students’ choosing; additionally, the Communications and Career Effectiveness course offers instruction in effective leadership and communication. This accelerated program is 36 credit hours and can be completed in two semesters; interested applicants can apply during their final year of undergrad study.

University of Connecticut School of Business

MBA with Concentration in Business Analytics, Digital Marketing Strategy, or Financial Management and Investments

The MBA program at the University of Connecticut School of Business offers three concentrations that have STEM CIP, or Classification of Instructional Programs, code designations: Business Analytics, Digital Marketing Strategy, and Financial Management and Investments. Each track is 12 credits. 

The Charlton College of Business has a new STEM-approved biz analytics specialization. Charlton photo

University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Charlton College of Business

MBA with Specialization in Business Analytics

The Charlton MBA “provides advanced study in management for those with business or non-business bachelor degrees.” It requires 30 credit hours and can be completed part- or full-time, on-campus or online. The Charlton MBA is “responsive to the changing demands of the global, technology-driven economy. Taught by leading business scholars and seasoned industry professionals, this advanced degree also offers you the option to concentrate in specific areas.” The school offers 10 concentrations; only business analytics is STEM-approved. 

Washington University at St. Louis Olin Business School

Entire Full-Time MBA

According to the Olin School, school leadership applied for the STEM designation “after an analysis of 152 existing courses showed that at least 70% of them rated highly as ‘data-driven’ entries into the curriculum. Curriculum leaders have designated 84 core and elective courses that would satisfy requirements toward a STEM-designated degree. Those include courses such as Quantitative Risk Management, Economics of the Organization and Pricing Strategies.” Students seeking a STEM MBA must get at least half of their required 67 credits from a group of 84 courses. The required classes in the full-time MBA program add up to 28.5 credits worth of STEM-designated coursework. 

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.