HBS Launches Joint MS/MBA
Harvard Business School has announced a new Master of Science in Engineering and Master of Business Administration (MS/MBA) joint degree that will debut in August of 2018.
A collaboration between HBS and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), the new program is targeted at those interested in developing their general management and tech skills to become leaders in the tech industry.
Nitin Nohria, HBS’s dean, said that the program would “bridge the divide between engineering and business for aspiring leaders in the tech sector who want to drive and manage innovation throughout their organizations.”
Accordingly, the program’s curriculum blends courses related to general management with courses intended to build up students’ tech chops.
For example, during the first year of the two-year program, students take HBS’s required MBA courses as well as a course called Systems Engineering, designed by SEAS faculty to hone students’ ability to analyze complex systems.
The second year of the curriculum includes a course called Integrated Design and a mixture of HBS and SEAS electives. Over the summer, students are expected to “either work on their own startup concept or as an intern in a technology venture.”
Given the emphasis on both management skills and tech skills, applicants are expected to already have significant tech experience.
Specifically, applicants are required to have a relevant undergraduate degree in a field like computer science or engineering as well as two years of work experience.
HBS’s admissions director, Chad Losee, explained: “The students we are seeking have already distinguished themselves technically; this program will help propel them into leadership roles. Overall, the program plans to enroll about 30 students a year.
The new MS/MBA degree from HBS comes as top business schools are increasingly trying to adjust their offerings in light of the rise of tech.
Last month, for instance, New York University’s Stern School of Business Announced a new Tech MBA. And it seems likely that more schools will add similar degrees in the future.
For those interested in joining the HBS’s inaugural MS/MBA class, HBS will be accepting applications for the program in both Round 1 and Round 2, with September and January deadlines respectively. College seniors can also apply through the 2+2 Program.
Applicants need to meet the requirements for both HBS and SEAS, but the application is through HBS. For more information about the application process as well as the program itself, see HBS’s MS/MBA website.