Cornell Johnson Designs New MBA Curriculum with Tech Giants

Cornell Johnson has moved closer to finalizing a new one-year MBA program focusing on the technology sector, which is to be offered at Cornell’s New York campus (on Roosevelt Island) from spring 2014, where students will learn side-by-side with engineering and computer science students. The MBA curriculum has been designed after consultation with giants in the technology sector including LinkedIn Corp and Deloitte Services LP, The Wall St Journal reports.

The approach will be considerably more hands-on than a traditional program, with the MBA curriculum including software design modules and launching tech startups, as well as a strong focus on persuasion. Students will spend a few weeks working on a project in Israel, while also learning about the country’s vibrant technology sector.

MBA skills relevant to tech startups

Cornell Johnson has moved to offer this new MBA as a result of the reluctance of tech startups to hire MBAs, who are felt not to possess a skill set which matches the sector’s requirements.

"The goal is to produce leaders for the digital economy," says Doug Stayman, associate dean of MBA programs at Cornell Johnson, quoted on Business Insider. "Organizations desperately need people who are true leaders but also understand the business needs and the technical needs."

He goes on the say that traditional MBA thinking sometimes clashes with the approach taken by tech startups, which is why the targeted employers were consulted by the school when designing the MBA curriculum.

Class size will be around 70, and the degree is anticipated to carry a price tag of around US$90,000. Around 70 applicants have reportedly applied for the program at the time of Business Insider’s article.

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