Krannert School of Management Launches Specialized STEM MBA: MBA News

This June, the Krannert School of Management  at Purdue will welcome the first influx of students onto its new STEM MBA for STEM professionals (in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) who are looking to pursue a specialized MBA within these subjects.

The Purdue One Year MBA for STEM Professionals, to give it its full name, will be available to professionals with a strong technical background in any of the STEM disciplines with the aim of providing engineers, scientists and technologists with the skills needed to start or to lead STEM-centered organizations. According to the dean of the Purdue University's Krannert School of Management, Christopher Earley, the specialized program is one of only approximately 10 similar courses available to students in the US.

Applicants for the Krannert School of Management STEM MBA are expected to be interested in bringing innovative methods to their respective areas of expertise, by launching new products onto the market and improving existing technologies and products.

Earley states that the STEM MBA “is a good program for someone who has worked for a few years at a technology or manufacturing type of company – e.g. Google, GE, Abbott Labs, UTC – who wants to transition from a technical role to one of leadership in management within the firm.” He is also encouraged by the early interest in the program stating that it has already received over 50 applications and will continue accepting applications until classes begin in June. The projected intake will be 25-30 students.

The STEM MBA is a full-time, one-year accelerated program

As it is just a one year course, the STEM MBA at Krannert School of Management will run on an accelerated curriculum, meaning that it will combine the core modules of a traditional  MBA program with a more specialized curriculum. Students of the STEM MBA will have all the same resources and opportunities as are at the disposal of traditional two-year MBA students.

“The program includes many elements found in traditional MBA programs, including leadership training, access to career services, opportunities to study abroad and the ability to participate in professional and social clubs with other master’s students,” says Brian Precious, associate director of the Purdue One-Year MBA for STEAM Professionas at Krannert School of Management.

Precious goes on to say that after completing the business core, students are able to customize their learning experience through a range of elective modules that can be geared to varied professional needs. Some of these classes will be taught jointly by the school’s business and engineering or science and technology faculties.

Graduation for this June’s inaugural class is set for May of 2015. And, while it is initially a full-time program holding classes on the West Lafayette campus, the school also hopes to launch a weekend MBA program for STEM professionals in Chicago next year.