NYU Stern to Offer One-Year MBA Programs in Fashion and Tech

NYU Stern is launching two new specialized MBA programs for students in either the technology or the fashion and luxury industries.

Stern’s new Tech MBA and Fashion & Luxury MBA programs are designed to allow students to build applicable knowledge, gain real-world experience and earn their MBA in a single year.

The programs highlight two big trends in business education: A growing desire to have content and careers in the technology sector; and the growing luster of luxury.

It also points to the rise of the one-year MBA degree, which is increasingly popular among business managers who cannot afford to take two years out of work to study for a full-time MBA.

Tech MBA aimed at those with technology backgrounds

The Tech MBA is designed for those with strong technology backgrounds and will prepare students to advance their careers in areas such as product management, fintech and entrepreneurship. Designed in partnership with NYU’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, NYU Stern also plans to draw on the strength of its own faculty in computer and data science in the Tech MBA.

Fashion & Luxury MBA builds on existing specialization

NYU Stern was the first US business school to offer a fashion and luxury MBA. Over the past several years, the fashion and luxury industries have increasingly acknowledged the competitive advantage of adding business talent to their creative ranks, especially in the face of technological disruption.

The Fashion & Luxury MBA program is designed for students interested in a broad range of luxury areas — accessories, apparel, beauty, jewelry, high-end automotive, fine wines and spirits, real estate, wearable tech and more. The school is also building a new hub, the Stern Fashion Lab, through which it can coordinate industry-related projects and networking opportunities for students.

“[The] Stern Fashion Lab will be a nexus for fashion brands, retailers and media to come together with students, faculty, designers, technologists and entrepreneurs during this time of incredible disruption, and will play a valuable role in the Fashion & Luxury MBA student experience,” said Joseph Ferrara, a cofounder of the new hub who currently teaches fashion-focused MBA courses at the school.

New MBA programs developed with industry practitioners

Live business projects will form a key part of the curriculum in both MBA programs — another growing trend in business education. It also builds upon NYU Stern’s commitment to experiential learning, which the business school calls Stern Solutions. In this, the school has the advantage of being able to leverage its proximity to multinational brands, startups and nonprofits in New York City.

Peter Henry, dean of NYU Stern, says that this advantage has enabled the school to develop the curricula for these MBA programs in conjunction with industry advisors, including business leaders from Amazon, BuzzFeed and Citigroup.

Umesh Subramanian, co-head of the technology division at Goldman Sachs, said: “Today’s business environment requires an appreciation and understanding for how technology can be applied to solve real business problems. We are pleased to partner with Stern on this innovative and practical approach to preparing the next generation of tech-savvy business leaders and entrepreneurs.”

The new courses build upon NYU Stern’s continued innovation of its MBA program options. Last year, the business school established an MBA specialization in fintech. (Read about fintech's growing presence in MBA curricula).

The inaugural classes for the Tech MBA and Fashion & Luxury MBA will enroll a year from now, in May 2018. Application deadlines for each are in September and November (two rounds) of this year, and both programs are priced (excluding living expenses) at US$96,000.