Simon’s STEM MBA option is a game changer.

Businesses today need leaders who understand data and analytics—and how to use them to solve complex and unstructured business problems. While a rigorous approach to analytical problem-solving has always been at the heart of Simon Business School’s curriculum, we’ve taken that focus a step further by offering the country's first STEM MBA option available regardless of a student’s specialization.

The new gold standard in business education.

Interested in how our STEM-designated MBA option is setting Simon and its students apart? Watch this video to learn more from Simon’s former Dean and Benjamin Forman Professor in Marketing—or download our white paper below.

STEM White Paper

What is a STEM MBA?

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) designated degrees are highly sought after because they provide a competitive edge in the job market and the analytical skills needed to excel in today’s data-driven organizations.

 

LEADERS TODAY MUST BE DATA-DRIVEN

85 percent of firms aspire to be data-driven

But most are “nowhere close to realizing the potential of analytics,” according to a Harvard Business Review article

2024 Calendar

Leaders who can use data for smarter decision-making are in high demand 

200,000 job openings in STEM management roles projected by 2024

STEM + SIMON

50 Plus YearsSimon's STEM MBA leverages the school's five decades of expertise in economics-based empirical and analytical research.

 

STEM EDUCATION GOES INTO BUSINESS

Science Technology Engineering Math

200 Plus Graphicacademic degrees the US government deems eligible for official STEM designation
Including business statistics, management science, and quantitative methods

STEM designation allows international students up to 36 months of optional practical training (OPT) in a STEM-eligible role

Only 12 months of OPT is available for students with non-STEM degrees

 

10 areas of specialization.

Simon is the first business school in the US to offer a STEM-designated MBA option regardless of a student’s specialization. Students can specialize in any of the following areas and receive a STEM MBA:

 

Finance

Asset Management
Banking
Corporate Finance
Venture Capital & Private Equity

Marketing

Brand Management
Product Management

Consulting

Operations
Pricing
Strategy
Technology

 

Explore Curriculum

Additional resources on Simon’s STEM-designated MBA.

Watch our recorded webinars for additional information about Simon Business School’s STEM MBA option, how it can help international students extend their OPT, how to apply, and more. Have additional questions about our STEM MBA option? View our FAQs below or contact us at (585) 275-3533 or admissions@simon.rochester.edu.

 

STEM MBA FAQS

 Does choosing the STEM-designated MBA option extend the program or come with additional cost?

No. Electing to pursue the STEM-designated MBA does not change the two-year program length or the tuition cost.

68% of Simon’s MBA Class of 2018 retroactively met the requirements (completing 50% of coursework in STEM-designated credits) without even knowing it was an option. Half of our core classes are STEM eligible, so working with your academic advisor to intentionally plan your elective coursework will allow you to meet the requirements for the STEM designation.

Yes. We have plenty of offerings that satisfy the STEM requirements across specializations and minors. We recommend you share the courses you are most interested in with your academic advisor and work with him or her to plan out your course of study so you are able to take advantage of electives offered periodically.

Our math recommendations are the same for all incoming MBA students, regardless of whether you plan to pursue the STEM option. You can even satisfy the requirements without taking courses in programming. We recommend working closely with your academic advisor to chart the course of study that best fits your career goals.

No! You are able to choose the STEM-designated MBA option regardless of your undergraduate major or previous work experience

Roughly 13% of 2019 MBA candidates are non-STEM seeking. There is no pressure to pursue the STEM-designated degree and regardless of the course of study you choose, you will graduate prepared to lead and make data-driven decisions.

All of our MBA students take classes together—regardless of the decision they made about the STEM-designated MBA.

There are a range of fields offering STEM-eligible roles. For advice on achieving your specific career goals, you will work closely with staff at the Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center.

There is no separate application for the STEM-designated option. A question in our online application asks if you are interested in pursuing the STEM-designated option—simply make your selection at that time and you will formalize with your academic advisor once you start the onboarding process after admission.

 

Sreekala Madakkavil ’19 (MBA) and Mike Alcazaren ’19 (MBA) discussing the value of Simon Business School's STEM MBA.

 

STEM is already opening new channels for international students. This is definitely a game-changer.

Sreekala Madakkavil ’19 (MBA)

 

 

To pursue STEM as a domestic student, there’s a ton of value in differentiating yourself. It shows to employers that you have those hard skills right off the bat.

Mike Alcazaren ’19 (MBA)