LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business today announced the creation of a STEM-certified Management Science specialization available for full-time MBA students. The new specialization is effective as of the fall 2019 semester for members of the MBA Class of 2021, with availability for the Class of 2020.
USC Marshall full-time MBA students who pursue this specialization can expect two significant benefits from this STEM-certified program:
- The ability to demonstrate expertise in subjects such as statistics, data analytics, operations and supply chain optimization, finance, forecasting, and digital marketing and modeling to prospective employers increasingly valuing such skills;
- A potential extension of employment opportunities in the U.S. for international graduates via application for a 24-month extension of a 12-month OPT, because the specialization qualifies as a STEM designated degree program by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“This new specialization is designed to combine data-driven decision-making and analytics with the overall MBA program learning objectives of developing a global and entrepreneurial mindset, building a deep understanding of business fundamentals, and leading high-performing teams,” said Suh-Pyng Ku, Vice Dean for Graduate Programs. “The specialization in STEM certified Management Science will require the students to enroll in STEM qualified courses for about half of their electives program.”
This new specialization places Marshall among other early adopters of STEM concentrations for MBA candidates, including Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the Wisconsin School of Business at Wisconsin-Madison.
“It is a reality of the technological economy today that many of the employers who recruit at USC offer positions, to say nothing of future jobs and leadership opportunities, that require STEM qualifications,” said Mark Brostoff, Assistant Dean and Graduate Career Services Director.
The program follows consultation with the leaders of the USC Leventhal School of Accounting, as well as the chairs of the USC Marshall academic departments (Business Communication, Data Science and Operations, Finance and Business Economics, the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Management and Organization, and Marketing), and support from the Marshall Graduate Student Association.
For more information about the new STEM-certified Management Science specialization or to speak with USC Marshall experts, contact Matthew Simmons, USC Marshall Media Relations, at 213-821-9868 or matthew.simmons@marshall.usc.edu.