For Georgia Tech M.S. and Ph.D. students, pairing a graduate degree with an MBA can help accelerate career growth and create new opportunities in a tech-driven world. The MBA dual degree program offered through the Scheller College of Business provides complementary skills to students pursuing more technical careers. It also helps those considering technology management careers outside of academia to transition into senior management roles.
The MBA dual degree options allows students to count 15 credit hours from their M.S. or Ph.D. courses toward MBA elective requirements, reducing the time and tuition cost required to complete both degrees. Students can complete an MBA with 39 credit hours instead of 54 credit hours. Both Full-time and Evening MBA options are available.
What benefits do dual degree students see from their experience in the MBA program?
1. The MBA dual degree bridges the gap between technical knowledge and business savvy.
Our ever-changing world requires leaders who have deep technology knowledge in addition to leadership abilities and business acumen. The dual degree program helps to make the connection between the technical prowess gained through an M.S. or Ph.D. program and the business experience developed during the MBA program.
“Academically, the dual degree program has broadened my vision completely. The way I look at even my Ph.D. problems these days is completely different. I can not only read the technology in it but also sense the true value of it with a business lens. While my Ph.D. allows me to contribute strongly to the technology itself, my MBA helps me be able to come up with technology solutions that work in the real world. Personally, and most importantly, I now have a much stronger empathy towards people's viewpoints. My MBA allowed me to work with a set of diverse and brilliant people, which has made me a stronger listener and just a better person overall. I think my choice of pursuing an MBA was a massive win.” - Siddharth Ravichandran, Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
2. Students gain new skills for success across an organization.
Through academic coursework, co-curricular programming, and experiential activities, dual degree students are exposed to numerous opportunities to strengthen skills complementary to technical knowledge. They will gain business understanding and problem-solving abilities, and also develop their soft skills, communication, and networking capabilities.
“My dual degree has benefited me personally and professionally by providing me the skills to succeed across my organization. It complemented my technical engineering knowledge and provided a useful edge in my career.” – William L. Williams, M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
3. The dual degree option expands student knowledge of career opportunities and opens the door to new possibilities.
Through experience working with the Jones MBA Career Center, as well as simply networking with a cohort of peers from unique backgrounds, dual degree students may find themselves open to new possibilities for their future career paths.
“I am currently in a finance role. Before my MBA, I had had no experience in finance.” – M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
“My transition into finance was made possible because of the vast experience and exposure gained during my MBA program.” – M.S. in Analytics
Students should apply to the Full-time or Evening MBA program during the year before they plan to start MBA core courses the following fall.
For more information, please attend an upcoming information session or review additional information about the dual degree option. Applications are accepted prior to the final Fall 2022 application deadline on May 10, 2022.