MASTER OF SCIENCE/MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM

About the Program

The MS/MBA program combines students’ applied interests and training in Engineering with the comprehensive business sense developed in a full-time MBA program. The result is a professional comfortable moving between technical and commercial issues. MS/MBA graduates will be, with appropriate experience, qualified to direct or manage the transition of new products, processes and systems from the laboratory to the board room.

Graduates of the MS/MBA program earn two distinct degrees in one integrated educational experience. In general, students take 21 credit hours in the College of Engineering, 45 hours in the College of Business including a 6-hour capstone project. Up to 9 credit hours appear on the program of study for both degrees, reducing the hours that would be required to complete the two programs separately. The net is a two year MBA and a two year M.S. completed in 2.5 years – a considerable time and cost advantage.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Students in the MS/MBA Program typically find funding sources outside the Department.

Program Administration

The dual degree is jointly administered by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the David Eccles School of Business (DESB). The engineering portion of the degree is a Master of Science, non-thesis degree. All MSNT policies and procedures apply to MS/MBA students. Students should also acquire program information from the DESB regarding the MBA portion of the degree.

Application Procedures

Students should apply to both the DESB and to the MSNT simultaneously and separately. Students will have to fill out the University general application twice, in addition to completing both degrees’ departmental application procedures. Application procedures for the MSNT are available at the beginning of this handbook. Application procedures for the MBA are available through the DESB.

Coursework

• 30 Total Credit Hours
  • 21 credit hours in courses relevant to the student’s academic program
    • 15 credit hours must be in regular ME EN courses
      • These hours must be in one of the Mechanical Engineering focus areas:
        • Design, Ergonomics, Manufacturing, and Systems
        • Robotics, Controls, and Mechatronics
        • Solid Mechanics
        • Thermal-Fluids and Energy Systems
    • 6 credit hours of electives in Math, Science or Engineering.
      • Elective courses to be counted toward the degree must be graded B- or higher
  • 9 credit hours in courses that are dual-counted
    • 3 MBA Capstone credit hours
    • 3 credit hours from this list: Finance 6380, Finance 6390, Finance 6400, IS 6420, IS 6482, IS 6483, OIS 6425, or OIS 6610
    • 3 credit hours of Mechanical Engineering courses that the MBA program is willing to accept for credit
• No more than 3 credit hours of Independent Study (ME EN 6950) may be used
  • Note that these credit hours do not count as “regular” ME EN courses
• No more than 9 non-matriculated credit hours
• No more than 6 transfer credits
• The student must obtain an overall GPA equal to or higher than a 3.0 from all courses

Table 3 shows the typical course schedule of a dual-degree student. Please note: a week-long orientation and teams course precedes the first fall semester.

Program Procedures

Once students are accepted into the MS/MBA program, they proceed through each degree according to the coursework matrix above. The engineering courses should be chosen by the student in conjunction with his/her ME EN faculty advisor.

By the end of the first year:

• Students should have a permanent ME EN faculty advisor and a DESB mentor to monitor the capstone work
• Students should form a 3-person committee with their ME EN advisor as the chair

During Fall Semester of the second year:

• Submit Capstone proposal to the DESB
• Submit MS Non-thesis Program of Study form to ME EN Advising Office
• Apply for graduation

During Spring Semester of the second year:

• Complete Capstone project
• Obtain sign-off on capstone by their DESB Dual Degree Director
• Schedule, take and pass MSNT final comprehensive exam