MBA Degrees in STEM Fields - Science, Technology, Engineering & Math
B-School Search
For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 118 schools in our BSchools.org database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
Imagine a world without science and technology. Electricity that powers our day; machines that mass produce hundreds of thousands of everyday goods; vehicles that allow us to keep moving; medical inventions and treatments that save human lives; smartphones, tablets, computers, software, and apps that fuel the modern economy—all a result of advances made after years of research and testing.
While the benefits and pitfalls of some recent inventions such as face recognition technology and social media are debatable, there’s no doubt that science and technology have largely benefited the human race.
STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) form the backbone of civilization. They impact every arena of life—transportation, food, communication, healthcare, education, real estate, and commerce. The more advanced a country’s efforts are in the STEM fields, the better the quality of life of its people.
While a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a STEM field is undoubtedly a worthy pursuit, students can also consider taking up an MBA in a STEM-related field. Why? The challenges faced by large corporations and organizations are often complex and multi-layered. It is not enough for their leaders to be masters of one discipline alone. In order to formulate solutions and think of problems on a deeper level, they must have both technical and business expertise.
An MBA in STEM fields allows students to dive deep into business fundamentals, while also specializing further in their own field of study. Moreover, students also get an opportunity to learn from experienced faculty and professionals from varied backgrounds and cultures. This experience can help them develop into well-rounded, effective leaders who can apply lateral thinking.
There are several universities that offer an MBA in STEM fields fully online, with the same curriculum and faculty that teach the on-campus coursework. This provides a great opportunity for working professionals to advance their education at their convenience.
These programs typically take two to three years to complete, and offer various concentrations. Some topics in which students can specialize include business analytics, industrial engineering, electrical engineering, and cybersecurity. While elective coursework depends on the specialization they choose, students can expect some core courses such as organizational behavior, managerial finance, marketing, operations management, and human resources.
On successful completion of the program, students can pursue leadership roles in a variety of industries and organizations.
The following guide details eight exceptional online MBA programs in STEM-related fields, as well as three notable faculty members teaching them.
Featured MBA in STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Math)
Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management offers several concentrations as part of its online MBA program, including one in business analytics. This program can be completed online as well as in person. Students in this online MBA are required to attend three in-person residencies, held on the Syracuse University campus as well as in major U.S. and international cities. The faculty of this program bring practical experience and scholarly expertise to the online classroom.
In order to get accepted into the program, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university, at least one year of full-time work experience, completed online application, two personal essays, two letters of recommendation, official transcripts, a current business resume, current GRE or GMAT scores(can be waived), and TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students.
Comprising 54 credit-hours, courses in the program include data analysis and decision making, managerial accounting, strategic management, accounting analytics, marketing analytics, and principles of management science.
Students develop numerous skills during the course of the program, such as data collection, data visualization, data mining, data analysis, and subject matter expertise.
The program opens up several opportunities for graduates. They can take up roles such as management analysts, economists, operations research analysts, survey researchers, and cost estimators.
| Location: Syracuse, New York |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,620 per credit-hour |
Maryville University offers an online master of business administration in cybersecurity. The program prepares students to succeed in all fields related to business and information technology.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, official academic transcripts, a letter explaining their qualifications for graduate work, and TOEFL scores for international students.
The program consists of 39 credit-hours, including instruction in strategic marketing, business economics, controls for effective cyber defense, pen testing, forensic examination and analysis, and legal aspects of privacy and compliance.
Apart from the cybersecurity concentration, this online MBA curriculum provides business professionals with the opportunity to specialize in a range of other different degree concentrations, such as accounting, human resources management, marketing, business data analytics, information technology, project management, software development, health administration, general management, emerging and digital media, and financial services.
Graduates of the program can pursue roles such as computer network architect, project manager, computer systems analyst, information security analyst, and software developer.
| Location: St. Louis, Missouri |
| Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission |
| Expected Time to Completion: 14 months |
| Estimated Tuition: $714 per credit-hour |
Ohio University offers an online master of business administration program with a business analytics concentration, helping students build skills in the implementation, analysis, and examination of data. The two-year program helps students develop core skills that will transform them into business leaders. Students will delve into database management, spreadsheet creation, decision making, and the study of historical trends.
Admission requirements for the program include a regionally-accredited bachelor’s degree, two or more years professional experience, grade point average of 3.0, a current resume, two letters of recommendation, and a goal statement. The program does not require students to submit GMAT scores.
Comprising 35 credit-hours, the coursework of this program is fully online. Students are however required to attend one on-campus, weekend-long professional development workshop. MBA core courses include descriptive analytics, organizational behavior and human resource management, accounting for executives, managerial finance, strategic marketing, and management of operations. Business analytics classes include prescriptive analytics, predictive analytics, and business intelligence.
The program teaches students how to leverage quantitative data for fueling their decision-making and improving their businesses. They develop strategic, analytical, and critical thinking skills as they build business leadership abilities. At the end of the program, graduates can pursue opportunities such as senior data scientist, analytics manager, statistician, and senior operations analyst.
| Location: Athens, Ohio |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,047 per credit-hour |
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers an online MBA program specializing in data analytics and decision making. This concentration is ideal for those who wish to make strategic decisions based on data.
Applicants to the program must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and have at least two years of professional experience. Applications for admission include completed online application, a current business resume, transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, two professional recommendations, two essays, and English language proficiency for students where English is not the native language.
Comprising 62 credit-hours, the curriculum prepares students to become exceptional leaders with the ability to effectively analyze problems, think strategically, and build strong global organizations. Courses include analytical tools for decision making, business strategy, strategic economics, business modeling, data analytics, and python for business analytics.
Through the program, students develop data analysis skills, learn to understand the role of analytical techniques, convey their strategies to their organization, and demonstrate the value of data in the real world. Graduates of the program will be well-equipped to work in fields such as business intelligence, data analysis, marketing/sales analysis, and statistics. They can take up roles such as consultant, business intelligence manager, business analyst, data engineer, marketing analyst, and information manager.
| Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business |
| Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 36 months |
| Estimated Tuition: $2,025 per credit-hour |
American University offers an online master of business administration (MBA) program, delivered by the Kogod School of Business. The program is ideal for mid-career professionals who wish to develop communication and strategic management skills that will help them advance into leadership roles. While the program is primarily available online, it includes two three- to four-day in-person experiences in which students get to solve business challenges based on real companies.
Students can choose from the following STEM-related areas of study, depending on their interests:
- Business Analytics – This focus area helps students develop analysis skills, so they can make decisions based on data. Courses in this specialization include predictive analytics, database and big data, and business intelligence.
- Cybersecurity – In this focus area, students get detailed information about cybersecurity from the management point of view. They focus on ways to prevent, prepare for, and detect, and cyberattacks. This focus area includes courses such as database and big data, cybersecurity risk management, and cybersecurity governance.
Admission requirements for the program include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, completed online application, personal statement, a current resume, letters of recommendation, and transcripts. GMAT and GRE scores are not required for admission.
Consisting of 48 credit-hours, the core courses of the program include financial accounting, financial management, managerial statistics, marketing management, managerial accounting and operations management, and strategic thinking for decisions.
The program opens up several opportunities for graduates. They can take up roles such as financial manager, human resources manager, management analyst, marketing manager, and operations manager.
| Location: Washington, D.C. |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months. |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,759 per credit-hour |
Villanova University offers an online master of business administration (MBA) program with a specialization in analytics. Students learn how to interpret data and leverage it for the benefit of their organization. The program offers the same curriculum and the expert faculty as Villanova’s top-ranked, campus-based program. While most of the courses are available online, students are required to travel to campus for the weekend leadership challenge class within the first two semesters.
The major admission requirements for the program include a completed online application, undergraduate GPA, a current resume, two essays, official transcripts from all institutions attended, two letters of recommendation, GMAT or GRE score, and TOEFL scores for international students.
The program comprises 48 credit-hours. It includes courses such as business operations in the 21st century, team leadership, analyzing and leveraging data, group dynamics, analytical methods for data mining, an introduction to business analytics, and business intelligence.
The program ensures that its students will have the opportunity to acquire the insights, cross-cultural exposure, and expertise to help them succeed in the global marketplace. They develop the skills and knowledge for making a powerful impact on a business, they gain the confidence and skills that are needed for succeeding in the next chapter of their career, and they also get a chance to participate in immersive interactions with industry and thought leaders. Graduates of the program will be well-equipped to work as financial analysts, financial managers, chief financial officers, marketing managers, and operations managers.
| Location: Villanova, Pennsylvania |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,375 per credit-hour |
Arizona State University offers an online MBA/MS in industrial engineering, with a blend of technical and management courses. The program helps working professionals get up to speed with the developments in their chosen field, while also allowing them to develop business skills. The dual degree program allows students to save time, as opposed to completing both degrees separately. The faculty for the program includes the same renowned professors that teach the on-campus coursework.
The major admission requirements for the program include a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering (or another discipline such as computer science or mathematics), a minimum grade point average of 3.2, two letters of reference, official transcripts, a current resume, and GMAT scores. GRE scores may also be accepted.
Made up of 56 credit-hours, the program coursework is divided into 16 courses: eight each of MBA and MS fundamentals. The curriculum explores topics such as information systems engineering, ethical issues for managers, design engineering, decision support systems, production systems, and operations research.
On successful completion of the program, graduates will be well-equipped to pursue leadership positions in the field of industrial engineering.
| Location: Tempe, Arizona |
| Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 36 months |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,011 per credit-hour |
Arizona State University offers an online MBA and MSE in electrical engineering, so students can continue working while developing their technical and business skills further. Notably, the U.S. News & World Report has ranked the online electrical engineering master’s program at number one in the country, while the online MBA program has been ranked among the top ten in the country.
In order to get accepted into the program, applicants must have at least one year of professional work experience (two years are preferred), an undergraduate degree from an ABET-accredited electrical engineering program (non-ABET electrical engineering degrees require a minimum GPA of 3.5 and a GRE quantitative score above the 90th percentile), a minimum grade point average of 3.0, two letters of reference, official transcripts, a current resume, and GMAT scores. GRE scores may also be accepted.
Consisting of 56 credit-hours, the curriculum includes eight MBA courses and eight MSE courses. As part of the program, students delve into topics such as electric power and energy systems, signal processing and communications, solid-state electronics, electronic and mixed-signal circuit design, ethical issues for managers, operations and supply management, and statistics for managers.
The program opens up several opportunities for graduates. They develop management skills and get prepared to serve as industry leaders. They can take up roles such as chief executive, marketing manager, financial manager, and business operations.
| Location: Tempe, Arizona |
| Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 36 months |
| Estimated Tuition: $1,011 per credit-hour per semester |
Professors to Know in MBA in STEM Fields Programs
-
Stephen Mahar, PhD, MBA Villanova University
Dr. Stephen Mahar is a professor of management and operations, and the faculty director of the master of science in analytics program. He has taught courses such as applied analytics, data mining, introduction to business analytics, and advanced business applications. Professor Mahar's current research efforts delve into supply chain management, multi-channel supply chains, operations management, analytics applications, innovative education in operations & decision sciences, and healthcare services.
Dr. Mahar’s findings have been published in journals such as the European Journal of Operational Research and the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. He also has received several awards such as Daniel J. O’Mara Villanova School of Business Faculty Award and the Discere Aude Award for excellence in teaching at UNCW. He earned his PhD from Indiana University Bloomington, MBA from Indiana University (Kelley School of Business), BS from Rochester Institute of Technology, and BA from The State University of New York College at Geneseo. -
Adam Mersereau, PhD University of North Carolina
Dr. Adam Mersereau is a professor of operations and Sarah Graham Kenan Scholar at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina. He has taught various MBA classes such as business statistics and analytics, data analytics, and applied analytics. Presently, his research explores dynamic optimization, parameter uncertainties, applications in retail operations management, inventory management, e-commerce, revenue management, and people analytics.
Professor Mersereau has published his findings in prominent journals such as Production and Operations Management, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, and Management Science. His exemplary teaching has won numerous accolades such as the Weatherspoon Award for Excellence in MBA Teaching, as well as the Gerald Barrett Faculty Award for his contributions to the MBA program at the Kenan-Flagler Business School. He completed his PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BSE from Princeton University. -
William A. Young, PhD Ohio University
Dr. William A. Young serves as the director of the online MBA and master of business analytics (MBAn) programs, and is also an associate professor of business analytics in the Department of Analytics and Information Systems at Ohio University’s College of Business. He teaches courses such as descriptive analytics, prescriptive analytics, predictive analytics, operations management, business analytics, and business statistics.
Dr. Young’s research projects mainly focus on operation management, predictive analytics, operations research, and prescriptive analytics. He has published in top-notch journals such as the International Journal of Production Research, Expert Systems with Applications, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Neural Computing and Applications, and Computers and Industrial Engineering.. He completed his PhD, MS, and BS at Ohio University.
