Soliciting Opinions! I have read the threads on STEM to MBA programs or hybridized Entrepreneurial/Tech programs. My DS is interested in Computer Engineering with an Entrepreneurial direction. The programs sound so intriguing, but my questions are:
-Is the program so hybridized that it really isn’t enough of the business side?
-Would the STEM-MBA received be respected by other MBA’s as an equivalent?
-And conversely, would time be better spent with a Masters in Engineering and returning after some experience to get an MBA?
Probably depends upon the particular program under consideration in light of the career objectives of the student. In short, hard to offer meaningful comments without more specific information about the program & the student.
A common perception among employers of entry-level engineers is that students with engineering / business combinations are thinking of engineering as a stepping stone to management, rather than being truly interested in engineering. This can be a negative factor to some employers. @HPuck35 has written in the past about this.
Some engineers do move into management (often the more technical side), commonly without needing any business courses in college or an MBA.
If a student wants to start their own business, as opposed to joining the traditional job force, some of the entrepreneurial stuff can help. It’s hard for most to know that at the outset though and shouldn’t compromise their technical background. After all, junk tech with great marketing gets you stuff like Juicero.
An alternative approach is to look for schools that have active entrepreneurship clubs. They don’t have to cut their tech classes to gain some business/startup chops.
Many schools offer this. That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. See @HPuck35 sage advice above.
“and University of SC’s M.S. in Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurial Engineering.”
This can be a different story. Ditto Berkeley and Stanford’s similar programs (and I’m sure others out there). Students can go directly into those programs, but more likely, and probably more effectively, they take a break and work first, then after they’ve developed some technical skills worth parlaying, fill in the startup/business gaps.
I find the combination interesting but not sure if being stem with a business background makes more sense then an MBA with some stem background.
My son is applying for internships and on one companies site they list having a business background /knowledge is a plus. This is for engineering. Maybe just being business savvy per se?
He was going to get a business minor but quickly saw that he can take engineering type business classes and join /create orgs that are more business focused.
There are just too many engineering electives it seems one can take that the business side would have to replace as has been suggested many times here
@SCMomofTwo, I think it all depends on major and what a person wants to do. Most companies are looking for new grads to do technical work. They can see the business stuff as diluting technical preparation and signaling a lack of desire to do tech work. @HPuck35 has written extensively on this. It’s worth reading his old posts.
There are two exceptions. Students who want to have startups can be well served by the entrepreneurial programs USC, Berkeley, Stanford, etc. offer. IEs like @Knowsstuff’s student can be well served by traditional MBAs as IE is more business oriented than other engineering disciplines right out of the gate.
Those are just my opinion from lots of reading here.
To start your own business, you need a product that someone wants to buy. That is the hard part. Many times you need the technical expertise to be able to come up with an idea that will sell and be profitable.
Stick to the technical / engineering. Later, if you move into upper management, then get the MBA. If you develop a product and start a company, hire an experienced MBA, if necessary, and maybe just temporarily, to get things going.
My dh has a BS/MBA from the 5 year program at Cornell. But, his BS is in ORIE and he always knew he wanted to be on the management side. His MBA focus was on manufacturing and finance. His 4th year, which he finished up his undergrad courses along with starting his MBA classes, was tough but doable. Neither his BS or MBA was diluted in any way.
Our daughter will be a Chem E at another school (she’s in a FYE program now but will transition to her major in a few months). We’ve been impressed and also somewhat surprised at how many opportunities there are for leadership and management courses woven into her program. There are also all kinds of support, courses, and funds for kids who want to explore start ups.
Have you looked into Lehigh? They have an entrepreneurial minor that can be combined with any major. We were very impressed with their program.
My point is that there may be other ways for your son to get the entrepreneurial foundation without having to chase the MBA.
@momofsenior1. I second that. My son’s at Michigan for IOE and got a $5,000 optiMize project grant and a$10,000 Barger leadership one and with others co-founded a student organization. They have weekly meetings, lectures, project bases things and some social events for the last two years. They are putting on a conference on XR technology this spring. The first ever for this school. The Barger leadership training was a year long project and over the summer had a week intensive that they paid for his travel back to school, put them up in an arbnb on campus and classes on how to start an organization and they did a busnines plan and budget and on research technics this that was part of it also. They set the limit on how much they paid themselves and had a graduate student whose back round was in start ups check in weekly zoom type meetings for planning. Plus the alumni have been great with them.
They are actually actively looking for Midwest (or other) companies to lecture at this conference that use XR /AR technology.
At most universities the opportunities are there but they won’t come to you. All they did was go to some intro classes to these groups and submitted proposals. It is competitive but somehow they got it and ran with it.
So yes, you can get exposed to leadership /business concepts. My son was going to minor in business but also noticed there are a lot of business type classes in IOE that will suffice and there are just so many electives to take in IOE and others engineering fields.
@Knowsstuff and @momofsenior1, IE is different. For them business courses are helpful. It has been assumed that the OP’s student is not going into IE, but I might have missed that part.
My daughter is not an IE, she’s a chem e. She’s currently in process of getting her collaborative leadership certification. She was able to take communication courses specifically geared toward engineering leadership, facilitating project groups, presentations, etc…There are competitive leadership opportunities that she is applying for currently that will involve more coursework. Her college also has a competition similar to the one that was described by @knowsstuff… There is also the “foundry” at her school that helps students get their ideas to the marketplace and helps every step of the way. These programs, courses, and services are open to all majors, including CS.
@eyemgh totally get it. On the board that they created for this organization my son is the only IOE. There is a Ross Business student and 3 computer science majors. Two in engineering and one not. Their first objective was to bring women onto their board also.
My point is that there are ways to get business exposure at college through different activities. They also had to do an end of the year report, submit purchase orders, create a logo and tag line and created their own marketing campaign. They sold out of their organization t-shirts that both students and professors bought. They have to budget for the conference, pay for hotel, catering, and hopefully most speakers this year won’t require a fee.
So even if in engineering they are doing business like activities. Which really has been an enlightening experience for them since they are all pretty technical by nature.
@momofsenior1. That is exactly the type of program he is in. Instead of creating a product they created an organization… But followed business rules /culture. The other students have created start ups, products etc etc. He also does weekly presentations. The one group Barger leadership the owner is the co-founder of Jet Blue and the other person is one of the heads of BP corporate. Both Alumni. All I can say is it’s been a great for a kid that somewhat introverted. They have had graduate students and professors etc thank them for starting the group which is just cool in itself. The cool thing is at Michigan no one has said no. Be it professor, companies, alumni etc. Everyone is willing to help.
Now he is applying to internships /study abroad engineering for the summer… Hope something comes up. Their fair is next week but already applied and waiting now.