Personalized and designed to meet the needs of tomorrow’s business leaders, the Full-Time MBA (FTMBA) program at Fisher College of Business has taken the latest step forward in blending rigorous educational experiences with curricular advancements informed by real-world demand. 

Domestic and international students in the FTMBA program can now choose to pursue a STEM designation associated with their master’s degree. 

“As the business world changes, we’ve embraced the opportunity to adapt, to innovate and to grow the ways we’re preparing tomorrow’s leaders,” said Bennett Tepper, associate dean for graduate programs at Fisher. “These enhancements to our MBA program are designed to better position our students for success while also meeting the needs expressed by the companies and industries that turn to Fisher for top talent and insights.” 

The shift toward data-driven decisions and leadership is reflected in the new STEM specialization. The new track engages students by fostering in them the skills necessary to identify challenges and inefficiencies and to articulate their impact on a business; utilizing analytical and statistical tools and critical thinking techniques; and helping them embrace and employ innovative thinking to deliver solutions. 

The STEM specialization builds on the foundations of Fisher’s MBA, a graduate degree recently redesigned to provide students with a career-defining program that is personalized, integrated and experiential. The new offering seeks to help MBA candidates capitalize on the long-term earnings value that a STEM-focused experience can provide as well as the growing demand for employees with STEM-designated degrees.  

Learn more about the STEM MBA specialization

“Professional opportunities for those with STEM-based training are surging,” said Roger Bailey, faculty director of the FTMBA program. “By designing a STEM-specific offering within the existing MBA framework, we’re providing our students with career paths that are relevant, timely and full of potential. And we’ve done so by augmenting and building on the hallmarks of our unique Full-Time MBA degree.”  

The specialization also seeks to increase global and diverse perspectives within the FTMBA program as well as at the organizations hiring Fisher MBA students. For international students interested in pursuing an MBA at Ohio State, the STEM specialization provides them with added educational stability: the degree yields an additional two years of Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the U.S., which equates to three years total without the need for an H1-B visa. STEM-designated degrees can also enhance opportunities with E-Verified employers and companies.