Georgia Tech is now offering a dual degree option allowing students to combine an MBA with an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in programs within the College of Engineering and College of Computing. This interdisciplinary degree track will provide graduates with deep technology knowledge, analytical skillset, business acumen, and entrepreneurial mindset to propel them to the forefront of their chosen fields.

“We are pleased to offer the MBA dual degree option for students seeking advanced degrees in engineering and computing,” said Maryam Alavi, dean of the Scheller College of Business and Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Chair. “As technology continues to reshape the business world, every industry requires technically savvy business leaders and professionals. The dual degree option is one of the many ways Scheller College is helping to close the gap between available skills and marketplace needs.”

The MBA dual degree leverages the combined strengths of Georgia Tech in engineering, computing, and business by melding the world-class expertise of the College of Engineering’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, the College of Computing’s School of Computer Science, and the Scheller College of Business. By combining the strengths of these nationally ranked programs, students gain a unique blend of skills and a competitive advantage to accelerate their careers.

“This new degree option allows our students to combine their world class technical degree with a world class MBA. It will be particularly attractive to students who have an entrepreneurial mindset,” said Laurence Jacobs, associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering. “The MBA/M.S. or Ph.D. dual degree allows engineering students to develop skills that employers look for in the next generation of leaders at their companies. We are excited about the opportunities this joint partnership will bring our students.”

One of the central objectives in creating the dual degree option is to produce graduates who will be ready to enter a workplace that is being transformed by technology at an increasing rate. From technology companies to traditional sectors such as consumer goods, finance, retail, and transportation, technological advancements are rapidly changing the U.S. and global economies. Georgia Tech recognized the need for a MBA/M.S. and MBA/Ph.D. offering to meet the growing industry demand for a new kind of principled leader who possesses innovative problem-solving skills and business know-how to help solve the most complex business and societal challenges of the 21st century.

"Computing has become a catalyst for so many areas of human endeavor, and the business world is perhaps the best example,” said Zvi Galil, the John P. Imlay Dean of the College of Computing. “It’s virtually required these days for top business professionals to have a firm grasp on concepts like data science and analytics, because you can bet that if you don’t take advantage of those tools, your competitors will. Moreover, it’s a real advantage for our computing students to be able to add an MBA to their credentials for that moment in their careers when they decide to move into the executive suite."

The dual degree option allows students to count 15 credit hours from their M.S. or Ph.D. courses toward their MBA elective requirements, reducing the time required to complete both degrees. Thus, students can complete an MBA with 39 credit hours instead of 54 credit hours.

Students who have been admitted to an M.S. or Ph.D. program in the Georgia Tech College of Engineering or College of Computing (excluding online degree programs) are eligible to pursue the dual degree option. This includes students in interdisciplinary programs where the two colleges participate, such as the M.S. programs in Analytics and Quantitative and Computational Finance.

Georgia Tech students currently pursing graduate degrees in the Colleges of Engineering and Computing who would like to learn more about the dual degree are invited to attend an upcoming information session on February 2 or February 23. Please visit the MBA dual degree Web page for details about program structure, the application and admissions process, and tuition and financing, or contact the Scheller College MBA Program Office with questions at 404.894.8722 or online.