STEM Designation Gives MBAs Competitive Edge for Future
Media Contact: Anna Martinez
214-768-4474, annam@smu.edu
May 7, 2021 Dallas (SMU) – The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University (SMU Cox) distinguishes itself once again by joining top-ranked business schools to offer a STEM-designated MBA program. The school’s Full-Time and Working Professional MBA programs, including the Professional MBA (part-time), the Executive MBA, the Online MBA and MBA Direct, now have the STEM-designation, after receiving approval from the SMU Board of Trustees today.
“Data and analytics are dramatically changing our business environment,” says Matthew B. Myers, dean of the Cox School. “With this designation, we’re giving our students a competitive edge and preparing them for the future. Companies now know that when they hire a Cox graduate with a STEM-designated MBA, they’ll be gaining an employee with leadership and quantitative skills that will bring value to their organizations from day one.”
An MBA with STEM designation provides students with rigorous training in areas such as data analytics, business modeling, information systems for management and managerial economics. These concepts, along with the ability to parse and analyze data for making better and more effective business decisions, are paramount as today’s businesses navigate the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Cox School began teaching a revised curriculum, the NextGen Curriculum, this academic year to align with the business community’s increased emphasis on data and analytics.
“Leveraging data and analytics to solve complex, unstructured business problems is an important topic in the C-suite and board rooms,” says Shane Goodwin, associate dean for executive education and graduate programs. “At the Cox School, we focus on experiential learning to develop well-rounded business leaders who are innovative, entrepreneurial, analytically skilled and able to leverage technology in a global setting to solve complex business issues. Cox MBA graduates have the analytical skills needed to excel in today’s data-driven organizations.”
The Cox School’s MBA with Supply Chain Management and the MBA with Business Analytics concentrations both already carry the STEM designation. Two SMU Cox Master of Science (MS) degree programs have also been STEM-designated for some time now: the MS in Business Analytics and the MS in Finance. The STEM designation of its Full-Time and Working Professional MBA degree programs solidifies SMU Cox as leader on STEM in business. Designation for additional MBA programs may be subject to approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Prospective students can access graduate admissions information at www.coxgrad.com.
ABOUT SMU COX
The Cox School of Business celebrated 100 years of business education at SMU in 2020. The Cox School is committed to influencing the way the world conducts business via prolific research that provokes innovation, change and global thought leadership. SMU Cox offers a full-range of business education programs including BBA, Full-Time MBA, Professional MBA (part-time), Executive MBA, Cox MBA Direct, Online MBA and Master of Science degree programs, as well as Executive Education. Consistently ranked among the world’s leading business schools, SMU Cox maintains an active alumni network globally. SMU Cox is accredited by AACSB.
