As the senior associate dean of full-time programs, I am frequently gathering input from students and alumni about their Fuqua experiences and asking recruiters about the skill sets they are seeking.

During the past year, many conversations about the MMS program alluded to a common theme: more access to the deep capabilities Fuqua has built teaching technology and innovation.

Our faculty quickly collaborated on a solution to enrich MMS students’ experience in these areas. Fuqua now offers a Management Science and Technology Management (MSTeM) track for MMS.

Here are four things you should know:

1. The track offers a deeper dive into technology and managing innovation.

We created the MSTeM track to give students the chance to dive deeper into the opportunities and challenges posed by big data and managing rapid innovation and technology. Learning business fundamentals with the added context of technology will position students to apply meaningful tech insights to business problems.

2. MSTeM classes will be taken in addition to MMS core courses.  

MMS students may enroll in the MSTeM track in addition to their core classes. This means students will add MSTeM electives in the summer and on days when there are not previously scheduled courses. The electives incur additional costs on top of MMS tuition.

3. The MSTeM track builds upon a well-established curriculum at Fuqua.

Fuqua faculty have built deep capabilities in teaching tech and innovation in our Master of Quantitative Management: Business Analytics program, as well as the MSTeM track in our Daytime MBA program. We are able to build upon these resources to create courses relevant specifically to MMS students.

4. Adding the MSTeM track has U.S. visa benefits for graduates who land STEM jobs.

The MSTeM track has official STEM designation by the U.S. government. MMS: FOB students who secure a STEM-qualifying job (related to science, technology, engineering or math) will be able to work in the U.S. for three years on their student visa. During that time, they can apply for the H1B visa lottery multiple times if they choose to do so. This provides a clearer path for students who aspire to work in the U.S. and companies who want to hire our students.

While MMS: DKU students may benefit from taking some courses in the track if they choose, the potential visa benefit is not applicable to their program.

I am continually proud of the way our faculty innovates to remain relevant for the world we live in today. It has been incredible, but not surprising, to see about half of MMS: FOB students take advantage of the MSTeM track this academic year. We are looking forward to seeing the ways MSTeM will enhance their Fuqua experience and their careers.