USA

MBA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN USA

An MBA in Information Technology will make you a skilled professional gaining benefit from both IT-related specialized courses and the traditional business curriculum. In the coming decade, MBA – IT students will experience significant growth in management employment in the US with Information security analysis positions to increase by 28% as stated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The skills acquired by an MBA in IT are essential and have developed a tremendous demand across industries and business functions. We will further discuss the specialized courses in MBA – IT, its syllabus, requirements to enter any MBA university in the USA, comparisons with other master’s degree courses in IT, etc.

MBA in IT – courses and specializations:-

An MBA in Information technology itself is a specialized course with particular subjects included only to refine the syllabus. However, further specialization is based on the subjects and areas which are related to automating business processes. Some categories are:-

- IT Entrepreneurship,

- Security Analysis,

- Bio-design,

- Supply Chain Management,

- New Energy Technology,

- Research Scientist,

- Database Administrator and

- Network Architect, etc.

 

Also, the syllabus mostly covers the subjects which are job oriented or have a practical utilization in the business world. Some examples are Data Warehousing, Project Management, E-commerce, Business Intelligence, ERP/SAP, etc.

 

MBA – IT syllabus:-

As we discussed above, subjects of MBA in IT focuses on the fields of IT Entrepreneurship, Big data and Data Mining, Supply Chain Management, etc. However, the basic structure is similar for all the MBA courses during the initial year and from second year onwards selective subjects are added. The following is a structural example of the syllabus in MBA in IT:-

Semester 1 Syllabus Semester 2 Syllabus

Organizational behavior Organization Effectiveness and Change

Managerial Economics Management Science

Financial Accounting Economic Environment of Business

Business Communication Financial Management

Quantitative Methods Management Accounting

Information Technology Management Operation Management

Marketing Management Marketing Research

Human Resource Management Management of Information System

Semester 3 Syllabus Semester 4 Syllabus

Business Ethics & Corporate Social

Responsibility Project Study

Legal Environment of Business Strategic Management

Strategic Analysis International Business Environment

Elective Course Elective Course

Elective Subjects

Managing E-Business/ Business

Intelligence Business Process Re-Engineering

System Analysis and Design Database Management Systems

Strategic Management of Information

Technology Knowledge Management

Managing IT-Enabled Services Network Operations, Management & Security

 

 

Some universities accept admission in summer as well as during fall while some universities accept only once in a year. Check university websites to get their respective application information.

Eligibility for MBA in IT in the USA:-

- The basic requirement for an MBA in IT is the same as for another MBA program which is a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent from a recognized

university. Some universities may require an undergraduate background in IT or business.

- Professional experience in relevant fields is always an added advantage and also given preference by the universities while accepting admissions.

- Most of the graduate programs including MBA programs require strong performances in the undergraduate courses through your GPA scores.

- The performance in the MBA entrance exams like CAT, CMAT, SNAP, XAT, MAT, NMAT, or GMAC is measured by the university to select students during the admission procedures.

 

Admission material:-

A complete application must contain:

Academic Record/Transcripts: - You can get these by requesting to your undergraduate college/university official. These are basically proof of your excellence and performance during your previous course or education.

Letters of Recommendation: - Most universities require at least two letters of recommendation from students which you can get from your professors from your previous college.

Essays/SOPs: - The number of essays required depends upon the university requirement. These essays help the admission committee to know you better through your academic experiences and achievements. You must write these essays/SOPs representing your individual self and the interpersonal skills you gained during your academics.

Standardized test scores: - GRE or GMAT test scores are to be attached along with your application which has a large weight-age considering your admission at the university. Also, these scores must not be older than five years.

English language test scores: - Scores of English language tests like IELTS, TOEFL or PTE are required for non-native English speakers or for those who have not completed their previous education where English was not the medium of instruction.

Resume: - You are required to submit a resume mentioning your skills, academic excellence, experience in management tasks, achievements during academics and work, etc. The requirement of the resume is limited to some of the universities but mostly the top ones in the USA.

Application fee: - You can pay the application fee online through credit or debit card. The cost of the application ranges from $100 to $300.

Duration for MBA in IT:-

An MBA generally takes around 1 to 2 years of full-time study and 2 to 3 years of a part-time or online study program. However, the timeline may be affected in the case of online MBA courses as the study pattern may not be integrated due to various technical reasons and may differ the standard completion time.

Finances:-

An MBA in IT in one of the top universities or business schools in the USA can cost on average around $75,000 per year. However, for other universities, the tuition cost can be in range of $30,000 to $60,000 per year. There are also many universities in the USA that have tuition fees around $15,000 to $20,000. Along with the tuition costs, you need to consider accommodation, food, traveling, and other miscellaneous costs while planning your finances. These expenses can cost roughly around $1000/month or more depending on your lifestyle.

 

Best universities for MBA in IT:-

The following are the best universities in the USA in terms of education, rankings, and employer’s choices:

- Stanford GSB

- MIT Sloan

- Harvard Business School

- The Kellogg School of Management

- Columbia Business School

- UC Berkeley (HAAS)

- INSEAD

- The Wharton School

- UCLA Anderson School of Management

- Michigan Ross School of Business

 

MBA vs. MS in IT and MS in Information management:-

If we broadly classify, an MBA in IT focuses on the management and business-related aspects and syllabus of the IT field whereas in MS in IT you will study more about the technical aspects like software development, business information systems, decision support systems, etc.

Similarly, an MS in information management is about studying the information systems and dealing with their hardware and software, while an MBA in IT is about management and administration of the people responsible for working on these systems. However, you can streamline your study in information management within an MBA in IT.

Scholarships:-

The following is the list of universities and organizations offering scholarship and fellowship programs for MBA – IT students:-

- Harvard MBA Scholarship - Includes The Robert S. Kaplan (MBA 1983) Life Sciences Fellowship and Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowship.

- Stanford MBA scholarship.

- Columbia Business School MBA scholarship – Includes merit-based scholarship like Forte Foundation Scholarship and need-based scholarship in the range of $7,500 - $30,000.

- Wharton MBA scholarship – Includes emerging economy fellowships, Joseph Wharton Fellowships, Howard E. Mitchell Fellowships, and Social Impact Fellowships.

- Onsi Sawiris Masters Scholarships.

- Chicago Booth Scholarships.

- Haas School of Business Fellowships.

- The Zonis Fellowships (international students from an emerging economy).

- Canfield Private Equity Fellowship (prior experience in private equity or investment banking).

Average MBA Salary:-

The US news conducted an annual survey among 129 ranked MBA programs which stated that the average MBA salary for a year along with a bonus was around $106,757 paid till March 2020. If you are interested in studying abroad, contact Whizstorm’s experts for the best study abroad plans.

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