STEM path to MBA [at University of Alabama or similar programs at other schools]

College Search & Lists
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My son will be a junior this upcoming year and has started looking at colleges. He has a strong interest in chemical engineering but also enjoys business. He was researching and found the STEM path to MBA at Alabama. Does anyone has any experience or thoughts on programs like this and are there many schools that offer something comparable?

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No experience.

My son went there - and said there were many kids in the program and some that dropped out.

As an MBA myself, I’m not a fan. To me, an MBA should have one or both of two purposes:

  1. PIvot jobs - if you’re in a profession you don’t like

  2. Make more money

Most MBAs that are worth a hoot require two years work experience. At my old job, when we hired a straight through MBA, they got $5K more than an undergrad - and when I left, they were evaluating whether they should even do that.

Someone going straight through doesn’t have work experience to add value.

That said, others will say - my kid will not change professions and this gives a business backing - and for some, with the Bama scholarships, they could get some or all of it paid.

The other issue a ChemE will have is they’ll likely make more as a ChemE out of school - that going back for an MBA later - won’t be financially palatable - so they can still get one - but maybe at night.

It’s just my opinion - obviously others will feel differently and hopefully will give you feedback as well.

The stats here show 122 STEM MBA or 62 Traditional MBA. You might ask them for specific to STEM MBA - but it’s likely a ChemE on its own will make at least as much as the MBA is making. But they’re showing a near $78K average salary at 22 years old - and most reputable MBAs won’t have anyone younger than 24/25.

I’d rather see a business minor if he has interest and then an MBA down the line - if he has interest.

If he went to a fringe top 20 like IU, they’re reporting a $137K median - which is near double the Bama STEM MBA salary.

At fringe top 40, ASU, $147K (they include signing bonus) etc.

I’m against an MBA without work experience for that reason alone - in addition to potentially pivoting off of being an engineer if it’s not right for him, he’s throwing away a chance to get a salary lift later.

Best of luck whatever he decides.

Career Outcomes – Manderson Graduate School of Business | The University of Alabama

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https://manderson.culverhouse.ua.edu/stem-path-to-the-mba/

Understand that at least 6 of the courses are online summer courses. If done at the expense of an internship, it is not recommended.

Appears to be a 5 year plan to double major in a STEM field and in business.

Earning an MBA without at least 2 years, but preferably 3 to 5 years, post-undergraduate degree work experience is not recommended as MBA concepts are best understood in the context of one’s real world work experience.

Nevertheless, if on scholarship, then worth considering. There is no widespread prohibition against earning a second MBA.

MBA programs are most helpful to those with post-undergraduate degree work experience in order to facilitate advancement with one’s current employer or to facilitate a switch of employer or industry.

Alabama’s MBA program is not among the top 20 MBA programs. But, as a STEM student, attending a top ranked MBA program is not as important as it was a decade ago.

P.S. A consideration might be that your son will not have an opportunity to earn an MBA later in life as his earning capacity could make an MBA a bad investment from a financial perspective, therefore it may be worth the effort now–especially if covered by scholarship money.

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My D is a Chem E who intends to go back for an MBA. Across the board she was advised to work at least 5 years before going back to school. She will likely do a hybrid program so she can keep working full time.

As an undergrad she took some business courses and did a leadership certification at school. She was also a co op student in a feeder program for an ELDP program (which she’s doing now). She was able to get some six sigma certifications and Kaizen leadership training certainly while still an undergrad as part of the co op. The company also sent her to a couple of leadership conferences.

Lots of opportunities to combine the two interests!

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No prohibition- but why? Which adcom are you going to convince that you got your first MBA when you were young and naive, but that now that you are more mature and wordly, you want to repeat the coursework?

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It’s interesting but having earned one 25 or so years ago - I’ve thought about doing this.

But I think more likely is what my school and likely many offer, including locally, touch ups or semi-deep dives into specific topics in a 3 or 4 course sequence. They are regularly offered to me at an alumni discount.

So much of what I learned was not formally used and perhaps isn’t even relevant today - or at least in the exact methods as prior.

Now it’s - I’ve got an MBA for my resume.

But I agree - I don’t see being able to earn a 2nd
second Masters yes but not second MBA.

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Could be any admissions officer; an applicant for a second MBA would just need to explain the situation well which would be easy in this case.

Why ? Any reason that one typically pursues an MBA. Could be to switch career paths or any other reason that one has for seeking an MBA.

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But the core, required classes-- the person has already taken them. Someone is going to pay big bucks for a do-over on Managerial Accounting?

I think there are better uses of time and money than a second MBA. There are well regarded Master’s programs in Quantitative Finance for example
 or certificate programs in Data Analysis. But a do-over on an MBA? Negative ROI? And the rationale to the adcom’s being “the first one was cheap because I had a merit scholarship so now I want to pay for the same content?” Doesn’t seem like a solid business rationale.

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Such a candidate would probably have the option to substitute electives for already satisfied core courses.

That rationale is reasonable

Whether or not a second MBA is a better use of time & money is up to the applicant based on that applicant’s situation.

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I can’t find where the OP asked about a second MBA, so let’s confine the discussion to the questions asked

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The program page says “After you are admitted into the MBA Program, you will take one summer semester of three online MBA classes between your junior and senior years. The courses are online to allow you to engage in study abroad, internship, or co-op experiences while staying on track academically.”

That’s the most important summer for doing an internship for an engineering student. Despite what they say, I wouldn’t recommend doing that while taking any courses if possible, let alone 3 courses.

In my opinion, it would be a way bigger career boost to maximize internships and co-ops. I don’t know how compatible this MBA program actually is with that. Many engineering students get invited for full-time jobs via their undergrad internships and co-ops, which is fantastic because the first job is the hardest one to get.

Culverhouse offers lots of different minors. If he has room in his schedule, your kid could take some of the prerequisites, and then decide later whether or not it’s worth it to do one of the minors.

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My son had no interest in it. But from reading on parent FB groups, I think it’s a popular option with kids with the NMF scholarship since it covers 5 years of tuition, including graduate credits. I think it’s better to work for a few years too. I never got an MBA, but have engineer friends who did and they all worked first.

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Don’t let the tail wag the dog here. Focus first on the best fit affordable Chem E program he can get into. That is more valuable than a clipped on MBA. If his goal is to be a senior exec at “Dow Chemical” and not just a scientist, the best route is to work on the science side first and then move over to the business side. If the company sees that potential, they may well support/pay for post grad education.

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You might check out Lehigh University and their integrated business and engineering program. They also have MBA options you can find on their website - 1-year and STEM designated options.

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My best friend is on this track at Alabama! We will be freshmen this fall so if you are still interested and pm me later, I can let you know her thoughts. We both have 5 year full tuition scholarships so she figured why not do it. I also know a kid that started in it but dropped out because he wasn’t interested anymore. Overall a good opportunity though, especially if your kid could be National merit so it’s free!

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RPI has a engineering plus MBA program. Just to put another one out for comparison.

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Any thoughts on this now that you’re there? My son is admitted to ‘bama and the HC - Now needs to decide about whether to apply for STEM to MBA.

Not sure he would pursue MBA otherwise - but if he can apply his merit scholarship to it - any reason not to do STEM to MBA if he can do it in 4 years? (He would likely do mathematics / data science as the undergrad major).

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Two reasons:

  1. You can use an MBA later to pivot careers if you don’t like what you’re doing

  2. You give up earnings power - do the MBA after undergrad vs. work a few years and go to a decent school, and likely give up $50K+ a year in earnings power.

An MBA sans experience does nothing for you intially job/salary wise.

If it was simply to take advantage of the free money and you’re not interested long term MBA, I get it.

But from a practicality POV, in my opinion, it’s a bad move.

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I think she’s enjoying it! She ran her own baking business and took AP micro and macro in high school, so she’s always enjoyed that kind of thing. It’s structured a little weirdly and you have to take summer classes one summer. Right now she’s in the intro class, and it is entirely group projects and presentations. It is a good bit of work but an easy A. Fair warning, some kids make it into the honors program and Stem to MBA without ever having written a paper before, so the group projects can be rough.

If he thinks he may be interested, I’d say just do it for a semester and see. You have to take an “intro to honors” type class your freshman and sophomore years regardless. I’m taking the usual UH 100 and 200 which are general study skills, resumes, etc. It’s what everyone who is in the honors college but not in a special program takes. If you do the stem to mba program (or Randall Research Scholars, or a few others), the classes you to take for it freshman and sophomore years fulfill the intro honors requirement and you don’t have to take UH 100 or 200. So, it won’t hurt him at all if he does it his freshman year and changes his mind!

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Thanks! Super helpful.

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