Curriculum
Leaders in today's technology-driven organizations excel at engaging engineering teams as well as professionals in the C-suite. And for work that centers on AI-driven products and services, product managers are expected to have a deeper analytical orientation than that of their peers. These and related considerations informed the development of the MBAi program and its curriculum.
MBAi isn't simply an ad hoc collection of courses from Kellogg and Northwestern Engineering, but rather a collaboration between the two schools which resulted in a new, blended approach to business and technology leadership. Many of the courses for this program are designed specifically for this program to focus on the deeper analytical orientation and the AI and software engineering foundations and experience needed by leaders. Graduates leave ready to lead teams inclusive of data scientists, machine learning engineers, and developers, and are empowered to make well-informed decisions with authority.
The MBAi curriculum falls into three broad categories: MBA Core, Technical Core, and Integrated Core. Students progress together as a cohort for the duration of their studies, learning and collaborating with peers who will become life-long friends and a lasting professional network.
MBA Core
The MBA Core of classes cover topics that have traditionally been part of Kellog's MBA curriculum, plus a set of business classes which has been redesigned to prepare for the MBAi student for the quantitative understanding they will need by being part of the Artificial Intelligence space.
Classes taken alongside students from across the Kellogg suite of full-time MBA programs:
- Business Strategy
- Finance I
- Microeconomic Analysis
- Leadership in Organizations
Classes specifically designed for and exclusive to MBAi students:
- Accounting for Decision Making
- Business Analytics
- Marketing Management
- Operations Management
Technical Core
The Technical Core of classes offered through the McCormick School of Engineering are designed to provide MBAi students with hands-on experience in practical areas that will prepare them to work with technical teams. The intent is not to turn MBAi students into machine learning engineers, but instead to develop the intuitions and knowledge necessary to make technically sound business decisions. The focus is less on mastering theory and more on understanding the practical implications of technical design choices.
Classes specifically designed for and exclusive to MBAi students:
- Computational Thinking for Business Leaders
- Applied AI for Business
- Data Intensive Systems
- Tech Product Management
- Modern Software Architectures
Integrated Core
An integrated set of core classes brings the shared themes together. This includes both experiential learning components such as an internship, an industry capstone, and classes that cover issues including ai ethics and industry applications of AI.
Specifically, the integrated core includes:
- AI Leaders
- Organizational Design & Ethics
- MBAi Seminar Series – Weekly lectures by senior industry executives
- Industry applications of AI
- MBAi Capstone Project - taken in conjunction with students from Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence program (MSAI)
- Summer internship
The capstone projects are defined by leading companies across a range of industries and MBAi students team with Master of Science in Artificial intelligence (MSAI) students to work directly with a company on a live problem they face. These projects give the students an opportunity to apply the skills they’ve learned on a real-world challenge with the support of industry experts and Northwestern faculty. The hybrid MBAi/MSAI teams reflect the nature of teams students will encounter in industry. Previous capstone courses have involved projects for companies such as Accenture, Adobe, CDW, Deere, Deloitte, Google, Vanguard, Walgreens, and Wayfair, as well as various startups.
More about the Summer Internship & Industry Immersion Experience:
To build experience and adaptability in a quickly changing industry, MBAi students engage in substantial hands-on learning experiences including a 10-week summer internship. Students can also take electives during this quarter to focus on individual interests.
Beyond the internship and Capstone program, students may engage with industry during periodic company site visits, our formal seminar series featuring guest lecturers from varied parts of industry, and informal, small-group discussions or lunches for more in-depth conversations.
Ready to Dive Deeper?
Request a program guide, speak with our admissions team, and apply.Request Info Apply Now Email MBAI
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