Three North American universities paving global success for business graduates

Business is transforming with new digital resources, and graduates with advanced STEM (that’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) knowledge and skills are needed now more than ever.

It’s a proven fact — between 2019 to 2029, the pool of STEM-related occupations is expected to grow by 8%, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics. That’s higher than all other fields. It means that those looking to upskill and future-proof their careers and widen their avenues of success will have an edge with a foundation in STEM.

In comes the STEM-designated business degrees, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Science (MS) programmes. A common feature in US business schools, these programmes are launchpads for sharper skills, career growth, and competitive salaries – sometimes, in multiple disciplines.

If this is the kind of multifaceted future you envision, consider the business schools below. They have a solid track record of boosting employability, connecting students to top organisations,  and unbeatable locations.

University of California Irvine, Paul Merage School of Business

Chandni Shah graduated from the MBA programme in 2015, and is now the Head of Artificial Intelligence Technical Services at Google. Source: University of California Irvine

The city of Irvine is one of the safest in the nation and where every weekend’s a chance to bask in sunny weather and lounge on the beach. It’s the perfect place to balance out the rigours of a 21st century education, which is precisely what the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California (UC), Irvine, is known for offering. In response to the world turning digital, it has designed a suite of STEM-designated business degrees that explore the ins and outs of emerging technologies shaping the future of business.

These include the Full-Time MBA (ranked 27th in the US by the Financial Times), Master of Professional Accountancy, Master of Finance, Master of Science in Business Analytics, and the Master in Management. Whichever programme you choose at a school ranked among the world’s top 10%, you get to relish cutting-edge courses covering Fintech, Competing with Digital, Machine Learning for Analytics, and more. This level of exposure always leads to outstanding outcomes.

“Merage is the biggest reason why I am at Google in the first place,” says graduate Chandni Shah. “Merage Career Centre did an amazing job refreshing the resume and preparing us for interviews!”

Shah isn’t the only one making waves in a top organisation. The school’s graduate programmes collectively boast a 91% employment rate six months post graduation. Apart from Google, alumni can be found adding value in companies like Disney, Amazon, Deloitte, and Experian. Nothing less is expected of those who advanced their expertise in Orange County, which is situated in the center of the Tech Coast and is home to several Fortune 500 companies.

To ensure students always put their best foot forward, Merage School offers unwavering support and a sense of community built through the pillars of Inclusive Excellence. Students’ diverse backgrounds serve as valuable assets in driving initiatives like the Black Management Association, the Latinx Initiative, and the Global Initiative for International students.

Indeed, everyone is welcome to join the Paul Merage School of Business. Learn more about doing so today.

University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business

Students in the Robert H. Smith School benefit from its strong industry connections to companies and organisations in Washington, D.C. Source: University of Maryland/Facebook

A pioneering business career takes great foresight into modern business, which is why the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland prepares you to enter industries with the best tools, skills, and knowledge. In state-of-the-art facilities, world-class faculty leads you through learning beyond a typical classroom. Researchers place artificial intelligence at the centre of their practices so that you’ll stay ahead of the game in a transformative business period.

Smith has numerous top-ranked postgraduate degrees that lead students — early or mid-career — through upskilling that increases their employability. The Full-Time MBA lands at #16 among public institutions in the US, a STEM-designated programme that gears you up for a developing world in technology. It spans two years of study, and you’ll be challenged by hands-on learning projects and courses personalised to your career goals. Other STEM master’s degrees include those which are specialised: the Master of Science in Accounting, Master of Finance, Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Quantitative Finance, and more.

The school serves as a stepping-stone towards global success, a result of the expansive support and opportunities students are equipped with. Here’s where learning takes you outside the classroom, with resources like the Smith Careers helping you land job and internship positions. You can build a community of like-minded peers by joining one or two of many student organisations at Smith and collaborating across disciplines with acclaimed faculty members through cutting-edge research opportunities.

University of Rochester, Simon Business School

All MBA programmes at Rochester are STEM-designated. Source: University of Rochester/Facebook

It’s tough to stand out in a highly competitive industry, but the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester in New York has you covered. It has multiple centres for excellence that birth ground-breaking research discoveries. World-class faculty members are leading the #1 most diverse MBA programme, which also ranks among the nation’s top 50, according to the US News & World Report. An alumni tree of over 150,000 professionals sing their praises globally, thriving as presidents, chief financial officers, vice presidents, and more.

Rochester was the first school to designate all MBA programmes offered as STEM, not just the Full-Time MBA. Students in the Full-Time MBA programme can choose between three specialised tracks, based on their career goals — finance, consulting, and marketing. If an MBA isn’t what you’re after, the school has MS degrees in artificial intelligence, accountancy, finance, marketing analytics, and business analytics, too.

At Simon, your success is a top priority. The Benet Career Management Centre (CMC) helps you garner those professional development opportunities in real-world settings through networking, career counselling, mock interviews, and more. That’s your gateway to full-time jobs and internships.

CMC maintains industry relations across various fields: technology, brand management, consulting, and more. Thanks to them, recent graduates have been employed by some of the best companies in the world, like Grant Thornton, Mediacom Communications Corporation, and more.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International