Anne Knudsen/Stanford GSB
A dual Stanford MA/MBA program for students interested in international policy and business for graduate students has been launched. Students may apply to the program beginning this fall.
The dual degree program allows students to pursue an MBA at the Graduate School of Business and an MA in International Policy Studies from the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences in three academic years, instead of four.
The program is designed for students interested in working in fields that bridge businesses and governments in the United States and abroad. The cross-disciplinary courses will prepare students for leadership roles in international organizations, nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, consulting firms, and corporations that focus on a range of issues such as international development, trade and finance, security, healthcare, and the environment.
“This is an exciting opportunity for IPS students and GSB students to supplement their learning in international affairs and gain the skills they need in a globalized economy,” said Kathryn Stoner, director of IPS and a senior fellow at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.
“More and more we find that students benefit from a multidisciplinary learning experience,” said Madhav Rajan, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the Graduate School of Business. “With Stanford’s School of Humanities and Sciences just down the street from the business school, it is possible to bring together the best resources in multiple fields for our students.
Students interested in the program must separately apply to and be accepted by both the GSB’s MBA program and the Ford Dorsey Program in International Policy Studies (IPS) at the School of Humanities and Sciences.
Completion of the dual program requires a combined total of 145 units, including 90 MBA units and 55 units from IPS. Students who complete the dual program will earn two degrees: an MA in International Policy Studies and the MBA.
Students will spend the first year of the program taking GSB courses. The second year will blend GSB electives and IPS core classes and electives. During the third year, students will complete electives as well as a practicum for IPS.
More information about the admission process is available from Stanford GSB and IPS admissions offices.
With seven schools on one contiguous campus, Stanford University has long supported the concept of multidisciplinary learning to seek solutions to the world’s great challenges.
Stanford MBA students have increasingly sought second degrees in recent years as the opportunities for cross-sector leadership in the workplace have grown. Among MBA students, approximately 1 in 6 currently pursue joint or dual degree studies.
IPS students are trained in analytical and policy skills while gaining a deep understanding of the substantive issues facing today’s world. The program is part of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and the Stanford Global Studies Division.
— Adam Gorlick
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