The MBA Program offers three track options for students who would like to focus on a particular area of study. First-year MBA students may enroll in either the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Track (E&I), the Finance Track, or the Enterprise Management (EM) Track. Students who complete a Track receive a certificate upon successful completion of the requirements. Enrollment in a track is optional and is done via a formal application process.
MBA students may double count up to two qualified courses toward a certificate and a track.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Track (E&I)
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Track (E&I) provides an option for specialization within the MBA Program. The track focuses on launching and developing emerging technology companies. It builds a select lifetime cohort of collaborative entrepreneurial MBA classmates and leads to an MIT Sloan Certificate in Entrepreneurship & Innovation in addition to the MBA degree. E&I Track leadership anticipates graduates will be particularly successful in the following career paths:
- Creating new enterprises while at MIT or soon after, with MIT Sloan colleagues and MIT students in science and technology who were teammates in project-oriented classes, the $100K competition, and programs including MIT delta v and fuse.
- Using their advanced entrepreneurial skills and knowledge in growing entrepreneurial firms in the U.S. or abroad, possibly with companies that were participants in the 15.399 Entrepreneurship Lab (E-Lab) or 15.389 Global Entrepreneurship Lab (G-Lab) subjects.
- Maturing their managerial capabilities by gaining deeper industry or functional experiences to develop perspectives for later business creation opportunities.
Finance Track
The Finance Track provides an opportunity for specialization for both career changers and experienced finance professionals. The Track consists of an integrated program of courses and activities designed to:
- expose students to the institutions and practices of the financial world;
- ground students in the principles of finance theory and in the application of theory to real problems;
- provide students with an overview of professional opportunities in finance;
- create a cohort of students and alumni in financial careers.
In addition to the required coursework, the Finance Track offers guest speaker presentations, career/interview preparation, networking opportunities with alumni and practitioners, academic and career advising, and social events. Finance Track activities are planned in consultation with the Career Development Office (CDO) and are intended to be a key element of preparing students for both their job search and broader career planning in a wide range of careers where finance skills are vital.
Enterprise Management Track (EM)
The goal of the Enterprise Management (EM) Track is to develop students’ capability to apply integrated management perspectives and practices in roles within large organizations, using innovative classroom and project-based activities. Skills in Marketing, Operations, and Strategy will be developed into a coherent perspective to support cutting-edge performance.
To enhance skill building, the Track will use MIT Sloan’s signature action-learning curriculum to promote an integrated mindset toward viewing and addressing business issues. During first semester, students will participate in a tightly scoped team project focused on marketing, operations, and/or strategy for an external client. Experience across the program will be integrated in a second semester (Spring of first year) management practice hackathon during SIP (allowing students to earn required SIP units), where student teams will compete to address issues in live integrative client projects using a holistic perspective.
As part of the Track, students may choose to further focus their education on particular skills, topics, or industries to prepare for specific careers. These requirements can be satisfied by completing a recommended set of courses from a long list of electives. The recommended sets of courses, linked to specific careers, are intended to guide students and to act as a signal to potential employers.
The Track prepares students for career paths related to large organizations, in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, including:
- Product development and innovation management
- Rotational management and leadership development programs
- Functional and cross-functional positions in marketing, operations, or supply chain management
- Consulting, including large strategic management and boutique consulting firms
Track Seminars
In the fall, first-year MBA students enrolled in the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Track (E&I) must enroll in the 15.360 Introduction to Technological Entrepreneurship. Those enrolled in the Finance Track must enroll in 15.403 Introduction to the Practice of Finance. The Enterprise Management (EM) track requires all enrolled students to enroll in 15.830 Enterprise Management Lab.