Degree and research options

Degree options

You may elect to earn an MBA, a Master of Science in Management, or a Master of Science in Management of Technology. The degree you decide to pursue will determine some of the courses you take and whether you must complete a thesis.

The awarding of any of these master's degrees from MIT Sloan requires successful completion of all degree requirements, including obtaining a minimum cumulative grade point average of 4.0 (out of 5.0) across all core and elective courses counted toward the degree.

Thesis

If you decide to pursue an MS in the Management of Science, you are required to complete a thesis—individually or with a coauthor. If you pursue an MBA, you are not required to develop a thesis, but you are welcome to do so. Alumni who have opted to write a thesis emphasize the significant impact that their research had in transitioning them to new roles within their organizations.

When deciding whether to write a thesis, consider these factors:

  • The thesis offers you an opportunity to launch a new phase of your career by connecting you to individuals, data, and fresh perspectives that build upon and enhance your coursework and other program experiences.
  • The thesis allows you to dig deep into a business problem or challenge of special relevance to you—a level of investigation the normal pressures of day-to-day business rarely allow.
  • The thesis provides the impetus to connect to MIT’s pioneering research centers and laboratories and to organizations, companies, executives, and institutions of higher learning around the world. Read more about research centers.

Faculty and fellows talk about the thesis option.

“Writing is a critical skill more important than many in finance and technology realize. I learned so much while writing my thesis—not just about my topic, but also about writing. Writing a good paper affords a significant degree of legitimacy in your profession.”
Sameer Jain, SF ’03

“Over the years, I’ve worked with students who are developing theses that investigate issues specific to their own companies. I’ve seen how doors open for them across and beyond campus, and how they are able to rely on MIT’s greatest resources in the course of their research. The value a company derives from the development of that thesis can be huge.”
Pat Bentley, Senior Lecturer, MIT Leadership Center

“I met crucial industry contacts. And my thesis advisor was none other than Nobel Laureate Franco Modigliani, one of the greatest economists of our time.”
Pedro Baranda, SF ’01

At MIT, brilliant ideas are born, in part, because the scientists are standing on the shoulders of giants. And there is an exciting interface between the different worlds of management and science. This is an important draw at Sloan, so we attract students from many different realms, which is quite fun. Fiona E. Murray
Associate Professor of Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management; Faculty Director, MIT Entrepreneurship Center

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