MSU's newest master's program

A brand-new master’s program is coming to MSU in the fall of 2021. Aimed to help graduates acquire professional skills, the new program will enable students to be more effective leaders, innovators and team members in their careers. The Master of Science in Innovation and Management (MISM) will be a 30-credit graduate program, designed specifically for recent STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) undergraduates. This program is part of MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

“We’re thrilled to offer this new program,” said Mark Ranalli, dean of Jake Jabs College of Business, according to MSU News Service. “We’re confident it will provide our graduates with a professional advantage and set them up for accelerated success in their careers.”

Courses for this program will be taught in a collaborative and team-oriented setting and will all take place in Jabs Hall 207, otherwise known as the Risa K. Scott Collaboration Lab. Students will have the option of completing the degree intwo semesters, two semesters plus a summer capstone or in three semesters. The first group in fall of 2021 will consist of 25 students.

The idea for the program was born after MSU alumnus Norm Asbjornson and others on MSU’s Engineering Advisory Council recognized the need for a master’s program in which recent STEM graduates could improve their leadership, management and entrepreneurial skills, according to Ranalli.

Upon completion of the program, students will have acquired an understanding of skills such as assessing market and financial viability, rapidly prototyping new product designs and presenting a business plan to a venture or corporate investor.

“We’ve carefully designed this program to focus on solving problems in group settings, which will complement STEM graduates’ technical backgrounds,” Ranalli added. “Still, we also look forward to working with people from other disciplines, including business, design and liberal arts.”

Virtual information sessions are offered every other week for students who are interested in hearing about the new MISM program. The Graduate School is currently accepting applications for enrollment in the fall of 2021 with an early deadline of Monday, Feb. 1, 2021 for U.S. applicants and Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 for international applicants. For more details regarding the program or to sign up for an information session, visit https://www.montana.edu/business/ms-innovation-management/index.html.