MTU College of Business programs have always been unique—and we never stop advancing. Learn more about the latest STEM-infused enhancements that prepare our Huskies to lead.
Business + STEM: Tech-savvy Business Grads
At Michigan Tech, College of Business students study more than business. Science, technology, engineering, and math are infused into COB courses and programs. Classes connect disciplines. Degree programs cross borders. Research and class projects draw on expertise from across the University.
"We're the business college that's embedded in Michigan's only public technological university," says Dean Johnson, dean of the College of Business. "Employers place a high value on graduates with advanced technology-related abilities, and that's what we do at Michigan Tech—we educate tech- and business-savvy graduates."
The latest program updates build on the College's foundation and ensure students continue to get the preparation they need to excel, now and in future careers.
Business + Technology: It's All About the Data
Exponential increases in computing power, a surge in available data, and new technologies and analytic techniques have fundamentally changed the global business landscape. And as today's students grapple with topics like data analytics, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual reality, the deep integration of technology in College of Business curricula is essential.
These classes and programs ensure that COB graduates are prepared to fully contribute in today's data- and technology-intensive landscape.
The integration of business and technology has arrived, and COB educators recognize that every facet of business is quickly changing—including the ways we communicate and learn, create and consume, and work and do business.
Business + Data Analytics: Strengthening the Core
"Data-driven decision making has caused a paradigm change during the last five years or so," says Manish Srivastava, professor of strategic management and innovation. "The capacity to turn data into actionable insight is very important for today's business professionals. Whether it is finance, human resources, marketing, or supply chain, students need to understand how to analyze data."
A new College of Business core undergraduate requirement—BUS3000 Business Analytics—is introducing students to these concepts. In the class, students build skills in statistics, machine learning, and programming languages. They learn approaches to organizing and visualizing data, and how to draw insights from data using predictive modeling, a statistical technique used to predict the outcome of future events based on historical data. And, in the Tech MBA® program, machine learning and large language models are introduced in BA5200 Information Systems Management and Data Analytics.
"It was eye-opening to see how much valuable information can be found through careful data analysis," says undergraduate Jenni Raisanen, a senior majoring in business analytics. "Data can really help to tell a story, sometimes proving your hypothesis right, and sometimes showing insights that would not be known without analyzing."
Business + Mathematics: Taking it to the Next Level
Decades ago, data was scattered, making collection and analysis difficult. Today, it's readily accessible to businesses in greater quantities than ever before through enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs). ERPs are software platforms that automate and manage core business processes to enhance decision making.
"Historically, complex data analysis was performed by statisticians and data scientists," says Jeff Wall, associate professor of management information systems and data analytics. "Now, widespread, user-friendly ERP systems make data analytics accessible to nontechnical professionals, creating demand for business professionals with data skills and statistical knowledge."
For students ready to take a deep dive into data, the BS in Business Analytics program explores a variety of statistical methods to examine data through courses in economics, operations management, and information systems.
A collaboration with the Department of Mathematics, the BS in Business Analytics stands out for its inclusion of math courses, which represent 50 percent of the coursework.
"Most business analytics programs are housed in business schools and consist primarily of business curriculum," says Wall. "For students who want to differentiate themselves with both statistical knowledge and business domain knowledge, our program is ideal. It is one of the most technical business analytics curricula in the country."
The business analytics program can be tailored to a variety of different careers depending on the electives students choose. With their intensive preparation, graduates can compete with statistics and data science job candidates for roles as business analysts, data analysts, and accounting data analysts, among others.
Business + Information Systems: Focus Update
The BS in Management Information Systems (MIS) program has also moved toward analytics, incorporating new, state-of-the-art learning in data analytics and artificial intelligence.
"We are preparing students in the MIS program to understand the core business analytics skills they need in the short term, such as learning business analytics programming, database management, and data migration, while preparing them to think about future-focused technologies like machine learning, large language models, and other artificial intelligence that will change the way society operates," says Wall.
Additional College of Business data analytics-focused courses and programs include a data analytics concentration, graduate certificates in accounting analytics and in artificial intelligence, and courses including MIS2000 Business Programming, MKT3600 Marketing Data Analytics, ACC4000 Accounting Data Analytics, MIS4000 Emerging Technologies, and MIS4400 Business Intelligence and Analytics.
Business + Financial Technology: The FinTech Revolution
FinTech—advanced financial technology— goes far beyond the normal path of financial technology. Technologies like cryptocurrency and sophisticated platforms for managing digital payments, online lending, personal finance, and investments are changing the way money is represented, stored, and exchanged.
The College of Business' financial technology minor introduces these contemporary technologies and explores the interactions between technological innovation and financial services, giving students a competitive edge. In this new frontier, in-depth knowledge of financial technology can lead to rewarding careers in fields like blockchain development, application development, quantitative analysis, and cybersecurity.
The interdisciplinary minor draws on the expertise of faculty in computer science, engineering, finance, economics, management information systems, and mathematics. Courses include MIS 4000/5000 Emerging Technologies and FIN4600 FinTech Foundations.
Business + Engineering Management: Leveraging MTU's Strengths
Michigan Tech is well known for our engineering focus. The College's bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering management leverage this strength to prepare professionals who can bridge business and engineering to apply technological changes to advance an organization's objectives.
BS in Engineering Management students draw on foundations in math and science to build business and engineering knowledge. They develop perspectives in business, acquire a solid command of the technical fundamentals of engineering, and link their technological skills with their business knowledge through senior capstone business development experience courses.
Graduates can pursue roles in engineering- and technology-intensive industries, including project or product manager, production supervisor, business process analyst, field service manager, and technical customer relations manager.
The success of the BS in Engineering Management prompted the introduction of a Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree. Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, MEM learning focuses on managerial knowledge and business literacy augmented by a significant number of technical courses compared to the more general curriculum of the traditional MBA degree.
Students learn to evaluate and manage innovation and technology in harmony with current business practices, and graduates are prepared to manage people, lead scientific or engineering operations, and pursue entrepreneurial endeavors in high-technology industries. They can pursue careers as engineering or operations managers, new product development managers, technical or planning managers, and others.
The Master of Engineering Management can be completed fully online. Michigan Tech undergraduates can enroll in the MEM graduate program through the Accelerated Master's Program.
Business + Entrepreneurship: Commercializing Technology
Entrepreneurship is a hallmark of a Michigan Tech College of Business education. Our student entrepreneurs seek change and solve problems. They drive innovation, introduce new ideas and products, create jobs, and change the world. For students motivated to blaze their own path, the College of Business offers many avenues.
The College of Business minor in entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation (EIT) is open to all undergraduate students interested in blazing their own paths. The program cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset to outfit future business owners with knowledge about how to create and manage new ventures, technologies, and innovations. Students work on real-world case studies and projects, evaluating the viability of new business ideas and learning to manage technology and innovation and commercialize new technologies.
Outside the classroom, the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO), a chapter of a global network, supports and inspires entrepreneurial thinking and fosters a community in which students can share business ideas, nurture professional networks, and connect with like-minded peers.
For Rourke Sylvain, a PhD student in biomedical engineering and president of CEO, the most rewarding aspects of participating are bringing his ideas to life and making a tangible impact.
"The support from the CEO community, the mentorship, and the chance to collaborate with like-minded individuals are incredibly fulfilling," he says.
Sylvain is owner of the start-up Integrated Molecular Innovations (imi), a biosensing venture that empowers individuals to take control of their health through innovative, non-invasive, and continuous monitoring technology. In recent pitch competitions, including the Rice Business Plan Competition and Central Michigan University's New Venture Challenge, imi was awarded thousands of dollars.
CEO students hosted several events last year, including a pitch event where student organizations had five minutes to present their business idea, and a company recruitment panel featuring representatives from Plexus, Milwaukee Tool, Caterpillar, Oshkosh Corp., and Greenheck.
Additional College of Business entrepreneurial-focused programs and courses include an entrepreneurship concentration, MGT3800 Innovation and Entrepreneurship, MGT4300 Development of Entrepreneurial Ventures, MGT4600 Management of Technology and Innovation, MGT4650 Commercialization of Advanced Technologies, and MIS4000/5000 Emerging Technologies.
Business + Faculty: Leveraging and Adding Expertise
To support the new curricular emphasis on technology and data analytics, the College of Business has implemented a new faculty hiring initiative.
New this fall, faculty member Giridhar Reddy Bojja, assistant professor of information systems and analytics, brings expertise in information systems, analytics, and computer science, as well as industry experience as a data scientist and engineer. Bojja's research interests include health information technologies and digital technologies adoption. This academic year, he will teach Introduction to MIS, Information Systems Management and Data Analytics, and Information Systems Projects.
The College is also adding a new faculty position in business analytics and was actively recruiting in fall 2024.
"The integration of technology in business education is more than a trend. It's a fundamental shift that demands action," says Johnson. "Businesses need experts who know how to use today's digital technologies successfully if they want to stay competitive. Through our recent program and curricular enhancements, COB students are becoming those experts."
Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
