Technology Leadership MBA Track

Computing technologies have become pervasive and fundamental to the operation of modern businesses. They are at the core of today’s knowledge-based economy, fueling the development of innovative products, services and business processes. Developing great software-intensive products and services, however, requires more than just technical excellence. Technology leaders also need a deep understanding of business fundamentals and of how to weave novel technologies, business processes and market forces together to create successful products and services.

As a joint offering of the Tepper School of Business and Carnegie Mellon's top-ranked School of Computer Science, the Technology Leadership Track emphasizes strategic and management issues relevant to the development and application of cutting-edge software technologies.

Who Should Apply

Graduates of this track are particularly well prepared to address the complex issues that lie at the intersection of business and technology. They are trained to lead their future organizations in developing and executing technology strategies and managing innovative technology projects. Specifically, the track prepares students who aspire to senior technology positions such as Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Officer, and Vice-President of Research and Development.

Students enrolling in the track are expected to have an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, MIS (or a related field), or have comparable work experience. If you are interested in the track but unsure whether you have sufficient technical background please contact one of the faculty coordinators to discuss your goals and previous experience.

Required Track Courses

Technology Leadership Track courses mix in-depth exposure to advanced software and computation technologies with the exploration of complex strategic, managerial, and organizational issues. The track includes five required core courses:

• Managing Software Development (46-860)
• Information Security and Privacy (46-861)
• Systems Architectures for Managers (45-991)
• Human Computer Interaction for Technology Executives (46-863)
• Mobile and Pervasive Computing Services (46-866)

Students who have completed graduate-level work comparable to any of the core courses may, upon passing an exemption exam, select an alternative course. In addition to the core technical courses, students must complete 18 units of technology or entrepreneurship-centric courses, including at least one elective from the School of Computer Science and one Information Systems elective from the Tepper School of Business.

The program culminates in a capstone project where students are given an opportunity to apply the knowledge they have acquired in the context of a practical, technology-oriented project. Projects are conducted by small teams of students, including possibly students from other tracks (e.g. entrepreneurship track) or even other Carnegie Mellon graduate programs, depending on the nature of the project

Faculty Coordinators

For further information about the Technology Leadership Track, please contact the faculty coordinators: