Joint MBA/MPCS Program with Chicago Booth School of Business

Program Overview

The Joint MBA/MPCS Program is a joint degree program allowing students to earn both an MBA from the Chicago Booth School of Business and an MS in Computer Science from the Masters Program in Computer Science (MPCS). This joint program is intended to offer students the opportunity to combine a business and technology education leading to opportunities in technology product management, FinTech and entrepreneurship.

MPCS gave me the computer science foundation I need to be successful on the job. I work with applied scientists and engineers who are developing machine learning models and exploring new technologies. The deeper I can get into the product and the more tools I have at my disposal to be resourceful, the better off I am.

Jorge Guerra Schleske, Class of 2020

Senior Technical Product Manager, Amazon

Eligibility Requirements

Admission to the Joint MBA/MPCS program is conducted exclusively through the Chicago Booth Full-Time MBA application process. Current MBA or MPCS students are not eligible to apply for the joint degree program. There is no pathway from the standalone MBA or MPCS to the Joint MBA/MPCS program once a student begins their studies.

Joint MBA/MPCS students enroll in classes across both programs concurrently, with their primary program of study being the Booth School of Business. Tuition for the joint degree is assessed at a specific MBA/MPCS tuition rate through Booth.

Please note that admission to the Joint MBA/MPCS program is available for the Autumn quarter only.

Application Process

To apply for the Joint MBA/MPCS degree, candidates must submit their application through the centralized Chicago Booth Full-Time MBA application process.

When completing the application, select Joint MBA/MPCS as your program of interest. Within the application, you will find a supplemental section specific to the MPCS program. This supplement includes additional questions tailored for review by the MPCS admissions team.

Admissions decisions for the Booth MBA and the MPCS program are made independently. As a result, applicants may receive one of the following outcomes:

Admission to the Booth Full-Time MBA program only.
Admission to the Joint MBA/MPCS program.

Degree Requirements

The MBA/MS degree consists of 21 – 23 total courses worth 100-units each. The joint degree advisor for Booth works in close collaboration with the joint student to ensure they meet Booth MBA degree requirements and the financial obligation for the program; while the Masters Program in Computer Science (MPCS) advisor ensures the student satisfies the MS degree requirements. The requirements for the joint MBA/MS degree are as follows:

BOOTH CURRICULUM – Booth = 1400 units of Booth only courses
(plus LEAD which is a zero unit course)

300 units of credit for Foundations (Financial Accounting, Microeconomics, and Statistics)
700 (of 800)units of credit in the Functions, Leadership and Management, and Business Environment
400 units of credit in Electives
Qualified Work Experience: Full time MBA student requirement only; for students matriculating starting in Autumn 2020 (zero units).

Masters Program in Computer Science = 700-900 units (7-9 classes) of MPCS only courses

2 prerequisite classes (programming and math) if needed
4 Core courses including 1 Programming, 1 Algorithms and 2 Systems classes
3 MPCS Electives

The MPCS degree has two prerequisite (immersion) courses (100-units) a student must fulfill either through course completion or placement exams:

MPCS 50101 Concepts of Programming
MPCS 50103 Mathematics for Computer Science (Discrete Math)

Academic Plan

Students are encouraged to take course work toward both degree requirements throughout their program. Since both degrees have a reduction in coursework, students may not double count courses towards both degrees.

Course sequencing begins upon acceptance into both the MBA and MS degree programs. Course planning depends on a student’s:

Results of the MPCS placement exams
Quarterly course offerings for each program
Recruiting schedule (if applicable)
Visa status (F-1 or J-1 Visa-holding students – Full-Time students only)
Intended quarter of graduation

MPCS courses are mostly offered in the evenings, Monday – Friday, on the Hyde Park campus only, from 5:30 P.M. – 8:30 P.M. Most classes meet once per week.