Purdue Krannert’s Employment Report for the class of 2018 included an interesting statistic: while 80.6% of the graduating class had found employment (presumably within 3 months of graduating), there was a jarring dichotomy in that number. When broken down into those graduates with permanent U.S. work authorization vs. those without (read: international students), there is a clear drag on that statistic: 88.1% of graduates with U.S. work authorization were employed vs. only 65% of those lacking that authorization. Clearly, the international students graduating with the Krannert MBA were having a harder time launching their post-MBA careers. Krannert has identified an excellent way to redress this issue: becoming STEM certified.
<< Click here to see the list of STEM-certified MBA programs >>
Graduates of STEM-certified MBA programs are able to apply for a STEM OPT extension to their F1 student visas, essentially enabling them to remain in the U.S. for practical work experience in the field of their STEM studies for a maximum of 36 months after graduating. For those international students concerned about their ability to find a job in the U.S. after graduating, the STEM OPT eligibility is a game changer.
Krannert’s MBA-STEM is a 60-credit-hour degree, completed over 4 semesters in any of 4 concentration areas: Global Supply Chain Management, Finance, Marketing, or Business Analytics & Information Management. Since 34% of the class was already pursuing Supply Chain Management functions, 22% entering Marketing and 14% in Finance after graduation, these concentrations are very well suited to the roles students are seeking.
Krannert MBA-STEM students will be exposed to quantitatively focused classes integrating statistics, computer applications, and data analyses to develop their analytical and problem-solving skills. For those interested in these fields but preferring a shorter-term program, Krannert continues to offer its STEM-OPT-eligible Master of Science degrees in Global Supply Chain Management (18 months (10 for experienced professionals with 6+ years of experience)), Finance (10 months), Marketing (10 or 18 months), and Business Analytics & Information Management (11 months).
If you would like to learn how to get into a Purdue Krannert STEM-OPT-eligible program, register for a free consultation with me.
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