PhD students in the biomedical sciences programs at the Miller School of Medicine may choose to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree immediately following their doctoral studies. The MBA portion of the sequential degree may be completed in one year and consists of 44 MBA credits. The degrees must be obtained sequentially.
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
PhD Requirements | 60 | |
See individual programs for full curriculum. | ||
/ | ||
/ | ||
/ | ||
/ | ||
/ | ||
/ | ||
/ | ||
/ | ||
MBA Requirements (44 credit hours) | ||
Financial Reporting and Analysis | 2 | |
Accounting for Decision Making | 2 | |
Legal Aspects of Health Administration | 3 | |
Digital Transformation | 2 | |
Critical Thinking and Effective Speaking | 1 | |
BUS 604 | 1 | |
Managerial Decisions in a Global Economy | 2 | |
Valuation and Financial Decision Making | 2 | |
Essentials of Health Care Administration | 2 | |
Public Policy and Health | 2 | |
Health Care Organization, Economics, and Ethics | 3 | |
Management Science Models for Decision Making | 2 | |
Managing Through People | 2 | |
Principles of Operations Management | 2 | |
Innovative Business Strategies for Future Leaders | 3 | |
Business Policy and Strategy | 2 | |
Foundations of Marketing Management | 2 | |
Electives | 9 | |
Total Credit Hours | 104 |
Copyright 2024-2025 University of Miami. All Right Reserved. Emergency Information Privacy Statement & Legal Notices
Print this page.
The PDF will include all information unique to this page.
PDF of the entire 2024-2025 Academic Catalog.
Harvard Griffin GSAS partners with Harvard Business School (HBS) on two combined degree programs that confer an MBA from HBS and a master of science from Harvard Griffin GSAS:
Learn more about the MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences program with the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Learn more about the MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences with the Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.
Questions about the program.
MBA Resources
MBA & Beyond Team
10/11/2021 | 7:04 pm
The 21st century is the century of technology and scientific discoveries. Therefore, modern organizations need people with sound technical and scientific skills apart from managerial and business skills, regardless of education, business, or even the healthcare system. To meet this need, at Harvard University , Harvard’s MS/MBA Biotechnology program: MBA Life Sciences Program has been framed as a joint degree under the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) as well as Harvard Medical School through the Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.
The program’s main aim is to equip students with the latest business ideas and scientific insights, in addition to their existing knowledge of biotech and life sciences.
The joint degree program confers an MBA graduation degree from the HBS and an M.Sc. degree from the (GSAS) and Harvard Medical School.
The program is completed over two academic years, utilizing January terms and August at the program’s start. The curriculum is structured over two years to emphasize developing efficient business models in the field of life sciences and understanding the ethical implications of new therapeutics to develop models of equitable access to these discoveries.
Upon completing the program, graduates would be empowered to understand and transform organizations related to new drug discoveries and therapeutics and develop strategies and novel ways to expand access to these at affordable prices.
In this article, we will learn all about the MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences Program offered at Harvard University, which is a joint degree program under the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) as well as Harvard Medical School through the Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology. In addition, this article will confer knowledge on the course curriculum, eligibility, admission process, tuition fees & Scholarships, acceptance rates, class profile, and future prospects.
The curriculum’s main aim is to equip students with Harvard biotech and life sciences with vast knowledge of business and management so that these insights could be used to transform organizations related to therapeutics and drug discoveries. In addition, the 21st century needs more world leaders working at the intersection of science and society and an in-depth understanding of life sciences and management.
To meet this, the curriculum is designed to emphasize an understanding of an effective business model that is sustainable in each aspect of the discovery and development of new therapeutics and developing a model to ensure unbiased access to the benefits of therapeutic discovery.
The entire Harvard’s MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences Program at Harvard University is divided over two academic years. The first term begins in August, and students have the option to pursue internships in the summer between years 1 and 2.
Now, let’s look at the entire program timeline in brief to get an idea of the basic structure of the MS/MBA program.
First-term (August) | – HBS Online CORE- NEXTGEN Biotechnology at HBS Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology | |
Fall term | – Finance 1- Financial Reporting and Control- Leadership & Organizational Behavior- Marketing- Technology & Operations Management- | |
January | – Data Analytics for Life Sciences | |
Spring term | – Business, Government, and the International Economy (BGIE)- The Entrepreneurial Manager- FIELD Immersion- Finance II- Leadership and Corporate Accountability- Strategy- Life Science, Ethics, and Management Seminar | |
The summer gap is provided between the two academic years for students to pursue an internship. Internships are done in various biotech and life sciences fields comprising pharmaceutical companies, start-up life science, and biotech companies or consultancies with a major focus on biotech & life sciences. | ||
Fall Term | – Frontiers in Therapeutics- Science Elective- (2) HBS Electives- Life Science, Ethics, and Management Seminar | |
January | – Capstone Project 1 | |
Spring term | – Capstone Project 2- (2) HBS Electives Harvard Business School- (2) Science Electives- Life Science, Ethics, and Management Seminar |
There you go! The above table will help you understand the basic structure of the Course with ease. Moreover, if you want to know about every topic of the program, you can click on the link below.
Pursuing an MBA is a life-altering decision that requires a significant investment in both time and money. The Harvard Institute is one of the top premier institutes, and Harvard’s MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences Program seeks a diverse group of exceptional students with a UG-level degree in life sciences/biotech or a significant amount of experience in biotechnology or life sciences.
Most candidates with a STEM UG background are considered alongside students with advanced degrees such as MD or Ph.D. However, in rare circumstances, candidates from a non-STEM background are considered only if they have any substantial or extensive advanced coursework related to the program. In addition, the enrolling candidates are expected to be familiar with the coursework.
Talk to our Profile Experts to know your chances for a top MBA Program.
That’s all about eligibility; now, let’s take a quick glance over the admission process.
To enroll in the MS/MBA Biotechnology:
A candidate in the Life Sciences Program of Harvard University must apply and be selected by HBS and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). The admission process is quite similar to any other management school. After submitting a written application and all the required documents like a resume, essays, LORs, and test scores, selected candidates are invited for the interview process; then a decision notification is released. After that, the candidates can apply for either the MS or MBA program hosted in the HBS application system.
Before filling out the application form, candidates must create an HBS account, which would be the sole source of communication and depository for materials throughout the application process. After that, choose the course name and an application round you want to apply. Always remember to select the round most compatible with your timeline to ensure maximum chances of selection. For more in-depth details about MBA application rounds, click the link below.
Candidates are required to submit all relevant and required documents for both the MBA as well as the Master of Science applications.
– Application form,
– Resume,
– Official transcript(s),
– Written Essays,
– Test scores,
– LORs (at least two)
– Application fee.
For Masters, all the above-required documents as for the MBA application are a must except that some additional documents like
– One additional supplemental essay
– One additional LOR is also required
If the university has decided to move forward with your candidacy, you would only receive an interview invitation notification issued around October for application round 1 and in February for application round 2. The HBS has its style of the interview process, which is made unique by mixing constituents from your resume, essays, and career goals along with some typical behavioral and generic questions. Tackling these questions requires more than just raw intellect. You should be well versed with each scenario that could be attained only through practice.
Looks a bit complicated? Fret not; MBA interviews are supposed to be at a different level to help them choose future world leaders. If you want more help, you can take the quiz or schedule a 1:1 session with us to understand the nature of MBA interviews. Moreover, you can also go through our article How to prepare for the MBA interview questions? So that you can develop your vision using creativity, precision, and clarity.
Enter the final step! The HBS and GSAS would release the final admissions decisions for both rounds in succession. Round 1 in mid-December and Round 2 in March.
Based on the admissions committee decisions, a candidate may be selected into the following courses:
– MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences Program
– MBA Biotechnology
– Life Sciences Programs only if not selected for the Master of Science program.
The Harvard MBA program is one of the world’s most prestigious and expensive MBA programs. For the 2024-2025 academic year, the tuition and fees for the MBA program are as follows: Tuition is $87,872, the HUHS Student Health Fee (SHF) is $1,592, the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is $4,202, the HUSHP for Student Spouses/Dependents ranges from $0 for a single student to $16,198 for a married student with two children, the Course & Program Materials Fee is $2,650, and housing for 10 months ranges from $19,200 for a single student to $38,400 for a married student with two children or more.
The total cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and living expenses, ranges from $115,516 for a single student to $150,914 for a married student with two children. In 2020-2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tuition was adjusted to $79,455 after the Field Global Immersion course was cancelled. In recent years, Harvard Business School has taken steps to make the MBA program more affordable, including increasing scholarship offerings to cover the full tuition and fees for around 10% of students based on financial need.
Expense | Cost in $ |
---|---|
Tuition | $87,872 |
HUHS Student Health Fee | $1,592 |
Student Health Insurance Plan | $4,202 |
HUSHP for Student Spouses/Dependents | $0 |
Course and Program Materials Fee | $2,650 |
Room and Utilities (10 Months) | $19,200 |
Living Expenses (10 Months) | $19,800 |
Total | $135,316 |
Computer (Variable; not included above) | $1,500 |
As mentioned above, the Harvard MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences stands at one of the costliest programs, and a large volume of investment is required to pursue the program. All the MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences students are subjected to the Financial Aid policies of the HBS. The Financial Aid & Scholarship Board, as per the annual Cost of Attendance sheet, determines financial aid and awards. The rewards are based on direct and indirect expenses, per student surveys.
Other than this, all students can apply for student loans and need-based HBS Scholarships.
Moreover, The Chris and Carrie Shumway Foundation is responsible for rewarding all the respective candidates. The latter matriculates in the MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences Program, an incremental $5,500 scholarship for each academic year, disbursed in half for the fall term and the other half for the spring.
In case you want to know more about every scholarship provided by the Harvard Business School in-depth, you can check the official website; the given link is –
Harvard’s MS/MBA Biotech program is one of the most competitive programs. It boasts an average acceptance rate of around 10% —11%, which is almost the same as that of an MBA program from Harvard Business School.
The program tends to be a bit more populated by STEM background, with slightly more incoming domestic US students (around 75-80%) than its MBA program (approximately 60-65%).
Since the competition is very high, a good GMAT score and a solid educational background are prerequisite for mingith extracurricular activities, LORs, and an absolute splendid essay to compel the Adcowhoacan nd make them understand why the University needs you.
Harvard’s MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences program attracts people from various backgrounds interested in bringing about reforms in the healthcare system and aims to become a successful and impactful biotech executive to deliver practical, transformative models at organizational levels.
Variety in class is the very essence of a top MBA program, and a Biotech program attracts people from consulting firms based on life sciences, therapeutic companies, research labs, medical device companies, and biotech companies.
The diversity offered by the program promotes several chances to draw and learn from each other’s experiences and maintain a tight-knit community network.
There you go! It was a bit lengthy, but I can assure you that the above paragraphs contain all you need to know about Harvard’s MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences program. Before filling out the application form, go at least once through the whole article so you can choose wisely according to your budget and comfort. Nevertheless, it’s needless to say that an MBA from Harvard University guarantees the fortune of a lifetime.
Writing an application for an MBA in Biotechnology can be daunting, especially for candidates unaware of the steps and slopes of the path. However, the significance of a “good application” can be very well realized as the application itself reflects your character & quality based on just a few hundred words presented to them.
Drafting an application for Harvard’s MS/MBA in biotechnology program is on a different level. To ace the process of drafting an MBA application, you need a lot of practice, clarity, and creativity.
The most important part of your biotech application is writing a statement of purpose (SOP). A good SOP is backed by your LORs for Biotechnology. Below are some important tips about how to draft an engaging SOP.
A well-written, engaging, and grammatically correct SOP will increase your chances of getting accepted into a renowned university; thus, make sure you take your time in writing the SOP instead of a last-minute rush.
Upon graduating, the program would open new doors for graduates to understand and transform industries related to new drug discoveries and therapeutics and develop efficient strategies and novel ways to expand access to these at affordable prices. Some common career opportunities after graduation include:
As mentioned above, upon graduating there are so many different secto.sThe which students with an MBA in Biotechnology can get placedMBAsome of these industries are
Also, below is a list of recruiters for biotechnology and pharmaceutical positions, the companies listed are among some of the top recruiters for MBA in biotechnology.
Sl. No. | Company Name | Website | Services |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Advanced Clinical | Clinical development organization that provides services such as CRO, functional support, quality & validation etc. for pharmaceutical biotechnology and medical device organizations | Clinical development organization that provides services such as CRO, functional support, quality & validation, etc. for pharmaceutical biotechnology and medical device organizations |
2. | Allen-Jeffers Associates | http://www.allen-jeffersassoc.com/ | Executive & technical search firm for pharma, medical device industries exclusively. |
3. | BioPhase Solutions | http://www.biophaseinc.com/ | Provider of both scientific & clinical research as well as administrative personnel to biotech and pharma companies in California. |
4. | Compass Consulting Group | http://www.compasscgroup.com/life-science-bio-tech-recruiters/life-sciences-recruitment/ | Placement of life science and bio-pharma professionals in research, development, and commercialization positions |
5. | Cornerstone Search Group | http://www.cornerstonesg.com/ | Executive search firm specialized in life sciences including clients from pharma, biotech, medical device, consumer healthcare, plus life science consulting companies. |
6. | Critical Path, Inc. | http://www.criticalpathinc.net/ | National search firm which provides recruitment services exclusively to pharma & biotech industries. |
7. | Dunne and Associates | http://www.dunneandassociates.net/ | Executive search firm for marketing and sales, sales management positions with biotech companies. |
8. | Life Science Partner | http://lifesciencepartner.com/ | National recruiting firm which provides executive search and consulting services to biotech, pharma companies, and healthcare organizations. |
9. | Reaction Search International | http://www.reactionsearch.com/ | Executive recruitment firm for biotech and pharma companies , including biostatistics and clinical data management, chemistry and clinical research etc. |
10. | Kelly Services | http://www.kellyservices.com/Global/Science | Provides outsourcing and consulting services, and staffing on temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis. |
Understanding every aspect of the program, scholarship, and admission process can be pretty hectic for a person new to this field in any case; if you need more in-depth information about any particular aspect of the application process, interviews, and course structure, feel free to hop on a 1:1 call with our team of experts.
We at MBAandBeyond follow a stepwise procedure to ensure maximum efficiency, quality, and interaction to make every minute worth it! We at MBA and beyond are determined to guide you through your entire application process, ensuring the best offers from top Business schools. Happy learning 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Harvard have a biotechnology program?
Harvard University offers a joint degree program in the form of the MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences under the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) as well as Harvard Medical School through the Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology. The program is two years long and framed to equip students with the latest business ideas and scientific insights along with their existing biotech and life sciences knowledge.
What can you do with an MBA in biotechnology?
Upon completing the program, it would empower the graduates to understand and transform organizations related to new drug discoveries and therapeutics, lead science-based companies with a good understanding of research culture, opportunity-costs, relevant timeframes, and organizational behavior, find new ways to accelerate medical discoveries into therapeutic results. Devising the best business model for equitable access to these discoveries based on financial, scientific, and ethical approaches.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Articles You Might Like
Should an International Candidate go for an INSEAD R3 MBA?
Top MBA programs starting in January 2025
Upcoming Events
Ace Your INSEAD Application: Proven Tips to Stand Out
September 5, 2024 | 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
UPCOMING EVENT: Ace Your INSEAD Application: Proven Tips to Stand Out. Register now
Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.
Q&A for work
Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.
I have heard of people who have gone on to pursue an MBA after their doctorates. What are the advantages/downsides of this?
Wouldn't the companies recruiting them after MBA value their doctorate experience less compared to the experience gained at an MNC? Is there a risk of them being valued as "failed" doctorates?
There are several cases where PhDs do an MBA. Some of them are:
No degree ever goes waste. Most people with PhD and MBA acquire director positions in companies.
A qualification regardless of level and field of study is never a waste, one needs to realize how to use it wisely and appropriately. As we navigate life we shift perspective and interests, our education choices therefore need to reflect this. Ph.D provides sound research focus, MBA provides sound business and leadership focus. The two combined is a great and electrifying combination.
PhD = specialist in a subject, research skills, critical mind MBA = Broad generalist, management, problem solving
The focus and scope is not the same. Also like it was said most researchers who want to climb the ladder need to take the management track which often require an MBA. Put simply an MD is an MD but a hospital manager needs to be an MD and MBA.
Also to teach at a business school other than math or economics you normally need an MBA. Best is a Phd/MBA but while a lowly MBA can teach that is not usually the case for a PhD.
Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged phd graduate-school masters business-school ..
Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.
Nature volume 533 , pages 569–570 ( 2016 ) Cite this article
6635 Accesses
1 Citations
72 Altmetric
Metrics details
An MBA can unlock progress to the higher ranks of a company — and many firms are willing to pay for one.
Life-science PhD graduates who wish to leave academia often find rewarding careers in the laboratories of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. But some find that the lab isn't enough. Researchers who choose to move beyond the bench to the upper levels of the company often decide to add three more letters to their CV: MBA.
Investing time and money in another degree may seem an unappealing prospect for many PhD holders, but that's the reality of the competitive job market: sometimes you have to go beyond the usual training to get the job. An MBA (master of business administration) can open up career possibilities for a biotechnology or drug-development researcher and help them to stand out from the crowd. Those who decide to take the plunge face key questions: how and when to pursue an MBA (see 'When to go for an MBA'), and where to go from there. Many who have travelled this path say that the extra effort to get the degree has paid off by taking their career to the next level.
An MBA can help industrial researchers to move to a higher position and earn more. Jane Rhodes, now a manager for new high-tech initiatives at Biogen, a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, had spent ten years at the company working on drugs for neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. She felt hemmed in by the lab, but she realized that she didn't have the business or management skills to move up the company ladder. “I came through the British education system, which is very focused,” she says. “I wanted to learn more about the business side of biotech.”
To fill that gap, Rhodes embarked on a two-year MBA programme at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Specifically designed for mid-career professionals, the programme took up to 30 hours a week, a big commitment for a researcher who already had a full-time job and a family. The programme would have cost her about US$75,000, but Biogen paid the bulk of the tuition bill, a sign of how much the company values the degree and the person.
boxed-text Rhodes used her MBA to get her job at Biogen overseeing new company initiatives, a position that would have been off-limits without the extra training in the business side of science. “I can now move to multiple different positions across the company,” she says. “The combination of PhD and MBA is very valuable.” She enjoys thinking beyond the confines of research — and that's only one benefit of her revitalized career. “Without an MBA,” she says, “I don't know if my salary would be anywhere close to what it is now.”
An MBA could give industrial researchers the insight they need to help turn a business around. Looking back, Oréda Boussadia wishes that she'd had that insight in addition to her research skills. She was one of only a few people in the world who knew how to create a certain type of transgenic mouse, thanks to her PhD and postdoctoral training in France and Germany. But she knew nothing about turning mice into profits, which was a problem at the small French biotech company that she joined after her postdoc. “We had very good results, but we had trouble making sales,” she says. The company failed within a year, forcing Boussadia to quickly ponder her next step. “I really wanted to continue in biotech, but I had to refine my management skills,” she says. “I knew how to design a research project, not how to develop a company.”
Boussadia jump-started her career by enrolling in the MBA programme at the Institut Français de Gestion in Nantes, France. Like other MBA schemes, it focused on the practical aspects of business: product development, market analysis, pricing and return on investment, using real-life examples as learning tools. Degree in hand, she soon got a job managing the production and sales of transgenic mice at a branch of Charles River Laboratories in Lyon, France. After holding that job for five years, she is now the European head of business development and strategy for EpiVax, a biotech company in Lyon. She's happy with the course of her career. “I enjoyed research, but it wasn't enough,” she says. “I wanted to be a decision maker.”
New horizons
Armed with an MBA, many can leave the lab without leaving science. As a postdoc, Kyle Rasbach investigated potential therapies for muscular dystrophy at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. But thanks to the MBA that he'd pursued along with his PhD, he was snapped up after his postdoc for a job studying investment opportunities at investment management firm T. Rowe Price in Baltimore, Maryland. Much of his remit involves evaluating the research taking place at drug companies, from the giants of the business to small start-ups. His lab background helps him to spot blockbuster drugs in the making. “Sixty to seventy per cent of my job is science-based,” he says. “You can't do this job and be excellent at it without a PhD or an MD.”
I enjoyed research, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to be a decision maker.
That's also true for Moritz Fischer, director of international marketing for Fresenius Medical Care in Hessen, Germany. After earning his medical degree at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, he realized that he did not want a career as a physician or clinician. He took a job at Fresenius as a lower-level marketing manager, but soon recognized that he could go much further with advanced business skills. So he pursued an MBA at Danube University Krems in Austria. The company covered his tuition, which he estimates would have cost him at least €20,000 ($22,500). It was a reasonable investment for the company, he says, because he has made money for them. “They were able to capitalize on my training,” he says.
Success stories of researchers with MBAs in biotech and drug development have caught the attention of early-career researchers who are still plotting their careers. Jeffrey Zahratka, a postdoc at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, says that he could see himself working at a biotech firm, perhaps one that makes implantable devices to treat neurological disorders. “I could act as a go-between for the research side and the business side,” he says. He still has to weigh up the pros and cons of another degree, but he thinks that he could bring a lot of value to a company. “People with a research background have a lot of tenacity,” he says. “They are battle-tested.”
If he decides to go down the MBA route, he won't be alone. But for now, PhD–MBA remains a relatively rare combination — that factor alone can help a person to stand out and move forward. It's a matter of degree.
Timing matters for junior researchers who see an MBA in their future. Although you don't need a PhD to enrol in a programme, many scientists have found that it pays to finish their research training first. “Having a PhD makes it easier to get accepted into an MBA programme,” says Jane Rhodes, a director of new initiatives at biotech firm Biogen in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “And non-PhDs who get an MBA have been less successful.”
Linh Gilles, director of admissions for the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, confirms that applicants to the school's MBA course who already have PhDs are more likely to be accepted. Recruiting more PhD scientists to the school is a priority, she says. “Students with a research background have that analytical component,” she explains. “It allows them to hit the ground running that much more quickly.”
Rhodes says that PhD holders who are interested in an MBA should get some industry experience first. “I wouldn't recommend doing it straight out of an academic postdoc,” she says. “You have to have some sort of business context.” And, as was true for her, scientists who already work in industry might be able to get their employer to pay for some or all of the tuition.
Authors and affiliations.
Chris Woolston is a freelance writer in Billings, Montana.,
Chris Woolston
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
Related links in nature research.
Ease entry into an alternative career field by obtaining a specialized professional degree
Start-ups: A sense of enterprise
The rise of the professional master's degree: the answer to the postdoc/PhD bubble
Career changes: Open for business
Naturejobs blogpost: Online MBA programme
Dos and don'ts for scientists moving to management
Oxbridge biotech: Should I get an MBA?
Reprints and permissions
Cite this article.
Woolston, C. Education: Degrees of success. Nature 533 , 569–570 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nj7604-569a
Download citation
Published : 25 May 2016
Issue Date : 26 May 2016
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/nj7604-569a
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative
Education: combine and conquer.
Nature (2017)
Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.
Dr. Spetzler joined Caris Life Sciences in August 2009 and has led our R&D and laboratory operations in a multitude of roles. As President, he currently leads the company’s Clinical Operations, Research and Development, Information Technology, Bioinformatics and Biopharma Services. Dr. Spetzler has generated more than 330 patent applications across 37 different patent families and co-authored more than 123 peer-reviewed journal articles.
As an innovator in molecular science and precision medicine, Dr. Spetzler has a relentless focus on improving patient care. He has led the development of each of the company’s clinical offerings, including our launches of clinical Whole Transcriptome Sequencing in 2019 and Whole Exome Sequencing in 2020. More recently he led the launch of our first AI-based clinical products, Caris GPSai™ and FOLFIRSTai™. He also led the recent development and launch of Caris Assure™, a new whole exome and whole transcriptome liquid biopsy assay that sequences DNA & RNA from both plasma and buffy coat to provide sensitive testing to patients without requiring a tissue specimen.
Dr. Spetzler oversaw the development of the company’s exclusive and unique technology, ADAPT, which is able to measure thousands of protein aberrations and is being used to develop early cancer detection assays, discover novel drug targets and characterize protein differences in each patient’s tumor. He also leads the ongoing development of the company’s proprietary AI platform (DEAN) to create and validate dozens of machine learning signatures, called Next Generation Profiling™ (NGP), thus providing the most in-depth and exclusive analysis and interpretation using the most comprehensive suite of clinical offerings available to cancer patients today. The Company is preparing to launch and continues to develop dozens of unique proprietary AI DEAN-driven, machine learning signatures unlocked from a decade of testing patients and accumulating outcomes data to improve cancer diagnosis and therapeutic guidance never before seen.
Prior to Caris, Dr. Spetzler was a member of the research faculty at Arizona State University, where he developed multiplexed nanotechnologies for single molecule detection of nucleic acid and protein targets. He also developed novel methods of using DNA to create biological computers to solve NP-complete optimization problems and built a novel optical detection system capable of measuring single molecule protein conformational changes with microsecond time resolution. At Arizona State University, Dr. Spetzler earned a MS from the School of Mathematical and Statistical Science in Computational Bioscience, a PhD in Molecular & Cellular Biology and an MBA. Dr. Spetzler is an adjunct faculty member of the molecular cellular biology program at Arizona State University, and a scientific and commercial reviewer for SBIR/STTR grants for NSF.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
A community for consultants across industries.
I'm a life sciences consultant with an MSc and 2 YOE, and I'm torn between doing an MBA or a PhD in the scientific discipline I did my MSc in. Any advice?
By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .
You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.
Create your username and password.
Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.
Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password
An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account
Bolster your expertise in the way our world and its citizens work by diving deep into an advanced degree in the sciences. Whether you’re interested in human behavior, the living or physical world, or the science behind physical and emotional wellness, you can explore what you’re passionate about at NYU—and prepare for careers in biomedical research, ocean science, anthropology, psychological practice, applied research, and more.
Behavioral science, environmental science, life science, physical science.
Virtual Office Hours: Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Email: [email protected] Phone: 212-992-4723
Applied Physics: MS Tandon School of Engineering
Applied Quantitative Research: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science
Applied Statistics for Social Science Research: MS Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Cognition and Perception: PhD * Graduate School of Arts and Science
Counseling Psychology: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Developmental Psychology: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Executive Coaching and Organizational Consulting: MS School of Professional Studies
Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime: MS School of Professional Studies
Human Development and Social Intervention: MA Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Industrial and Organizational Psychology: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science
Psychology: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science
Psychology and Social Intervention: PhD Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Social Psychology: PhD * Graduate School of Arts and Science
*Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Abu Dhabi Global PhD Student Fellowship program .
Animal Studies: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science
Atmosphere Ocean Science and Mathematics: PhD Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
Environmental Conservation Education: MA Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Environmental Engineering: MS Tandon School of Engineering
Environmental Health Sciences: MS , PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science and Grossman School of Medicine
Environmental Science: MS Tandon School of Engineering
Biological Anthropology: PhD Graduate School of Arts and Science
Biological Anthropology–Human Skeletal Biology: MA Graduate School of Arts and Science
Biology: MS , MS/MBA , PhD * Graduate School of Arts and Science; dual MBA w/ Stern School of Business
Neural Science: PhD ✝ Graduate School of Arts and Science
*Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Abu Dhabi Global PhD Student Fellowship program or the NYU Shanghai doctoral study and research program . ✝ Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Shanghai doctoral study and research program .
Chemistry: MS , PhD * Graduate School of Arts and Science
Physics: MS , PhD * Graduate School of Arts and Science
*Interested applicants may have the opportunity to participate in the NYU Abu Dhabi Global PhD Student Fellowship program or the NYU Shanghai doctoral study and research program .
If you’re excited by more than one subject and would like to combine them to create your own individualized program of study, you may be interested in the MA in Individualized Study degree at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study.
Back to Programs and Degrees
New York Institute of Technology offers federal grants, loans, and academic scholarships and grants to graduate students.
We review applications for admission to New York Tech automatically for the scholarships and financial aid listed below.
To help you determine your costs. Graduate Tuition Calculator.
Discover the full range of scholarships, grants, loans, and financial aid assistance available to our graduate students.
Federal financial aid is available to U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents in the form of federal loans. Domestic graduate students who wish to apply for federal loans must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) .
The Federal College Work Study Program provides part-time employment to assist eligible enrolled students in paying for educational expenses. It is based on economic need. If you are not eligible for Federal College Work Study, you can also become a student aid. For more information, please contact Student Employment.
All graduate students must maintain a 3.3 cumulative GPA to renew their scholarship. Recipients of the New York Tech Graduate Alumni Award must maintain a 3.0 GPA to renew this award.
In order be eligible, you must:
Scholarships and grants are renewable each semester, as long you meet the scholarship requirements. They are for tuition only, divided equally between fall and spring semesters. Institutional aid is credited to a student’s account after the end of the add/drop period. They are not applicable to summer session attendance.
Scholarships are determined by a variety of factors. The minimum academic requirements for each award are listed below. The charts are based on your year of entry and include the minimum GPA you need to maintain to renew your scholarship each year.
Graduate assistantships are offered to qualified students enrolled in our graduate degree programs providing partial or total tuition remission. Depending on your skills and experience and the needs of a specific program, graduate assistants may be asked to work as a Graduate Assistant (GA), Research Assistant (RA), or Teaching Assistant (TA). Learn more .
This award recognizes the talents of entering graduate students who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement. It consists of up to $3,000 per-year tuition-only credit for a maximum of three years (six semesters) of continuous full-time enrollment (nine credits). Proration may be available for applicants taking less than nine graduate level credits per semester, but you must register for at least three graduate level credits per semester for this proration. In addition, this scholarship applies only to fall and spring semesters and is not applicable to graduate courses that are offered at a discounted tuition rate.
Awards are renewable each semester if you have a FAFSA on file, meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) criteria, and maintain a 3.3 cumulative GPA. This award applies to fall and spring semesters only.
This award is offered to students who hold a New York Institute of Technology bachelor’s or master’s degree only. The award is NOT applicable to students in dual degree programs with the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
To be considered, all students must complete an application each academic year. This award will be allotted on an annual basis for a maximum of three (3) years or six semesters depending on the student meeting all of the following criteria required each semester.
This scholarship is awarded only to students who are matriculated in the B.S. in Life Sciences dual degree programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and physician assistant studies. This award is not applicable to students enrolled in the combined Life Sciences/Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree program. The award bridges the gap between your undergraduate phase and your graduate or professional phase.
This one-time scholarship provides up to $3,975 for the first year (including summer if applicable) of the professional phase of the combined BS/MS.OT, BS/MS.PA and BS/DPT programs for the completion of your undergraduate degree program. Full-time attendance is required.
This award is for students who work for the Office of the Mayor of New York. It consists of $3,000 per year for up to three years or six semesters. This scholarship cannot be combined with the New York Tech Graduate Scholar Award. Students must have a bachelor’s degree and be admitted to a New York Tech graduate program.
COMMENTS
Learn how to combine business and biotechnology skills in a joint degree program offered by Harvard Business School and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Overview Harvard offers a joint degree program that confers an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Master of Science, Biotechnology: Life Sciences from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Students are affiliated with the Harvard Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, a Harvard Medical School/Faculty of Arts and Sciences joint department. The program is completed over two ...
Harvard's new MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences program prepares future industry leaders with advanced training in business, ethics, and life sciences.
Discover the new MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences Program, the two-year joint degree that blends business, science, and ethics. Hear from the Amitabh Chandra, Ph.D., MS/MBA Program Faculty Co-Chair, Jill Fadule, Director of Joint Degree Programs, and Cara Sterling, the Director of the HBS Health Care Initiative, and get your top questions about the new program answered.
Graduate. GSAS has partnered with Harvard Business School and the Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology to offer an M.S./M.B.A. Biotechnology: Life Sciences. The master of science degree is only offered through this joint program and not as a stand-alone degree. Students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. should consider programs ...
The joint-degree program offers an MBA in combination with a PhD in the sciences or humanities from the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Students typically complete both degrees in approximately seven years, rather than the eight or more that would be required if the degrees were pursued ...
MBA/PhD with the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The joint-degree program offers an MBA in combination with a PhD in the sciences or humanities from the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Below are admissions and training requirements specific to BBS students.
The dual MBA and Ph.D. in biological sciences degree prepares you for leadership in a biological or industrial science career.
The MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences joint degree confers an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Master of Science from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in the Harvard Department of ...
MS in Biotechnology/MBA Program Overview In today's aggressive biotechnology business environment, there's an increasing demand for leaders who understand both the science and business of biotechnology. The MS in Biotechnology/MBA is one of the nation's first and largest dual graduate degree programs in biotechnology and business.
Overview The growing potential to make life-saving discoveries in an ever-changing global economy make this an exciting time to enhance your biomedical science PhD with an MBA! Many ambitious students are now looking to an MBA as a useful enhancement to their biomedical research experience and expand their career options.
Learn more about the MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences program with the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Learn more about the MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences with the Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.
Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences → We partner with GSAS and Harvard Medical School through the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (SCRB) to offer the MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences program.
To meet this need, at Harvard University, Harvard's MS/MBA Biotechnology program: MBA Life Sciences Program has been framed as a joint degree under the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) as well as Harvard Medical School through the Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.
1. PhD = specialist in a subject, research skills, critical mind MBA = Broad generalist, management, problem solving. The focus and scope is not the same. Also like it was said most researchers who want to climb the ladder need to take the management track which often require an MBA. Put simply an MD is an MD but a hospital manager needs to be ...
The Master of Business and Science (MBS) degree Life Sciences track combines business courses with a concentration within Personal Care Science, Drug Discovery and Development, Biotechnology and Genomics, Global Food Technology and Innovation, and more. In addition to a uniquely blended degree, students have the opportunity to take advantage of ...
72 Altmetric. Metrics. An MBA can unlock progress to the higher ranks of a company — and many firms are willing to pay for one. Life-science PhD graduates who wish to leave academia often find ...
David Spetzler, MS, PhD, MBA. Dr. Spetzler joined Caris Life Sciences in August 2009 and has led our R&D and laboratory operations in a multitude of roles. As President, he currently leads the company's Clinical Operations, Research and Development, Information Technology, Bioinformatics and Biopharma Services. Dr. Spetzler has generated more ...
Admissions & Financial Aid The program seeks a diverse group of outstanding students who have an undergraduate degree in life sciences and/or significant workplace experience in biotechnology or life sciences. Student backgrounds also include those with advanced degrees, such as MS, MD, and PhD.
To me it seems an MBA would be more appropriate if you want to get on the line of business development side and things of that nature, whereas a PhD would be best for being hands-on with research or applying new methods for your clients needs. Reply. I'm a life sciences consultant with an MSc and 2 YOE, and I'm torn between doing an MBA or a ...
Curriculum. Students complete degree requirements over two academic years, augmented by coursework during August at the beginning of the program and during both January terms. Students have the summer free between Year 1 and Year 2 to pursue an internship, most likely in the life sciences or biotech space.
Bolster your expertise in the way our world and its citizens work by diving deep into an advanced degree in the sciences. Whether you're interested in human behavior, the living or physical world, or the science behind physical and emotional wellness, you can explore what you're passionate about at NYU—and prepare for careers in biomedical research, ocean science, anthropology ...
Federal financial aid is available to U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents in the form of federal loans. Domestic graduate students who wish to apply for federal loans must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan: Non-need-based, low-interest, fixed-rate loan available to undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree candidates ...
2023 -2024. This guide to policies and procedures is for students enrolled in the MS/MBA: Biotechnology: Life Sciences program. Because all students must adhere to the policies and rules of both schools in which they are matriculated (Harvard Business School [HBS] and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences [GSAS]), this guide serves as a ...