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MIT Course Catalogue 2007-2008

Home > Degree Programs > Management > Management Programs

Sloan School of Management

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor of Science in Management Science/Course 15
[see degree chart]

The MIT Sloan School of Management offers an undergraduate degree program in management science. It is a cutting-edge program designed to prepare students for top jobs in today's technologically oriented business world. By combining General Institute Requirements with subjects at the MIT Sloan School of Management, students learn a unique combination of technical and management skills that allow them to excel in such high-demand areas as web-based commerce, financial engineering, market analysis, and software development.

In recent years, the field of management science has grown rapidly in conjunction with advances in computer technology, in methods for collecting and structuring large quantities of data, in mathematical programming, and in the building of sophisticated mathematical models. The MIT Sloan School's undergraduate program develops necessary competence in the underlying disciplines of mathematical programming and modeling, statistics, and computer technology. The program also provides a strong background in the associated disciplines of managerial psychology and economics, and demonstrates applications from a variety of functional areas of management. Beyond this, each student selects a concentration of four subjects in information technologies, operations research, marketing science, or finance.

MIT Sloan undergraduates take most management electives at the graduate level, alongside MBA and doctoral students. This arrangement provides an excellent opportunity for undergraduates to learn from students with previous business experience. A degree in management science gives students the best of both worlds—technical excellence and managerial focus.

Minor Program in Management

The Minor in Management is intended to provide undergraduates with an understanding of the economic, business, human, social, and organizational dimensions of scientific and technological enterprise. Its emphasis on management per se differs from that of the SB degree program in management science.

The minor consists of six subjects, four required:

14.01 Principles of Microeconomics
15.501 Corporate Financial Accounting
15.668 People and Organizations
15.812 Marketing Management

Plus, as electives, any two Course 15 subjects (other than UROP, Special Studies, Special Seminars, and general-elective transfer credit) that are not designated as restricted to students in other Sloan School programs. Two six-unit subjects will be counted as a single elective subject. For guidance in selecting electives, Course 15 maintains at its program office and on its website (see below) a list of recommended electives organized by area of study.

Under an experimental procedure approved by the Committee on the Undergraduate Program, the Minor in Management is being phased in over a period of four years. During this time, enrollment in the minor will be limited to approximately 100 students per year selected, if necessary, by a random lottery open to sophomores and juniors in each spring term through 2009.

Further information about the Minor in Management is available at the Undergraduate Program Office in Room E52-117 and on the MIT Sloan undergraduate website at http://mitsloan.mit.edu/undergrad/.

Interdepartmental Students

MIT students from other departments are welcome to take unrestricted elective courses at MIT Sloan, if they have taken the listed prerequisites. All students must participate in the MIT Sloan course bidding system. Information about the process is available on the bidding website at https://sloanbid.mit.edu/. Bidding occurs at the same time as online WebSIS pre-registration in December and May for the following terms. The MIT Sloan course schedule is available on the bidding website, as are most class syllabi, to assist students in bid point allocation. Staff in Sloan Educational Services, Room E52-101, 617-253-1510, are always available to assist interdepartmental students and provide information about MIT Sloan classes and the course bidding system.

Inquiries

For additional information on the undergraduate curriculum, students may consult the Undergraduate Program Office, Room E52-117, 617-253-8614.

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Graduate Study

The MIT Sloan School of Management offers opportunity for graduate study leading to the degrees of Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Management, Master of Science in Management of Technology, and Doctor of Philosophy.

Entrance Requirements for Graduate Study

Applications are welcome from college graduates in all areas of concentration—the humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, and engineering—but matriculants must have completed formal subjects in calculus and in economics. The minimum level of preparation is normally a one-year subject in economic theory and a one-year subject in calculus. If these subjects have not been taken in a previous academic program, they may be covered by formal subjects prior to enrollment.

All applicants, including those from foreign countries, must take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Information is available from the Graduate Management Admission Council, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08541. GRE scores may be used in place of GMAT scores for the MBA and doctoral programs and for LFM applicants applying through the School of Engineering.

Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Management

The MIT Sloan School MBA Program offers a course of study in graduate business education, leading to a master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) or Master of Science in Management (SM). Degree candidates are admitted in September to a program of study extending over two consecutive academic years. MBA degree candidates must complete a required core plus 144 units of H- or G-level elective subjects. Residency for four consecutive academic terms is required. Degree candidates must also fulfill research and leadership requirements through activities in the mid-semester Sloan Innovation Period and through elective coursework.

The MBA curriculum is designed for maximum flexibility, allowing students to create an individual program best suited to their needs and career interests. During the first term, students take a sequence of core subjects with the option of one elective course. After the first term, students have a wide range of elective course choice.

Practical exposure to management takes place in the MIT Sloan School through a variety of activities. Students in the MBA Program are expected to spend the summer between their first and second years working in some activity that contributes to their understanding of and effectiveness in dealing with management problems. During the academic year, some MBA candidates work as paid research assistants for members of the faculty, or become involved with them in the consulting activities that they carry on for government, firms, and other public and private organizations. Each semester, MIT Sloan faculty members offer research workshops during the Sloan Innovation Period. In addition, many students choose topics for their master's theses or project work that involve research in the practice of management in particular organizations, industries, or sectors. Corporate leaders are often invited to work with students, either through guest lectureships in various classes or through interaction with one of the MIT Sloan student organizations such as the Finance Club, the Media Tech Club, or the MIT Sloan Leadership Forum.

System Design and Management Program: Master of Science in Engineering and Management

Jointly sponsored by the School of Engineering and the MIT Sloan School, the System Design and Management (SDM) program targets experienced engineers and product development professionals who seek to build upon their technical background and advance to positions of leadership in their careers.

The SDM program was created in 1996, in response to a critical need expressed by government and industry to provide future engineering leaders with an educational experience that combines an engineering systems perspective with the essentials of a management education. The program has focused on developing competencies in the areas of systems thinking, management skills, leadership, and an end-to-end understanding of systems development.

SDM is offered in three formats, including a 13-month full-time on-campus program and two career-compatible 24-month programs—half-time on campus for local area commuter students and a distance delivery option via synchronous video conferencing. SDM is the only MIT degree program that can be completed primarily through distance education.

Program applicants have significant engineering and/or managerial experience, in addition to a scientific or engineering education. On average, SDM student-fellows have about 10 years of work experience. The program participants come from both private and government institutions, either as company sponsored, or as self-sponsored students. A majority of SDM students have advanced degrees in other fields, and over half come from countries other than the United States.

The SDM program begins in January. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis, with an early notification deadline of May 15 and a final cutoff of October 15 for admission to the next cohort. For additional information, contact the SDM Program Office, Room E40-315, 617-253-1055, sdm@mit.edu, or visit http://sdm.mit.edu/. See also Engineering Systems Division in Part 2.

Leaders for Manufacturing Program: Dual Master's Degrees in Management and Engineering

The Leaders for Manufacturing (LFM) program combines graduate education in engineering and management for those with two or more years of full-time work experience who aspire to leadership positions in manufacturing or operations companies. This rigorous 24-month program combines subjects in technology and management. A required 6.5-month internship provides opportunity to complete a research project on site at one of LFM's partner companies. The internship leads to a dual-degree thesis, culminating in two master's degrees—an MBA (or SM in management) and an SM in engineering. The program is offered jointly through the MIT Sloan School of Management and the School of Engineering master's programs in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Engineering Systems, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. For general requirements and application procedures, visit the LFM website at http://lfm.mit.edu/.

Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of the MIT Sloan School's PhD program is to prepare students for careers in teaching and research or, to a lesser extent, for positions requiring advanced research and analytical capabilities. The PhD program provides the opportunity to combine in-depth work in theory with work in broadly defined "applied" or "functional" areas, with faculty who are experts in their fields.

A candidate entering with a bachelor's degree should be able to complete the program in four or five years. The first year is devoted to work in the basic disciplines of management and to preliminary work in the student's major and minor fields. The second year is primarily devoted to the major and minor fields. Finally, two or three years are required for the doctoral dissertation.

Major and Minor Fields

Candidates must master the literature, theory, and application of a major field of concentration as well as a minor field. Successful completion of this requirement is determined by General Examinations. The major fields currently available in the MIT Sloan School are the following (although individually constructed majors are possible):

Accounting and Control
Economic Sociology
Financial Economics
Information Technologies
Institute for Work and Employment Research
Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Marketing
Operations Management
Organization Studies Group
Strategy and International Management
System Dynamics

PhD candidates enter the program with a clear idea in mind of a major field of concentration. An appropriate minor field is then selected—typically a theoretical discipline that provides a foundation for research in the major field. Major fields such as accounting or marketing usually have economics as a minor field, while the organizational studies group has behavioral science.

The subject requirements for the major and minor fields are not rigid. There are normal groups of subjects for the standard fields, but substitutions of other subjects and independent study are possible. Regardless of the major and minor fields chosen, a plan of study designed to prepare the student for General Examinations is worked out by the student and his or her faculty advisor(s).

The General Examinations normally are taken at the end of the second year or beginning of the third year of study, after completion of major and minor field coursework and a research paper (see below). The exact form of general exams varies and may involve written examinations, critiques of research papers, or review papers on prescribed topics. In all cases, the last stage is an oral examination.

The MIT Sloan School is committed to research, and the philosophy and structure of the PhD program reflect this professional commitment. There are two separate research requirements: the second-year research paper and the thesis.

A substantial part of the student's work in the latter half of the first year and in the second year is devoted to an independent research project. The topic, design, and execution of the project are left to the student, while advice and criticism are provided by a research advisor and other interested faculty. Upon completion of the project, the student prepares a document known as the "second-year paper."

The PhD dissertation consists of significant scholarly research in some area of management. Close working relationships with faculty are established early so that the thesis can be defined as a manageable project as early as possible. Candidates typically require two or three years of full-time work to complete their theses.

There is no language requirement in the MIT Sloan School's PhD program, although in some cases the student and his or her advisor may decide that further study of a foreign language is necessary if the student is to work effectively in his or her major field.

Teaching and Research Assistantships

All doctoral students in the MIT Sloan School are eligible to apply for the approximately 100 part-time research and teaching assistantships available each year.

Inquiries

MBA brochures and application information are available online at http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/; questions may be directed to mbaadmissions@sloan.mit.edu. For doctoral information, contact the Doctoral Program Office, Room E60-236, MIT Sloan School of Management, 30 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139, phone 617-253-7188 or 617-253-8957. For Leaders for Manufacturing Program brochures, call 617-253-1055. Applications are available on the web at http://mitsloan.mit.edu/.

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Master's Degree Program for Mid-Career Executives

MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership

The MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership is a highly selective, corporate sponsored degree program that brings together 100 mid-career men and women from a wide variety of for-profit and nonprofit industries, organizations, and functional areas. The program is characterized by a rigorous academic curriculum, frequent interactions with international business and government leaders, and a valuable exchange of global perspectives. The fellows work together in a team environment tackling practical issues with a spirit of intellectual adventure. After collaborating across disciplines, cultures, and backgrounds in this intense learning environment, they leave the program with the skills necessary to create change, build alliances, and drive global ventures.

In addition to the traditional 12-month, full-time program, MIT Sloan offers the flex option, designed especially for those within a one-hour radius of Boston. The flex option permits fellows to complete the program in two years, after attending the summer term full time, thus allowing them to maintain a presence in their organization.

For more information about the MIT Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership and how to apply, visit the website at http://mitsloan.mit.edu/fellows/ or contact the program office at MIT Sloan School of Management, 50 Memorial Drive, Suite E52-126, Cambridge, MA 02142-1347, 617-253-8600, fax 617-252-1200, fellows@sloan.mit.edu.

Other Programs

Computation for Design and Optimization

The Computation for Design and Optimization (CDO) master's degree program is offered to graduate students interested in the analysis and application of computational approaches to designing and operating engineered systems. The curriculum is designed with a common core that serves all engineering disciplines, and an elective component that focuses on particular applications. Current MIT graduate students can pursue a CDO master's degree in conjunction with their departmental master's or doctoral program. For further information, see the full program description under Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs or visit http://web.mit.edu/cdo-program/index.html.

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Faculty and Staff

Steven D. Eppinger, ScD
General Motors Leaders for Manufacturing Professor of Management
Interim Dean of Management

Faculty and Teaching Staff

Professors

Deborah Gladstein Ancona, PhD
Seley Distinguished Professor of Management

Dan Ariely, PhD
Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Management
(On leave)

Paul Asquith, PhD
Gordon Y Billard Professor of Finance

Arnold Irwin Barnett, PhD
George Eastman Professor of Management Science
Professor of Operations Research and Management
(On leave, spring)

Ernst R. Berndt, PhD
Louis E. Seley Professor of Applied Economics

Dimitris Bertsimas, PhD
Boeing Leaders for Manufacturing Professor of Management
Codirector, Operations Research Center

Gabriel Richard Bitran, PhD
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Professor of Management

Erik Brynjolfsson, PhD
George and Sandi Schussel Chair of Management Science
Codirector, MIT Center for Digital Business

John Stephen Carroll, PhD
Morris A. Adelman Professor of Management
(On leave, spring)

John Carrington Cox, PhD
Nomura Professor of Finance

Michael A. Cusumano, PhD
Sloan Management Review Professor of Management

Roberto M. Fernández, PhD
William F. Pounds Professor of Management

Charles Harry Fine, PhD
Chrysler Leaders for Manufacturing Professor of Management

Robert Michael Freund, PhD
Theresa Seley Professor in Management Science

Robert S. Gibbons, PhD
Sloan Distinguished Professor of Management
(On leave)

Stephen C. Graves, PhD
Abraham J. Siegel Professor of Management
(On leave, fall)

John Richard Hauser, ScD
Kirin Professor of Marketing

Rebecca M. Henderson, PhD
Eastman Kodak Leaders for Manufacturing Professor of Management

Bengt R. Holmstrom, PhD
Paul A. Samuelson Professor of Economics and Management

Simon H. Johnson, PhD
Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship
(On leave)

Paul Lewis Joskow, PhD
Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics and Management

Thomas Anton Kochan, PhD
George Maverick Bunker Professor of Management

S. P. Kothari, PhD
Gordon Y Billard Professor of Accounting
Interim Deputy Dean of Management

Donald Roy Lessard, PhD
Epoch Foundation Professor of International Management

John Dutton Conant Little, PhD
Institute Professor

Andrew W. Lo, PhD
Harris and Harris Group Professor

Richard M. Locke, PhD
Alvin J. Siteman Professor of Management and Political Science

Stuart Elliot Madnick, PhD
John Norris Maguire Professor of Information Technology
Codirector, PROFIT Program
(On leave)

Thomas Lee Magnanti, PhD
Professor of Management Science and Electrical Engineering
Institute Professor
Dean, School of Engineering

Thomas Wendell Malone, PhD
Patrick J. McGovern Professor of Information Systems
Director, Center for Collective Intelligence

Stewart Clay Myers, PhD
Robert C. Merton (1970) Professor of Financial Economics

Wanda J. Orlikowski, PhD
Eaton-Peabody Professor of Communication Sciences

James Berger Orlin, PhD
E. Pennell Brooks Professor of Management Science and Operations Research
MacVicar Faculty Fellow

Paul Osterman, PhD
Nanyang Technological University Professor of Human Resources and Management
(On leave)

Robert Stephen Pindyck, PhD
Bank of Tokyo–Mitsubishi Ltd. Professor of Finance and Economics
(On leave)

Drazen Prelec, PhD
Digital Equipment Corporation Leaders for Manufacturing Professor of Management Science

Edward Baer Roberts, PhD
David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology
Chair, MIT Entrepreneurship Center

Stephen A. Ross, PhD
Franco Modigliani Professor of Finance

Richard Lee Schmalensee, PhD
Professor of Management and Economics

Duncan Simester, PhD
Nanyang Technological University Professor

John David Sterman, PhD
Forrester Professor of Management Science
Director, System Dynamics Group

Thomas Martin Stoker, PhD
Gordon Y Billard Professor of Applied Economics

Lester C. Thurow, PhD
Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Professor of Management and Economics

Glen Lee Urban, PhD
David Austin Professor of Marketing
Codirector, MIT Center for Digital Business

James M. Utterback, PhD
David J. McGrath Professor of Management and Innovation

John Eastin Van Maanen, PhD
Erwin H. Schell Professor of Organizational Studies

Eric Arthur von Hippel, PhD
T. Wilson Professor of Management

Jiang Wang, PhD
Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Management

Ross L. Watts, PhD
Professor of Accounting

Roy Elmer Welsch, PhD
Professor of Statistics and Management Science
Director, Center for Computational Research in Economics and Management Science

Birger Wernerfelt, DBA
J. C. Penney Professor of Management Science
Chair, Doctoral Program

JoAnne Yates, PhD
Sloan Distinguished Professor of Management Communication
Interim Deputy Dean of Management

Associate Professors

M. Diane Burton
Fred Kayne Career Development Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship

Jared R. Curhan, PhD
Associate Professor of Organizational Studies

Kristin J. Forbes, PhD
Associate Professor of Applied Economics
(On leave)

Shane Frederick, PhD
Associate Professor of Marketing

Jeremie Gallien, PhD
J. Spencer Standish Associate Professor of Management

David Gamarnik, PhD
J. Spencer Standish (1945) Associate Professor of Management

Yasheng Huang, PhD
China Program Associate Professor of International Management

Leonid Kogan, PhD
Associate Professor of Finance
(On leave)

David McAdams, PhD
Cecil and Ida Green Career Development Associate Professor

Fiona Elizabeth Murray, PhD
Class of 1922 Career Development Associate Professor of Management of Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship

Jun Pan, PhD
Associate Professor of Finance
(On leave)

Georgia Perakis, PhD
Associate Professor of Management

Nelson Repenning, PhD
Associate Professor of Management

Roberto Rigobón, PhD
Associate Professor of Economics

Antoinette Schoar, PhD
Michael M. Koerner Associate Professor of Entrepreneurial Finance

Andreas S. Schulz, PhD
Associate Professor of Management Science

Joseph P. Webber, PhD
Associate Professor of Accounting

Peter D. Wysocki, PhD
Associate Professor of Accounting

Ezra W. Zuckerman, PhD
Nanyang Technological University Associate Professor of Management

Assistant Professors

Pierre Azouley, PhD
Assistant Professor of Strategy

Lucio Baccaro, PhD
Assistant Professor of Management
(On leave)

Nittai Bergman, PhD
Class of 1957 Curriculum Development Assistant Professor of Management

Michael Braun, PhD
Assistant Professor of Marketing

Emilio Castilla, PhD
W. Maurice Young (1961) Career Development Assistant Professor of Management

Joseph J. Doyle, PhD
Jon D. Gruber Career Develoment Assistant Professor of Applied Economics

Carola Frydman, PhD
Assistant Professor of Finance

Richard Timothy Holden, PhD
Assistant Professor of Applied Economics

Kate Kellogg, PhD
Assistant Professor of Organizational Studies

Mozaffar Khan, PhD
Assistant Professor of Accounting
(On leave)

Ryan LaFond, PhD
Assistant Professor of Accounting
(On leave)

Retsef Levi, PhD
Robert N. Noyce Career Development Assistant Professor

Denise Lewin Lloyd, PhD
Assistant Professor of Organizational Studies
(On leave)

Gustavo Manso, PhD
Assistant Professor of Finance

Mark Mortensen, PhD
Assistant Professor of Organizational Studies

Sugata Roychowdhury, PhD
Theodore T. Miller Career Development Assistant Professor of Accounting

Tavneet Suri, PhD
Assistant Professor of Applied Economics

Catherine Tucker, PhD
Douglas Drane Career Development Assistant Professor in Information Technology and Management

Eric Van Den Steen, PhD
Zenon Zannetos Career Development Assistant Professsor of Applied Economics

Rodrigo Verdi, PhD
Assistant Professor of Accounting

Chris Wheat, PhD
Assistant Professor of Strategy
(On leave)

Juanjuan Zhang, PhD
Assistant Professor of Marketing

Adjunct Professor

Mary P. Rowe, PhD
Adjunct Professor of Management

Professor of the Practice

Alex d' Arbeloff, SB
Honorary Chairman of the MIT Corporation

Senior Lecturers

Noubar Afeyan, PhD
John Akula, PhD, JD

Howard Anderson, MBA
William Porter Distinguished Lecturer in Behavioral Policy Science

William Aulet, MS
Patricia Bentley, PhD
Lori Breslow, PhD
Thomas Copeland, PhD
A. Denny Ellerman, PhD
Leigh Hafrey, PhD
Neal Hartman, ABD
Christine Kelly, PhD
Janice Klein, PhD
Mark Kritzman, MBA
Shari Loessberg, JD

Jeffrey Alan Meldman, PhD, JD
Director, Undergraduate Programs
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Kenneth P. Morse, MBA
Managing Director, MIT Entrepreneurship Center

John Parsons, PhD
Executive Director, MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research

Robert Pozen, JSD
John Rockart, PhD

Donald Barry Rosenfield, PhD
Director, Leaders for Manufacturing Fellows Program

Anjali Sastry, PhD
Peter M. Senge, PhD
Jeffrey Shames, SM
E. Sarah Slaughter, PhD
Henry Birdseye Weil, SM
Andrew Wolk, MBA
Kenneth Zolot, SM

Lecturers

Roberta Pittore, MBA
Phil Primack, MPA

Research Staff

Senior Research Scientists

Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, PhD

Peter Weill, PhD
Director, Center for Information Systems Research

Principal Research Associates

Mark Klein, PhD
Jeanne Ross, PhD
George Roth, PhD
Alexander Samarov, PhD

Principal Research Scientist

Michael D. Siegel, PhD

Research Associates

George Herman, MS
Ralph Katz, PhD
Robert Laubacher, MA

Research Scientists

Nils Fonstad, PhD
John Quimby, BFA
George Westerman, PhD
Stephanie Woerner, PhD

Professors Emeriti

Thomas John Allen, Jr., PhD
Howard W. Johnson Professor of Management, Emeritus

Lotte Lazarsfeld Bailyn, PhD
T. Wilson Professor of Management, Emeritus

Jay W. Forrester, DEng
Germeshausen Professor of Management, Emeritus

Arnoldo Cubillos Hax, PhD
Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Management, Emeritus

Henry Donnan Jacoby, PhD
William F. Pounds Professor of Management, Emeritus
Codirector, Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change

Howard Wesley Johnson, LLD
Speciality Faculty Professor of Management
Former Chairman, MIT Corporation
President, Emeritus

Gordon Mayer Kaufman, DBA
Morris A. Adelman Professor of Operations Research and Management, Emeritus

Robert Bruce McKersie, PhD
Professor of Management, Emeritus

Michael Stewart Scott Morton, DBA
Forrester Professor of Management, Emeritus

William F. Pounds, PhD
Professor of Management, Emeritus

Edgar H. Schein, PhD
Professor of Management, Emeritus

Abraham J. Siegel, PhD
Howard W. Johnson Professor of Management, Emeritus
Dean, Emeritus

D. Eleanor Westney, PhD
Society of Sloan Fellows Professor of International Management, Emeritus

 

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