What Jobs Can You Get With A STEM-Designated MBA In The USA?

Last year, over one million international students enrolled in US university programs, a large portion of whom came from China and India. What’s more, according to GMAC research, more than 50% of Chinese and Indian prospective graduate business students would now prefer to study STEM-designated programs.

But why?

Well, one of the major reasons is the opportunity to apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training) extension. While most international students coming to the US are granted an F-1 student visa allowing them to remain in the country for one-year post-graduation, studying a STEM-designated degree enables students to seek temporary employment (OPT) in a field directly related to their studies for an extra two years—greatly increasing their chances of finding employment in the States.

This is desirable for several reasons. Despite post-pandemic uncertainties, the US remains the world’s strongest economy: in 2023, its GDP was over 40% greater than the next-largest national powerhouse, China. Plus, with US b-schools continuing to perform well in MBA rankings, the education system holds a strong appeal for those looking to come from overseas.

This was the experience that Canadian-born athlete, Kyleigh Arthur, found after studying a STEM-designated MBA at the Price College of Business, Oklahoma University. Now, having completed an internship at Nike and currently working as a data analyst for Capitalize Analytics, it’s clear that her degree opened up a world of job opportunities.

So, how did the STEM-designated MBA help her get there?

Why the STEM-designated MBA at Oklahoma?

Despite the numerous compelling reasons to study in the States, Kyleigh’s (pictured right) journey across the border actually started off…as a joke. 

After completing an undergraduate degree in marketing, she searched for a way to further her education while also balancing her life as a rower. Considering the wealth of opportunities available there, she mainly focused on MBA programs in the US. 

However, there was another reason.

“It was always a dream of [mine and my sister’s] to go to the same school. So, when she matched her medical residency at Oklahoma University, she said: 'Why don't you write the coaches and see if they'd be interested in you',” Kyleigh recounts. 

She was also attracted to the fact that, not only were the staff and coaches accommodating to her commitment to rowing, at Oklahoma, students can opt for a dual degree program alongside their MBA, which allows them to get two Master’s degrees within the span of two years. 

Plus, critically for international students, these dual degree options include the MSc in Finance or the MSc in Management Information Technology—which provide access to the much-coveted OPT visa.

When Kyleigh initially applied to Oklahoma, she wasn’t expecting anything to come of it—but, luckily, her dream of studying alongside her sister came through. 

What skills did you learn?

At OU, MBA students are allowed to take introductory classes in several courses before they pick one they want to study as a secondary degree. 

This proved to be life-changing for Kyleigh, who, before taking an IT class, figured she would be focusing on marketing for her MBA. 

“I remember looking at that class and being so intimidated. I thought, there's no way I'm going to be able to code,” she admits. 

However, after her first lesson she quickly realized she had an undiscovered a passion for coding, which drove her to pick the MSc in Management Information Technology (MIT). 

As a STEM program, the intensive course emphasizes Big Data and Analytics, alongside other key skills that can be applied to fields such as business, cybersecurity, and healthcare.  

These pair with the MBA side of the dual degree, which preps students with important soft skills such as management and communication, as well as the chance to choose electives in more specialized areas such as entrepreneurship, finance, and law. 

Not all lessons are taught in the classroom. Students are also offered the chance to go on a Global Business Experience, which was a program highlight for Kyleigh. 

Her cohort were flown out to Chile and Argentina, to visit various companies and take part in activities like wine-tasting. 

“We had so much fun and got to know each other on more of an intimate level,” Kyleigh says. 

What career opportunities were available?

Given Kyleigh’s background in sports, the opening at Nike quickly jumped out at her during the search for internship opportunities 

Though she entered in a marketing role, during the internship she switched to working on a data analytics project, which involved providing Nike with long-term strategic insights. 

“When I left my internship, I wanted to go into the data analytics role,” Kyleigh says. 

Every year, OU hosts a careers fair, which is attended by more than 500 companies. There, students can find out about different roles on offer, while for international students there is the added incentive to find somewhere that is willing to sponsor you.

Kyleigh found that with Capitalize Analytics, who were happy to accept her student visa and hire her into a data analysis role. Other top companies that hire Oklahoma MBA grads include Amazon, Deloitte, Boeing, and Dell. 

In her day-to-day role now, Kyleigh works on the robotic process automation team, which involves using tools such as UiPath and power automate to build automation robots for clients.

The role requires a range of technical abilities, as well as soft skills that were instilled throughout the MBA, such as organization and networking.

“Every day I'm using things that I've learned within the program to help me succeed,” Kyleigh says. 

Studying a STEM-designated MBA in the US can completely transform your career outlook. For other international students looking to take the leap, Kyleigh says, “Just give it your best shot and embrace every moment of it.”