Frequently Asked Questions - Specializations
MS in Business Technology Program Questions
- What is the Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business MS in Business and Technology Program?
- Why should I pursue a Master of Science degree in Business and Technology?
- What is the difference between the Applied Research and Development track and the Working Professionals track?
- If I do not possess an undergraduate degree in Industrial Technology, but I do have a related technical degree such as Manufacturing Engineering or Industrial Management, do I need prerequisite Industrial Technology courses to apply to or be successful in the program?
- Why must I take the GMAT or GRE exam?
- Who will my classmates be?
- I am a Cal Poly student and have one course remaining to complete my undergraduate degree in Industrial Technology, may I be permitted to begin taking courses in the MS BT program?
Off-Campus Working Professionals Track Specific
- Is this the real Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo?
- The Working Professionals track is primarily delivered by a variety of distance learning methods. How will distance learning be different from taking more traditional courses on-campus?
- How will I interact with my instructor and other students?
- How quickly should I expect responses from my instructors?
- Is it possible to pursue the MS BT Working Professionals track without work experience?
- What type of applicant is likely to be successful in gaining admission into the Working Professionals track?
- Will I have access to library resources?
- What are your graduation policies and can I participate?
- Will these courses appear as correspondence courses on my transcript?
On-Campus Applied Research and Development Track Specific:
1. What is the Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business MS in Business and Technology Program?
The Master of Science in Business and Technology (MS BT) is a program designed to enable graduates to assume significant leadership responsibilities in global, technology-oriented business and industry. A major emphasis is on the management of technological change and innovation.
MS BT graduates will:
- Understand the global technology business environment, including value chain management, packaging science and technology, technology entrepreneurship, technological innovation and core industrial processes and systems.
- Generate solutions that jointly maximize business, technological and human outcomes.
- Apply decision tools and field research methods to a range of business and technological problems.
- Recognize the importance, and lead accordingly, on important societal issues that pervade the business and technological environment; environmental sustainability, business ethics and workforce development.
- Practice effective written and oral communication, foster teamwork, and be enabling managers and leaders.
The MS BT degree constitutes 45 credits of course work, including a major component that is focused on conducting a field-based applied research project. Students are required to possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited program in industrial technology, engineering or similar technical degree or background.
2. Why should I pursue a Master of Science degree in Business and Technology?
It's simple. Today's marketplace is competitive and regardless of your Industrial Technology specialty and interests, learning additional and graduate level IT and integrated business skills and competencies will allow you to work more effectively with your colleagues, clients and external constituents. In fact, the ability to advance in your career will depend on your mastery of these skills. Obtaining an MS BT from the Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) will move you forward in this regard.
3. What is the difference between the Applied Research and Development track and the Working Professionals track?
Boiled down to the core differences, the Applied Research and Development track is designed for students coming directly from their undergraduate technical program and who are looking for a close knit and rigorous program offering a more traditional masters degree experience. Students pursuing this track will work closely with faculty on research of common interest often organized around a project experience. This on-campus track offers the feel of a traditional graduate program and the opportunity for research and hands-on learning in labs and classrooms. As a bonus, students following this track have the opportunity to compete for graduate and research assistantships.
The Working Professionals track is designed for full-times employees at technology-intensive companies. Curriculum in this program is predominately delivered in a hybrid format utilizing a variety of distance learning techniques supplemented by several on-campus visits during each quarter. This on-campus involvement entails lab-based projects and instruction in a weekend context.
4. If I do not possess an undergraduate degree in Industrial Technology, but I do have a related technical degree such as Manufacturing Engineering or Industrial Management, do I need prerequisite Industrial Technology courses to apply to or be successful in the program?
Not necessarily. Some students may be required to take, as a part of their program, additional industrial technology prerequisite courses to support success. These decisions are on a case-by-case basis and will require a review of each student's academic and professional accomplishments.
5. Why must I take the GMAT or GRE exam?
Applicants to our program represent diverse educational and employment backgrounds, and the GMAT and GRE exams provide a common assessment standard. By requiring applicants to submit official GMAT or GRE exam scores, we can assure you that all graduate students are well qualified.
6. Who will my classmates be?
The student population of Cal Poly's Orfalea College of Business Graduate Programs varies from year to year. Overall, you can expect that the population of the MS BT Applied Research and Development track will be comprised of students with an undergraduate education in Industrial Technology or Engineering or international students with a similar academic background. The MS BT Working Professional track will also typically be comprised of students with an undergraduate education in Industrial Technology or one of the engineering or science disciplines, coupled with a minimum two years of work experience.
7. I am a Cal Poly student and have one course remaining to complete my undergraduate degree in Industrial Technology, may I be permitted to begin taking courses in the MS BT program?
No. Students must possess their undergraduate degree before beginning the program courses.
8. Is this the real Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo?
Yes! Our students are Cal Poly students and are held to the same rigorous standards as Cal Poly students attending more traditional courses on campus. Your transcript will look the same as any other Cal Poly student's transcript, and your diploma will look the same as any other Cal Poly student's diploma. There will be no differentiation that you studied through a hybrid distance education format.
9. How will distance learning be different from taking more traditional courses on campus?
While it is true that your distance education courses will take place in a different kind of environment than that of a traditional, full-blown face-to-face course, in many ways your learning will be similar to on-campus instruction, with an instructor, other students, and course materials. But the courses themselves allow more flexibility than face-to-face classes. The learning environment of this track is especially suitable and attractive to self-starters who are more proactive in how they manage their learning. Time is also a premium for them, given their work and family commitments.
10. How will I interact with my instructor and other students?
You will be part of a cohort group of students in each course in this program. At Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo we use a variety of means to bring students and instructors together, including asynchronous electronic threaded discussions on the course Web site, synchronous sessions (Elluminate Live), and e-mail.
11. How quickly should I expect responses from my instructor?
When you take a course in a traditional, face-to-face classroom, you can ask a question of your professor and receive an immediate response. Students in distance education programs can still ask questions and receive responses from their instructors during synchronous sessions. In addition, questions can be asked with ease through letters, e-mail, telephone, or other means, but those responses may not be immediate. Instructors are available on a regular basis and are able to respond to their students in a timely manner. As a distance education student, you simply need to become familiar with your instructor's schedule and availability so that you can know when to expect responses to your questions and feedback on your work.
12. Is it possible to pursue the MS BT Working Professionals track without work experience?
No. The MS BT Working Professionals track is specifically geared toward that demographic of students with a base of work experience under their belts that they wish to build on through additional formal education and a hands-on graduate program.
13. What type of applicant is likely to be successful in gaining admission into the Working Professionals track?
Successful applicants to the MS BT Working Professional track will have a bachelor’s level Industrial Technology degree or other related discipline. They will have demonstrated skills or work history in business and technology. They are likely to be on a trajectory to move up into more senior management positions involving a mix of business and technology content knowledge. Limited time away from work is a high priority but they will also value the Cal Poly reputation.
14. Will I have access to library resources?
Many of Cal Poly's library resources can be used from a distance. As a registered Cal Poly Kennedy Library user, you can use the Web to:
- access electronic databases, and even full-text articles
- borrow and renew books and materials
- access books from regional libraries through Interlibrary loans
- access materials that your instructor has put on electronic reserve
- talk with reference librarians in real time using the Virtual Reference Service—and more
15. What are your graduation policies and can I participate?
Yes! You have the same opportunity as Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo on-campus students to "walk" during graduation. Your academic adviser will explain the process as you near completion of your degree program.
16. Will these courses appear as correspondence courses on my transcript?
No distinction will be made on your official Cal Poly transcript that your courses were completed in part at a distance. The credits you receive are exactly the same as those awarded to on-campus students.
17. What type of applicant is likely to be successful in gaining admission into the program?
The MS in BT program welcomes applicants from academic backgrounds in the area of Industrial Technology, Engineering or similar technical discipline. An applicant for admission to the MS in BT program must have completed their baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
An applicant's academic potential and promise for a productive career in industrial management are central concerns when making admission decisions. Therefore, the applicant's involvement in activities that demonstrate development of strong leadership skills and the information an applicant provides regarding the way this Master's degree will contribute to his/her professional growth are carefully considered.
This track has been designed to provide a high quality academically challenging master’s program utilizing ongoing relevant research as a tool for learning. Thus, applicants with interests that overlap with ongoing or scheduled faculty research will be given priority consideration. The result – successful applicants, whose intellectual abilities and personal characteristics are suited for careers in industrial management, who can benefit and contribute to a significant intellectually challenging research endeavor – will be selected.