The NYU Stern part-time MBA is a great option for busy students. This school is conveniently located in downtown Manhattan, an area widely known to be a global center for international finance, politics, entertainment, and culture. Stern is also considered one of the top business schools globally and has been ranked as such many times recently.
Stern’s MBA program has established a reputation for helping students secure lucrative careers and being extremely flexible for several reasons. Historically, the school has been more relaxed regarding its standards for acceptance into its MBA program.
Compared to some other New York business schools, Stern tends to keep their test score expectations relatively low. Stern places less importance on the specifics of where an applicant has worked. As a result, this school typically attracts students who have a more relaxed approach to their MBA.
NYU Stern is also flexible in terms of what it offers when it comes to its MBA programs. Stern provides a unique opportunity for students to complete a full-time MBA with a specialized focus on tech or fashion and luxury.
If you are interested in completing a traditional MBA at NYU Stern, you may choose from their full-time, executive, or part-time programs. Stern provides this customizable experience to accommodate the different lifestyles of their applicants.
For those who want to take advantage of an opportunity to complete their MBA without pausing their working career, the part-time option would be most suitable.
Read on to find out more about what Stern NYU’s top-ranking part-time MBA program entails, what its benefits are, as well as how to apply and get accepted into this prestigious program.
NYU Stern Part-Time MBA Program Overview
The NYU Stern part-time MBA is designed for working professionals aiming to leverage the program's tools and knowledge for career advancement. It offers the identical curriculum as full-time students, but with a more flexible delivery format.! Let’s dive into this program deeper.
A Flexible Array of Options
If you choose to take NYU Stern’s part-time path to undertake your MBA, there are many ways to do this. The program is adaptable in terms of how many courses you can take each semester, which gives you the option to complete your studies at a comfortable pace within a six-year timeframe.
This route contrasts their full-time program, which must follow a defined two-year schedule. There are multiple class formats to choose from, so finding a class schedule that can coexist with your work schedule is relatively simple.
Stern offers their part-time students a weeknight option with 12-week-long semesters in fall and spring, with courses held from 6-9 pm one night a week.
In contrast, the summer session is split into two six-week semesters that have classes held two nights a week. You must select either a Monday/Wednesday or a Tuesday/Thursday schedule in the first two semesters. However, it is possible to change your schedule and choose alternative nights once you’ve completed your first two semesters.
The Saturday option uses the same semester breakdown, but the main difference is that classes are held from either 9 am-12 pm or 1-4 pm on Saturdays. Once again, you will be required to wait two semesters before changing up your schedule, but once you’ve done so, you may even alternate between weekends and weeknights.
Offered Courses & Specializations for Part-Time Students
The core curriculum offered to Stern’s cohort of part-time students has been designed with the primary intention of “giving broad-based exposure to all key areas of business.”
Core classes such as Foundations of Finance, Leadership in Organizations, and Collaboration, Conflict, and Negotiation all aim to immerse students in the fundamental pillars of business right from the beginning. Stern also gives students the option to waive and replace certain classes if they meet specific criteria.
These criteria can be based on previous experiences, such as prior degrees, proficiency exam scores, or CPA. In all cases, you are still required to take a total of 60 credits, so any core courses that you can prove your proficiency in will be replaced by electives, of which Stern offers over two hundred choices.
Stern’s part-time MBA program also allows students to select up to three specializations out of the 27 that they offer, ranging from banking, luxury marketing, real estate, or tech product management. These specialization pathways are made up of nine credits, which is equivalent to three courses.
Additionally, students may participate in numerous skill-based workshops offered by the Office of Academic Affairs, such as Excel Basics for Business Applications or Introduction to Cybersecurity.
Program Requirements & How to Apply
Here’s what you’ll need to apply to the NYU Stern part-time MBA program:
Eligibility to Apply
Before getting into the application components you’re required to submit, there are three mandatory criteria you must meet to be eligible to apply to Stern’s part-time MBA:
- An undergraduate degree: a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university/college in the US or a foreign equivalent
- Mastery of English: You may be required to take the IELTS or TEFL to demonstrate this if English is not your native language and/or your degree was not taught in English
- Visa eligibility for international students: This program does not provide student visa eligibility. Students must determine if they have the necessary status to apply for this program.
Transcripts
Students are required to submit all of their transcripts from the undergraduate and graduate institutions they’ve attended. They have two options for submitting unofficial transcripts:
- Upload a scanned copy (preferred)
- Complete and upload the Self-Reported Transcript Form
Once admitted, you will be required to submit your official transcripts as well.
Test Score Requirements
Students must submit the GMAT, GRE, or EA to be considered for admission, unless they qualify for a test waiver. Stern does not have a minimum score requirement and will only consider your highest score if you retake your test. However, it’s recommended that you align your targets with the scores of previous successful applicants:
To qualify for a test waiver, students must meet the criteria for one of two types of waivers. The first option is the Undergraduate Major Test Waiver:
- Have completed a four-year bachelor’s from an accredited US college or university (not applicable to international colleges)
- Have majored in business or related majors (see list here)
- Have earned a final cumulative undergrad GPA of 3.4 or higher on a four-point scale
The other option is the NYU Undergraduate Test Waiver:
- Have completed an undergraduate degree from NYU
- Have earned a final cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher
Notably, 44% of the 2023 entering class met these conditions and did not submit test scores!
Professional Achievements
Stern’s admissions committee wants to know about your relevant work experience. The admissions committee is interested in seeking students with “a proven track record of success, a high potential for future leadership, and a well-articulated plan to achieve their career aspirations.”
Hence, they request copies of your resume or CV as well. This resume or CV should include your full-time, part-time, and post-university work experience and educational information, as well as any relevant internships or extracurricular activities. When it comes to work experience, Stern does not favor any particular industry.
Their applicants typically come from various professional backgrounds in consulting, entertainment, technology, and more. Stern acknowledges that the admissions committee “evaluates work experience not only in terms of years, but in regard to the depth and breadth of an individual’s experience, responsibilities, and progression.”
Essay Requirements
To get to know you and your writing skills better, there are some essay requirements for Stern. There are two required essays you must respond to:
Essay 1: Professional Aspirations
- “What are your short- and long-term career goals?”
- “How will the Part-time MBA help you achieve them?”
With this, if you do not live in the NYC metro area, you’re asked to share your plans to pursue this program. If you are planning to relocate, indicate your plans for employment in the NYC area. The word limit for this essay is 350 words.
Essay 2: Person, Place, and Thing
- “Please share three images - one of a person, one of a place and one of a thing - for the Admissions Committee. These selections should help provide insight into your qualities, interests, values, motivations, perspective, and/or personality that you would bring to the Stern community.”
- “For each image you will be able to add a short paragraph explaining what your person, place & thing says about you (each paragraph should be no more than 150 words).”
- “Your document of three images must be uploaded as a single PDF (they cannot be sent in physical form or be linked to a website).”
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this application feature embodies that concept. Choosing three images that hold significance to you will help create a more well-rounded profile for the admissions committee to learn who you are. Get creative and dig deep!
There is also an optional essay you may respond to, if applicable:
“Please provide any additional information that you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee and/or give context to your application. This may include important aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, including but not limited to: hardships you have encountered, current or past gaps in employment, further explanation of your undergraduate record or self-reported academic transcript(s), plans to retake the GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment, IELTS or TOEFL, or any other relevant information. This information may be just a few short sentences. It doesn’t need to be a full essay.”
Your response should be no more than 250 words.
International Students Requirements
International students are expected to submit the same application materials as US citizens, with the addition of an English proficiency test if English is not their native language and/or their undergraduate degree was not taught in English.
Additionally, these students must have visa status and a permanent foreign address, as is required by the US federal government. Students who do not meet this criteria cannot apply to the part-time MBA program but may complete NYU’s online Master of Science in Quantitative Management (MSQM) Program.
This program has a curriculum very similar to the MBA core, primarily online, with two New York City residencies over long weekends, one required and one optional. Toward the end of the MSQM Program, students may transfer to the Langone Part-Time MBA Program and complete their electives in the online/modular option.
Application Deadlines
The 2024 application deadlines for the Fall semester are as follows:
Here are the dates to keep in mind for the Spring 2025 cycle:
The notification periods for the Spring cycle have not been determined yet.
Selection Criteria
Overall, Stern searches for students who embody their fundamental principle: the synergy of IQ and EQ.
The Admissions Committee meticulously chooses candidates who showcase not only robust intellectual capabilities but also exceptional interpersonal skills, coupled with a commitment to contributing value to both the business world and society.
Stern employs a comprehensive assessment approach, evaluating candidates across three key dimensions:
- Academic profile
- Professional achievements and aspirations
- Personal and professional characteristics
NYU Stern Part-Time MBA Statistics
Here are some stats to learn more about the current part-time MBA student body at NYU:
Benefits of NYU Stern Part-Time MBA Program
The NYU Stern part-time MBA program offers you the flexibility to complete your program without putting your career on hold. This is one of the biggest draws of this program, but there are several other benefits to pursuing a part-time MBA path at NYU:
An Accelerated Option
One of the best things about choosing to do a part-time MBA over the full-time program is the malleable timeline you can build. If you are continuing to work during your MBA, as most part-timers do, you have up to six years to complete everything, which puts relatively little pressure on your schedule.
However, depending on your personal and professional aspirations, six years can be a long time. Consequently, Stern launched an accelerated MBA program that gives students the option to complete their part-time program in just two years, which is the same amount of time it takes to achieve their traditional full-time program.
The schedule of this program is the same as the weeknight schedule; however, there is a heavier course load that you must undertake each semester. If you cannot commit to a full-time program, but would like to graduate and move on to the next big step on your career path in a timely fashion, then this option might be the perfect fit for you.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
One of the other major benefits of doing NYU Stern’s part-time MBA is having access to their experiential learning opportunities that fit every interest. Stern’s students have “the opportunity to start, advise, and invest in real businesses” through their program that they refer to as Stern Solutions.
This initiative aims to “[bring] together teams of students and faculty to solve real, complex business challenges.” One of Stern Solutions’ past projects involved learning structured approaches to management consulting while working with blue-chip brands in New York City.
Another project involved extensive interactions with the board of a New York City-based nonprofit organization for nine months to assist with strategic governance. Projects such as these give students invaluable hands-on experiences that will teach them far more than any traditional business school case study ever could!
International Opportunities
Anyone interested in international business may also want to take advantage of Stern’s “Doing Business In…” (DBi) program. This program gives Stern students international study options. One and two-week intensive courses are offered between semesters in January and May and during school breaks.
In the past, these courses have allowed students to travel to and study in a wide variety of foreign countries, such as Argentina, Hungary, Morocco, and Singapore.
These opportunities “enable students to explore how business is conducted in another country and develop a deeper understanding of the issues, opportunities, and challenges faced by businesses operating there.” Students receive classes during these intensive courses, but they also have corporate and cultural visits and hear from various speakers.
Through this program, Stern hopes to “broaden students’ cultural awareness, change their worldviews, and create a lasting sense of community within their cohorts.”
FAQs
1. What is the admission rate for Stern’s part time MBA program?
The acceptance rate for Stern’s part-time MBA program is 73%. In a recent admissions cycle, 429 students applied to NYU, and 314 were accepted.
2. What are the average GMAT and GRE scores for students admitted into their part time MBA program?
The average GMAT score for students admitted to Stern is 669. The average Verbal GRE score is 159, and the average Quantitative GRE score is 160.
3. Is there a minimum amount of work experience required to apply?
Stern does not require that their applicants have full-time work experience before applying. The admissions committee considers internships and part-time work as well when they are evaluating applications.
4. How can I get in contact with Stern’s alumni?
Stern encourages you to contact their current second-year MBA Graduate Ambassadors at mbaga@stern.nyu.edu to learn more about the Stern experience. Stern’s alumni remain very engaged with Stern and meet with prospective students during on-campus events and off-campus information sessions.
5. How long does a part-time MBA at Stern take to complete?
You can complete Stern’s part-time MBA in 2 years if you choose to take the accelerated path. However, you have up to 6 years to complete it through one of the other pathways. Most part-time MBA students at Stern can complete the program in 3 years.
6. How many credits must I complete to graduate from the part time MBA at Stern?
Just like in Stern’s full-time program, all part-time students must complete a total of 60 credits between their core course load and their elective courses.
Conclusion
So, is a part-time MBA at NYU Stern the right option for you? First, you must weigh the pros and cons of a part-time versus a full-time MBA experience. The major pros include minimizing costs, since tuition is lower and you’ll be able to maintain a steady income while working.
Stern’s completely flexible MBAs also set it apart from many other business schools that offer part-time options. There is a vast array of possible directions to take when it comes to their part-time program, so you can easily customize your experience to make it best suit your needs.
Additionally, Stern’s curriculum allows for plenty of variety, which gives you access to the necessary tools, experiences, and opportunities that will let you take the reins to your career path. All in all, if you have goals within the business world, no matter what they are, the NYU Stern part-time MBA will be a great vessel to help get you there.
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