The Benefits of Earning a Master of Science in Management from Wake Forest

How is the Wake Forest Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree program different from our competitors’? Located at our main campus in Winston-Salem, this nationally-ranked and highly regarded 10-month program offers students who have earned a bachelor’s in a discipline outside of business diverse and numerous opportunities to learn, grow, and lead. You’ll emerge with a greater sense of direction and purpose, ready and able to begin your career on the fast track. Below are some of the unique advantages of the Wake Forest Master’s in Management program.

Experiential learning that accelerates career development: That’s the Wake Forest Masters in Management program advantage.

Experiential learning that accelerates career development: That’s the Wake Forest Masters in Management program advantage.

The Wake Difference

Enhance Your Undergraduate Education

By expanding the critical thinking and communications skills from your undergraduate studies with a knowledge of best practices in modern business, the Master’s in Management degree program develops well-rounded graduates who can confidently pursue careers in a broad range of fields.

As preparation for the MSM’s demands, all students attend a five-week summer session that covers general business concepts and equips them with the broad competencies to succeed in a rigorous and transformative graduate-level program and eventually compete in today’s hyper-competitive marketplace. The knowledge gained as an MSM candidate has potential to launch your career in multiple directions—leadership or management in your existing field, an entry-level business position, or a firm foundation for entrepreneurship. Review the curriculum and learn more about what to expect as an MSM student.

Benefit From Direct Experience

To make sure you get the most from this accelerated management program, you are immersed in real-world business consulting projects that let you apply concepts learned in the classroom while interacting with valuable corporate contacts, building your résumé, and learning to communicate with precision.

Our Graduate Consulting Projects present a world-class opportunity to apply your recent knowledge in the business world. Rather than explore and analyze a theoretical scenario, you’ll work with live clients to create or contribute to solutions that can be applied to existing projects and programs in real time. Reflecting our commitment to experiential learning, The Economist named Wake Forest’s MSM program #2 for Career Opportunities and Career Services in 2021.

Gain Access to Business Leaders

Along with connections through experiential learning and their professors, our students have opportunities to gain valuable insights from numerous guest speakers on campus. Recent speakers include Debra Lee, Former Chairman and CEO of BET Networks, Former GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt, Former Xerox Chairman and CEO Ursula Burns, and Sam’s Club President and CEO Rosalind Brewer.

As a Wake Forest School of Business graduate, you’ll further have access to our extensive alumni network and corporate contacts to continue building connections and grow your career.

Attract Leading Employers

Combining business savvy with leadership and character, our MSM graduates don’t just get jobs—they get their dream jobs. Top companies hiring recent Wake Forest Master’s in Management graduates include IBM, Deloitte, PepsiCo, AT&T, Bank of America, Steelcase, Oracle, and Cigna, just to name a few.

Learn From Your Own Career Coach and Mentor

Our Center for Market Readiness & Employment offers one-on-one career coaching and mentorships for our students. You’ll have access to the valuable guidance and perspective of an experienced advisor who is individually matched to you. These business professionals help develop the entire student, arming you with a broader set of tools for learning, growth, and success. Our goal is to help you turn your passion into a profession, refining your objectives and becoming job ready by graduation.

Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities

Many students, whether recent graduates or in the workforce for the past few years, put off earning a master’s degree due to the perceived costs. To assist you along your journey, the Wake Forest University School of Business offers our Master of Science in Management students multiple merit-based and endowment scholarship opportunities. No additional paperwork is needed—we base decisions on the information in your application. Learn more about scholarships for MSM students.

Paring down additional costs associated with earning an on-campus master’s degree, the cost of living is significantly lower in Winston-Salem than in other cities along both coasts and in the South.

Specialize Your Degree Program

Pre-designated specialization pathways let Master’s in Management students specialize their degree to their interests, career goals, or any area they wish to explore. Beyond subject matter, courses incorporate mentoring from faculty and business leaders. Strengthen your knowledge of marketing, or gain key skills in healthcare management, or strategic resource management.

Why Earn a Master of Science in Management Degree?

Recent graduates and professionals with a couple years of experience in the workforce often find themselves in a conundrum if they don’t have a background in business. They secure an entry-level job and may have an opportunity to advance into a specialist role, but all positions above require some understanding of general business concepts.

The Master of Science in Management degree creates a bridge to these opportunities—or breaks down the door to access entry-level business positions.

Gain Competitive Skills That Help You Stand Out

More and more individuals are entering the job market with bachelor’s degrees in hand. Some of these may be in specialized fields and others rooted in a broad liberal arts curriculum. The stakes for securing an entry-level job are harder in the present, and for a role you seek, you may be up against other candidates with a stronger business background.

An MSM degree essentially infuses the critical-thinking and industry-specific skills you have acquired with a broad, comprehensive understanding of business concepts. Emphasis is placed on leadership and management theory, business analytics, communication skills, marketing, and consulting knowledge.

The platform created between your bachelor’s and MSM degree gives you a competitive advantage and expands potential career opportunities, from entry-level business careers to management roles in your desired field to the skills needed to start and grow your own small business.

Minimal Work Experience is Required

Prospective students researching graduate business programs and their benefits often inquire about the difference between an MSM and the more common Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Beyond course content, many MBA programs are geared toward individuals who majored in business as an undergraduate, have reached a mid- to senior-level role in their career, and are being primed for management or a leadership position. The MSM, by contrast, is designed for non-business majors and business minors seeking to expand their skills.

Reflecting these differences, many MBA programs require candidates to have three to five years of experience in the workforce, often in a relevant role. MSM programs omit this requirement and, in turn, are ideal for recent graduates and individuals with little or no work experience under their belt. Learn more about the differences between an MSM and an MBA.

Give Your Career a Boost

Wherever you are in the transition from school to the workforce, the MSM offers many candidates a boost early on, both in terms of available opportunities and salary.

Beyond the business skills gained, MSM programs facilitate career connections through experiential learning and additional on-campus opportunities, allowing students to expand their network and access additional positions.

Complete Your Master of Science in Management in 10 Months at Wake Forest

Get your career on a fast track toward success with a Master of Science in Management from the Wake Forest School of Business. To take the next step, request information from our team today.