At first glance, autonomous racing cars, small manufacturers, and homelessness have little in common. Yet these are real-world matters addressed by MBA and Master of Science students from the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.
Since a graduate business degree opens doors to endless possibilities, it makes sense for students to get an inside look at a wide range of industries and issues. We offer two approaches with numerous opportunities:
- Integrated Learning involves in-class, for-credit projects that often connect students with executives and organizations that solve practical issues in a classroom environment.
- Experiential Learning opportunities exist beyond the classroom where students learn by doing. Students apply the concepts they learned in classes to solve an organization’s challenge.
“Experience-based learning lets us directly apply what we learn in the classroom to real-world situations,” Sheridan Feck (MBA ’24) says. “This has allowed for a clear connection to how classroom learning will be applicable in the business world. “
Beyond the Classroom: Challenges Accepted
Katz Graduate School, among the 5% of business schools with AACSB accreditation, has long emphasized the importance of learning by doing as students put into practice the theories discussed in class. Here are examples of experiential learning opportunities with feedback from participating students:
Super Analytics Challenge: Students use data to recommend solutions to address a societal issue. In the past, students have focused on issues related to homelessness, food insecurity, and mental health support for teenagers.
“The Bridge Program was a valuable experience since I got to interact with a real client for the first time,” says Ziwei Zhao (MS ’22). “I’ve always wanted to get into the consulting industry and the Bridge Program gave me my first step into the consulting world.”
T.L. Saaty Decision Making for Leaders Hackathon: This immersive experience focuses on two processes that enable students to solve complex practical business problems using both hard data and their personal perspectives and experiences.
Students receive intense training in the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) methods and then work in teams to apply these modeling techniques to a real business case provided by a local company. The teams present their case analysis and recommendations to a panel of judges and can win cash prizes.
“The Saaty Hackathon has been incredibly rewarding, providing me with practical problem-solving experience, teamwork skills, and decision-making strategies like AHP, says Lei Xue (MS ’23), a hackathon participant. “These experiences have improved my critical thinking skills and enriched my overall growth both personally and professionally.”
Other Real-World Learning Opportunities
Students can also gain experience in unique industries through collaborations the Katz Graduate School has with other schools and organizations.
A collaboration with the nonprofit Catalyst Connection resulted in the PA Robotics and Technology Fellowship. Graduate students earn a stipend for working 6-8 weeks with Pittsburgh-area small and medium-sized manufacturers to help each company adopt robotics and autonomous technology.
“It was a great learning experience to work with a small company and understand the unique challenges associated with its operations,” says Pratik Khare (MBA/MS ’23). “This experience has opened my eyes to a new industry I was unfamiliar with. It is a fast-paced project so handling client requirements while time is ticking was exciting and it helped me better manage priorities and multitask.”
Our graduate students also drove business operations for an autonomous race car team in a collaboration between Pitt, Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Waterloo, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Business and engineering students. Their work included corporate sponsorships, financing, marketing, and operations.
“I enjoyed being part of a multidisciplinary team that was at the forefront of technological innovation,” says Ammar Kinkhabwala (MBA/MS ’23). “Although I had limited knowledge about autonomous cars at the time, I recognized that this was a perfect chance to challenge myself and contribute to a diverse team of experts.”
Ready to Learn More?
The Center for Integrated Learning was established in 2022 to bridge communities of knowledge with communities of practice. Click here for more details about the philosophy and opportunities in courses and beyond the classroom. For details of our graduate program options, click here.
