The Tickle College of Engineering and the Haslam College of Business offer an integrated program leading to the conferral of the Master of Science with a major in Computer Engineering and the Master of Business Administration degree with a major in Business Administration.

The establishment of the dual degree program addresses the critical need for personnel trained in both engineering and management who can integrate an increasingly complex body of knowledge for rapid introduction of new products to the marketplace. The objective of the dual degree program is to prepare graduates to take a leading management role in companies that must react quickly to a dynamic market where forces of competition require rapid changes via short cycles in design, manufacturing, and product development.

Options Available

Computer Engineering — Thesis, Project, or Course Only without Comprehensive Exam

Business Administration — Course Only without Comprehensive Exam

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• Applicants for the MS-MBA program must make separate applications to and be accepted by Graduate Admissions for the Master of Science in Computer Engineering, and Graduate Admissions for the Master of Business Administration.
• Students who are accepted into the MS-MBA program will be assigned an advisor in each of the two majors, who will be responsible for course approval and supervision of the students’ progress through the dual program.
• Applications by United States citizens and permanent residents received after the MBA application deadline (February 1) will be considered as space allows. Additional information is required and different application dates are established by Graduate Admissions for international students.

Academic Standards

Dual degree candidates must satisfy the curriculum and graduation requirements of the Tickle College of Engineering and the Haslam College of Business.

Credit Hours Required

• 60 or 63 graduate credit hours
  • 36 graduate credit hours of course work in the Haslam College of Business.
  • 24 or 27 graduate credit hours in the Computer Engineering curriculum depending on the option chosen for the Master of Science:
    • Thesis Option (27 credit hours): 21 credit hours of course work plus 6 credit hours of ECE 500  Thesis.
    • Project Option (24 credit hours): 21 credit hours of course work plus 3 credit hours of ECE 501  Project in Lieu of Thesis.
    • Course Only without Comprehensive Exam Option (24 credit hours): 24 credit hours of course work.

Required Courses

• Students meet the degree requirements as defined in the Master of Business Administration  major and the Master of Science in the Computer Engineering major , including
  • Thesis Option: ECE 500  (6 credit hours)
  • Project Option: ECE 501  (3 credit hours)

Non-Course Requirements

• Master of Science in Computer Engineering
  • Thesis Option – write and defend the thesis
  • Project Option – culminating experience in ECE 501  
• The student’s guidance committee should have representation from both the Computer Engineering and Business faculty to ensure that degree requirements for both the MS and MBA are fully met.