Student Perspective

Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson, WG'07

“I applied to the MBA program when I was a second year med student at Penn. I get both degrees in five years. I'm doing my MBA so I can approach international development from a multi-disciplinary perspective. I think you can't do as effective a job running a hospital or healthcare program if you don't have an understanding of the business behind it.”

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Dual and Joint Degree Applicants

Interdisciplinary study is central to Wharton's curriculum, with a wide array of dual and joint degree options. In general, a dual degree requires one year less than it would take to pursue the two degrees separately. Interested candidates must apply separately to Wharton and the second school or program.

Two programs combine an MBA with an MA in international studies: a 24-month joint degree program with the University of Pennsylvania's Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies, and a 3-year dual degree program offered in conjunction with the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC. Other dual degree programs combine a Wharton MBA with biotechnology, design, engineering, law, medicine, nursing, and social work. More information on these options is given below.

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Lauder Program at Penn

Founded in 1983 as the first joint-degree program in international management, The MBA/MA-Lauder Program prepares future business leaders by integrating the Wharton MBA program with an MA program in international studies from the School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania. The MA in international studies emphasizes cross-cultural competency and advanced language competency. Students concentrate in one of eight languages and select a regional focus.

The 24-month, joint degree calendar begins in early May and includes a summer of study, comprising 4 weeks on campus followed by an 8-week immersion program abroad prior to starting at Wharton. Because of the Program's May start date, applications are accepted in rounds 1 and 2 only.

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Wharton/School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

This 3-year, MBA/MA dual-degree program, offered by Wharton and the Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of The Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC, prepares students to operate in both business and the international political environment. Students earn an MBA from Wharton and an MA in international relations from SAIS, a program that pioneered area studies and the integration of international politics and economics. While in Washington, students have access to Washington's resources and to leaders in foreign policy and international trade.

Applicants must begin the Wharton part of their program in August, and conferral of each degree is contingent upon completion of all requirements for the other program. Students with less preparation in their chosen field of study or in their language requirement may need additional time to complete the SAIS degree.

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Wharton/Kennedy School of Government (KSG)

Kennedy School of Government has multiple degree offerings, three of which qualify for a dual degree option with Wharton's MBA program: Master in Public Administration (MPA2), Master in Public Administration/International Development (MPA/ID) and Master in Public Policy (MPP). All three are typically two-year programs. The dual degree option with Wharton allows students to complete the KSG portion of their dual degree over three semesters.

The MPA2 program is designed to prepare its graduates for positions of significant responsibility in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. The program's curriculum lends itself to individual tailoring with guidance from KSG faculty and administrators.

The MPA/ID is designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in international development. Geared to the future practitioner in the field of international development the MPA/ID is an economics-centered, multi-disciplinary program, combining analytical and quantitative methods with an emphasis on policy and practice.

The MPP program equips future leaders with a conceptual framework and the specific skills they will need to be successful in public service. The initial emphasis of the curriculum is on building a strong conceptual foundation for analysis, management, and advocacy.

Applications to both schools, Wharton and KSG, must be filed simultaneously before enrolling at either school or during the first year at either school. The two degrees may not be completed sequentially. That is, both degrees must be awarded at the same time and coursework must be initiated at both schools before either degree is completed. Students could begin at either the Kennedy School of the Wharton School. Because students may not take coursework at the individual schools sequentially, per Kennedy School rules, it would be necessary to come back to the school at which the student begins for the final or penultimate semester.

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Other Dual Degree Programs

Including Wharton, there are 12 graduate and professional schools of outstanding reputation at the University of Pennsylvania. The University therefore provides a unique environment for preparing tomorrow's leaders in fields that combine professional skills and business expertise. Wharton MBA students may pursue a dual degree in:

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Applying for Dual Degree Programs

All applicants to dual degree programs must apply to both Wharton and the second school or program. This means that the appropriate standardized tests, (e.g., LSAT, GRE, or MCAT), a completed application form, transcript, and recommendations must be sent to the partner school.

Admission decisions are made independently by each school, and students may pursue a dual degree program only if admitted to both. Unless otherwise indicated, students may apply to both programs simultaneously. If a student is already enrolled in a program, he or she may apply to Wharton in the fall semester following commencement of study in the co-sponsoring school. If it is a 3-year program, the student may apply in the fall of his or her second year. Students in the MD, DMD, and VMD programs may apply to enter Wharton in any August, up to and including the August following the third year of enrollment in the medical program.

To satisfy the MBA portion of the dual degree program, students must take at least 15 courses at Wharton. (Courses taken at Wharton prior to admission and matriculation into the Wharton MBA program may not be applied toward the degree requirements of the MBA.)

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