Purdue launches new online dual degree combining Master of Science in Engineering with Master of Business and Technology

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s College of Engineering and Mitch Daniels School of Business are partnering to launch a new online master’s program, the dual Master of Science in engineering (MS) and Master of Business and Technology (MBT). Benefiting from the combined expertise of both academic units, the program prepares engineers and tech leaders to excel at the intersection of business, engineering and technology. 

The dual program enables students to earn two prestigious, forward-thinking degrees while saving money and time to degree completion. In 54 credits, graduates earn an online MBT from the Daniels School and an online MS from the College of Engineering in one of the following disciplines: industrial engineering, interdisciplinary engineering, microelectronics and semiconductors, or systems engineering.

Students in the program take engineering, business and technology-focused courses concurrently. In the process, they build the interdisciplinary skills they need to stand on the cutting edge of technological development in the engineering field via a streamlined, flexible pathway. 

According to Milind Kulkarni, the Michael and Katherine Birck Head of Electrical and Computer Engineering, interdisciplinary skills are in high demand in today’s dynamic engineering workforce, where engineers are increasingly expected to lead and manage technologically complex projects.

“Employees who want to take the next step in their careers cannot just be excellent engineers or have strong management abilities — they need both skill sets,” Kulkarni said. “One of the best ways to become that kind of dual threat is through a dual degree program that combines Purdue Engineering’s top-ranked MS programs along with the Daniels School’s innovative MBT.”  

The dual degree is designed to give engineers the business acumen they need to understand how their organizations develop new products and make critical business decisions, said Mohammad Rahman, Daniels School Chair in Management and professor of management. It can also help future engineering leaders learn how to leverage technology to run their own businesses.

“This degree works for professionals on two pathways,” Rahman said. “First, for engineers who want advanced engineering skills and to understand how products go to market and how business decisions are made, and second, for professionals who are interested in moving into leadership and want the business skills needed to climb the leadership ladder.”

Purdue’s online engineering graduate programs are consistently ranked in the top two nationally, with the university’s online master’s programs in mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, civil engineering, industrial engineering, and engineering management all ranking No. 1 for 2026, per U.S. News & World Report. They are taught by expert faculty who teach at Purdue’s flagship campus, and they offer the same quality and rigor as Purdue’s renowned on-campus engineering programs. Students in the dual MS and MBT program can customize their engineering education by majoring in one of the discipline areas listed above. 

Purdue’s online MBT program covers the nexus of business and technology, focusing on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and automation. It prepares future and current tech leaders to implement technological solutions and understand the ethical and business implications of technology. The MBT is also launching an Indianapolis Experience this fall, which will allow online students to take advantage of in-person networking opportunities at Purdue’s Indianapolis location.

According to Tamara Kinzer-Ursem, professor of biomedical engineering and associate dean of graduate and professional education in the College of Engineering, the new dual degree also prepares professionals to solve the complex interdisciplinary problems that define engineering’s future — and develop the kind of innovative solutions needed to redefine what’s possible in that future.

“By integrating advanced yet customizable engineering study with the MBT, we are equipping graduates to move seamlessly from solving complex problems to leading organizations that implement those solutions,” Kinzer-Ursem said.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a research institution ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States. More than 106,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. As a land-grant university committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free.