Stanford University Graduate School of Business - MSx

Stanford MSx Program Structure

The Stanford MSx is a 64-credit specialized master’s degree featuring 27-28 required core units and 35-36 required electives. The program is a full-time, one-year immersive master’s program for proven leaders and entrepreneurs, with a minimum of eight years of full-time work experience. Upon completion of the degree, students will earn a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University. If you’re looking to start a new venture, advance in your current industry, or change careers, then Stanford MSx may be for you.

Curriculum

The academically rigorous curriculum at the Stanford MSx is extremely flexible — more than half is comprised of electives. Students can choose the courses that will help you achieve your career goals, whatever your path may be.  Students are not limited to Stanford GSB courses and are encouraged to explore interdisciplinary electives offered across Stanford, in order to create the most compelling course of study. Many alumni have pursued one of three broad curriculum paths. Each path features sample coursework, faculty, and alumni who have pursued that particular path.

The Career Advancement Path will position you to secure a more inspiring position or establish yourself as an expert in your industry. If this is your goal, you might aim to deepen your knowledge of business fundamentals, enhance your strategic management skills and/or develop your interpersonal dynamics skills  At the end of your year in the program, you’ll be a more impactful leader who can make sound strategic decisions with incomplete information; develop more productive, professional relationships; and inspire and mobilize others in order to accomplish your organization’s vision.

The Entrepreneurship Path combines the Stanford GSB, Stanford University, and Silicon Valley as resources to provide exemplary conditions for idea incubation. The entrepreneurship path teaches you to scale your vision to market with precision and speed. If this is your goal, you might focus on experiential opportunities to test and iterate ideas, with access to unrivaled expertise, big picture and systematic approaches to launch and lead a breakthrough venture, and/or a low risk, high ROI learning environment to conduct early-market validation that taps a rich network of talent.  Pursuing your idea for a venture while at Stanford GSB allows you to leverage the best and brightest students, guest speakers, and expert faculty to guide you along the way. At the end of your year in the program, you’ll have the confidence to launch your venture quickly, strategically, and with scalability.

The Career Change Path will prepare you to proactively enter a different job function or industry. With this curriculum, you’ll learn to pivot strategically. If this is your goal, you might aim to sharpen your general management skills, take industry-specific courses to understand and enter a new field, study advanced thought leadership in your desired industry and/or combine new skills and frameworks with your prior knowledge for maximum impact You will be able to take courses across the university, allowing you to study topics rigorously and make connections with faculty leading the research in your chosen field. At the end of your year in the program, you will demonstrate an ability to actively participate in a new space.

Student’s experience in the MSx Program is focused to help you internalize what you learn and apply it for years to come. The Stanford MSx faculty employ a variety of learning methodologies that extend beyond case studies and one-way lecture making each lesson more memorable.  In addition, the MSx program brings in industry practitioners and guest speakers to enhance the academically rigorous curriculum with rich lessons and real-world insights that you can leverage going forward. Hands-on practice in a safe environment allows you to take risks, experiment freely, and yield confidence.  The MSx program focuses on learning by doing.  Their courses incorporates opportunities for you to apply what you learn to real-world situations, moving you beyond discovery and development to experimentation and practice. This experiential learning will help you codify the principles and frameworks you learn into knowledge and skills that simply cannot be replicated via job training, online courses, or screens.

Class Profile for the Stanford MSx

The Stanford MSx program consists of roughly 85 students and is designed for mid-career leaders, entrepreneurs, and experienced professionals who have demonstrated impactful management and accomplishments, and want to enhance their impact within the global economy.  Students have, on average, 12.9 years of work experience.  The range of work experience of students is between 8 to 33 years. 

Career Statistics

Based on statistics of the Stanford MSx graduating classes of 2014 through 2017, 57% pursued a strategic job search, 18% returned to their employers in an elevated position, while 25% launched their own venture.

Tuition, Scholarships, and Financial Aid for the Stanford MSx

The tuition for the Stanford MSx program is $132,900. The total cost of attendance, including living allowance, documentation fee, book and supplies, study trips, transportation, medical insurance, and health fee is $190, 498.

Every student admitted to the Stanford GSB has demonstrated significant leadership accomplishment, intellectual vitality, clarity of purposes, and personal qualities that will contribute to the program and community. Admissions decisions do not consider how you will finance your degree and are made prior to you submitting a financial aid application. Once you have been admitted, the Stanford GSB calculates an expected student contribution based on your particular financial situation. The gap between the cost of attendance and the expected student contribution is then covered by a combination of fellowships and loans. Fellowships are awarded based solely on demonstrated financial need.  In addition, all students are expected to contribute a portion of their income and assets to fund their degree program. Students are encouraged to repay consumer debt prior to applying for financial aid at Stanford GSB.

Admissions

The application is made up of four main components, all of which help the Stanford MSx learn about who you are, what you have accomplished, and how you have positively impacted your organization and the people around you. The application requirements include personal information, professional experience, graduate test requirements, and essays.

Application Deadlines 

2021–22 Deadlines