Chicago Booth’s New MIM & MIF Programs: What Students Can Expect This Fall
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is offering two new programs this fall: a Master in Finance (MiF) and a Master in Management (MiM). Poets&Quants recently spoke with Stephanie O’Connor, Booth’s associate dean of Career Services, to gain insight into what students can expect when they enroll in these programs.
From a career perspective, Booth’s main goal, and a focus from the start in both programs, is to prepare students to be excellent job candidates, O’Connor says.
“Ultimately, we want to craft them into professionals that are what the companies are seeking,” she says.
KICKING THINGS OFF WITH BOOTHCAMP
Right off the bat in August and September, before their respective programs start, both MiM and MiF students will undertake a two-week “Boothcamp” — a series of prep courses designed to teach resume building, interview prep skills, and a self-assessment to narrow down potential career paths of interest.
Among them is Succeeding in the Workplace, a mini-course that touches on essential soft skills. “We talk about how to have difficult conversations, and work effectively in cross-cultural groups,” O’Connor says.
Support in these early days is critical, she says. Boothies in both programs will get face time with faculty and staff, along with one-on-one career coaching and access to databases for research and job posting platforms.
Welcome day for Chicago Booth master’s students. Courtesy photo
WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU’RE A MIM OR MIF STUDENT AT BOOTH
Post Boothcamp, the programs kick off in earnest. The MiF will span four quarters with a summer internship included, lasting a total of 15 months. To give MiFs the best experience based on their interests, they will have a choice of specialization in Asset Management, Investment Banking, or Fintech.
“Most of these students will be going into pretty specialized financial services-type roles after graduating,” says O’Connor — jobs in investment banking, equity research, credit analysis, economic consulting, risk management, or corporate finance.
Booth expects its MiM students — who “are coming in without substantial work experience,” O’Connor notes — to go into a wide range of corporate and consulting roles: corporate finance, sales, marketing, energy, and tech. The MiM program is 10 months long, and MiMs will choose from one of five specializations: Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing, or Strategic Management.
Welcome day for Chicago Booth’s master’s students. Courtesy photo
A ROBUST ALUMNI NETWORK
One of Booth’s biggest assets: its huge alumni community. Career Services has been working very closely with them to create career support for these programs.
O’Connor says alumni are ready to do more than just offer advice: They will take MiMs and MiFs on field visits to give them a firsthand experience of what is going on right now in the industry.
“We focus on teaching students how to effectively communicate with alumni — how to reach out and build relationships with them. This is one of the most important pieces. We have a network of over 50,000 alumni all over the world,” O’Connor says.
ENGAGING WITH THE INDUSTRIES
Engagement with recruiters happens primarily in the summer through the early fall, depending on the program. Booth’s goal, O’Connor says, is to have students ready to hit the ground running when companies are ready to engage with them.
“We have 10 staff members globally who cultivate relationships across different sectors, from financial services to tech,” O’Connor says. This team plays an important role in bridging a connection between students and the market.
Booth anticipates several virtual and in-person hiring events this upcoming academic year. MiFs and MiMs are encouraged to frequent any of Booth’s research centers, including the Kilts Center for Marketing, the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, to leverage their expertise in specialized areas of interest.
“Students will be able to tap into their resources, hear from guest speakers, and employers will come through here,” says O’Connor.
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