MTM Academics

MTM
Curriculum

The Master of Technology Management curriculum draws upon research and education at the intersection of technology, business, and social science, and explores the theory and practice of product and corporate strategy, the management of products, projects, and teams, and the various methodologies for growing and scaling innovation-driven businesses. The MTM curriculum also includes a field practicum in which student teams have the opportunity to experience the practical application of theories and concepts learned. Many MTM students also choose to participate in Technology Management’s annual New Venture Competition which provides the opportunity to take a deep-dive into forming and building viable startup businesses that address real-world challenges and opportunities.

Master of Technology Management

A Master's Degree For the Innovation Age

Technology Management is defined as the strategies technology-driven companies employ to effectively manage the challenges and opportunities created by technological disruption and organizational change. At the core of Technology Management are five Key Factors that leaders must assimilate into their business practices in order to adapt to change, continuously innovate, and drive competitive advantage. These serve as the foundation for the Master of Technology Management curriculum.

Five key factors

Innovation-driven, Multi-disciplinary,
Agile, Business Fluent, Human Centric

Overlapping circles showing five key factors influencing companies strategy and management including the ability to be Innovation-driven, Multi-disciplinary, Agile, Business Fluent, and Human Centric

Frequently asked Questions about Master of Technology Management (MTM) Academics

Technology Management is a multidisciplinary field of science that examines the opportunities and challenges of technological innovation, industry disruption, and organizational change, and their influence on business performance and competitive advantage. 

At the core of Technology Management are five key factors, or core competencies, that leaders must assimilate into their business practices. The process of Technology Management is an ongoing virtuous cycle, with implications for the way organizations address human capital, finance, project management, product management, business strategy, data science, marketing, and organizational development. These serve as the foundation for the Master of Technology Management curriculum.

The Master of Technology Management curriculum is a rigorous 9-month program that draws upon research and education at the intersection of technology, business, and social science. The program explores product and corporate strategy (theory and practice), the management of products, projects, and teams, and the various methodologies for growing and scaling technology- and innovation-driven businesses. 

The MTM curriculum includes a field project in which student teams have the opportunity to experience the practical application of theories and concepts learned. Many MTM students also choose to participate in Technology Management’s annual New Venture Competition which provides the opportunity to take a deep dive into forming and building viable startup businesses that address real-world challenges and opportunities.

In the fall quarter, students will enroll in foundational business coursework that paves the way for the remainder of the curriculum. In the winter quarter, students will learn how technology- and innovation-driven companies employ data and strategy for effective decision-making and to lead global teams for continuous innovation. 

Over the winter and spring quarters, students will apply the theories learned through a consulting field project in which they will work with a team of fellow students, a faculty, and a company advisor within a technology company to achieve a contemporary business challenge. The total number of units required to complete the MTM degree is 42 units.

No, all admitted students start together in the fall quarter, which begins at the end of September.

The Master of Technology Management is a time-intensive, rigorous graduate degree program. Success in the program requires that students attend all classes (which occur during the day), work collaboratively on teams, and keep up with their studying, Therefore, outside employment would be difficult. We strongly discourage working while enrolled in the program.

The Master of Technology Management is designed for completion over three consecutive quarters, or nine months. Required coursework (42 units) is not offered every quarter and progresses in a strategic order to culminate with a field project. 
 
The MTM graduate program is an in-person program and UCSB is accredited as an in-person instructional university.

We kindly ask that you do not reach out to MTM professors or current students due to the large number of applications we receive. You can follow MTM on our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) or LinkedIn for more information.

Curriculum

Overview

Over the course of one academic year, students enroll in a core curriculum that provides foundational business knowledge required to navigate technology-driven firms. The core curriculum is complemented by other required coursework that enhances students’ ability to leverage data to better organize teams for continuous innovation. Coursework is completely focused on the management skills needed to lead multidisciplinary teams. Over winter and spring quarters, students will apply respective strategies and skills through a consulting field project in which they will work with a team of fellow students, faculty advisor, and company advisor within a technology company to achieve a contemporary business challenge. The total number of units required to complete the MTM degree is 42 units.

Core Courses

Coursework provides a foundation in the financial concepts and practices essential for managers in technology businesses. Topics covered include: measuring and analyzing financial performance, budgeting and forecasting, time value of money, capital investment, cost of capital, risk and return, managerial accounting, and various economic concepts central to managerial finance.  The course utilizes textbooks, topical readings, and case studies.


Coursework provides a high-level overview of strategic marketing skills needed to succeed in today’s competitive business environment. The course will enable motivated business and tech-oriented students to conduct detailed competitive, market, and industry analyses in order to execute an effective strategic marketing plan, focusing on start-ups and established tech companies. The majority of the course will be skill-building through assigned readings, seminar lectures, guest lectures, and case studies. In addition to gaining expertise, students will benefit from working in teams and contributing to class discussions. The course will culminate in group presentations of strategic marketing projects. Projects will be reviewed by a panel with representation from industry.  


Course topics include business models and structures for value creation, innovation, competitiveness; leadership and decisions. Coursework features case studies and discussions to understand approaches and techniques to manage technological innovation and change within their organizations, including design and incentivization of teams and organizations to promote innovation. This course includes understanding industry and technology impacts on business model selection and evolution and places special emphasis on sustainable business practices and strategies to maintain a competitive global business.

Other Required Coursework

Coursework is focused on the early stages of product development. The punch line of the course is that product development does not occur in a vacuum. Instead, to be successful, product development must coincide with the development of the market in which you hope to sell your product, the development of your business plan, and the development of your organization. Each week is organized around a specific skill-set necessary to do effective product and market development and validation work. Throughout the term, you will work on a real-world market validation project. The concepts and skills you learn in this course are equally valuable if you are working with a new venture or if you are looking to develop a new product within a large organization.


Introductory-level coursework that seeks to develop business leaders who understand human resources practices essential to firm performance. The course is relevant for entrepreneurs who are building successful organizations and aspiring leaders in existing enterprises. In this course, you will examine how to structure and adjust an organization’s basic human capital levers to achieve superior results. You will learn about how organizations link organizational requirements, corporate strategy, and human capital systems with specific business objective; talent management processes, including how companies hire, socialize, appraise, reward, and retain talent; the practices and analytical frameworks that help managers leverage human capital; the factors that affect your success as a developing business leader.

In this course, you will exercise your critical thinking skills by analyzing how managers and organizations apply human capital strategies in practice. It will develop your skills in problem-solving, creative thinking, and written and oral communication and will broaden your perspective about the role of managers in determining organizational success.


Project Management in New Product Development has become an expected professional skill for managers and specialists in most technical disciplines. The use of project management is expanding wherever organizations need to achieve performance objectives in the face of global competition, extreme time pressures, and rapidly changing technologies. This course is intended to provide a solid grounding in traditional and modern project and program management with an emphasis on applying the principles to New Product Development teams in Technology-Driven businesses. We will take a methodology-agnostic view, preferring instead to survey a number of available tools and techniques and emphasize that these may or may not be useful for all projects. Although not a conventional course in Project Management, many traditional methods will be discussed as a foundation for further study and practice.


Developing new products from conception, R&D, trial to launch, R&D strategy, project management, planning, organizing, and deploying resources. Explores engineering and business topics important to the development of innovative customer-driven engineering products. Design optimization, innovative thinking, and the principles and methodologies of product development are examined. Students are taught the tools, techniques, and organizational structures that support new product launch, including stakeholder and alliance partnerships.


Effective management of information is the root of innovation. Coursework provides approaches to using information to produce innovative products and ideas. The course is organized around questions whose answers are key components of successful innovation management.

Field Projects

MTM provides students the opportunity to gain practical experience and work with a team comprised of fellow MTM students, a faculty advisor, and a company representative on a consulting project. Here students will apply strategies and skills gained from coursework to solve a business challenge a technology-based company is facing. Assigned faculty advisors will provide constructive feedback to enhance individual performance and team effectiveness. Learn more about our faculty here.

Past projects include human capital management, product-market validation, and technical innovation related to audio technology, biotechnology, property management, and fashion. Capstone projects and teams are coordinated by the MTM faculty and may take place in new ventures or established companies.

Experiences

Beyond field projects, the Technology Management department provides a wide array of co-curricular and professional development opportunities that are also available to MTM students. In addition to personalized career development advising, MTM students are able to participate in the New Venture Competition, guest speaker events, and networking opportunities.

Learn more about MTM Career Development Opportunities and outcomes here.

The New Venture Competition (NVC) started in 1999. Since then, it has become the premier tech entrepreneurship event on California's Central and South Coast. The NVC attracts investors from all over California, from Silicon Valley to San Diego. The NVC serves as an opportunity for you to get exposure for your startup idea. You also get rigorous feedback from tech experts who help you determine whether your startup idea is marketable and investment-worthy.

We are committed to offering you an enriching experience enhanced by the wisdom of industry leaders. These guest speakers, including many successful MTM alumni, return to share their valuable insights with you. They cover a wide range of topics, from the intricacies of breaking into product management, to strategies for career development, and the unique challenges of starting your own venture.

Our MTM program focuses on unlocking your professional potential through diverse networking opportunities. In person and virtual events connect students with industry professionals, peers, and alumni, fostering valuable connections. 

Beyond events, our dedicated career services team provides detailed strategies and step-by-step guides for expanding and nurturing networking relationships. Active participation in the vibrant MTM alumni network opens doors to valuable experience and career opportunities. We go beyond campus, promoting local networking and industry events for students to build connections within the broader professional landscape. Recognizing networking as a pathway to success, the MTM program is committed to empowering students for thriving professional journeys.

Software Engineer at GitHub

MTM Alumnus

As someone without an Engineering degree, MTM gave me the legitimacy to jumpstart my tech career at a great company, and the knowledge to keep it growing over the years.

Headshot of MTM Student Luan Vieira

UCSB's Graduate Division will begin accepting applications on September 1, 2023 for Fall 2024. Click here for details on submitting your online application. For specific admissions questions, please reach out to our Admissions Team at Click here to show mail address.

December 1, 2023, 11:59pm Pacific Time (Priority Consideration)

February 1, 2024, 11:59pm Pacific Time (Final Fellowship Consideration)

March 1, 2024, 11:59pm Pacific Time (Final Deadline)

All applications are due by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on the day of the deadline.

We strongly encourage applicants to apply early. In particular, international applicants should apply by December 1, 2023 to allow sufficient time for visa requirement processing if admitted. Separately, UCSB Housing begins accepting graduate campus housing applications in early March 2024, which are generally contracted on a first-come, first-served basis and fill up quickly.

company presenting

Stay on top of all MTM-related admissions and other news, events, and webinars; sign up for email communications; and connect with an admissions advisor. 

Access the on-demand Admissions Webinar and more here.

 

class photo

UCSB's Technology Management presents fascinating and sometimes surprising candid conversations with industry leaders who have distinguished themselves in their fields. Hosted by John Greathouse. Check it out at UCTV.

Graphic that reads, Innovator Stories Creating something from nothing.