The Diversity specialization will be added to the Wharton Business School MBA program next academic year

In the 2023-24 academic year, the MBA program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania will offer a major in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

The Ivy League school announced the new degree last month and offers a major to prepare students “to address the challenges of creating and sustaining organizations that are diverse, inclusive, and equity-based.”

“As organizations seek to leverage input from multiple stakeholders, students who pursue a diversity, equity, and inclusion concentration will not only be well-prepared for DEI-focused careers, they will also be prepared to be leaders of change in any organizational role,” it said. in the school announcement.

Some of the courses offered in the upcoming program include “Big Data, Big Responsibilities” and “Leading Diversity in Organizations,” while others appear to have a criminal justice focus, such as “Mass Incarceration Reform and the Role of Business” and ” Prison education”. .”

Stephanie Creary, associate professor of management and who has taught the course “Managing Diversity in Organizations” at the MBA and undergraduate levels, said the offerings were in response to student interest.

“In recent years, our students have called on us to do more to prepare them for the new realities of leadership that involve creating and supporting diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations,” Ms. Creary said in a news release. “However, it’s only recently that we’ve had enough coursework to support students’ desire to become more prepared for DEI-focused careers or to become leaders of DEI-related change in any organization.”