Stanford Drops Sloan Fellows Name

Stanford GSB has announced that it will drop the Sloan name in its prestigious program for experienced managers and entrepreneurs

Stanford Graduate School of Business has renamed its Sloan Master’s Program to the Stanford Master of Science in Management for Experienced Leaders (Stanford MSx) as part of a series of key changes to the program’s structure and curriculum.

Stanford’s program is one of only three Sloan Fellows tracks in the world.  The MIT Sloan School of Management and the London Business School also offer the highly selective fellowship for elite mid-career managers and entrepreneurs.  The programs grew out of a series of grants from legendary General Motors Chairman Alfred P. Sloan and his foundation.  The foundation’s support for Stanford’s program ended in the 1960s, and each of the three schools’ Sloan Fellows offerings have followed slightly different trajectories. Noting the new direction of the program, Stanford dropped the Sloan name.

‘THIS IS AN IMMERSIVE, FULL-TIME EXPERIENCE’ 

“The new name articulates what makes the program distinct in management education,” Stanford MSx Program Director Mike Hochleutner said in a statement. “First, unlike most MBA programs, where participants typically have 3 to 4 years of work experience, our students average 10 or more years of experience. Second, unlike Executive MBAs (EMBAs), which are part-time degree programs, this is an immersive, full-time experience. Finally, unlike many Master in Management degrees, which are usually focused on an industry or function, this is a degree in general management.”

The school announced that the program has been retooled to focus more on leadership skills and innovation. The curriculum will also incorporate new electives designed for more experienced students, such as Generative Leadership and Executive Communication Strategies. “The program incorporates a blend of the leadership teaching we offer in our MBA program with learning techniques we use in executive education, to assure Fellows build self-awareness and understand how to be adaptive,” Hochleutner said in a statement. “It includes assessments, executive modules, coaching, study trips, and active opportunities to ‘lead-by-doing,’ both within class and beyond.”

MSx PROGRAM TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT BY 57%

Among other key changes, Stanford has extended the program’s length from 10 months to a full year – the program begins in July and ends in June. The school has also increased enrollment from 56 students in the 2010-2011 cohort to 88 students in the class of 2014. Under the revamped program students will be able to take advantage of differentiated core course offerings and a broader range of electives.

Although the Stanford program is not formally tied to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, graduates will retain the Sloan Fellows designation and ties to its influential alumni network. They will also continue to earn an MS in Management.  Similar to Stanford’s program, LBS grants an MS, while MIT’s Sloan Fellows Program offers both an MS and an MBA.

Stanford’s current class of Fellows represent 26 countries, and 77% are international. The Fellows are also seasoned professionals, bringing an average of 11 years of experience to the table – Stanford’s program requires at least 8 years to apply.  The vast majority of the students are also self-funded, marking a shift from the early days of the program where companies sponsored promising managers for the fellowship.  Alumni from Stanford’s program include economist Sir Howard Davies, Canadian entrepreneur Wayne Dunn and diplomat Richard Morefield.

DON’T MISS: SLOAN FELLOWS: A BREED APART AT MIT, STANFORD & LONDON