In the second part of the Tuck MBA series, we cover the curriculum – the core, electives, dual degree, experiential learning, and global learning opportunities. Read the first part of our analysis, Tuck MBA - Total Cost and Funding Tips.
Tuck is among the few schools that, in addition to electives in Year one, also has an experiential learning program – First-Year project (FYP) scheduled during Spring.
In this in-depth analysis of the Tuck MBA Curriculum, we cover:
• Year One: Core Curriculum
• Year Two: Electives
• Experiential Learning at Tuck
• Global Learning Opportunities
• Dual and Joint Degree Programs
Year One: Core Curriculum
Tuck’s MBA core curriculum is a structured, sequential set of first-year courses designed to provide foundational knowledge in general management.
Finance, Marketing, Operations and Economics – Core Focus
The core spans four terms, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring, and covers quantitative tools, functional areas such as finance, marketing, operations, and economics, along with leadership and communication skills. These courses are intentionally sequenced to allow students to apply analytical, financial, and organizational concepts in team projects and real-world case studies.
First-Year Project (FYP) – Concepts from Core Courses
The First-Year Project (FYP) course requires students to collaborate in groups of five to combine classroom learning and skills from prior job experience to solve complicated business problems for actual clients or their own entrepreneurial ventures. This experiential learning program is unique in that it allows students to personalize the curriculum to their specific interests and professional aspirations.
Projects originate from all industries; they are local, national, and worldwide; they are for non-profit and for-profit organizations; and they work with businesses at all stages of development, from early-stage to Fortune 100.
Previous project teams studied new businesses, devised launch strategies for new product or service offerings from an existing company, formulated marketing strategies and implementation plans, and assessed the market potential for development into whole new areas. Some of the past participated organizations are ESG Initiatives, Irving Oil, The Normandy Institute, International Center of Photography, Under Armour, and Lime.
The First-Year Project (FYP) serves as a capstone, integrating knowledge from the entire core. Students with prior experience in areas like analytics or finance may seek exemptions, typically substituting with electives, while preserving the integrative intent of the curriculum.
Year Two: Electives
Tuck offers its MBA candidates 100+ electives to curate their own experience based on 11 broad themes or subjects.
Most Electives: Accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and strategy offer the most variety of electives.
Accounting: The electives focus on financial reporting in varying contexts, from accounting for managers to chief financial officers. There is a separate course for the cases in accounting designed to give students an economic and operational foundation to improve financial reporting. Taxes and Business Strategy exposes students to the role of taxes in the implementation of business strategy. It provides the tools and an analytical framework to navigate the dynamic business environment.
Communication: Through these electives, students learn to communicate actively with the audience, answer their questions, and command presence on the stage. The skillset targeted includes excelling at reputation management and corporate advertising.
Economics: The electives offered cover economics related to specific industries such as energy and health. Policy, competition, growth, and leadership are also evaluated with an economics perspective.
Entrepreneurship: The three electives offered focus on entrepreneurial thinking, entrepreneurship in acquisitions, and social entrepreneurship. Each of the courses has its own experiential learning.
Ethics: Social entrepreneurship, impact investing, and managing for social impact in the electives cover different ways in which students can lead change ethically. Ethical decision making - a case-based course provides a practical perspective of managing and communicating difficult decisions.
Finance: From advanced topics such as derivatives and risk management to market-specific knowledge for real estate, private equity, venture capital (field studies), and Fintech are covered in the electives.
Healthcare: General perspectives on investing, managing, and structuring organizations in the healthcare industry are explored in the electives. Additional electives explore contemporary issues faced in biotech, health, economics, and analytics.
Strategy: This theme covers multiple perspectives related to executable strategies, psychology, and design thinking with respect to strategy, leadership, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.
Marketing: Quantitative and analytics feature in many electives under this theme, along with an in-depth focus on the 4P’s of marketing. Selling and Sales Leadership and Strategic Brand Management offer students’ insights into the different and varying roles that can be adopted in the function.
Operations: This theme of elective offers technical skills such as data mining, programming, and decision modeling. There are also operations electives that focus on supply chain management.
Electives cover advanced topics in finance, entrepreneurship, strategy, marketing, operations, healthcare, and global business, among others.
Students can focus on a specialized area, explore multiple domains, or engage in practicum-based experiences that involve real-world projects.
Applied learning, global immersion programs, and optional pathways such as the Management Science and Quantitative Methods (MSQM) Option allow students to gain additional depth in quantitative and analytical skills. The elective structure enables students to align their coursework with career goals or personal interests without formal concentration requirements.
Cores | Area of Electives |
| Analytics I | Accounting |
| Financial Accounting | Finance |
| Management Communication | Economics |
| Managerial Economics | Strategy |
| Managing People | Entrepreneurship |
| Analytics II | Healthcare |
| Capital Markets | Marketing |
| Corporate Finance | Communication |
| Global Economics for Managers | Ethics |
| First-Year Project | Sustainability |
| Managing Organizations | Operations |
| Operations Management | |
| Crafting Strategy | |
| Marketing |
Experiential Learning Options
The Tuck MBA curriculum places a strong emphasis on experiential learning, ensuring that students apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges. This practical approach is integrated throughout the program, from required courses to elective projects and student-led initiatives.
Beyond the FYP, Tuck offers a diverse range of opportunities through its centers and programs.
Centre for Private Equity and Venture Capital
Students gain hands-on knowledge of PE and VC through projects. MBA Fellows is an independent research project under a Tuck faculty member to develop research notes and/or case studies to expand career-centered knowledge and opportunities. Previous projects have included investment methods in tech start-ups, private equity in the Gulf region, and investment opportunities in telecom infrastructure.
The Center for Business, Government & Society (CBGS) – Merging Non-Profit and Business
The Center for Business, Government & Society (CBGS) focuses on the intersection of business and public purpose, providing hands-on experiences like the Nonprofit Board Fellows program, which places students on the boards of local organizations.
TuckGO
The Bakala TuckGO initiative ensures every student has a global learning experience, with options ranging from faculty-led Global Insight Expeditions (GIXs) to international term exchanges.
Tuck Community Consulting
Tuck Community Consulting is a student-led initiative for students to gain experience by volunteering 10 hours over the course of 2 or 3 months to advise local businesses and non-profits.
Leadership Development at Tuck
Leadership development is also heavily experiential.
Programs like the Paganucci Fellows and Leadership Fellows allow students to coach peers and address social challenges, while independent studies provide a framework for customized, in-depth research on topics of a student's choosing. This comprehensive approach ensures that students not only absorb academic content but also develop the practical skills, global mindset, and ethical leadership required to succeed in a complex world.
Leadership Development Opportunity | Relevant Industries | About the Opportunity |
| First-Year Project (FYP) | Consulting, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Strategy, Technology, Healthcare, Non-profit | A required, nine-week spring-term course where student teams consult for a client (startups, corporations, non-profits) on a specific business challenge, emphasizing primary research and actionable recommendations. |
| Center for Business, Government & Society (CBGS) | Social Entrepreneurship, Public Policy, Sustainability, Non-profit Management, Impact Investing, Civil Society | Offers various hands-on opportunities, including Fellows Programs (e.g., Nonprofit Board Fellows), funding for social impact internships (Tuck GIVES), and immersive field experiences (Ecosystem Deep Dives). |
| Tuck Community Consulting (TCC) | Consulting, Non-profit, Local Business | A student-run organization that provides pro bono consulting services to local non-profits and small businesses, allowing students to apply their business skills in a volunteer capacity. |
| Bakala TuckGO | Global Business, International Relations, various industries based on location | A required global learning experience, with options including faculty-led Global Insight Expeditions (GIXs), international term exchanges, and OnSite Global Consulting projects, which help students develop cross-cultural awareness. |
| Leadership Development | All industries | Programs like the Paganucci Fellows and Leadership Fellows, which focus on leadership coaching, peer mentorship, and solving complex social and business problems. |
| Independent Study | Wide-ranging, customized to student interest (e.g., private equity, healthcare, technology, supply chain) | A customizable, faculty-supervised project that allows students to conduct in-depth research on a specific topic outside the formal curriculum. |
Global Learning Opportunities
Tuck's curriculum is designed to cultivate a global mindset, recognizing that business leadership today demands cross-cultural competence and adaptability.
TuckGO
During the MBA program, each student is required to complete at least one Bakala TuckGO course in a foreign location. Students have previously studied in nations ranging from Ghana and Vietnam to Australia, Germany, and Chile.
The Bakala TuckGO Program, supported by a sustaining gift from Michaela and Zdenek Bakala T'89's American family foundation, provides critical support to the entire TuckGO portfolio of courses, ensuring students develop the necessary skills, knowledge, and global mindset to lead across cultures.
Global Insight Expeditions (GIXS)
GIXs assist students in developing cultural awareness, empathy for the beliefs and attitudes of locals, and the agility to adjust their conduct to successfully navigate varied business contexts. On Tuck's campus, each course begins with classroom sessions. Students then travel with one or two faculty members to meet corporate executives, entrepreneurs, community leaders, government officials, and locals from various walks of life.
The Term Exchange Program offers second-year students the chance to study for a term at one of Tuck’s prestigious partner schools across the globe. This provides an opportunity for deep immersion into a new educational and cultural environment.
Tuck MBA | Exchange Partner School | |
| National University of Singapore, Singapore | London School of Economics, United Kingdom | Adolfo Ibáñez University, Santiago |
| Australian Graduate School of Management, Sydney | Copenhagen Business School, Denmark | IPADE Business School, Mexico City |
| China Europe International Business School, Shanghai | ESSEC Business School, Paris | Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University, Israel |
| Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, Beijing | HEC School of Management, Paris | The Fletcher School, Medford |
| Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School | HHL—Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Leipzig | Columbia University, New York (Center for Public Research and Leadership) |
| Indian School of Business, Hyderabad | WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management, Düsseldorf | London Business School, United Kingdom |
| Graduate School of Business and Commerce, Keio Business School, Tokyo | SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan | Universität St. Gallen, Switzerland |
| Graduate School of International Management, International University of Japan, Urasa | ESADE Business School, Barcelona | IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona |
| ESSEC Business School, Singapore | IE-Instituto de Empresa, Madrid | Graduate School of Business, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul |
Finally, Tuck Integrative Experiential Learning (INTEL), a capstone-like simulation, provides a competitive, in-class experience that, while not a physical travel experience, forces students to navigate business complexities in a dynamic, globally-focused context, synthesizing all their first-year knowledge.
Global Learning Opportunity | Description |
| Term Exchange Program | Second-year students spend a term abroad at a partner institution, immersing themselves in a new academic and cultural environment. This program is designed to build global networks and offer firsthand insight into diverse business practices and cultures. |
| Global Insight Expeditions (GIXs) | Faculty-led, short-term courses that combine in-class preparation with immersive travel to a specific country. Students meet with business executives, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to gain multiple perspectives on global challenges. |
| Tuck Integrative Experiential Learning (INTEL) | An intensive, four-day, in-class simulation where teams of students operate a startup in a competitive environment. This capstone exercise integrates knowledge from all first-year courses, forcing students to make strategic decisions in a dynamic, real-world scenario. |
Dual Degree and Joint Degree Programs
For students with highly specialized career goals that span multiple disciplines, Tuck offers a range of joint and dual degree programs. These programs allow students to earn an MBA alongside a graduate degree from a partner school, providing a rigorous, integrated education in a shorter timeframe than pursuing the degrees separately.
Joint Degree
Tuck offers several joint degrees in collaboration with other Dartmouth graduate schools, including the Geisel School of Medicine and the Thayer School of Engineering. These programs, such as the MD/MBA and PhD/MBA, are designed for students who want to combine a deep technical or scientific background with business leadership and management skills.
Under MPH/MBA joint degree, the Master of Public Health (MPH) curriculum provides students with strong foundations in health policy and clinical practice, with specialization in public health, clinical/health services research, or health care leadership.
Courses offered for Joint degrees in Tuck are MD/MBA, MPH/MBA, MEM/MBA, and Ph.D./MBA. MD/MBA is provided in partnership with The Geisel School of Medicine, the MD/MBA program should be completed in five to six years with a strong emphasis on leadership no matter the diverse paths students wish to follow through their education and career pursuit.
The Ph.D./MBA joint degree program provides a unique opportunity for Ph.D. students at Dartmouth College to complete their studies with management training. Lastly, MEM/MBA is jointly offered by Thayer School of Engineering and Tuck as a 2-year program, balancing an engineering mindset with the larger organizational goals.
Dual Degree
Additionally, Tuck has partnerships with other top-tier institutions for dual degrees, including the Harvard Kennedy School, the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. The collaborations are ideal for students whose career interests lie at the intersection of business and international affairs, public policy, or environmental issues. Beyond the formal programs, Tuck’s flexible structure also allows for students to propose and design their own custom dual-degree programs with faculty approval.
Dual Degree with Other Universities: Tuck offers five dual degree courses: MBA/MAIR, MBA/MALD, MBA/MCEP, MBA/MPA AND MBA/MPA/ID, and MBA/MPP.
The three-year MBA/MA in International Relations dual degree program offered by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies and the Tuck School of Business.
The three-year MBA/MALD dual degree program at Tufts University's Fletcher School and the Tuck School of Business is likewise intended to prepare students for jobs combining international relations and business management.
Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) and Dartmouth Tuck offers a two-year MBA/MCEP dual degree program. The MCEP curriculum provides students with a thorough understanding of the policies that shape the solutions to climate change, animal preservation, and alternative energy issues.
The MBA/MPA and MBA/MPA/ID (Master of Public Administration in International Development) dual degrees are offered by Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Tuck School of Business. Another dual degree offered by Tuck and John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is MBA/MPP.
Dual and Joint Degree Programs | Partner Institution | Relevant Industries | About the Program |
| MD/MBA | Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth | Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Hospital Administration | A five- or six-year program designed for students to gain expertise in both medicine and management, preparing them for leadership roles in the rapidly evolving healthcare sector. |
| MPH/MBA | Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth | Public Health, Healthcare Management, Health Policy, Research | Integrates public health training with business education, preparing graduates for leadership positions in both public and private health sectors. |
| PhD/MBA | Dartmouth College (Engineering, Sciences, etc.) | Scientific Entrepreneurship, Technology Commercialization, R&D Leadership | A program for Dartmouth PhD students to add a management dimension to their technical and research background, preparing them for leadership in science- and technology-focused fields. |
| MEM/MBA and MBA/MEng | Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth | Technology, Operations, Product Development, Innovation | Joint degrees that combine management education with specialized engineering training, preparing students for careers at the intersection of technology and business. |
| MBA/MAIR | Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) | International Relations, Multinational Corporations, Development Organizations, Government | A three-year program combining management with advanced training in international affairs, preparing graduates for roles in global business and policy. |
| MBA/MALD | The Fletcher School at Tufts University | International Business, Development, Policy | A three-year dual degree that prepares graduates for careers in international business and development institutions by providing expertise in both management and international affairs. |
| MBA/MCEP | Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) | Sustainability, Climate Policy, Renewable Energy, Environmental Law | Focuses on the intersection of business, policy, and the environment, preparing students for leadership roles in corporate sustainability and environmental policy. |
| MBA/MPA, MBA/MPA/ID, and MBA/MPP | John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University | Public Administration, Government, Non-profit, Social Impact | These programs combine Tuck's MBA with Harvard's policy, governance, and public administration curriculum, preparing students for leadership in public, non-profit, or multilateral organizations. |
| Individualized Dual Degrees | Other institutions, with school approval | Varies based on student interest | For highly motivated students, this option allows them to design a custom dual degree program with faculty oversight to align with specific career goals. |
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