Topics in Technology Career Paths and In
Topics in Technology Career Paths and Industry
is a discussion series where faculty, alumni, and industry professionals share their experiences navigating careers across the technology landscape.
This series offers a look at how the program’s curriculum translates into real-world skills and professional opportunities. Explore how the courses, projects, and experiences shape thinking, support building technical and professional toolkits, and launch impactful careers in technology.
Students will examine a range of career paths, gain insights into industry trends, and engage in conversations that connect classroom learning to practice.
- W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
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Instructor:
Katja Schroeder
Info - 0 points
Banking and Technology: Financial Servic
This course offers students a strategic and applied framework for understanding the transformative impact of financial technology (FinTech) on the global banking and financial services industry. Through case studies, industry analysis, and collaborative projects, students will explore how traditional banks, fintech unicorns, big tech firms, and non-bank financial players are reshaping the competitive landscape.
The course traces the evolution of fintech across core sectors, including payments, lending, and capital markets, while examining the rise of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, open banking, and digital currencies, including CBDCs, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized finance. Students will also analyze the regulatory and governance challenges emerging from rapid innovation in financial services.
Emphasizing strategic thinking, leadership, and applied analysis over technical specialization, the course culminates in an individual research paper and a team-based final project. It is designed for students aspiring to leadership roles in the evolving global digital financial ecosystem.
Delivered in person over seven weeks, this 1.5-elective course is open to graduate students across the School of Professional Studies and other Columbia University programs. There are no specific competencies, prerequisite knowledge, or prior coursework in the discipline required to enroll.
- R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Richard Goldberg
Info - 1.5 points
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: DEVELOP/IMPLEMENT NEW
This course is designed for students interested in entrepreneurship and becoming CEO/Founders or leaders in industry as innovators and operators. The class is appropriate for those with a strong interest in new ventures or innovation at the corporate level, or for those who want to develop an entrepreneurial mindset even if you have no plans to start a business. This includes potential entrepreneurs, those interested in the financing of new ventures, working in new ventures, or a portfolio company, or in broader general management of entrepreneurial firms. Entrepreneurial topics include: the entrepreneurial journey, founders & co-founders, the art of the pitch, shaping opportunities, traditional business models, business models for the greater good, the lean startup method and the hypothesis-driven approach, technology strategy, product testing, marketing strategy, entrepreneurial marketing, venture financing and emerging developments. Academic readings, analysis of case studies, class discussions, independent exercises, reading assessments, team work, guest speakers, investor panels, weekly deliverable options and a final investor pitch are the main modalities used to help you learn and assist you on your entrepreneurial path. There are no prerequisites for this course.
- M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Michael E Jr McGuire
Info - 3 points
Presence and Persuasion for Technology L
This course teaches students how to get through to any audience for any reason. Technology leaders, more than in any other industry, must be equally comfortable as public speakers for vastly different audiences, from software developers and sales teams to politicians and the general public. Through exercises in speaker and audience analysis, studies in public speaking techniques, and an exploration of behavioral psychology principles influencing audience receptivity, students will gain tangible skills to increase their impact as public speakers. Specifically, this course will equip students to: 1. identify how impactful speakers prepare for, present to, and pivot for maximum impact according to audience type, size, and receptivity; 2. learn strategies on how to “read the room” and adapt both verbal and nonverbal communication techniques in real-time; and 3. gain hands-on experience in public speaking through exercises designed to develop public speaking skills across a range of tech-sector specific experiences, circumstances, audiences.
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Alexis Wichowski
CULPA: 1 h-index: 6 Info - 3 points
Law for Technology
Law is infused into every part of business, especially through the lens of technology. Fluency in business and legal frameworks, risk/benefit principles, from idea to exit, is essential for any innovation leader. This course offers a deep dive into the critical phases of technology companies and their journey through growth, scaling, and eventual market exit. Topics include capital formation, contracts, intellectual property, human capital, and business transactions.
- T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
- 3 points
Strategic Advocacy
Today, leaders must confront a world of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. It demands that we strengthen how we lead change. We are all being stretched to learn, unlearn, relearn, and this is especially true for technology leaders – who operate in the ‘eye of the storm’ of relentless change.
In this context, strategic advocacy -- achieving support for change to address the challenges that confront an organization and the opportunities they provide – requires knowing and applying useful skills, behavior, and practices to win commitment to new, even unanticipated directions.
This is a full-semester core course in the MS in Technology Management executive program designed to expose students to practices, tools, frameworks, concepts, and real-world examples that will help you move from a technical/functional role to a senior executive orientation. Everyone’s journey is unique. As you apply the course content in real life you will be expected to choose, experiment with, and adapt the relevant approaches most meaningful to your situation.
- 3 points
Essentials for Technology Management and
Essentials for Tech Mgmt.
This 3-credit core course in the M.S. in Technology Management program provides an overview of the strategic role of the technology function to improve business processes, drive transformations, and fuel innovation. Through lectures and applied case study work, students will learn how to develop and keep technology strategies aligned with business goals, navigate governance, regulatory, and budgetary frameworks, and evaluate risks to protect the organization’s IT investments.
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Art Sedighi
Info - 3 points
Digital Transformation
This course explores the principles, strategies, and challenges of technology-driven transformation in organizations. Students will examine emerging technologies, digital disruption, and frameworks for implementing large-scale change. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of digital transformation, focusing on how businesses leverage technology to drive transformation based on various drivers including efficiency, productivity, competitive advantage, and compliance. Students will explore key topics such as product development, systems development lifecycle, enterprise architecture, IT capabilities, and automation. Through case studies, research, and hands-on projects, students will develop the skills needed to lead strategic and technical skills necessary to lead and manage digital transformation initiatives.
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
- M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
- R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Richard R. Ranade
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Instructor:
Alexis Wichowski
CULPA: 1 h-index: 6 Info - 3 points
Global Entrepreneurship Ecosystems
This onsite course takes students on a virtual journey through the world’s leading innovation hubs across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Students will analyze the structures, dynamics, and key stakeholders that shape entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide, including entrepreneurs, corporations, investors, policymakers, universities, accelerators, incubators, and industry associations.
- W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Katja Schroeder
Info - 3 points
Emerging Technologies
This required course in the M.S. in Technology Management program examines the rapidly evolving landscape of transformative technologies and their implications for organizations and society. Students will explore the concepts, applications, value creation, and risks associated with areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, blockchain, and edge computing, etc. Through case studies, critical analysis, and applied projects, the course equips students to assess the opportunities and challenges these innovations present, and to develop informed strategies for managing their adoption and impact in complex, real-world environments.
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
- M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
- R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Christopher Kuo
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Instructor:
Mark Ritzmann
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Instructor:
Yarik Chinskiy
Info - 3 points
User-Centric Design and Innovation
Everything we encounter in society (products, services, brands, processes, events, spaces, systems, even politics) was designed to a lesser or greater degree to optimize a particular quality and create a specific experience. Design can be applied to any offering and the design process can be applied to the evaluation, development, and delivery of offerings within any industry or in response to many challenges. This makes it particularly critical and integral for most kinds of innovation.
This course will explore a broad range of design topics, including the design process, nearly always in a business context. It will be hands-on, learning by building design solutions. We will look at procedural issues that describe how to integrate the design process into other business operations as well as contemporary and future challenges facing design and strengths of design as a user-based process and perspective.
Participants in this semester-long elective will emerge with a proficient understanding of the design process, how it relates to business on many levels, what to expect of design work products, and how to evaluate design solutions in larger contexts. Participants won’t necessarily become design experts or expert designers, but will be capable of critiquing design and evaluating how it can add value to their own endeavors.
- R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
David Roselle
Info - 3 points
Digital Analytics: Driving Growth throug
Digital Analytics: Data a
This elective course integrates analytic methodology with technology application to prepare students to lead data-informed decision-making in digital environments. Students learn how to convert digital signals into accountable, value-creating decisions, and move systematically from signal to insight to decision to value.
This course emphasizes decision architecture, executive translation, and value creation in digital ecosystems. Students develop the ability to interpret digital signals, assess analytic maturity, evaluate methodological rigor, and design actionable analytics roadmaps aligned to organizational strategy and governance.
The course combines conceptual frameworks, peer-reviewed research, hands-on demonstrations of leading digital analytics and AI tools, and applied exercises grounded in real organizational contexts.
This 3-credit elective was developed for the M.S. in Technology Management (TMGT) program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. The course supports the program’s mission to bridge theory and practice by equipping students with applied analytical frameworks grounded in research and industry practice, preparing them to lead digital transformation initiatives with strategic, ethical, and organizational awareness. Space permitting, the course is open to cross-registrants from other Columbia graduate programs whose academic or professional interests involve analytics-informed decision-making. No advanced programming or data engineering background is required; however, students are expected to have foundational business literacy and a strong interest in applying analytics to real-world organizational challenges.
- W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
John Nives
Info - 3 points
Mastering Consulting: Strategy, Influenc
The field of management consulting is dedicated to delivering increased value to client organizations by effectively diagnosing complex challenges and crafting tailored, strategic solutions that drive meaningful change, ultimately improving organizational performance, agility, and long-term success. Moreover, mastering consulting skills strengthens leadership and stakeholder management, enabling consultants to build trust and foster collaboration that maximizes client impact in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
This course addresses a critical need by providing students with a comprehensive and integrated approach to mastering the essential skills required of advisors and consultants. Recognizing the complexities inherent in these roles, the program immerses students in realistic, end-to-end client scenarios from initial sales engagements through to project execution, equipping them to navigate complex and challenging situations with confidence.
Given the multidisciplinary nature of management consulting, this course was developed through a unique partnership between the Technology Management and Human Capital Management graduate programs at Columbia University School of Professional Studies. Designed by senior consulting partners from top-tier firms, and taught by deeply experienced practitioners, this course offers a comprehensive toolkit that students can apply in both consulting and industry roles. It uniquely integrates practical consulting tools with leadership development to prepare students for the multifaceted challenges of the ‘trusted advisor’ role to clients and leaders.
- R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- 3 points
Technology Product Management
In this course, students will explore the full product lifecycle from discovery and user research to agile execution, stakeholder engagement, and go-to-market planning. But beyond the tools and tactics, this course invites students to step into the mindset of a product leader: someone who doesn’t just manage ideas, but brings them to life with courage, conviction, and collaboration. Whether you’re refining an existing solution, launching something new, or championing someone else’s vision, you’ll learn how to lead from wherever you are navigating complexity, earning influence without authority, and making impactful decisions even when the destination is unclear.
- W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
- M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Allan Gonzalez
Info -
Instructor:
Bandar Alturkmani
Info - 3 points
Special Topics: Experimental Design Stud
Experimental Design Studi
TBD
- T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Allan Chochinov
Info - 3 points
Research in Technology Management
Research in Tech Manageme
This 3-credit, elective course in the Technology Management program provides students with an opportunity to extend or supplement their educational experience via a deep dive into an interdisciplinary technology management topic of their choice, under the umbrella of how technology facilitates business, social, and environmental impact. The research project conducted in this course should fall under one of the four program pillars - Essentials in Technology Management and Leadership, Digital Transformation, Human Centric Design and Innovation, and Emerging Technologies.
Students can select and implement an applied or academic research project that supports their work or career path interest under the guidance and supervision of the instructor. The research project can connect the discipline of technology management and leadership with vertical industry expertise (e.g., retail, financial services, entertainment, healthcare, etc.) and organizational functions, such as product development and management. Examples of suitable topic areas include: using AI for customer persona development, machine learning and AI applications in financial services, AI guardrails, among others.
Students can choose between two types of research based on their interest:
Applied research track: develop and refine an organizational project with a tangible outcome within the term. It can be a research need that the student’s organization has, such as a new market entry or product development. This can also be the continuation of a project students started in a previous course, a research interest, or preparation for the individual Capstone course in the final semester.
Academic research track: conduct an academic research study in the discipline of technology management and leadership with the goal to share it with the industry and academic community.
Targeted course outcomes include submitting the research project outcomes to industry conferences, industry publications, or presenting it to internal stakeholders at work. The course will therefore serve the dual purpose of allowing a student to pursue their own intellectual curiosity, while also either a) contributing to the wider discipline of technology management or b) developing a novel business concept.
- M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Katja Schroeder
Info - 3 points