Ivey welcomed 145 new Master of Science in Management (MSc) students – 75 in Business Analytics and 70 in Digital Management – who will spend the next 16 months developing the skills to harness data, technology, and innovation for tomorrow’s organizations.
At an orientation event today to welcome the students, Warren Ritchie, MSc Faculty Director, highlighted the program’s strong trajectory and the exciting opportunities ahead for the newest cohort.
“I am very pleased about the program’s continued growth and placement success and expect more of the same with this new cohort. With these new cohorts, we are introducing more experiential learning opportunities and greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) integrated into both curricular and non-curricular activities,” he said. “These students will be early adopters of the future of work and we are looking forward to launching them on that journey.”
Ritchie noted that the MSc is designed to evolve alongside shifting market demands, differentiating it from traditional general management programs. Launched in 2011, the MSc program has expanded rapidly, adding the MSc in Management: Business Analytics field in 2016 and the MSc in Management: Digital Management field in 2019. Now Ivey’s second-largest graduate program, the MSc also has the most diverse and international cohorts and the highest placement rates.
“We’re adapting at the speed of business. The program is in continual change,” he said. “As a specialty graduate degree, the MSc program is continually evolving to build deep capabilities in areas like analytics and digital management, preparing you to move into the workforce and add value immediately.”
Generosity, curiosity, and a growth mindset
In his welcome address, Darren Meister, Associate Dean, Programs, encouraged the students to embrace three qualities that will shape their experience and careers: generosity, curiosity, and a growth mindset.
“Be generous in sharing your expertise, embrace curiosity over judgment, and see feedback as a gift. These qualities – generosity, curiosity, and a growth mindset – will define your success at Ivey and beyond,” he said.
Alumni insights: a foundation for career success
The incoming students also heard from Robert Mill, MSc ’23 (Digital Management), who told them how the program accelerated his career and expanded his global network.
“I didn’t know if I was the right fit for the program … but I took the leap – I took the risk … and it’s paid off exponentially… [The case-based method] gave me hundreds of practice runs before I entered the workforce,” he said. “Another key experience was connecting with alumni … I scheduled tons of coffee chats, and found that super valuable … You're going to see people from the program throughout your whole career going forward. And really, those relationships that I made are the most valuable asset I acquired through my time at Ivey.”
Now an AI consultant at KPMG, Mill encouraged the new class to lean into emerging technologies and make the most of the School’s extensive resources.
“You’re going to learn the cutting edge of emerging tools like AI … while also seeing the patterns that repeat in business history,” he said. “One professor called it ‘absorptive capacity’ – the ability to integrate new technologies into your organization … and it’s a skill you can bring to the table from day one.”
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