Program Development

What are some of the highlights of the program?

Two-semester hours courses have been created for prerequisite and core courses. This will increase flexibility in scheduling and allow for more breadth in the core without sacrificing quality as the program is structured to encourage innovative instruction and to reduce redundancy across courses.

1. Students will complete the degree in less time through unique scheduling arrangements and fewer total hours while not sacrificing needed subject matter. This is a high priority among working adults.
2. Concentrations are available in a number of different business areas which allow more specialization and flexibility.
3. A culminating experience at the end of the program has been developed which will emphasize applying concepts and knowledge from MBA course work to actual business situations.
4. The new program is designed to encourage better integration across traditional business functional areas in addressing many of today's complex business problems.

Courses have more emphasis on using active student learning principles, as opposed to strict lecture-based instruction.

Why did you decide to change the program?

Our former program was a good program, but the marketplace is looking for something more contemporary, which provides students with immediate skills and capabilities which can benefit them on the job. Today's graduate business student (and his/her employer) requires a program which integrates the various functional areas of business and is structured in shorter modules than the traditional three-semester hour course to accommodate the many current business issues. This program was designed with that in mind.
 
How was the new program developed?

The MBA is an interdisciplinary degree involving all areas in the College of Business Administration. A committee of graduate business faculty from each department began working on the new program. The committee reviewed MBA programs at numerous other universities, surveyed former and current MBA students, held a focus group of recent MBA graduates and received input from prominent business people. The new program was the result of these efforts and was influenced greatly by the College's mission of being learning-centered and business-connected.

Does the new program meet AACSB accreditation requirements?

The new program meets or exceeds all accreditation requirements, and was designed with that in mind. The new MBA emphasizes many of the emerging trends in graduate business education. We believe that this new program, combined with CMU being the only AACSB-accredited MBA program north of the Flint-Lansing corridor will be of great benefit to future students.

Why are you changing to two-hour courses?

Our student body is primarily composed of students who are professionally employed and who are attending school part-time. The two-hour courses will permit scheduling courses of eight-week sessions instead of the traditional sixteen week semester. The typical course will meet one night per week for eight weeks. Our research with surveys, focus groups, etc., indicates this is the preferred schedule for our students. In addition, adequate coverage of the many contemporary business issues required that the program be redefined into smaller modules, such as the two-hour courses.