Smeal College of Business Redesigns Online MBA Program

Starting in Fall 2017, students looking to earn an MBA at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University will have an opportunity to do so through their completely redesigned Online MBA program.

The change in format, the school explains, was designed to create “a new program that is more flexible for adult learners.”

To earn an Online MBA at Smeal, students must complete 48 credits worth of courses. The program’s redesign allows for the courses to be completed via a more flexible schedule than previously available.

Also, for the first time in the program’s history, students can select a concentration to further refine and help determine their career goals. If a student elects to take a concentration, 39 of the 48 aforementioned credits will focus on the general management curriculum, while the other nine credits will be directed towards any of the seven concentration options.

These concentrations include: “accounting foundations, advanced accounting, business analytics, finance, general management, project management, and supply chain management,” with more concentrations expected to be added in the near future, according to Smeal.

Along with the curriculum additions, several faculty members from “The Sam and Irene Black School of Business at Penn State Behrend, The School of Graduate Studies at Penn State Great Valley, and the Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration” will also join the program.

On the newly redesigned online MBA program, which has been at Smeal since 2002, Charles H. Whiteman, John and Becky Surma Dean of Smeal writes:

“In partnership with colleagues around Penn State, we are excited to take a leadership role in the launch and ongoing administration of the new online MBA. This program provides new opportunities for students to personalize their educational experiences. It also complements our growing portfolio of professional graduate programs at Smeal, including the University Park residential MBA, the Philadelphia-based executive MBA, and a suite of discipline-specific online programs in areas such as supply chain management and business analytics.”

Students in the program are required to attend a five-day residency at Penn State’s University Park campus during the start of the fall 2017 program, which includes an orientation, networking opportunities, and specialized training.

Visit the Penn State world campus website to learn more about the recent changes.

regions: Philadelphia

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