MBA Programs Undergo Curriculum and Structure Revisions

MBA programs all over the world have been working to redesign their program curriculum and structure to create a better learning environment and better skills for its students. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) recently held the Curriculum Conference Re(invest+Think+Design). The conference focused on ways that colleges and universities can redesign MBA program curriculum too meet the changing needs of students.

The complications that schools face when redesigning or creating new MBA programs are being able to adapt a curriculum that can help future business leaders to get ahead of industry trends and develop content with immediate relativity and create long-lasting skills with life-time value. Before the AACSB Conference, the organization held three symposia on topics related to redesigning the MBA.

These symposia focused on managing in a global context, leadership and development, innovation and creativity, critical thinking and communications skills and experiential learning. AACSB surveyed the symposia attendants and found that the majority of the changes to MBA curriculum were to the content of the programs, such as new coursework, the addition of a business plan capstone, professional development and the inclusion of case competitions. Other program changes included creating learning environments that are focused on experiential learning.

AACSB surveyed those who had attended the symposia and found that 64 percent of those who attended reported changes in their program’s curriculum and 37 percent of those that attended reported changes to the modes of teaching.

Loyola Marymount University’s MBA program recently underwent a revitalization of its MBA program. “We conducted research with prospective students and found that students looked for a live versus an online program, with small evening classes,” William Semos, interim director of the LMU MBA program said. LMU also found that prospective students were extremely interested in having an international component to the program.

“We’ve always had an international program but when it became clear that it was important to prospective students, we decided to make it a requirement,” Semos said. “We’ve also changed to a 24 month program with classes starting in the early evening, to accommodate working students and have added two areas of emphasis, which will have a four course requirement.”

The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia has also made several new enhancements to its MBA program. These changes include a new required experiential course and more opportunities for students to customize their learning experience. “Each year, we enhance the program in small ways based on student feedback and innovations in business and higher education, but this past year has been a period of more substantial review and innovation,” Marc Lipson, associate dean for the MBA program at Darden said in a press release.

In addition to expanded programs to include international components and more experiential learning opportunities, MBA programs have also recently added more concentrations and areas of emphasis for students. Many students return to school for their MBA to help to advance their career. Giving students the option to concentrate in an industry specific curriculum can help students to learn the skills necessary to either begin a career in a new industry or to develop their skills in their current industry.

The part-time MBA program at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University recently underwent a revision for its program structure. Students are now required to complete a concentration along with the MBA program. Students complete the concentrations through 15 credit units of elective courses. Concentration options include, data science and business analytics, digital marketing and eCommerce, entrepreneurship and new venture, creation, financial planning and controllership, finance, business in the global context, leading innovative organizations, managing customer relationships in business and tech markets and supply chain management.

The Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the leading non-profit organization of graduate management schools around the world, and administrators of the GMAT exam, released its 2015 Prospective Student Survey Report. The report found that, “MBA programs remain the predominant program type that prospective business school students considered in 2014: 52 percent of candidates considered only MBA programs, compared with 22 percent who considered only specialized business master’s programs.” The report also says that 40 percent of respondents reported that they were most interested in full-time, two-year MBA programs. The report says, “The growth and diversification of graduate management education has created a highly competitive environment for business schools.”

The increase in interest of MBA programs as well as the increased interest in industry specific concentrations, global curriculum and experiential learning opportunities, has made it a necessity for schools to revise current MBA programs to adapt to industry trends and student needs for programs. To find which MBA program structure and curriculum is the right fit for you, visit metromba.com for the latest news and information on the top MBA programs around the world.

 

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