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The Best Accelerated MBA Programs Available in Seattle
When you need to earn your MBA in less than two years, some schools offer the opportunity to take an accelerated MBA path. These programs typically require full-time attendance but have been designed to be completed in twelve to eighteen months. Over the past few years, accelerated MBA programs have grown in popularity, offering MBA students who already have a background in business a chance to deepen their knowledge and skills in a relatively fast manner.
For MBA candidates living in Seattle, there are two primary accelerated MBA options. Continue reading…
The Best Information Technology MBA Programs in Los Angeles
As the line between business and information technology industries continues to blur, more and more tech professionals are looking to business schools and MBA programs to help give them a leg up on the competition. An MBA with a focus on information technology (IT) is a great path to landing any number of tech-related jobs, especially in the Los Angeles metro. Here’s a rundown of what the city has to offer:
Anderson School of Management – UCLA
Founded as the College of Business Administration in 1935, the UCLA Anderson School of Management initially taught vocational business skills to people who would be teaching others. The program was renamed the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA in 1987 in honor of Anderson’s $15 million gift to the program. Today, the school offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and two Global Executive MBA programs.
The UCLA Anderson Easton Technology Management Center prepares business students to drive change in technology through coursework, workshops and events covering tech in the business world. MBA students enrolled at Anderson are also able to specialize their degree through the Center with the Easton Technology Leadership concentration. Sample Courses include:
- Innovation in Media & Entertainment Technology
- Intellectual Property
- New Product Development
- Payment Technology
- Technology Management
Argyros School of Business – Chapman University
The Argyros School of Business at Chapman University gives students the opportunity to pursue a track during the MBA program, including Information Systems in Digital Times. While the track will not be recorded on the transcript or diploma, the coursework will come in handy while pursuing a career in technology and can be referenced on a resume. Students on the Information Systems in Digital Times track can choose from the following elective classes:
- Marketing Research
- Information Technology for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
- Statistical Models for Analytics
- Data Mining
- Marketing Analytics
California State University, Long Beach
California State Long Beach began offering business classes in 1949 with only 24 business students and four faculty members. Today, the College of Business Administration is located in state-of-the-art building, complete with decision support laboratories, classrooms with the latest in technology, multimedia capability and modern lecture halls. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International accredited school is also offers a Daytime Accelerated MBA program.
Long Beach offers an MBA Emphasis in Information Systems through the school’s IS department. Students on this track must take the IS core classes of Quantitative Methods for Managerial Decision Making and Management of Information Systems before selected three of the following electives:
- Internet Applications Development
- Business Telecommunications Management
- Network Modeling and Simulation
- Database Management Systems
- Electronic Commerce
Graziadio School of Business and Management – Pepperdine University
The Graziadio School of Business and Management offers a Digital Innovation & Information Systems MBA to its 15 and 20-Month MBA Students. According to the school, this program focuses on bridging the gap between business and technology and helps students gain an advanced and in-demand understanding of technology innovation. This degree prepares students for careers in the following fields:
- Systems or Technology Analyst
- Infrastructure Manager
- IT Director, CIO
- Business Intelligence Analyst/Manager
- Process Analyst/Manager
- IT Program/Project Manager
- Business-IT Relationship Management
- Digital Business Consultant
- Operations Management, COO
- Technology Product Management
Loyola Marymount University
Founded in 1911, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a premier Catholic university rooted in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions. LMU’s College of Business Administration (CBA) was established in 1926. Today, the college offers several undergraduate degree offerings and graduate degree offerings, including an MS in Accounting, MBA and Executive MBA.
Marymount offers various areas of emphasis for their MBA degree, including Information Technology. Six different IT courses are offered, such as Risk Analysis and Financial Modeling, which introduces advanced quantitative model building skills for financial risk analysis. Another high-level IT class offered for Marymount MBAs is Information Technology Security. The school describes the course as follows:
“After 9/11 and the fall of Enron—the 7th largest corporation in America—information technology security has become one of the fastest growing areas in the business world. The need to know how to protect corporate information from attacks both from terrorists and business insiders are enormous. The main objective of this course is to provide students an exposure to the complex information security management issues in the US today. This course offers business professionals a unique blend of technical knowledge and managerial training to investigate digital threats, study corporate security needs, modeling potential risk, and explore possible strategies that management can adapt to protect valuable corporate assets.”
Mihaylo College of Business – California State University, Fullerton
The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics was founded in 1963. The college is named for Steven G. Mihaylo, a 1969 Cal State Fullerton graduate-turned-businessman who made significant contributions to the university. The school has offered MBA degrees since its inception, and today offers MBA, MA and MS programs, including online programs and programs for working professionals.
The Information Systems And Decision Sciences Department at Mihaylo offers concentrations in Information Systems to MBA students. Coursework includes:
- Integrated Enterprise Information Systems
- Information Privacy and Security
- Systems Analysis, Design and Development
Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management – Claremont Graduate University
The Peter F. Drucker & Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management was founded in 1971 and in 1987 was named in honor of Peter Drucker, a pioneer in management theory who helped create one of the first EMBA programs in the United States. In addition to the traditional full-time MBA, the Drucker School of Management offers a part-time and an Executive MBA.
Drucker offers a dual MS in Information Systems & Technology/MBA degree that teaches foundations in technology and management. The special degree is presented in partnership with the Center for Information Systems & Technology (CISAT) and features a curriculum that teaches best practices in both IS&T and management. Students earn two degrees simultaneously and consists of 19 courses.
The Paul Merage School of Business – University of California, Irvine
Located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, the UC Irvine campus is just ten minutes away from the coastal communities of Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. The UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and Healthcare Executive MBA programs.
The Merage School offers some Information Systems coursework for MBA students. All MBAs must take the core Information Technology class. These electives include:
- Critical IT Decisions for Business Executives
- Business Intelligence for Analytical Decisions
- Digital Strategies and Markets
- Special Topics in Information Systems
USC Marshall Offers Expansive Array of Dual Degree MBA Programs
Earning an MBA is a great way for grad students to master business, management and leadership skills. But some prospective MBAs enter grad school with a clear idea of which industry they want to enter following graduation. For students who want to focus toward a particular industry or discipline, dual degree programs offer the chance to pair a general MBA education with a specialized degree that’s tailored to their needs. Continue reading…
Metro News & Notes: Stanford Wants You in the Midwest, MBA Essays and More
Good morning and happy Friday!
Here are a few stories you may have missed from the week that was …
Stanford Will Pay MBAs $160,000 to Work in the U.S. Midwest | CNBC
Earlier this week, the Stanford Graduates School of Business announced three winners of its first-ever Stanford USA MBA Fellowship, which will reportedly pay each student upwards of $160,000 for two years of tuition. CNBC writer Catherine Clifford explains:
“To be eligible for the scholarship, you have to have a connection to the Midwest. You can be a current resident of a Midwestern state, which Stanford defines as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin. Alternatively, you could have lived for three consecutive years in one of those states, have graduated high school in one of those states or have ‘experiences that demonstrate a strong commitment to, and interest in, the development of the region.'”
There is a stipulation with the lucrative scholarship, however. Those students must agree to work in the Midwest within two years of graduation. Clifford notes that by the times grads have been out of Stanford GSB for four years, at least two of those years will have to have been working in the Midwest.
“The winners of the first Stanford USA MBA Fellowship are Adam Verhasselt, Amanda Donohue-Hansen and Taylor Seabaugh,” Clifford writes. “Verhasselt was raised on a dairy farm owned by his family in Wisconsin and is the first in his family to graduate from college. Donohue-Hansen is from California but graduated from University of Minnesota and lived and work there for 10 years. Seabaugh grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and returned after graduating from college to work at 3M and volunteer at local public schools.”
Read more about the Stanford USA MBA Fellowship here.
High School Students Dream Big – with Help of MBA Mentors | The Globe & Mail
Three Toronto metro high school students recently earned some valuable hands-on help from second-year Schulich School of Business MBA candidate Cortney Mills. The partnership came to fruition from the semester-long case competition Summit Leaders, founded last year by MBA students from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, writes the Globe & Mail. The goal of the nonprofit summit is to help underprivileged high schoolers from the community, giving them in-person lessons about business and entrepreneurship.
“’A lot of students don’t realize this [business] is an avenue they can take and they are often the brightest people,’ says David St. Bernard, a Co-Founder of Summit Leaders who graduated this spring with combined degrees in business and law at U of T.”
“’Sometimes they need that little push,’ he says of the younger students in the program. ‘Our idea is to give them the avenue to open up their ideas and create more connections within the community.’ Students do not have to choose a business career, he adds, ‘but at least we give them the opportunity to choose.’”
Find out more about the Summit Leaders nonprofit program here.
Your MBA Application Essay Mastered | Financial Times
Admissions teams know that essays are where students have to individually shine. Work experience, grades and GMAT score tell a lot about a student, of course, but the essay is a chance for them to stick out beyond traditional parameters.
In a recent piece with the Financial Times, Yuan Ding, Dean of the China Europe International Business School, says, “[The essay] is where we learn about applicants’ career aspiration, understanding of China, and writing skills.”
Rob Weiler, UCLA Anderson School of Management MBA Program Associate Dean, also notes how students need to be pretty concise with their words. “If an applicant attempts to add too much supplemental information, chances are they are trying too hard,” he says in the piece. Applicants to the UCLA Anderson MBA program all have a 500-world limit on their essays.
In contrast, institutions like the IESE Business School in Spain do not limit applicants to any standards on essays, offering immensely flexible entry capabilities. Dean Franz Heukamp says, “The ones that grab our attention do so not because they say something we have never heard before, are wild or outrageous. What makes a cover letter special is when it is very clear that the candidate knows what he or she wants to achieve professionally.”
Read more about what school’s may or may not expect from your application essay here.
The Many Dual MBA Options at the Rutgers Business School
The benefits of an MBA education can often go far beyond just the business world. From medicine to law, a number of industries and professions can utilize and benefit from the skills of an MBA graduate. At the Rutgers Business School, Newark and New Brunswick, there are a number of degree programs that can be paired with an MBA, giving students the chance to take their business training into a variety of fields. Below, we provide a snapshot of the many Dual Degree programs available for Rutgers MBA students.
NY State Judge Talks Corporate Culture Reform at Stanford
The Stanford Graduate School of Business recently looked in what the best methods to stop white collar crime may actually be. A recent article from the school examines the incentives that might alter the behavior of companies that consider fines mere collateral damage.
Misty Johanson Steps in as Interim Dean of the DePaul Driehaus College of Business
Misty Johanson is just settling into her new job, entering a new phase in her career by stepping in as the interim Dean of the Driehaus College of Business and Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. She formally started the role on July 1. Continue reading…
Getting Paid: The Highest MBA Salaries in Philadelphia
Philadelphia: The City of Brotherly Love—or shove, depending on which out-of-town sports jersey you might be wearing out in public.
Carey School of Business Professor Earns Discovery Awards Research Grant
Since 2015, Johns Hopkins University has issued Discovery Awards to fund new collaborative projects by researchers from across the university’s various schools and divisions. According to a recent press release, Roman Galperin, an Assistant Professor from the Carey School of Business, becomes the latest faculty member from JHU’s business school to be awarded the grant. Continue reading…
“Business in Capitals” Immersion Takes MBA@American Online Students to Brussels
Last month, a group of Kogod School of Business students took part in an academic and a cultural immersion to Brussels, Belgium. The study experience was the first official MBA@American international trip, bringing together 60 MBA candidates from across the country to explore the European business landscape. Continue reading…
SDSU Sports MBA Hits a Home Run with SportBusiness International
The Sports MBA at San Diego State University Fowler College of Business Administration was recently ranked as one of the best programs in the world—fourth overall to be exact. SDSU received its new ranking thanks to SportBusiness International, which is one of the leading classification systems for postgraduate sports management courses. Continue reading…
Foster Partners with MLT to Help Underrepresented Students
In an effort to improve access to education, skills, coaching and connections for underrepresented students, the Foster School of Business partnered with Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). MLT is a well-respected national business leadership program with a powerful and professional network of peers, mentors and senior leaders looking to create a diverse, equitable and thriving community. Foster became the 31st school to join MLT and the 14th Premier Partner school. Continue reading…
Why You Should Consider Earning a Part-Time MBA in San Diego
If you’re a busy working professional, taking two years off of work to earn your MBA might not be a viable option. However, that’s where a part-time MBA program can help.
Co-Op Students Bring Innovation According to Ted Rogers Dean
Do you want your company to be more innovative? The key could be hiring more co-op students. At least, that’s what Steven Murphy, the Dean of the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University, recently told the Globe and Mail. According to Murphy, co-op students help catalyze innovation in companies thanks to their “tech-savvy, resourceful, purpose-driven and unburdened” outlook. Continue reading…
Your Guide to the Best Marketing MBA Programs in San Diego
The San Diego metro is home to some of the country’s best weather and finest defense, tourism, international trade and research/manufacturing sectors. But “The Plymouth of the West” is also gaining notoriety as a rapidly growing digital marketing hub. Continue reading…
La Salle School of Business Introduces New Online MBA
In October 2017, La Salle University’s School of Business will officially launch its new Online MBA program. The program is entirely virtual, so students can earn an MBA regardless of their physical location. Courses in the program last eight weeks, with five start dates to choose from each year. Students pursuing the Online MBA can choose from a variety of specializations, such as Business Systems and Analytics, Management, Marketing, Finance and Accounting.
Continue reading…
London Business School Launches More Flexible MBA
An MBA program needs to continuously evolve to stay relevant. That’s why most business schools reevaluate their curricula every few years to ensure that they’re on the cutting edge.
The London Business School recently completed a top to bottom review of its MBA program to determine how it could improve. The school found that while it has a strong employment outlook, conversations with students, alumni and recruiters revealed than an overhaul of the program itself would help to better meet the needs of students and employers.
Why the London Business School Updated Its Curriculum
“There were two drivers,” Gareth Howells, Executive Director of the MBA, MiF and Early Career Programs at LBS, tells us in an interview. “In terms of inputs, we were seeing a diversification in our pipeline of the professional aspirations of our students. Historically, 80-85 percent of our students went into consulting and finance, but what we’ve found is that more candidates are coming to LBS and considering a much more diverse set of companies: tech, not-for-profit, luxury retail, etc.”
The need for this change was also reflected on the employer side. Though LBS still has strong recruiting representation from finance and consulting, Howells reported that Google and Amazon have become two of LBS’ biggest recruiters. In fact, 22 percent of last year’s LBS MBA graduates went into tech-related roles.
These facts made a compelling case for updating the MBA curriculum. “We’re not moving away from finance and consulting, but we feel that there’s a way we could restructure the program to better serve our diverse candidates and recruiters,” Howells explains .
Growing the MBA Program
To start, one of the first things that LBS did to better serve its MBA students was increase the size of its program. In the past, LBS has been considered a relatively small to medium-sized program. Currently, it enrolls about 420 students each year but, starting next year, they’re planning to add about 60 more students.
“Obviously, that will take us into that medium-size,” Howells says. “We felt it was right that the MBA should grow. We want to attract a bigger market share of applications. Since the launch of our updated curriculum, we’ve posted a 12 percent increase in applications, and we’re expecting this class to be our highest quality class yet.”
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
The changes go far deeper than class size. “We wanted to give students the opportunity to customize their learning journey toward the business sector they’re most interested in,” Howells adds. “In addition, we also wanted to make the program more practical. We’re giving our MBA students a wide choice of courses so that they can choose to broaden and deepen their skills how they see fit.”
To keep up with the constantly changing global business environment, LBS reviewed all of its MBA courses, as well as the knowledge and skill sets that they felt were common to all industries—whether working at Google or Goldman Sachs. When they did this, they were able to pare down their core courses to a small set of “sector neutral” topics in areas such as teams, finances, etc. Core coursework now only comprises the first semester of the first year.
Then, by the second half of year one, students can tailor their studies to better fit their sector-specific interests. “This puts students and recruiters in the driver’s seat,” Howells says. “We offer courses on digital transformation, marketing, customer and market insights, value chain management, global economic analysis and more.”
There are also many new courses focused on digital competencies. According to Howells, recruiters said that they needed students who were comfortable with programming, coding and digital transformation. So, LBS developed a suite of courses around this technology—including FinTech—so that LBS MBA graduates are able to navigate the new digitally focused world.
Focusing on Practical Experience
In addition, LBS adjusted its courses to be more practically focused. “Just giving theory isn’t enough,” explains Howells. “Recruiters wanted students to have a more integrated and practical learning experience—pushing the dial from knowing to doing.”
To turn this practical focus into reality, LBS has added an on-the-ground London experience in year one. This new experience capitalizes on the school’s location to allow MBA students to undertake a business project with organizations around the city.
“Leveraging our London location is important,” says Howells. “London is a global finance leader as well as a great location for tech, finance, entrepreneurship and more. A lot of our projects will be drawn from all the sectors and students will be able to target the industry according to what they want to do.”
This experience is followed in year two by the global experiential experience. “Global is in our DNA. Ninety percent of our class is not from the UK,” says Howells. “We have over 70 different nationalities represented in our MBA program.” Recognizing this, LBS takes its MBA students on a global business experience to one of seven different locations around the world to learn in the local environment.
Flexible Scheduling
Flexibility in the length of the program was also important. “We wanted to give students the best possible chance of maximizing their career output,” he says. “So, we decided to offer multiple exit points for the MBA to offer students maximum flexibility.”
Too often, MBA students will complete an internship and be offered an immediate job with the company, and they want to start work sooner. Or, they find a job halfway through their second year and want to get a jump-start. With flexible 15-month, 18-month and 21-month exit points, each MBA student at LBS can choose what works best for them.
And LBS doesn’t make students choose their exit point at the start. They can change their schedule at any time and work with a counselor to determine what classes they need to complete to graduate when they want. “We put the student in the driver seat,” Howells notes. “We tell them what they need to do to achieve the exit time frame they want, but they have control over how they accomplish it.”
So far, the new program is being received well. LBS received more applications for their first class under the new design than in previous years, and Howells only expects that trend to continue.
“No one wants to be put in a box,” he says. “We provide opportunities for students to drive their learning journey. We’re giving them control.”
The International MBA Advantage in San Francisco
Business is most definitely a subject that breaches borders. With finance and trade booming across the globe, up-and-coming business leaders need to be prepared to take on these topics and stay relevant in an increasingly global and interconnected world. Acknowledging need, many business schools offer students the chance to specialize their MBA degree or major in international business, with the goal of preparing business students with the specific skills and knowledge to take on business around the world.
