BY DAVE THOMAS
With any successful program, change is inevitable, required to stay on top of technology as well as the competition.
The MBA programs at the University of San Diego, San Diego State University and National University are no different. They are always looking for ways to take their studies to the next level.
USD’s David Bergheim said the biggest change recently has been the launch of the new full-time MBA program.
We undertook a benchmarking program, looking at the course and program offerings of the top business schools in the world, and then made changes to ensure that our curriculum, Bergheim said. “We introduced practical enrichment and socially responsible leadership development components to the curriculum to ensure that the coursework is relevant to the needs of business and society.”
San Diego State University also has been quick to stay on pace, adding several new programs. These include MBA programs with specialties in sports business, biology and law. There are also concurrent degree programs , a MBA/Ph.D. in Biology, and an MBA/Juris Doctorate degree offered with California Western School of Law.
MBA students at SDSU also have access to curricular enhancements in International Entrepreneurship, International Human Resource Management, International Real Estate Development and Integrative Marketing Communication.
Continuous Improvements
At National University, business school dean Don Schwartz reported that, in terms of curriculum, the subject matter taught in the MBA program remains traditional, but always updated and improved.
“As examples, electronic business was added to the curriculum a few years ago, and more recently a course in business knowledge management was added,” Schwartz said. “As to rigor, faculty (members) are evaluated in part on their ability to meet GPA targets. Instead of being criticized for grades that are too low (which is the case with some of our competitors), our MBA instructors are contacted when grades are higher than the expectations set by the university.”
Showing that the world we live in isn’t as large as some may think, Schwartz said that National University has made technology improvements a key component of its MBA program.
In 1998, National University became one of the first universities to offer a program completely on line.
“Many of our MBA students are on active duty in the military, and completing their degree programs while deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other regions,” Schwartz said. “National has become one of the first to offer live instruction and live interaction via the Internet, using voice communication accompanied by visuals such as a whiteboard, PowerPoint slides, spreadsheets and the like.”
Tech Changes Learning Process
USD has also stayed current with technology, noting that the accessibility of digital information is changing the way that students gather information.
The school “already has blended learning course content available for students, and in the future, the amount of course material and faculty research we offer online will increase,” Bergheim said.
SDSU is also branching out, with plans to continue developing specialized degree programs, as well as expanding its overseas programs.
And despite the ongoing war in Iraq, the opportunities to learn from one corner of the globe to another have not been extinguished.
National University’s Schwartz noted that he has been teaching a course, which has a student in Baghdad who participates in live-voice, visual-chat sessions.
“When it is evening in California, he is attending early in the morning the next day,” Schwartz said.
“The technology enables students to work collaboratively in teams during the live class session, or have live group meetings among themselves ‘outside of class.’ These live class sessions are recorded, so that students can review at any time any portion they may have missed.”
Dave Thomas is a San Diego-based freelance writer.
