53.7 F
San Diego
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
-Advertisement-

MBA Schools Go to Work to Keep Students Coming

BY DAVE THOMAS

Rising enrollments are a sure sign that getting a master’s degree is the key to success for anyone who aspires to work in business, particularly for the future business owner.

While MBA programs nationwide hold steady in terms of enrollment and offerings, schools in San Diego have to work at keeping up with bigger players, such as Harvard and Stanford, by offering a number of options to prepare students for the working world.

The University of San Diego’s MBA program has been serving students since 1974.

The school now offers three options: a full-time program, an evening program for working professionals and an international MBA. USD recently launched the full-time MBA program, and the first students will be starting class Sept. 7.

According to David Bergheim, director of Relationship Management at USD’s School of Business Administration, 90 students will enter the school’s three programs. Last school year, the programs had 222 students.

Bergheim said the lower enrollment figures at USD compares favorably to other schools granted accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.

“USD prides itself on offering small class sizes and enrolls far fewer students each year than many of the other AACSB-accredited business schools nationally,” Bergheim said. “Our cohort-based programs (which group students together) are small by design to deliver a high-level of personalized service and to enhance the student experience.”


Students Attracted From Afar

Bergheim said that USD has always attracted high-caliber international students, and with the launch of the full-time program, the campus has become a destination school with students flocking from across the country , and around the world , to attend.

“A large percentage of our students still come from the San Diego market, particularly in our evening program, which is designed for working professionals,” Bergheim said. “We do compete with UCSD’s Rady School and San Diego State for students in the local market. The age range of students varies depending on the program.”

USD is typical of most programs when it comes to class demographics, with a median age in the late 20s. It tends to have a higher percentage of female students than most business schools.

USD also has executive-level leadership programs , a Master of Science in Executive Leadership and a Master of Science in Global Leadership , that draw an older student population with senior-level management experience, which is more reflective of an executive program.

Among the other schools that have been investing in the MBA program for decades is San Diego State University.

SDSU’s program, founded in 1959, has 640 students enrolled in its MBA, Master of Science in Business Administration and Master of Science in Accountancy programs.

SDSU’s program consists of foundation courses, plus theme requirements and electives. Students complete their degree by participating in a consulting project with a local company or by writing a thesis, either part time or full time.


Enrollment Above Average

Shira Scott, associate director for the MBA program at SDSU, said enrollment has increased by 14 percent from last fall.

“This represents a higher increase than the national average,” said Scott, who believes the main competition is with UC San Diego and USD.

According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s recent survey of 230 MBA programs at 147 graduate business schools worldwide, enrollments are on the rise. Two-thirds of full-time programs participating in the 2006 survey saw a 21 percent increase in applications from the prior year.

Elsewhere in San Diego, National University, founded in 1971, did not wait long to start a program to serve not only locals but also students from outside the area.

Don Schwartz, interim dean of National University’s School of Business and Management, said his school was founded to provide working adults with access to quality undergraduate and graduate programs.

“The MBA was one of its first academic programs, and continues to be the largest graduate program in the school, with 640 students,” Schwartz said.

The administration has been supportive of the program in general, both with its financial support and course offerings. Two examples are the translation of the Executive Master in Business Administration into Spanish and their backing in AACSB accreditation.


Attendance Doubles

DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management has more than 10,000 students enrolled nationwide, an increase of 5,000 over the previous fiscal year. In California, the school serves 800 students.

DeVry University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.

Mike Read, director of center operation in Southern California, said the Keller school offers MBA concentrations in accounting, electronic commerce management, finance, general management, health services, hospitality management, international business, marketing, public administration, project management and network and communications management. The school recently added a concentration in security management to provide protected environments for business and industry.

In addition to its MBA program, Keller offers graduate degrees in accounting and financial management, human resource management, information systems management, network and communications management, project management and public administration.


Dave Thomas is a San Diego-based freelance writer.

-Advertisement-

Featured Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-

Related Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-