Five new MBA specializations keep up with the times
To keep step with the fast-paced workplace of today, the John Molson School of Business (JMSB) will introduce five new streams to its Master’s of Business Administration program. They will also introduce an accelerated program for commerce degree holders and a co-op option.
Students starting their MBAs this May will be able to specialize in Corporate Governance, Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain Management, Global Business or Financial Investing.
Harjeet Bhabra, director of the MBA program, said the new streams stem from the interest shown by students and the companies that hire them.
“We looked at what the industry was looking for, what is ‘hot’ in management education now, and how we can compete with other leading business schools,” he said.
Assistant MBA Director Lissa Matyas added, “We’re trying to be as responsive as possible to the needs of the business community without limiting ourselves to one area.”
The new specializations will co-exist with established ones: Finance, Marketing, Strategy, Accountancy and Management Information Systems.
These are the more traditional, or “functional” specializations, Matyas said. The new ones are interdisciplinary, and courses can be mixed and matched between areas, “resulting in a more cross-functional specialization.”
The new specializations will not appear on graduates’ degrees, but letters attesting that they have completed a concentration will be provided, upon request.
“The fact that a student decided to complete a specific specialization may have been driven by the trend prevailing at the time this student completed the MBA. We don’t want to undermine this student’s ability to move to other areas at a later time,” Bhabra said.
“It should still be an MBA degree and seen as such.”
Although a commerce degree is not required for entry to an MBA program, students who have one may be eligible for the new accelerated program.
The regular 57-credit program takes a minimum of three full-time semesters to complete. Depending on coursework completed during their undergraduate degree, those in the accelerated program only have to complete 45 credits, meaning they can earn their MBA in as little as one year.
A student from a science background, for example, might be introduced to business principles for the first time in many of the program’s core courses. It is not so for the commerce student, Bhabra said.
As a result of these new initiatives, Bhabra said the JMSB plans to increase overall enrolment in the MBA program, without any significant impact on class sizes. “Higher enrolments make it economically viable for us to offer more electives.”
Finally, the JMSB has teamed up with Concordia’s Institute for Co-operative Education to provide MBA students with an internship option.
Students in good academic standing who have completed at least 24 credits will be eligible for internships with heavyweights like Air Canada, Alcan and the Royal Bank.
Although internships are not for credit, they are useful for students who need to put extra muscle into their CV. “Also, they’re especially good for international students who don’t have Canadian work experience,” Matyas said.
“They might have great experience abroad, but to work in Canada it’s also important to have experience here, so this is a great opportunity.”