Universities are expanding MBA Programs to attract people already in the workforce

D Magazine, Nov 01, 1998

THE MBA--MASTER'S OF BUSINESS administration--is more diverse than ever and still helping people fulfill their dreams.

The degree has proliferated higher education, now not only offered at prestigious private schools and powerhouse state universities, but at community centers, Bible colleges, and over the Internet. And, MBA programs have been sprouting up overseas, as other countries try to emulate the business success of the United States.

"What's happening is worldwide growth," said Dr. Albert W. Niemi, Jr., dean of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. "There are hundreds of new schools in Europe and the same thing is happening in Asia. It has given the degree some new luster. Still, it's always had a certain cache."

The overwhelming majority of MBA candidates these days are returning students. The number of years of work experience varies from institution to institution and from program to program within those schools, but schools are gearing most programs for people still working fulls time, scheduling classes in the evenings or on weekends.

Thirty years ago, Amber University in Garland became one of the first to cater to people already in the workforce. Today, 1,500 students are enrolled each semester in one of three sequences, either on campus by traditional correspondence or through the Internet: general business, management and strategic leadership.

So, while some candidates do go directly on to MBA classes from undergraduate studies (some take classes toward both degrees simultaneously), universities have structured programs to incorporate real-life experiences.

But why spend thousands of dollars and invest so much time and energy away from the workplace and your career? "It's what sets candidates apart," said Peggy Conway, director of MBA admissions at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. "There's value added."

Another aspect of an MBA degree might be a leveling of the playing field. "I'm in my mid-40s and female and 20 years ago in Dallas it was different world," said Vige Barrie who is the director of communications at Cox. "When you do have an MBA from a nationally ranked school, it does make a difference in the marketplace."

And because of the way programs are now being designed, with hands-on learning in a team environment and the chance to practice at real companies, time spent working on an MBA translates directly into an upwardly mobile career path for graduates instead of becoming a chunk of missing time in the corporate climb.

And as the information age blossoms, universities are adding cyber-degrees like the one the University of Dallas will launch next year. It will encompass satellite-television and computer technology. UD already offers a video-based MBA in health services through Prime-Media Workplace Learning, and has a specialized video-conferencing program designed for Southwestern Bell employees. The 100-percent Internet-based degree will be available in January.

And the degree is becoming more individualized and specialized as well. For instance, UD's MBA in health service is part of a growing trend designed for practicing physicians. And it makes sense that after many years of excellent training in medicine and healing, doctors will then have to become astute business people to run their own practices successfully. Still, an MBA is not for everyone. For instance, aerospace engineers may not benefit from extra business classes. "I work with guys now who have MBAs," said Mike Ryan, who is a mechanical engineer at Bell Helicopter. "I wouldn't get one, because it wouldn't help my career path."

In Dallas/Fort Worth, with the most dynamic economy in the country, sporting the fastest job growth of any U.S. metropolitan city over the last five years, there are any number of ways to get an MBA. SMU, with its MBA program ranked 23rd in the country by Business Week magazine, offers perhaps the best known and most prestigious program. But others are out there, ranging from Dallas Baptist University's Weekend College to the Universities Center in Dallas, which offers a program through the Texas A&M--Commerce.

Here's what's being offered in the Dallas area.

THE EDWIN L. COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY, 214-768-3000

Cox offers three MBA's: full-time, professional and executive. With its national ranking, it is by far the most highly rated degree offered in Dallas. The full-time MBA is for students with three to four years of work experience, who want to quit their jobs and go back to school. There are currently 300 students in this program. Tuition for 1998-99 was $22,298, plus $1,200 for books and supplies. For this program, candidates are not required to have a minimum grade-point average or GMAT score, but must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. The professional MBA, offered at the Dallas campus and in Plano, is for students with a minimum of two years of work experience who wish to attend classes in the evenings and on weekends. The cost for 1997-98 was $4,350 per six-credit-hour semester and takes 10 semesters to complete. The Executive MBA "is for middle-managers ready to move to the executive suites." Ten years of work experience and a minimum of five years management experience are required. There is a $2,500 deposit and five payments of $7,665. It takes 21 months to complete and candidates are generally sponsored by their companies. The GMT is required if a candidate has not completed a bachelor's degree.