UMass Dartmouth revitalizes MBA program

Enrollment has quadrupled in the past six years

Tehsin Faruk '04 is a financial and revenue specialist at DC Net, a fiber optic telecommunications company that provides network infrastructure for a large percentage of the Washington DC and northern Virginia markets.

Prashant Kumar Ram '05 works on Wall Street at A1 technology as a business analyst/project manager for financial trading systems.

And Mary Gabra '99 is a business intelligence manager at 3Com Corporation in Marlbourough following stints as a market research analyst at Motorola and product marketing manager at Vanguard Managed Solutions.

What these individuals all have in common is that they hold MBA degrees from UMass Dartmouth's Charlton College of Business.

And since the time of their graduations, the program has undergone a major transformation, which only bodes well for the future of the college's current crop of students who are tomorrow's business leaders.

A revamping of the MBA program was completed this year, according to Dean Eileen Peacock. "The courses were made more cohesive, comprehensive and relevant," she noted. "With these improvements in place, UMass Dartmouth is poised to be the university of choice for this region and beyond."

New this year are post master's certificate programs in six areas: e commerce, finance, general management, leadership, marketing and supply chain management. Students can earn certificates by completing five required classes in a chosen field.

In addition, major changes were implemented at the elective level and the eight core courses were significantly strengthened.

All MBA candidates take the core courses which incorporate interdisciplinary and case-based materials to give students the ability and skills to oversee complex business operations.

"The MBA is a very good stepping stone to a promotion in a current job and can also make a person more marketable to advance his/her career," Peacock said. "A solid graduate degree differentiates people."

Enrollment in UMass Dartmouth's MBA program has quadrupled in the past six years, with approximately 170 graduate students enrolled and a total of 220 now taking courses at the graduate level. Thirty-six credits are required to earn the degree and classes meet year round, during the late afternoon or early evening to accommodate students' professional and personal responsibilities. The average MBA student is 27-years-old and has worked for five to seven years in the business world.

Another important program feature is the inclusion of "real world" community projects to give students hands on experiences in the increasingly global and technological workplace.

Aspiring entrepreneurs are creating business plans for start up companies at the Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center (ATMC) in Fall River. Other MBA candidates are studying economic development issues with New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang and his economic development group, the city's Women's Fund and other entities to help them meet their business needs.

"These experiences in the community definitely help to make the students more employable in the future," said Nancy Flinn Ludwin, MBA program coordinator.

Academic standards have been raised and students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher to remain in the program, she added. Charlton College carries the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business accreditation.

Alumni are among those giving the program high marks, noting that it helped them achieve career success.

"My MBA helped me in many ways," said Gabra. "I learned how to be an effective business communicator...a good presenter to the senior executives and also a researcher-capable of gathering relevant information for the business-all skills I learned in the program."

Added Faruk, "My professors and mentors at the Charlton College of Business equipped me with all the necessary attributes to be successful in the careers I've pursued since graduate school.

The Charlton College of Business continues to impact the wider community:

- A joint program with Southern New England School of Law enables students to combine a law school education with advanced management study.

- A new initiative teams the college up with the Center for University, School and Community Partnerships, the UMass Dartmouth Education Department and the Southcoast Education Compact. The Leading for Learning Principal and Assistant Principal Licensure Program is designed to enhance the leadership potential of classroom teachers and build the next generation of educational leaders in grades K-12.

Author: John Hoey [Contact]
Date: 23-7-2007