Saint Joseph's University to Launch Redesigned MBA Curriculum With Emphasis on Flexibility; New Model Is First-of-its-Kind in Philadelphia Region

New curriculum emphasizes speed-to-degree and is designed to allow working professionals to customize their educational experience with stackable, industry-relevant certificates

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Saint Joseph's University

Nov 05, 2020, 09:00 ET

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Saint Joseph's Erivan K. Haub School of Business will launch a new, reimagined MBA curriculum in January 2021. The new curriculum, which reduces the number of required credits to 36, is a "stackable" three-certificate model, which allows students to choose two specializations in addition to a core MBA set of courses. It is designed to allow full-time working professionals to customize their educational experience with industry-relevant certificates. Saint Joseph's MBA requires fewer credits and offers more flexibility than any other program in Philadelphia, with all certificate options available online and the option to stop and start the program at any time.

"We were looking to create a transformational new MBA model that would allow students to customize a program to enhance their careers and their capabilities, as well as provide value to their employers," says Haub School of Business Dean Joseph A. DiAngelo, Ed.D. '70. "This new MBA model is a win-win for companies that want their employees to upskill, and for learners who want to gain specialty skills. With the launch of our new MBA curriculum, we are building on our strong reputation in the MBA space. Our top-ranked program has helped business leaders develop successful careers in Philadelphia and in major cities across the globe, from startups to Fortune 100 companies."

The new curriculum emphasizes flexibility, speed-to-degree and industry relevance so students can start with any one of the three certificates, earning credentials along the way. They can dig deeper into what interests them, or what aligns with their current roles or career goals. Haub's new MBA model makes the case for employers to upskill their workforce with more immediate ROI through its "stackable" model – a core certificate with foundational courses in management, finance, accounting and marketing combined with two specialty certifications of the student's choice: marketing, corporate financial management, data analytics, data management, data science, leadership, real estate finance, human resources management or applied investment management.

To increase speed-to-degree, students without undergraduate degrees in business, who would have previously needed to take several foundational courses in a traditional format, will now be able to take them asynchronously at their own pace and at a fraction of the cost.

The new curriculum builds on Haub's and Saint Joseph's strong reputation within the Philadelphia market and business community for preparing job candidates to make a difference within their respective companies. The stackable MBA model also emphasizes ethics and sustainability that has always made a Haub MBA stand out, empowering the Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Center for Business Ethics to share resources with students and to train faculty who incorporate ethics content into MBA offerings.

Associate Dean Vana Zervanos, Ed.D., also notes the MBA's attraction to socially minded generations of learners. "Social impact is something we are really committed to doing and we want to support that and make sure that work is happening because our students are also committed to this."

SOURCE Saint Joseph's University