From the Classroom to the Boardroom

Redesigned MBA Gives Grads Competitive Edge

By Leslie Quander Wooldridge, Writer

Strayer University recently redesigned its MBA program to ensure students graduate with skills they can immediately use in the real world—and courses are not just for those with a background in business. The highly customizable program offers an educational path for any professional looking to gain business credentials.

“The redesigned MBA is really a flagship academic program,” says Dr. Deborah Snyder, dean of the School of Business. “It made sense to take a look at the program and see how we could improve. Things change so quickly in the world, and we need to stay ahead of the curve.”

Developed with student and industry input, and an eye toward attributes that employers are seeking, the redesigned degree offers breadth and depth. Dr. Snyder says one major advantage to the program is the sheer number of new concentrations that are offered. Students in the redesigned program can choose from 13 areas of focus, such as marketing, health services administration or international business. The professional studies concentration allows students to customize their own area of focus. Most concentrations are offered in every state in which Strayer University has campus locations.

Another benefit? Students without undergraduate degrees in business don’t need to take multiple prerequisites. Instead, they take Business 508, “The Business Enterprise,” which quickly gets them up to speed on basic business knowledge and concepts.

Case-based Instruction

Teaching methods in the new program have also changed. Instead of requiring students to memorize and recite textbook information for high-stakes exams, professors in the redesigned MBA program use real-world case studies to teach and evaluate students.

“The benefit we’re finding is that case studies help students develop their critical thinking and analytical skills,” says Dr. Wendy Howard, chair of the MBA program and a professor at the Virginia Beach Campus. “Before, we were looking traditionally for the one right answer,” she explains, noting that the new case-based approach lets students tackle problems from a variety of angles—which results in multiple solutions.

Marvin Peterson (MBA ’08), a graduate of the redesigned MBA, says the new teaching approach is highly effective. Peterson, a senior manager at an international packing company, went back to school for his master’s degree after working for more than two decades in the food industry.

“I thought the case study focus was great,” he says. “It gave us a chance to hear different perspectives from a variety of businesses.”

Like many continuing MBA students, Peterson started his degree in the old program but opted into the new one before graduating last year. At the end of his program, he chose to take the new capstone class on strategic management, BUS 599. This integrative final course ties together key concepts introduced throughout the program. Students apply their learning to real-world scenarios rather than write a lengthy research report, as required under the old program.

Denise McRoberts (MBA ’08) is another student who opted into the redesigned program before graduating. Now the chief information officer at a credit union, McRoberts says the capstone class presented her with close to a dozen cases, each one possessing a different area of focus.

“That course tied it all together,” she says. “I used my economic skills, I used my finance skills—it was very beneficial.”

Peterson says the knowledge gained from the redesigned MBA program is applicable in his current position. “It has helped me teach my managers how to think about low-cost strategies,” he explains. “I’ve actually held a couple of training sessions” based on knowledge gained from the program.

That’s just what Dr. Snyder, Business School dean, wants to hear. “We want students to leave with a deeper and broader understanding of the concepts and theories behind the subject matter,” she notes, “but we also want them to be able to use it to succeed in the business world.”

To learn more about the redesigned program, visit www.strayer.edu/campus_catalog.