Long live the MBA: Post-pandemic developments in the modern MBA

These innovative, unique MBA programmes will provide students with a new way of learning an age-old programme. Source: University of North Carolina Wilmington

The face of education is constantly evolving. In our day and age, learning has become more flexible than ever — from studying online to moving between global campuses, opportunities are opening up for students to pursue their education in a variety of exciting ways.

Universities have been gearing in this direction for years, but it was only once the pandemic struck that this truly began to gain momentum. Before COVID-19, more diversified modes of education such as taking a year abroad was valued by employers, largely for their ability to produce globally-aware, multi-skilled working professionals.

Today, it’s easier than ever to find programmes that deliver an excellent academic curriculum, all whilst providing avenues for students to expand their horizons after years of missed life experiences.

One such programme that has developed over the years is the MBA. For decades, the MBA has been well-known for developing in students the skills needed by today’s business leaders. This includes critical and strategic thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to adapt to dynamic, challenging environments — qualities that have become integral to working in a post-pandemic world.

Here are some of the most innovative and unique MBA programmes being offered today.

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Travel between two universities in two campuses to earn two degrees within the short span of 18 months. Source: University of North Carolina Wilmington

Imagine a degree in which adventure, travel, and culture come hand-in-hand with a world-class education in business administration, all whilst offering a fast-track course to graduation and a double qualification. This is a reality students on the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s (UNC Wilmington) International MBA Programme enjoy.

Part of the IBSA Dual Degree Master’s Programme, students travel between two universities in two separate countries to complete their MBA. The best part? They receive two degrees in the short span of 18 months, allowing for a faster route towards a professional and globally-recognised academic qualification.

You’ll begin at the Cameron School of Business at UNC Wilmington, an AACSB-accredited (that’s the International Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) institution that is recognised by major publications and organisations. Here, you’ll study the programme’s core modules in Business Analytics, International Finance, Global HRM, Global Marketing, Global Strategy and Global Supply Chain/Operations — which grounds you in the fundamentals of international business.

From your second semester onwards, you’ll complete your second master’s degree at one of IBSA’s six partner universities. Choose from one of six specialisations, including: Global Marketing, Global HRM, Logistics/Supply Chain, Financial Investments, Emerging Economies, and International Sustainability Management. These partner universities stretch across France, Germany, Russia, Spain, and the UK in addition to the UNCW’s US campus.

“Live in two cultures, learn from faculty in the US and Europe, make networking connections, and build your professional resume,” shares Professor Tammy Hunt, director of the programme. “Our graduates succeed in attaining employment positions in their business discipline by graduation or within three months after.” It’s certainly one of the more unique and exciting ways to gain a professional qualification.

To find out more about the International MBA Programme, watch this video or join the programme’s LinkedIn group. Follow the Cameron School of Business on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Vimeo

Dalhousie University

Gain immediate, paid work experience as part of Dalhousie University’s Corporate Residency MBA. Source: Dalhousie University Facebook

Founded in 1818, Dalhousie University is known for its legacy of ground breaking research and outstanding scholarship. It’s ranked among the top 15 universities in Canada and boasts more than 200 degree programmes across 13 academic faculties, attracting over 20,000 students across its four campuses.

One of these programmes is the two-year Corporate Residency MBA. Here, studies and on-the-ground experiences are combined to create a programme that readies students for the demands of the business world. This is primarily achieved through an eight-month corporate residency, where students get real, paid work experience with one of the university’s many employer partners across Canada.

Before your residency, you’ll be coached through the fundamental competencies essential for success in today’s business world. This is taught through five core courses in the summer semester and six core courses in fall. Included is an integrative session coached by faculty members and employer partners to ensure the highest level of learning and job preparation.

This ensures that by the time your corporate residency begins in January, you’ll be well-equipped to put the skills you’ve acquired in the classroom into practice. Alongside this is a Personal and Professional Effectiveness (PPE) curriculum that focuses on skills related to leadership development and career management, as well as opportunities for individual coaching.

University of Massachusetts Lowell

The University of Massachusetts Lowell is delivering an affordable Online MBA programme that’s ranked as one of the best in the nation. Source: The University of Massachusetts Lowell Facebook

The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) graduate school builds upon 25 years of experience in delivering an Online MBA, which has significantly evolved in both size and expertise. Taught by UMass Lowell’s AACSB-accredited Manning School of Business, this programme is ranked as one of the best Online MBA programmes in the nation by US News & World Report 2021.

Complementing the high-quality offering is a low price point that widens accessibility to more ambitious individuals. Poets & Quants described this Online MBA as a “fully remote, all-bells-and-whistles programme for just US $19,650” — the only programme among the 35 ranked that is below US$20,000.

Choose to dive into one of nine concentrations: Accounting; Business Analytics; Entrepreneurship; Finance; Healthcare; Information Technology; International Business; Managerial Leadership; or Marketing. Each prepares candidates for the multifaceted landscape of business, one that involves tech-savviness as much as leadership.

Here, you can earn your MBA in as little as 12 months and receive the same qualifications as on-campus students. You decide when you start, when and where you attend classes, and when you graduate. This flexibility allows each student to design a programme that suits their schedule and career plan, making it ideal for working professionals and parents anywhere in the world.

Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Choose to undertake a JD-MBA programme which combines the expertise of law and business for a successful and versatile career. Source: Southern University and A&M College

Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (Southern University) is a public land-grant university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As the largest historically black college or university (HBCU) in Louisiana, it offers a range of fully-accredited graduate, professional, and doctoral degree programmes. It’s also the only historically black land grant university system in the US.

As a university familiar with breaking boundaries, it’s only natural that it offers a one-of-a-kind joint law and business degree programme in the form of the JD-MBA Programme. The programme draws in the expertise of the university’s College of Business and SU Law Centre to equip students with the leadership, management, business development, and negotiation abilities needed to succeed in today’s corporate landscape.

Perhaps a key benefit of Southern University’s JD-MBA programme is its relatively shortened time frame , allowing students to save on around two years in tuition expenses. More than that, it serves to diversify one’s career options, allowing for seamless transitions into careers in consulting, government, senior management positions, and strategic roles.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International