Kennesaw, Georgia | March 4, 2024
Kennesaw State University's Master of Business Administration program will add three new concentrations to its evening MBA program, giving students more options for their degrees by focusing on cutting-edge skills sought by employers.
Starting in March 2024, students enrolled in the Michael J. Coles College of Business' evening MBA program will choose to focus on one of three new areas: Digital Marketing, Organizational Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Information Security and Assurance. You can choose.
These three fields, along with existing fields focused on accounting, finance, general management, and fintech, are part of a growing trend for business schools to allow students to customize their degrees to fit their career goals. is reflected.
“Over the past five years, intensive programs and specialized master's programs have become popular at many B-schools across the country,” said Renee Bourbeau, Kennesaw State University's executive director of MBA programs. “Specialization is an important way to meet industry demands. It allows MBAs to develop expertise and depth of knowledge that can lead to greater innovation, problem-solving, and greater efficiency for employers. be connected.”
Robin Cheramy, Dean of Coles College of Business, said: “Our MBA program is designed from the ground up to provide students with immediate value and return on investment. By offering students a variety of concentrations, each addressing a critical business need, we Even before the program is complete, students can begin making meaningful improvements in their organizations and careers.”
Each new intensive course is designed around developing skills to succeed in an increasingly technology-driven market, and is aimed at professionals looking to stay up to date in their field, as well as managers looking to improve their skills. It is also ideal for people who are changing jobs.
The Digital Marketing Concentration offers courses that teach students how to leverage social media, search engine optimization, content marketing, and analytics to increase brand awareness, customer acquisition, and customer retention.
“Digital marketing proficiency is a sought-after skill and employers value it in a variety of industry roles,” said Prachi Gala, assistant professor of marketing. “Professionals with digital marketing skills have a competitive advantage because they can drive effective campaigns, analyze data to make informed decisions, and adapt to the evolving online environment. .”
Addressing an organization's need to protect data by focusing on information security and information assurance. With courses on information security technology, governance and risk management, disaster recovery planning, and legal/ethical issues, students learn how to keep data safe and how security impacts the organization as a whole.
While Digital Marketing and Information Security and Assurance focus on specific functional areas, the Organizational Entrepreneurship and Innovation concentration teaches students to apply entrepreneurship principles across organizations. They learn to launch new ventures and products, create new markets, manage company strategy, and learn skills that can be applied to entrepreneurs working on their own or within an existing company.
“Entrepreneurship and innovation are the true drivers of our economy,” said Barton Cowden, associate professor and academic director of the Robin and Doug Shore Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. “The pace of change in society is accelerating, thanks to technologies such as AI and blockchain and global shocks like the pandemic. Our courses will help students grapple with uncertainty and leverage structure. We teach them how to create something new and valuable for the company.”
To earn a concentration in the evening MBA program, students must complete 15 hours of core business classes, followed by 21 hours of intensive related courses. Kennesaw State University's Evening MBA is an accelerated part-time program that can be completed in as little as 18 months. In 2023, the Evening MBA was rated the #5 Part-Time MBA in Georgia by U.S. News and World Report.
