Category — Business Degrees

When you think of an art student, what comes to mind? Funky outfits and piercings? Alternative music and idealistic dreams of making  it big? These may be stereotypical tags for artistic young people, but the truth of our consumer society is that every product you buy requires a team of artists to design the logo, labels, packaging, and even the product itself.

Artists are in demand and whether they plan to work in Corporate America, or open up their own gallery or design shop, the more business education they can get the better.

The First ‘Business of Art’ Degree

The Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida has launched a new BA program that combines art studies with business schooling. Believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, the Business of Art and Design degree was created for students who want to pursue art and intend to run their own businesses or work for others.  

According to Ringling, there are more than 1.25 million people working in art and design in the United States alone. They point out that in addition to the actual creative aspect of the work, there is more and more business skill required in this sector of the global economy.

Creatives Are a Valuable Commodity

Ringling President, Dr. Larry R. Thompson, says that individuals who have great creative ideas, and also the ability to organize, plan, and successfully lead and manage others are going to be a ‘valuable commodity’.

Lead faculty Dr. Wanda V. Chavez agrees:

“The new program is the first to integrate the study of business and the study of studio art and design — marrying the right and left brain into one practice. With a solid grounding of business skills, an understanding of the creative process, the reputation of a world-class art and design institution, and the ability to work effectively with other creative individuals, successful students will be able to take advantage of design concepts and design practice as integrated parts of strategic planning, as well as leverage learned leadership skills with the confidence to think creatively themselves to realize their own visions of success.”

What Students Learn

The program is a four-year curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Arts Degree in The Business of Art and Design. Students majoring in the new program will be equipped with a solid foundation of business skills, an understanding of the creative process, and the ability to work effectively with other creative individuals.

Business courses focus on case studies in industries such as arts management, advertising, video production, and art-and-design entrepreneurship. Students also participate in traditional studio classes to learn to think creatively and to understand how artists work and apply art and design in today’s market. 

Now all we need to do is get the MBA students into the art studio and we’ll have a fully integrated workforce!

When you are ready to commit a significant portion of your time and money to getting an MBA, you want to make sure you’re getting an education that’s going to transform your talent and ambition into a solid set of skills that deem you irresistible to the best employers. Business schools are competing to make their MBAs the most relevant to your success.

This month the MBA Roundtable released the results of its 2009 MBA Curricular Innovation Study indicating that 69% of MBA programs have significantly revised the curriculum in the past four years to improve the relevancy of the degree in response to criticism that they are not preparing graduates for today’s business challenges.

What Is Relevance?

Among the 69% of MBA programs making significant revisions to their curriculum, the most common change was the addition of ‘applied content’, or project-based courses. In addition to giving students more opportunities to take their learning out of the comfortable lecture hall and into the demanding real-world business simulations, respondents also reported that integration across topics and disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary content were popular changes.

MBA Programs That Get Into Details

MBA programs have traditionally focused on equipping students with big picture concepts, eschewing fine details of specific industries for personal leadership and decision making skills. Apparently that’s changing. The MBA Roundtable data reveals that 25% of MBA degree programs have added an industry specialization in the past three years. Common emphasis areas are healthcare, biotech, medicine, and entrepreneurship. Another change: about half the programs reported that they had added a focus on leadership development (as in, developing others) and global perspectives to their offerings.

Change is Good

And the changes just keep coming. 89% of all MBA programs surveyed are planning additional curricular changes.

“I think this is very promising news,” said Rodney Alsup, president of the MBA Roundtable. “It shows that there has been a concentrated effort among MBA programs to innovate and make changes that increase their relevance to both students and employers. Furthermore, this has been done in an educational environment that can be resistant to change, or, at the very least, has approval processes that make it difficult to make changes in a timely manner. Some schools need approval from their state boards of education prior to revising their curricula, for example.”

The motivation for these changes comes from both internal and external sources, according to the study. The most common motivator by far was internal quality improvement initiatives, with 64% of participants selecting it as one of their motivators. Among external motivators, “competitor schools” was the most commonly chosen answer, with 34% of respondents choosing it as one of their motivators.

If  you want to know more, check out all the results at www.mbaroundtable.org/events_preview.html.

Looking for a great international business program at a public school? The Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina has been recognized as the top international MBA program at any public university in the United States. This is the result of the U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Graduate Schools 2010.

A History of Excellence

Moore has been ranked among the top two in the category for the past twenty years. This year, in terms of international business, they beat out all these heavy hitters:

• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ross)
• Columbia University
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• New York University (Stern)
• Harvard Business School
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of California-Berkeley (Haas)

In addition to the top marks for their international business program, the Moore School also moved into the Top 25 among the top business schools at the nation’s public universities.

New International Programs at Moore

The latest ranking comes on the heels of the Moore’s announcement of two new international business programs for the fall.

The Master of International Business (MIB)
This a unique one-year graduate program will be offered jointly with the political science department and the School of Law to provide students with an advanced understanding of the interaction between business, government and society. Courses are approached from an interdisciplinary view so that students gain practice in applying socio-cultural, political and economic perspectives to a rich variety of international management issues including overseas trade and investment and the operation and role of multinational firms in the global economy.

International Business and Chinese Enterprise (IBCE)
This collaborative program partners with the Chinese University of Hong Kong for undergraduates and includes two years of study in Hong Kong, along with intensive language and cultural training.

“These new offerings are continuing evidence of the Moore School’s innovative leadership in international business education,” said Moore School Dean Hildy Teegen. “We are pleased that this leadership is further recognized by U.S. News and we look forward to building on this position with the development of new international programs in the future.”About The Moore School of Business

The Moore School of Business is a comprehensive business school with more than 4,200 students in its undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, and 38,000 living alumni around the world. The Executive Education program last year provided approximately 90 programs for 2,500 executives and government leaders. The Moore School’s undergraduate program in International Business is ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report and, in the category of “international experience,” the School’s MBA program is ranked second among all business schools globally and first in the U.S. by the Financial Times.

Whether you’ve lost your job, or just graduated with a Bachelor’s in business, the thought of looking for work right now might make you want to cry like you did over that fourth year statistics exam. Staying in school, or going back might seem comforting, and there are plenty of good reasons to get an MBA. Just make sure you’re pursuing more business education for the right reasons.

Everyone Wants an MBA

According to the the Graduate Management Admissions Council, the numbers are up. A record number of over a quarter million people took the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) in 2008. And more than 75% of full-time graduate business programs report that applications are on the rise. All this translates to stiffer competition to get into business school right now.

It also proves you’re not alone. And all those people can’t be wrong, right?

An MBA is Not a Back-Up Plan

While your motivation to go back to school may in fact be driven by your current circumstances, you can’t let those who review your application know that. Never let decision makers think you’re just trying to escape the bleak job market. The application materials must paint your quest for the MBA as part of an intentional career path strategy. Don’t forget those compelling reasons why you want an MBA, why you want to study in the particular program you’re applying to, and a clear explanation of your career goals.

Taking Advantage of the Part-Time MBA

If you still have a job, but you’re concerned about the future, you may want to complete an evening, weekend, or part time MBA program. These can be completed while still employed and help you accomplish several things:

Improve standing with your current employer.
If the time comes when your company is forced to start laying people off, do you want to be the slacker who checks out a five o’clock or the go getter who’s studying business at night and on weekends? And the beauty of online MBA programs is that you can complete a lot of your work at work on your lunch hour.

Gain valuable skills.
Not only will studying for your MBA make you look good to your superiors, if you choose the right one you will actually learn skills that you can apply right away at work, increasing your value to the organization and decreasing the likelihood that you’ll catch the ax any time soon.

Get your education subsidized.
Many employers offer tuition reimbursement programs that can significantly reduce your out of pocket costs for obtaining an MBA. Especially if you know you need the degree to advance your career, you may as well get started while you still have a job and this valuable benefit to take advantage of.

Prepare for the future.
In the worst case scenario you actually lose your job. Having more education will only help you in your search for a new one.

If you want an MBA, and you can afford it – both in time and money – go for it. You certainly won’t be lonely!

Applying for business school can be an agonizing process. How do you differentiate yourself from all the other highly qualified candidates? GMAT preparation courses have been around for a long time to help you get the highest GMAT score, but as the competition grows more fierce, you need to set yourself apart in other ways. It may be time to consider hiring a business school admissions consultant.

Do You Really Need an Admissions Consultant?

According to Stacy Blackman, most applicants to top business schools are qualified to attend. That doesn’t mean everyone gets in. The role of consultants like Blackman is to make sure your application stands out. Blackman and others offer personalized services that are also customized to the schools the student is applying to.

Consultants can help with everything from developing a strategy to assisting with essay writing and interview coaching. Premium services can include planning campus visits, coordinating school communications, and access to online resources to make your application as good as it can be.

If you’re thinking these services don’t come cheap, you’re right. That’s where the competition can help.

Beat the GMAT Competition

Qualified prospective MBA candidates can bow compete for scholarship packages that include GMAT preparation courses as well as expert consultation by a business school admissions consultant. The fourth annual 2009 Beat The GMAT Scholarship Competition is open for submissions. Applications will be accepted until May 8th.

Applicants must have completed college or be in their final year of college, and plan to attend business school within two years. 2009 Beat The GMAT Scholarship Competition is open to U.S. and international candidates.

“In these difficult economic times, there is a surge in business school applications, making it increasingly competitive to get into business school. We aim to support deserving candidates with this scholarship program,” said Stacy Blackman, President of Stacy Blackman Consulting.

Stacy Blackman Consulting and her team of professionals have hands on admissions experience, MBA’s from top schools, and strong writing and marketing skills. They’ve helped prospective students gain admission to every top business school in the world and they’re partnering with Manhattan GMAT to offer the prizes for the competition.

Enter to Win Free Services

The Beat the GMAT competition provides potential business school students with financial help assistance to help them achieve their educational goals by awarding the following prizes:

• First prize ($5,490 value): $500 cash, one full Manhattan GMAT course, 1 school comprehensive package with Stacy Blackman (business school admissions consultant).
• Second prize ($2,310 value): $500 cash, one full Manhattan GMAT course, 2,500-word editing service with Stacy Blackman.
• Third prize ($2,210 value): $500 cash; one full Manhattan GMAT course; 1,000-word editing service with Stacy Blackman.
• Fourth prize ($2,020 value): $500 cash, one full Manhattan GMAT course; copy of the MBA APPLICATION ROADMAP book by Stacy Blackman.
• Fifth prize ($2,020 value): $500, one full Manhattan GMAT course.

So how do  you enter? This link takes you directly to the 2009 Beat The GMAT Scholarship Competition site.

Applying is as simple as writing an essay. And if you find a consultant for that, let us know!