Today's MBA Degree eBook

TODAY’S MBA DEGREE

IN DEMAND AND WITHIN YOUR REACH

DEMAND AT ALL-TIME HIGH FOR MBAs In today’s job market many positions go unfilled due to a shortage of skilled candidates. Professionals with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree continue to be in high demand, making it the degree professionals seek to advance their career goals. In fact, according to the 2012 Year-End Poll of Employers Summary Report published by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), 76% of employers expect to hire MBA graduates, and an MBA is typically the most sought after degree out of all graduate degrees.

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fields in business strategy, operations and transformation. So how do you resolve the conflict that arises when considering an MBA? Sure the time commitment of the program comes with inherent sacrifice, but so could not furthering your education.

“THE MBA IS TYPICALLY THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER DEGREE OUT OF ALL GRADUATE DEGREES, WITH 3 OUT OF 4 (76%) COMPANIES INDICATING THAT THEY PLAN TO HIRE AN MBA CANDIDATE IN 2013.”

Think an MBA guarantees career propulsion? Think again. In increasingly competitive and highly specialized fields, an MBA can give you the strategic mindset and baseline competencies employers demand. Companies can benefit from professionals who intellectually understand business demands and also make practical use of that theoretical knowledge to produce tangible business results.

The importance of earning an MBA is increasing as companies begin involving professionals from a variety of specializations and

Source: GMAC’s 2012 Year-End Poll of Employers Summary Report

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I had an MBA when I started Chuck E. Cheese.

It actually helped me in terms of getting that job.

Since then, I’ve started five businesses – taking three to a hundred million in under three years.

Gene Landrum Founder, Chuck E. Cheese, CTU MBA Advisory Board Member Learn more about Entrepreneurship from Dr. Landrum on YouTube.

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OF MBA GRADUATES ARE EMPLOYED

OF NON-MBA MASTER’S ARE EMPLOYED

MBA GRADUATES ARE IN HIGHER DEMAND FOR EMPLOYMENT COMPARED TO NON-MBA MASTER’S ALUMNI. Colorado Technical University cannot guarantee employment or salary.

Icon by: T. Weber, from The Noun Project

93% 84%

Source: 2013 GMAC Alumni Perspectives Survey Report

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MBA Early on, access to MBA programs was typically reserved for white, affluent males. The degree content was limited as well, initially focusing on American business concerns with little coverage of the international business environment. Moreover, MBA programs required participants to stop working and attend school full-time, which was unrealistic for many aspiring students. While limited at its inception, the MBA degree has kept pace with social and economic changes.

Read on for a brief look at how the MBA has evolved into the contemporary degree of today.

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INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION SPARKS NEED FOR BUSINESS SKILLS

MILESTONE MOMENTS IN MBA PROGRAMS

In the early 1800s, the end of the Industrial Revolution marked a period when jobs evolved from manual labor to business and technical work. Economic and social changes affected most every part of daily life, from massive growth in new industries to the rapid increase in average population and income. People with business skills grew increasingly in demand, which led to the development of the dynamic MBA programs offered today.

• Wendell Thomas Cunningham, the son of a former slave and the first known African-American graduate of Harvard Business School, graduated in 1915.

• The first Executive MBA program was created in 1943, allowing students to continue working while pursuing their degree.

• The first business school to offer a program focused on global issues and international management was formed in 1946.

American entrepreneur and industrialist Joseph Wharton formed the world’s first collegiate school of business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1881. Not long after, in 1908, the Harvard Graduate Business School established the first MBA program.

Many more business school programs were established, and for years only the most elite students – men with power, wealth and influence – earned advanced business degrees, bringing their highly specialized knowledge to the workplace.

• Universities began admitting women as early as 1959, and Lillian Lincoln Lambert became one of the first African-American female MBA graduates in 1969.

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EMPLOYERS DEMAND MORE FROM MBA GRADUATES

Even with added real-world relevancy, the MBA degree was still inaccessible to many who didn’t have time, money or flexibility to enroll in traditional, full-time residency programs. That all changed with technology.

Despite efforts to be more inclusive and offer a broader range of business education, MBA programs came under scrutiny when companies raised concerns about graduates who brought few practical skills to the workplace. MBA graduates entered the workplace with strong, theoretical business knowledge, but then struggled to apply what they knew in a practical way. They had academic intelligence that didn’t always translate into business proficiency. This left companies frustrated with academically smart employees who couldn’t produce real-world business results.

In response, MBA programs evolved again. While business schools previously limited their focus to core business skills like finance and accounting, programs evolved to include courses in business ethics, communication, organizational behavior, human resources and global leadership. These course enhancements also involved more experiential learning, real-world case study review and other practical learning approaches. As a result, MBA graduates began to enter the workplace with skills that could help them tackle the demands of business.

" Business education need to be inclusive and accessible given our diverse country and cultural history. Industries demand it and our student deserve it." - Dr. Emad Rahim, University Dean

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HIGHER EDUCATION GOES HIGH-TECH It may surprise you to know that distance learning, better known as “online learning” in today’s technology-driven world, started as early as 1892. It was then that a Midwestern university launched the first college-level distance-learning program administered by mail. Students corresponded by letter, exchanging class assignments and lessons using the United States Postal Service. For the first time, geography wasn’t a limiting factor in obtaining a college education, and people around the country could earn a degree.

“While teaching traditional classes at a community college, I saw the

Technology continued to progress, and new ways of communicating developed. Colleges began delivering class lectures through live radio shows, and later in the 1960s, professors started to broadcast lectures over the television. Then, in 1970, a significant milestone in distance learning was reached: The first virtual degree-granting institution opened without a physical campus.

opportunity to reach more students through remote courses. We videotaped all of our classes and mailed the tapes to students in various parts of the state.”

Dr. Kathy Wood University Dean of Health Sciences and pioneer in distance education

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This groundbreaking educational model was only the beginning of what was to come. A little over 20 years later, the development of the World Wide Web radically changed distance learning in higher education. For the first time, people could access the Internet to instantly communicate and share information with people around the world. By 1996, the Higher Learning Commission accredited the first, fully online university that offered five online bachelor’s degree programs and 24 online master’s degree programs.

“IMAGINE A CONSOLE IN YOUR OFFICE THAT WILL BRING THE ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD TO YOUR FINGERTIPS.” Sir Arthur Charles Clarke Science fiction author and futurist (published in an April 1970 Popular Science article by Wernher Von Braun)

Today, there are just over 200 accredited universities offering online undergraduate and graduate degrees, many of which offer a Master of Business Administration degree. As new technology continues to develop, industry experts expect distance learning to become increasingly interactive with gaming and simulation activities delivered virtually across the Web.

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PURSUING AN MBA IS CHALLENGING BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE While several thousand aspiring MBA students apply to programs each year, applications to full-time MBA programs are declining. Some sources suggest this lull in applications may be in response to the economy and tight job market. Fewer members of today’s workforce have the option to leave their full-time careers to attend graduate school, which makes flexible and online degree programs the most enticing for many would-be MBAs. Finally, we’ve reached a point where a respected MBA degree is possible for those previously restricted by schedules and geography.

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The MBA degree is more than just another credential. It is a high-level business education that provides professionals with the opportunity to learn organizational theory from a practical perspective and approach.

The educational experience builds resilience, confidence and self-worth through the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Dr. Darrell Norman Burrell Organizational development consultant

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TODAY’S MBA STUDENT DIFFERENT PRIORITIES FROM STUDENTS OF THE PAST

While a focus on gaining tactical skills was once important to business school students, many have said they want more. Specifically, they report the following key factors when looking for and choosing an MBA education:

RELEVANT CURRICULUM THAT TACKLES REAL-WORD ISSUES

PREPARATION FOR THE FUTURE The business environment is dynamic and constantly changing, so an MBA program must aim to meet the demands of an evolving market – aligning with emerging fields, innovative technologies and business trends.

Studying theory and past business events is helpful, but more critical is the ability for students to learn from experienced faculty who have been “in the trenches.” Modern students value teaching methods that closely mirror what’s happening in their field – right now.

SUCCESS IN THEIR CAREER

JOB SKILLS EMPLOYERS WANT

Ultimately, the reason to pursue an MBA is rooted in a desire to succeed. Whether that means aiming to be promoted within a company or starting one’s own business, MBA graduates can gain the knowledge and confidence to pursue their goals.

Today’s businesses seek employees with strong analytical, communication, interpersonal and leadership skills. These executivelevel skills separate the average employee from engaged, results-driven professionals who can lead a company toward long-term success.

A CREDIBLE, QUALITY EDUCATION Pursuing an MBA requires a personal commitment and financial investment. In exchange, students expect to receive an education that is not only well respected by peers and employers, but that also offers an industry-relevant curriculum.

Colorado Technical University cannot guarantee employment or salary.

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The MBAs of tomorrow will rely heavily on personalized learning technologies.

As business professionals bring many years of experience to the classroom, innovative educational technologies that allow students to control how, what and where they learn are where the real advantages begin. These tools will enable students to customize the material, moving quickly over what they know and providing more opportunities to learn something new.

Connie Johnson Ed.D. CTU Chief Academic Officer and Provost

The MBA degree has undergone a massive transformation since the first cohort of Harvard students began in 1908. Yet with each evolution, the degree remains a relevant and important part of business, strengthening the knowledge and skills of professionals around the world. You can be certain that as technology, economics and society continue to change, so too will MBA education. Regardless of how you prefer to learn – in a traditional classroom environment, through a virtual, online campus or in a combined online and offline setting – you have a world of options before you. An MBA truly is within your reach.

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LEARN ABOUT OUR GLOBALLY RANKED ONLINE MBA PROGRAM OWN EVERY OPPORTUNITY WITH A CTU MBA Our online MBA curriculum provides what aspiring business leaders need today. It’s not a traditional MBA. It’s an industryrelevant, problem-based experience. Study skills ranging from ethics to economics and global leadership to innovation – with input from our employers advisory council and an eye toward industry-current labor market trends. Our program is ranked as a 2012 top-10 online MBA program by CEO Magazine*, a publication of the International Graduate Forum, and The Military Times ranks Colorado Technical University #1 online school for military veterans. Voted “Top College for Veterans” in the online and nontraditional categories, CTU’s MBA program offers an industry-relevant curriculum developed in collaboration with entrepreneurs, business leaders and subject-matter experts. Choose from industry-relevant degree programs. Two of our concentrations align with leading industry organizations including our Masters of Business Administration – Human Resource concentration aligning with The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the on ground Masters of Business Administration in Project Management aligning with Project Management Institute (PMI). - Dr. Emad Rahim, University Dean of Business

Follow Dr. Emad Rahim on Twitter @CTUBusiness

Dr. Emad Rahim, University Dean

CTU’s online MBA program is one of only six in the U.S. ranked as a top-10 online MBA program in the world by CEO Magazine.* Watch to see how an MBA from CTU can help you claim a seat in the meetings that can change your career – and your life. *CEO Magazine is a publication of the International Graduate Forum.

CTU’s online MBA program was ranked in 2012.

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ABOUT OUR BUSINESS LEADERS Emad Rahim

Gail Whitaker

D.M., PMP, University Dean of Business and Management

D.M., University Director, Graduate Business Programs

Dr. Rahim is a PMI Certified Project Management Professional速. He has more than 10 years of experience in business development, nonprofit administration, management consulting and project management.

He launched several businesses before continuing his education by earning a doctorate in management and a post-doctorate in marketing and management. Read more.

Dr. Whitaker has more than 25 years of experience in business management and is the president of her own management consulting firm. She has held numerous academic leadership roles, including previously serving as dean for the School of Business at Virginia International University. Read more.

Connect with Dr. Rahim: @CTUBusiness

Connect with Dr. Whitaker @DrGailWhitaker

OBTAIN INSIGHTS FROM OUR INDUSTRY LEADERS View articles or subscribe to updates

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ABOUT OUR PROGRAM CTU’s career-relevant curriculum was developed in collaboration with an advisory board comprised of entrepreneurs, business leaders and subject-matter experts, including: Gene Landrum, Ph.D.

Amine Ayad, D.M.

Dr. Landrum is president and creator of the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant concept and author of Entrepreneurial Genius.

Connect with Dr. Landrum on LinkedIn and read his Life Lessons.

Dr. Ayad is currently a divisional merchandising director at Wal-Mart Corp and has more than 20 years of professional experience. He is a published author on leadership and an adjunct faculty member at CTU. Connect with Dr. Ayad on LinkedIn or Twitter @Dr_Ayad.

Arel Moodie

Melinda Emerson

Both a professional speaker and President of The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, Moodie is an award winning motivational speaker on entrepreneurship, was named to Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list of top young entrepreneurs and is the best-selling author of Your Starting Point for Student Success.

Connect with Arel on Twitter @arelmoodie.

As founder and CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Emerson has more than 18 years of management and entrepreneurial experience. Listed by Forbes as the #1 Influential Woman for Entrepreneurs and a published author, Emerson is a leading expert advising Fortune 500 companies and small businesses.

Connect with Melinda on Twitter @SmallBizLady.

Maurice Dawson, DCSc, MBA, MSM

Darrell Norman Burrell, DHEd, Ed.S., MSHRD, M.A., MSM

Dr. Dawson is CIO at Reynolds Research and Technology Corporation, Editor-in-Chief of Intellectbase and a senior academic researcher. Dr. Dawson earned a Master of Science in Management - Information Systems Security from CTU in 2006 as well as a graduate certificate in project management.

Connect with Dr. Dawson on LinkedIn and learn why he’s IN.

With over 18 years of management experience, Dr. Burrell is currently a faculty and organizational development consultant. Connect with Dr. Burrell on LinkedIn.

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Founded in 1965, Colorado Technical University (CTU) provides higher education for today’s career focused students and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. CTU’s industry-focused curriculum has courses taught by instructors – many with experience in the fields that they teach. At CTU, students can collaborate with peers all over the country in an award-winning Virtual Campus, which was recognized as the “Best of the Best” in the Education and Academia category of the 2009 Computerworld Honors program. Students can choose from more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs online and at campuses in multiple cities. For more information, visit www.coloradotech.edu.

Colorado Technical University cannot guarantee employment or salary. Not all programs available to residents of all states. Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.coloradotech.edu/disclosures.