M.B.A. Programs Offer Students Flexible Schedules
Published Mar 21, 2008
A well-educated talent pool is a strong draw for companies looking to expand or relocate to a region, and Greater Portland’s postgraduate landscape is well populated with programs and scholars to fill virtually any need.
The area has a particularly rich slate of M.B.A. programs. In the postgraduate world, many of these programs are distinctive in that they cater to people who are well into their working careers – often with a need to juggle numerous other commitments along with their coursework. Options include evening programs, weekend classes and online instruction.
At Marylhurst University in Lake Oswego, the Accelerated Online M.B.A. program has proved to be highly popular since it was established in 2006. One of three M.B.A. options the university offers, the online program doesn’t require students to appear on campus until it’s time to pick up a diploma, says Alain Gracianette, acting chairman of the M.B.A. Department. “We have around 180 students,” Gracianette says. “It’s our fastest-growing program.”
Marylhurst’s other M.B.A. programs include its oldest – a blended program that allows students up to five years to complete classes on campus and online – and a Saturday program that extends over a two-year period.
Online and traditional classroom settings also are popular at Salem-based Willamette University, which opened a Portland campus in 2005.
“A lot of our alumni live in the Portland metro area, and they’d expressed interest in bringing some component of our M.B.A. program to the area,” says Russell Yost, director of marketing for Willamette’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.
Willamette University settled in the Pearl District, a bustling part of the city that Yost says reflects the college’s desire to connect with Portland’s arts and creative community.
Other M.B.A. Opportunities
Elsewhere, a partnership between Oregon State University, the University of Oregon and Portland State University created the Oregon Executive M.B.A. in 1985. More than 800 people have received the degree, says Julianna Sowash, executive director.
“Our average student age is 38, and we require 15 years of work experience and eight years of managerial experience, so it’s a very high-service, specialized program,” Sowash says. “We’ve graduated a lot of leaders in the Portland area.”
Across the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington State University has found success with its evenings-only M.B.A. program.
Launched in 1989, the program usually has some representation from Portland itself. “We have several students who live and work in Portland, but have chosen us because our nighttime schedule fits their needs,” says Jane Cote, academic director for the business school. “We focus on managing the organization for the long term, so we take a stakeholder approach in how to train future managers to manage for long-term success.”
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Brian McCord
Current Weather Conditions In Portland, OR (97201)
Clear, and 56 ° F. For more details?
Click here...
