April 8, 2024
Beginning in August, five new tracks will be offered within the MBA program—business administration, strategic human resource management, health care, leadership, and supply chain management.
“We’re being very intentional in our paths,” said Rogan Stoops, Business & Leadership Graduate Programs Director.
“There are five main industries in the Corridor—manufacturing, distribution, health care, banking and insurance, and public administration,” he explained. “Those industries are driving what we’re doing.”
Each track’s curriculum was created with direct input from a steering committee of industry leaders from various sectors. The goal, Stoops said, is to ensure students graduate with in-demand skills, giving them a powerful edge in an evolving workforce.
“The question was this: ‘If you’re going to hire an MBA, what do you expect of them? What do you want these people to know?’” he explained. “We’re pulling specialists to tell us exactly what they expect graduates to know by the time they hit their door.”
Each track is also crafted to help students pass standard certification tests in their field.
“My goal is to get people hired and promoted,” Stoops shared. “And we’re going to give employers exactly what they want.”
Stoops compares the classroom to a practice environment and states it’s necessary to provide an opportunity for people of every industry, role, and working generation to come together, share perspectives, and learn to work effectively as a team.
MBA students in different tracks will still have the opportunity to take classes together, ensuring they can network and make valuable connections with other professionals. This was important to Stoops, who wanted to protect students’ ability to network and leverage everything they can out of the program.
“Our purpose is to deliver a graduate program that is relevant, efficient, and intentional,” Stoops said. “Plans are in development to launch additional MBA tracks in the future.”
Learn more about Mount Mercy’s Business & Leadership programs.