October 3, 2017 | UHCL Staff
For many graduate students, completing a master’s degree is about balancing work and family responsibilities while keeping an eye on the future. Most University of Houston-Clear Lake students working toward a Master of Business Administration would agree that the sooner the future can arrive, the better.
“The MBA program at UH-Clear Lake was traditional for many years in that each course lasted 15 weeks,” said interim Associate Dean for the College of Business Dorothy Kirkman. “It was aligned with many other universities in the area, but technology has changed as well as students’ accessibility to education, and their overall needs are much different now.”
Kirkman said that upon re-evaluating UHCL’s MBA program, the College of Business decided to address students’ top priority: getting through their coursework and graduating as quickly as possible. “We always offered eight-week courses during the summer. Starting fall 2017, we decided to simply implement that same option for students during the fall and spring semesters, so the quality in their education is not compromised at all. Students will be able to complete the program faster and move on with their professional goals.
The program can be completed in eight-week sessions. Additional courses are also available in traditional 15 week sessions to provide students with flexibility and more choices. “It is an adjustment for both students and faculty,” Kirkman said. “Each student must find his own level of comfort. Not all programs transitioned to eight-week sessions, but with the options we have, students will be able to reap the benefits of their graduate training much faster in the professional world.”
She added that the online availability of courses means students no longer consider location a factor when considering schools. “Now we can increase our visibility to the whole country, no matter where the students may be,” she said. “We are more competitive with other universities and we can re-introduce our quality faculty on a national level.”
Eight-week course options are available in finance, international business, leadership, management of technology, and health care. “We are educating a new type of student who is ready to take on bigger challenges, and we as an institution must adapt,” Kirkman said. “Since this is our first semester to offer this new accelerated plan, we’re monitoring and waiting for feedback. Change is part of any academic institution and we’re always thinking of ways to stay relevant and continue to bring quality education to our students.”
For more information about the MBA programs at UHCL, visit www.uhcl.edu/academics/online/graduate-programs/business-administration-mba-online.
