March 22, 2007 - 5:00pm
For the first time ever, Malaspina University-College will be offering its own master’s degree program.
Starting in Sept. 2007, students can earn both a Malaspina Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a University of Hertfordshire (UH) Master of Science in International Business (MScIB) at the same time, without leaving Nanaimo. This dual Canadian/British program is a partnership between Malaspina and the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, and is designed to give students an opportunity to combine knowledge and practical experience through the integration of theory, research and practice that can be applied at regional, national and international levels.
For the past four years, Malaspina has offered an MBA through the University of Hertfordshire where students attended classes on the Nanaimo campus, but received an MBA from Hertfordshire. The new dual program builds on that experience, but is the first time Malaspina will be issuing its own MBA, along with the MScIB from Hertfordshire.
“Our faculty has wanted to offer this program for five years,” said Mike Mann, Dean of the Faculty of Management. “It’s very exciting that this master’s has our own stamp on it and it’s very satisfying to offer it.”
With credentials from two continents, this intensive 14-month program provides graduates with the support and skills needed to apply for management positions in North America and around the world.
“Students will get an excellent management education through this program,” said Brock Dykeman, director of MBA programs at Malaspina. “They will learn how to manage in an international context, as well as learning standard management elements.”
While this program is very demanding, Dykeman says it’s open to anyone with an undergraduate degree.
“Students don’t need a business background to apply to the program. We look at a student’s grades in the last two years of their undergraduate degree and focus on their academic promise and potential to be successful.”
Marina Khan, who recently enrolled in the dual MBA program, sees it as a great opportunity to study international business, as well as acquire a master’s degree. Khan, who recently moved here from Kazakhstan, first studied philosophy before acquiring a PhD in sociology. She has been running her own business since 1993, but never had the opportunity to study business as a subject.
“I want a stronger foundation and a good basic knowledge of business because competition is getting stronger and stronger around the world. I need to learn more and more and this program is perfect for me,” she said.
Students like Khan will not only learn the intricacies of international business in a classroom setting, they will also gain hands-on work experience through internships.
“The internships will allow students to apply what they have learned in the classroom and demonstrate their skills to potential employers. The blending of degree and internship is very exciting,” Dykeman said.
Undergraduate students without a business background will have to take a two-month Management Foundation program, so they can handle the subsequent courses in the dual master’s program.
Application deadlines for students without a business degree are May 31 for the first section of the program and August 31 for the second. The starting dates for those students are July 3 for the first section and October 1 for the second. For business graduates, the deadlines for application are June 30 and October 31, with starting dates of September 4 and January 7 (2008.)
Contact Jane Kelly, the director of MBA/MScIB admissions at kellyj@viu.ca or (250)740-6316 for more information.
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