Did you know…the MBA is still a valuable degree? At least the Otterbein MBA is…

In a recent article by Best Colleges (April 2020), the need for current MBA programs around the U.S. to “flex” their offerings is extremely critical to their future success. This includes content, delivery and price. The Otterbein MBA took this into consideration from the start of the program in 1997.

The article states that:

For the average American worker or recent college graduate, the opportunity cost of dropping out of a strong economy to attend an expensive, full-time MBA program is enormous. On top of high tuition, students who can’t continue working while in school face a loss of income for two years, a double whammy that hits young professionals hard — particularly those contending with rising costs of living across the country.

Another issue is that young professionals increasingly want innovative and specialized degrees, but many business programs are old-fashioned, offering cookie-cutter curricula that don’t prepare students for modern business challenges.

The Otterbein MBA has been, and remains, a strong and innovative evening program that is priced competitively in the market. We see that many professionals are seeking three key items from their MBA:

1. Competitive and innovative curriculum that adheres to changing industry needs and trends.
2. An education that is relevant to what companies are seeking from their employees — problem solvers, critical thinkers, innovators, strong communicators, etc.
3. A solid return on the investment (ROI) they’re making, including personal growth and promotion.

At Otterbein, we are committed to ensuring students obtain these three items, and much more. Many companies have confirmed the importance of these items, and we continue to monitor this list through collaboration and communication with these companies and professionals across several industries. It’s what we do: enhance our program by understanding what the market needs and delivering on that need through the MBA program. What’s more, our professors remain immersed in and professionally engaged with the subject matter they’re delivering in the classroom.

We commit to providing ACCESS to:

• Thought leaders from various industries.
• An innovative curriculum, including Service Design, Design Thinking, Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, etc.
• A network of alumni and professionals across various industries.

Our students leave the program with a strong “toolkit,” a stronger professional network, and a partnership with a university they can revisit for continued networking and professional growth. It’s not enough anymore to provide the same ‘ol MBA program that was offered even five to 10 years ago. It needs to meet the needs of not only the student, but the companies they work for or will work for after graduation.