MBA Archives

Cedar Crest addresses gender equity with new MBA focus

To address gender equality in the workplace, Cedar Crest College is expanding its Masters in Business Administration (MBA) program to include women’s leadership.

Cedar Crest College, Allentown, said the program, while rooted in the college’s mission of educating the next generation of women leaders, is designed for students of all genders.

“This new focus will prepare students to navigate gender-related challenges in the workplace,” the college said in a press release. Courses will address systematic challenges to gender equity, including wage gaps, broken advancement paths, assertiveness, representation and more.

Women make up more than half of the US workforce, yet less than a third of senior leadership positions. They often earn less in leadership roles than their male counterparts, the college said.

“Women have been gaining ground in recent years, but there are still additional hurdles that aspiring women leaders face in the workplace, including securing promotions through what’s known as a ‘leaky pipeline’ to top positions,” says Michael C. Zalot, graduate programs director and assistant professor of business at Cedar Crest College.

The program will retain its emphasis on strategic leadership concepts and its graduate portfolio model: students in the program are able to tailor their degrees directly to their personal goals and interests.

Designed to be completed in as few as 12 months, the program is available completely online or on-campus, and students can switch between those options whenever they choose.

Those interested in the MBA program can learn more at the upcoming “Cheers to Careers” event at 7 p.m. on July 26.

The Business, Management and Economics Department at Cedar Crest College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), which is recognized by employers and graduate programs for its high-quality standards.

Students who are employees or members of Cedar Crest’s partner organizations may be eligible for tuition discounts through the Pathways for Professional Excellence program. Visit www.cedarcrest.edu/pathways to view a full list of participating partners.

To learn more about the MBA program, please visit cedarcrest.edu/MBA or contact the School of Adult and Graduate Education at 610-740-3770 or [email protected].

Lehigh University offers MBA concentration in public health

Georgette Chapman Phillips, dean, Lehigh University College of Business PHOTO/PROVIDED –

Lehigh University, to meet a growing demand in public health, is introducing an MBA concentration in Public Health.

The Bethlehem university’s College of Business’ new Public Health concentration enables the Lehigh MBA student to consider eight different concentrations, in addition to a general management MBA.

Given both the increasing importance of the business of health care coupled with the vast array of health-related companies operating in the greater Lehigh Valley, this public health concentration offering is both timely and much needed, a university statement said.

The Lehigh MBA Public Health concentration draws on the curriculum from both the College of Business and the College of Health. It is especially important to those employed at organizations in health care, pharma, occupational health and biotech.

“At a time of change in the world of health care, the demand for managerial professionals with expertise in population health, health innovation and technology, and precision health is growing at a rapid pace. In partnership with the Lehigh College of Health, this concentration enables our MBA students to garner the strategic business skills necessary to face these emerging industry challenges head on,” said Georgette Chapman Phillips, dean, Lehigh University College of Business.

The Public Health concentration in Lehigh’s top-ranked FLEX MBA program is a 12-credit concentration specifically designed for those interested in or involved in organizations that compete in health or health care related industries, the university said. This new concentration can be completed on-campus or via Lehigh’s synchronous ClassroomLIVE web-based interface.

“Affirming our commitment to developing the next generation of innovative and diverse scientists and leaders in the field of health, the FLEX MBA Public Health Concentration further adds to our robust and flexible graduate program offerings”, said Elizabeth Dolan, interim dean, Lehigh University College of Health.

For more information on the Public Health concentration and the Lehigh FLEX MBA program, visit business.lehigh.edu/flex-mba or contact Shawn Kennedy, graduate recruiting manager, via email at [email protected] or by phone at 610-758-4450.

A Conversation with: Karen Kent, director of the MBA program at DeSales University

LVB: What type of students is the DeSales’ MBA program targeted towards?

Kent: The DeSales MBA serves people from a range of experiences and educational backgrounds. Our part-time program appeals to working professionals, who are seeking to add the MBA to enhance their business knowledge. Recent graduates who want to continue directly into a graduate program are encouraged to look at our full- time, accelerated program. Business people who want to develop specialized skills can also take advantage of our multiple certificate programs.

Finally, our new one-credit, fast-track courses are perfect for those who want to try out an MBA class or want to continue to develop post-graduate skills. As an added feature, we offer free boot-camp classes for our students, alumni and interested students; these classes include Excel skills, presentation, advanced PowerPoint and more.

LVB: How has the program developed, changed over the years?

Kent: The MBA program at DeSales started in 1991. It has grown tremendously, adding new concentrations, certificates and formats. This will surprise many people, but we have well over 450 active students! Our program was an early innovator of online learning back in the 90’s. We developed an international focus through our relationship with The Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) in Lima, Peru, and we have also offered many other international study tours in Europe and in Asia.

Our mission is to deliver a transformative educational experience to develop knowledgeable, ethical leaders. To that end, we encourage students to create a personalized study plan that meets their needs. Our small class sizes and program advisers, who have worked at DeSales an average of 20 years, add to the appeal. We take our role in serving students very seriously; this is our differentiating factor, and our passion!

LVB: What do you see as the benefit of getting an MBA?

Kent: Advanced education is always a benefit – an MBA gives a student the overall business knowledge needed today. But even more than that, our students gain personal fulfillment as they grow as an individual. Our students develop self-discipline to balance their work, family and school responsibilities. Through their experience, our MBA graduates possess an innate and insatiable curiosity, enhanced communication skills and a broader world-view. As a result, they have many more career and life opportunities available to them.

LVB: What makes DeSales’ MBA program unique?

Kent: We offer a very flexible format for busy professionals. Courses are offered online, with live Zoom sessions, or using an asynchronous, self-paced format. Classes are also offered on campus, but with flex capability, allowing for remote connectivity. From session to session, students can pick their preferred format; they are not locked into one mode of learning. Students finish the program in one year, or over several years, so they can achieve the right pace and balance for their personal needs.

What makes DeSales very unique is the breadth of concentrations; we have 14 areas from the traditional MBA specialties (accounting, finance, management, marketing, human resources, self-design) as well as specialized areas (healthcare management, lean/six sigma, supply chain management, data analytics, project management, cybersecurity, information systems and financial planning).

Time on your hands? Now’s a good time to get that master’s degree

With so many people laid off from the COVID-19 pandemic, some may be considering continuing education to make themselves more essential on the job, or to go after a totally new career.

But those seeking master’s degrees will find a great difference in how that degree impacts salaries depending on the field they’re pursuing, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

“The MBA business degree is probably in the most demand, and it has the highest employment rate of any program,” said Edwin Koc, NACE’s Director of Research, Public Policy, and Legislative Affairs.

In general, having an MBA helps with employability and starting salary no matter what the niche. Starting salary for an individual with an MBA is generally 38% higher than that of someone with a bachelor’s in business, he said, making it a good investment.

But not all MBAs are equal, either. If you’re looking to specialize, an MBA in finance tends to have the highest salaries, while those with a marketing MBA tend to earn lower salaries, he said. But the bottom line may be this: MBAs have an employment rate of 89%, which is very good.

The next highest is a master’s in computer science, which Koc said has a more than 80% employment rate. The jump in salary, however, isn’t as significant, mostly because the starting salary for a bachelor’s degree in computer science is already high. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree in computer science can start at around $70,000, Koc said. At that level, the jump to $90,000 they may earn with a master’s degree isn’t that big of a jump.

“It’s the no. 1 undergraduate degree for starting salary,” he said.

The biggest jump in starting salaries is in fields such as philosophy and biology, Koc said, mainly because of the extremely low job prospects for those with a bachelor’s degree. There simply aren’t many entry level jobs in such areas. “By getting a master’s you improve your job prospects enormously. It improves starting salary by about 66% for biology and 40% for philosophy and [social work,]” he said.

Overall, the MBA is a good pick for someone looking to build on an existing career path. In fact, he said, most MBA programs in the region require some work experience before an individual can be admitted, which is one of the things that makes those with MBAs most employable.

Whatever the concentration, Koc said NACE is expecting to see a jump in the number of people seeking out advanced degrees.

“Generally when the economy goes bad the number of students going for an advanced degree goes up,” he said. “If the job climate is not good, by investing in an advance degree your opportunities when you do come out for a job and salary are better.”

Local schools make Best Online MBA list

U.S. News and World Report is out with its 2020 list of Best Online Master’s of Business Administration list and some Greater Lehigh Valley schools have made the cut.

Lehigh University in Bethlehem ranked the highest at no. 18 on the list. DeSales University in Center Valley came in at no. 149 and Delaware Valley University ranked no. 218.

Lehigh ranked no. 10 on the list for Best Online Finance MBA Programs and no. 48 in Best Online Master’s in Engineering Programs.

In addition to making the online MBA list, DeSales also ranked on the magazine’s Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Program and the Best Online MBA for Veterans list.

“This national recognition is a strong testament to our outstanding faculty, staff, and our phenomenally talented students,” Karen Kent, director of the DeSales MBA program, said in a statement.

U.S. News ranked both online programs in five categories: engagement, expert opinion, faculty credentials and training, student excellence, and student services and technologies.

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A Conversation with: Karen Kent, director of the MBA program at DeSales University

Time on your hands? Now’s a good time to get that master’s degree

Local schools make Best Online MBA list

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