(Originally published in the February 2013 issue of the Nova Scotia Business Journal - "MBA: Explore Your Potential" ad feature)
There are many innovative Master of Business Administration programs across the globe, but only one which includes community in its core and resonates with people who wish to make a difference where they live and work. It is the MBA in Community Economic Development offered by Cape Breton University’s Shannon School of Business.
The MBA in CED program, with close to 200 students and growing, provides grounding not only in business, but also in leadership, development, and international management. The special nature of CBU’s MBA has made it an attractive program for people working in any sector of the economy: in business, government, or the Third Sector.
“When I was considering an MBA, a colleague who had taken the program recommended it,” said Allison Scott, executive director of Family and Children's Services of the Waterloo Region in Ontario and an MBA in CED 2012 grad. “I work in the non-profit sector and the emphasis on community economic development was appealing to me. The other attractive feature was the flexibility in the schedule: the July cohort option allowed me to complete my MBA while still working full time. Each summer, I could live on campus for a month and totally immerse myself in the learning. This allowed me to be with my classmates and professors once a year, and it really grounded me in the program. At the same time, this was not too disruptive to the business cycle at our agency.”
“My professional background is social work, and I obtained my Master of Social Work over 20 years ago,” said Scott. “Having stayed in the child welfare sector for my entire career, I have a good grasp of the clinical and social work. However, the MSW degree did not prepare me for a senior administrative role, which requires business and leadership skills. The MBA in CED filled this gap, and has helped me integrate the business perspective into my work. Now I have the best of both worlds.”
The MBA in CED consists of 15 courses and an applied research project. Full-time students can complete the program over a 15-month period, but learners from across Canada typically opt to take courses over three July residencies and complete the program in 26 months.
For further information, check out: www.cbu.ca/mba
