Penn State's Smeal College Of Business Launches Renewed MBA Program

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA-To be a leader in today's business environment, MBA students must be drivers of change and leaders in creating competitive advantage from non-traditional business opportunities. Penn State's Smeal College of Business is molding these new leaders with a dynamically renewed MBA program.

"The innovative MBA program at Smeal College is positioned to prepare students for the converging economies, where technology transforms traditional markets. Students begin with the core curriculum and then choose among eight new Specialty Portfolios, created in response to convergence across industries and functions and based on students' particular areas of interest," says Judy Olian, Dean of Penn State's Smeal College of Business.

"Students build additional skills during 'Immersion Weeks,' which are intensive one-week learning experiences that take place in true business settings. This is a highly customizable program around student interests, is market facing, and builds on the world renowned strengths of Smeal's faculty and research centers."

Smeal College has eight areas of expertise, or portfolios, for MBA students to choose from, and students must choose one and may choose two portfolios.

"Each portfolio is customizable, with a mix of required and elective courses, to meet students' interests and career goals," explains Gerry Browder, managing director of the Smeal MBA Program.

The portfolios are Corporate Financial Analysis and Planning; eBusiness; Entrepreneurship; Information Technology For Management; Investment Management and Portfolio Analysis; Product and Market Development; Strategic Consulting; and Supply Chain Management.

The Smeal College MBA program is nationally ranked by numerous publications. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Smeal College MBA program in the top 15 among public universities and 35th nationally. BusinessWeek ranked the Smeal MBA program 9th nationally for fastest "Return on Investment" during its recent annual rankings, and Forbes identified Smeal College as one of the nation's graduate business schools that offers students the best return on their investment in an MBA program.

"Compelling and persuasive oral and written communication skills are the cornerstone of a successful business leader in today's converging economies. Our nationally recognized communications program is still an integral part of our core business curriculum," says Browder.

The renewed MBA was launched in August 2001. MBA students will begin their portfolios toward the end of their first year. Taking electives this early enhances internship experiences and preparation.

"The new portfolios and immersion experiences differentiates our graduates by exposing our students to boundary-spanning thinking and business opportunities, and to intense learning workshops in critical areas of need to business. The new Trading Room, e-Incubator Lab, and Electronic Auction lab all offer hands-on learning and experimentation spaces that differentiate our graduates from those of other business schools, and add to the distinctiveness and value of the Smeal MBA," says Olian.

Other developments at Smeal further enhance the special strengths of the MBA and the various programs in the school, says Olian. Smeal is designing a state-of-the-art home for Smeal, envisioned to be the largest academic building at Penn State's University Park campus and one of the largest business school complexes in the country. It will foster the learning, development, and technology-intensive programs needed by students and faculty of a top business college.

The Smeal MBA Portfolios are:

The Corporate Financial Analysis and Planning portfolio enables students to gain perspectives in financial analysis and planning needed for careful decision-making in the old and new economies.

The eBusiness portfolio prepares students to maximize the opportunities of the converging economies, as bricks and mortar and dot-com companies merge for synergies that are further enabled by the Internet and the World Wide Web.

The Entrepreneurship portfolio helps students to effectively identify, initiate, and grow new opportunities.

The Information Technology for Management portfolio provides students with the foundations of information technology (IT) and the ability to leverage IT strategically for business transformation in today's knowledge-intensive economy.

The Investment Management and Portfolio Analysis portfolio provides students with a sound background in capital markets and the analysis and management of financial assets.

The Product and Market Development portfolio develops students to create products and expand markets in the fast-paced, converging economies of the 21st century.

The Strategic Consulting portfolio positions students to function effectively as internal or external consultants able to contribute to and lead engagement teams.

The Supply Chain Management portfolio prepares students to provide customer solutions while accommodating the profitability, asset utilization, customer service, and systems flexibility objectives of the organization and its supply chain participants.