Coming soon: Concordia’s new 'big picture' MBA

A recent McKinsey & Company study found that to be effective in today’s workforce, you have to be a doer who understands the big picture.

These are precisely the behaviours and skills that the new John Molson School of Business (JMSB) MBA program is designed to develop in the next generation of business leaders.

The new offering was approved at a recent Concordia Senate meeting, and classes will begin in fall 2017. The 45-credit graduate degree, available part-time and full-time, is a refresh of the school’s flagship program, which was ranked #88 in the world by The Economist and #24 among international programs by Bloomberg Businessweek last year.

The revamped MBA is rooted in the notion that employers want managers who bring a big-picture perspective to their comprehensive understanding of the functional areas of business.

It builds on JMSB’s traditional strengths in cross-functional education and experiential learning to offer students more opportunities to put theory into practice.

“We looked at the best elements of our current program and increased capacity in those areas,” says Sandra Betton, MBA program director. “Additionally, moving from a 57-credit to a 45-credit program gives students more time to get involved in out-of-classroom activities that complement in-school learning.”

Stéphane Brutus is the interim dean of JMSB. He says that through paid internships and intracurricular activities like Co-op placements, case competitions and the MBA Community Service Initiative, students get the opportunity to see and understand the big picture through real-world business experience.

“I don’t think there is a more accessible program around,” Brutus adds. “Part-time education has always been a big part of who we are as a business school. Through making all of our core classes available in the evening, we will continue to attract students who require a flexible schedule that allows them to pursue their personal, professional and entrepreneurial goals while completing their studies.”

Though the program is designed to expose participants to all the major business disciplines, students can custom build their experience by taking courses that belong to a pre-established theme. These include business analytics, consulting and strategy, entrepreneurship and family firms, experiential, globalization and people and organizations.

Students can also opt for a selection of courses that effectively allows them to build their own theme based on specific interests.

JMSB will begin accepting applications to the new program on Friday, September 30.

Learn more about the John Molson School of Business’s new MBA program.