How Does The Cohort Program Work?
All participants admitted to the program in a particular year enter at the same time and move through the program together. Initially, there is a three-day intensive residential seminar held at UAS in Juneau during August. Then, participants continue through 10 core courses of the MBA together in sequence.
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The cohort model is designed so that participants can get to know each other and interact with each other extensively. It provides students with unmatched teamwork, interaction, and life-long networking opportunities. Research on learning in programs oriented towards experienced participants shows that such interaction adds substantially to program value. To achieve this value, the cohort must remain relatively small, so the UAS MBA has a maximum intake of 25 in each annual cohort. Click here to see the Apex (Fall 2005), Denali (Fall 2006), Northstar (Fall 2007) or Keystone (Fall 2008) Cohorts. |
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"Why put off tomorrow that which can be accomplished today?" As an Executive, I have a busy schedule and the UAS MBA program offers sufficient flexibility plus a rigorous and stimulating curriculum which provides opportunity to add more tools to my toolbox. The web-based delivery offers broad networking with a diverse array of professionals and individulaized attention with various professors. Pick up the phone, send an email or stop by right now to "Gain That Competitive Edge!" | |
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--Vic Scarano
Chief Financial Officer Goldbelt, Incorporated 2006 MBA Graduate |
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The UAS MBA Program is easily accessible to practicing managers who cannot leave their jobs for a couple of years to study in a traditional MBA program requiring campus residence. After the three day intensive residential seminar, the Program is entirely on-line. Participants only need regular access to the Internet to take part in the program. Reserach on distance learning indicates that participants learn as much or more in a well-delivered distance program compared to traditional classroom formats, so there is no sacrifice in quality of what participants learn. UAS has been one of the leaders in Alaska and the nation in implementing distance education for a long time. Ourlong experience helps make sure program quality remains high.
Web-based programs also have the advantage that much responsiblity for learning shifts to the participants which fits well with the high level of responsibility which higher level managers typically have. While the instructor is always there guiding the course, the strong role for participants allows practicing managers to orient much of the discussion specifically toward their own needs in their organizations.
If you are not familiar with web-based courses, please click here for a tutorial as to how the courses will work.
Intensive Residential Seminar in Juneau :
During the three-day residential seminar in Juneau , participants and faculty get to know each other and become familiar with the program content. Each participant will think about what issues need attention in their own companies to help upgrade performance. It doesn’t matter if the organization is highly successful or failing – all of them have potential to make improvements somewhere. By the end of the three days, each participant should have an agenda outlining the company issues that can be addressed in each MBA course, so that their work in the course can be applied immediately to their own companies. The faculty will have a good idea about the set of issues most important to participants so that courses can be fine-tuned to the needs of program participants.
This seminar is a program requirement and the admissions decision will include consideration of commitment to attend.
Intensive Residential Seminar dates in 2008: August 16, 17, 18 2008
Click here to see the 2008 Residential Seminar Schedule Content
Coursework:
The program features 10 three-credit, graduate level (600) core business courses. Each course is offered in a distance-delivered format and participants will move through the 10 core courses together in sequence. Participants choose the final two elective courses to meet their specific goals, in consultation with their advisor. These electives can come from either 600 level business or public administration or 400 level business administration – if not previously used in a degree program.
The 10 core courses will take two academic years, with 5 courses per year – two in the first semester, two in the second semester, and one in the first summer session, with a week break between courses normally. Electives may be taken at the participant’s convenience, either concurrently or during sessions when no core courses are offered. Student commitment to participate for the full two years is one important consideration in the admission decision – if participants drop out, it can disrupt the learning experience for other cohort members. For more information on the cohort model and to discuss your options, please contact the MBA Director.
Core Courses (30 credits in ten 3-credit courses):
Click here for Course Descriptions
| YEAR ONE - First Semester - FALL Term | |
| BA S692B | Seminar in Marketing |
| BA S670 | Human Resource & Personnel Administration |
| YEAR ONE - Second Semester - SPRING Term* | |
| BA S646 | Service Operations Management |
| BA S628 | Managerial Accounting |
| YEAR ONE - SUMMER Term | |
| BA S618 | Adminsitrative Law for Managers |
| YEAR TWO - First Semester - FALL Term | |
| BA S692A | Seminar in Finance |
| BA S689 | Research in Business Administration |
| YEAR TWO - Second Semester - SPRING Term | |
| BA S612 | Organizational Theory & Behavior |
| BA S610 | Management Information Systems |
| YEAR TWO - SUMMER Term | |
| BA S690 | Business Administration CAPSTONE |
| *Earlier Cohorts may have had the following requirement in place of BA 655: BA 618, Administrative Law for Managers. | |
The two elective courses may be taken at any time during the degree program. Participants may choose from 600 level Business or Public Administration courses, 400 level Business courses (provided they were not used as part of the undergraduate degree), or transfer 600 level Business or Public Administration courses from another accredited institution. All choices must be approved by the advisor in advance to make sure that the courses are fully acceptable within UAS standards.