New SCB Programs

There are many exciting things happening in the Strome College of Business as the College responds to business trends. In this article, two recent ventures—the redesign of the MBA curriculum and the opening of the Supply Chain Analytics Lab (SCAL) are profiled.

MBA Program

The ODU MBA program serves the needs of both full- and part-time students in a highly competitive, global market for graduate management education. Worldwide, there are approximately 900 AACSB-accredited business schools that offer MBA programs. Historically, students have pursued the MBA degree to develop their business knowledge, establish life-long networks, and grow their career opportunities. Today's students are also looking for a quality educational experience that can be accessed how and when they need it. This is particularly true for the working professional who requires flexible access to graduate-level education, which has become increasingly important as the world continues to cope with the ramifications of the global pandemic.

In response, the MBA program has updated its curriculum for launch in fall 2021 using a market-driven approach. "Removing barriers to entry and program completion were especially critical to students as was the opportunity to participate in a vibrant community of learning that offers ample opportunity to engage with their faculty and fellow students," says Dr. David Cook, MBA Program Director. As a result, students will see courses offered more frequently, and that courses are designed to facilitate live interaction with faculty and peers. The revised curriculum also requires fewer credit hours yet offers students the opportunity to select concentrations.

The marketplace for those who have earned an MBA continues to expect that they possess the requisite business knowledge to be high-impact managers with strong analytical skills; however, the marketplace also demands that these managers are life-long learners who will be able to continuously adapt to and shape the future. Feedback from the business community, alumni, and human resource professionals cited skills highlighted by the World Economic Forum as being necessary in a modern MBA curriculum. Based on these insights, the MBA program has developed an updated set of required Business Foundations and Skills courses to ensure that students have the practical and theoretical underpinnings needed to advance into their core, depth, and elective work.

Admission to the enhanced program is open. Applicants must have graduated from regionally accredited undergraduate programs to be considered. GMAT waivers are available. Email mbainfo@odu.edu for details.

Commencement of Supply Chain Analytics Lab at Old Dominion University

The Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences (IT&DS) recently announced the official commencement of the Supply Chain Analytics Lab (SCAL). The IT&DS department in the Strome College of Business houses three disciplines: Information Technology, Business Analytics, and Maritime Supply Chain Management. All three disciplines are closely related to each other and are highly practice oriented with departmental faculty engaging in collaboration with industry and the business community.

The SCAL supports students by equipping them with skills, knowledge, and experiences they need to pursue a successful career in the field of supply chain management. Meanwhile, companies and business units within a company are participating in SCAL as members. "As members, they obtain ready access to ODU's talent and relevant knowledge and share industry best practices and cutting-edge research to meet the supply chain challenges of the future," says Dr. Ling Li, SCAL Director. During the Fall semester, the Lab hosted several talks on various topics including "Visualization of COVID-19 data" by Dr. Yong Chen, "Information Retrieval and Mining in Social Media" by Dr. Dazhi Chong, and "Data Analysts/ Scientists in NAVY: duties, requirements and governmental hiring process" by Mr. Anthony Garverick. As these initiatives grow, the SCAL can serve as a platform for the Strome College to collaborate with industry, and to generate empowering opportunities for students.

The SCAL has an active website serving as a hub of information about faculty, their publications, events such as workshops and speaker series, and newsletters (www.scda2021.com). You are welcome to join the SCAL for rich information sharing and networking opportunities!