The Future Of The UW’s – And The Nation’s – MBA Programs

Just days after announcing that it was planning to suspend admissions into its full-time Masters of Business Administration program, the University of Wisconsin is dropping the idea. We discuss what’s going on at the UW as well as around the nation as colleges stop offering traditional MBAs.

The university was considering ending its full-time MBA program in favor of shorter, more specialized alternatives. Faculty members were expected to vote on a proposal next month that would have blocked new applicants from entering the program for a year as leaders evaluated how to proceed. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, business school Dean Anne Massey said the UW must adjust to national trends showing students prefer online programs and one-year degrees as opposed to the traditional two-year MBA model.

However, in a statement released Wednesday, Massey indicated it was time to slow down.

“We have heard from our community of students, alumni, and friends; therefore, we are going to stop further discussion of the one-year suspension of the full-time MBA,” she said. “We moved too quickly without the broad consultation and discussion that our stakeholders can and should expect.”

In August, the University of Iowa announced its full-time MBA program was being cut. Virginia Tech, Wake Forest University and Simmons College have also closed their full-time programs. Meanwhile, Ohio State University is looking at ways to “blow up” its MBA offering and design the “ideal program.”

What’s your reaction to the UW hanging on to its MBA program? If you’re getting your MBA from the UW, how are you feeling today? Did you pass on a full-time MBA program in favor of an online or one-year alternative? Give us a call at 1-800-642-1234 or email ideas@wpr.org. You can also tweet us @wprmornings or post on the Ideas Network Facebook page.