BUSINESS REVIEW, THE NEWS SENTINEL

March 30th 2003

Intense learning, relevant experience

Advertiser Profile: The Weekend MBA

Every weekend, professors like Dr. Bill Parr gather with a group of 40 or so professionals enrolled in the Professional MBA program at the University of Tennessee.

These students are investing in their careers by pursuing their master's degree in business administration. For a compact and intense 16 months, an interdisciplinary team of instructors leads them through a unique, integrated curriculum.

"Instead of separate courses like accounting, finance, marketing or management, the Professional MBA is one program of study, where knowledge is delivered when it is needed, in the context it would be found in the real world, and in a format that allows students to apply that knowledge as they learn," explains Parr, University of Tennessee professor and core faculty member of the Professional MBA program.

"We call it the weekend MBA for working professionals," says Carolyn Cuddy, director of the program. "The intensive, interactive educational experience is specifically designed to benefit both the executive and his or her organization.

"She explains that students' class projects hone in on specific and relevant issues connected to their employers' operations, providing real-time immediate benefits to the employers, as well as personal growth for the individual student.

"Many projects have been implemented by Professional MBA students and their employers, resulting in significant cost savings and increased revenues for the companies," she says. Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the Professional MBA curriculum incorporates the typical management, operations, economics, accounting, marketing and finance functions with new perspectives on risk assessment, decision-making, championing change and ethics.

"In addition, special emphasis is placed on creating value for customers and shareholders and on the key elements of a strong service perspective," Cuddy adds. Registration for the 2004 Professional MBA class is currently under way. The class begins Aug. 11, 2003, and graduation takes place in December 2004. The priority application deadline is April 10, 2003. For more information, contact the Professional MBA office at 974-1660 or 974-2487.