School of Business helps students individualize their education
A paradox that’s confounding businesses, organizations and job seekers alike is while more than 8% of the nation’s labor force remains out of work (BLS, 2011), employers are willing to hire but they’re not finding qualified candidates.
Higher education must address these needed skills, according to Brian Lindquist, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Business at University of Phoenix. Dr. Lindquist and his staff are analyzing the market, identifying the competencies that businesses need and creating curricula that help graduates acquire skills valued by business.
“For the student, it’s not about learning a body of knowledge — it’s about being flexible, collaborating and embracing life-long learning,” Lindquist explains. “Employers want employees who know how to collaborate, think critically and solve problems, as well as have the professional knowledge and values that are specific to an industry.”
Focusing on industry-specific knowledge
Through partnerships like it has with The Manufacturing Institute, the School of Business is taking information gleaned from experts in the manufacturing industry and applying it to Bachelor of Science in Management courses. “This partnership has given us information that has helped us to shape the curriculum to meet the industry’s needs,” explains Lindquist.
The School of Business director, Bill Berry, Ph.D., whose responsibilities include curriculum development, points out that the School of Business programs allow students to individualize their degree. “Our programs are designed so students can focus on their individual industries so they can shape their education to fill a need,” says Berry.
“To support this goal, each course will soon feature at least one alternate assignment, which will allow students to focus on start-ups, small business solutions or a specific industry,” says Dr. Berry.
Dean Lindquist agrees that this is an important initiative. “By fall, all of our master’s degree programs will feature an alternate assignment, and we’ll be rolling out alternate assignments in our bachelor’s degree courses shortly after that.”
In addition to educating entrepreneurs and professionals who want to boost their value in a specific industry, alternative assignments will also help them learn to innovate within a particular discipline.
It will also provide another important skill — allowing graduates to rebuild and revitalize faltering businesses. This is especially important in industries that have declined due to economic conditions or disasters, such as businesses in the Gulf region.
“Our intent is to develop curriculum that allows graduates to demonstrate that they’ve mastered higher-level business concepts, while making these concepts so relevant that they can be applied the next day,” states Berry.
PhoenixConnect℠ — building business connections
Dean Lindquist also points to the PhoenixConnect℠ academic social networking site as another example of how the School of Business is aligning the educational environment with students’ professional needs. “Business school students see networking opportunities as principle objectives in their education. They want to meet others who may be instrumental in their business success.”
The PhoenixConnect℠ academic social network allows students to collaborate and connect with one another on a global scale. The School of Business students were the first to utilize this networking platform. As more University of Phoenix schools and colleges gain access, students can reach out to working learners in other disciplines, which offers opportunities to explore diverse fields.
“Wherever possible our programs align professional and industry-recognized standards that will allow students to be prepared, as well as meet their career objectives,” explains Dr. Lindquist. “Alternate assignments and the networking platform will facilitate that. It promises students that they will have alternatives for their assignments and learning activities, while giving them opportunities to build lasting business relationships.”
References:
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011). Economic Situation Report. United States Department of Labor.
