Students planning to complement their undergraduate degree with a master’s now have another option available to explore at IU Southeast.

The Master of Science in Management is a new one-year master’s program that offers non-business undergraduates the ability to earn a graduate degree in management.

Approved by the Indiana Commission of Higher Education in December 2017, the program is scheduled to launch during the 2018 fall semester.

The master’s program is designed to pair with an undergraduate degree from any discipline to enhance a student’s marketability in the workforce by focusing on leadership, communication, networking and management skills.

Sharon Allen, director of graduate business programs, says the MS in Management allows students the possibility of having more opportunities after five years of study.

“For our undergrad students who are completing, hopefully, in four years, give us one more year and then you’re going to come out with a good combination — an undergrad and a master’s degree that hopefully is just going to open more doors for you [and] allow you to seek more opportunities for your first job out of college,” Allen said.

Daniel Smith, IU Southeast alumnus, graduated with an undergraduate degree in strategic communication and is one of 11 enrolled in the new graduate program.

“I always knew that I would pursue a master’s, I just didn’t know what,” Smith said. “When I heard this helps with those who have none to little business and marketing experience as an undergraduate, this was perfect for me.”

Program Logistics

The one year program is 30 hours and consists of 10 classes total. It’s also

a full-time cohort program meaning that students will enter and complete the required curriculum together in a scheduled sequence.

The MS in Management is currently a face-to-face program scheduled in the daytime; however, there are plans to potentially add hybrid, online and accelerated courses in the future.

The program costs around $13,000, offering a competitive wage for graduate programs within the Kentuckiana area.

The degree also comes from the School of Business which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.

Reason for the Program

Allen says employers often give feedback that undergraduate alumni are knowledgeable in their degree and efficient in technical aspects but don’t always have the soft skills to flourish in a professional environment.

Thus the MS in Management program gives students professional management skills to combine with an undergraduate degree, in efforts to give them a more competitive edge in the job market.

Data from local job postings also revealed management as the most in-demand proposed graduate program, with a total of 1,211 job postings in the last year according to the MS in Management program’s proposal.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the program is as follows:

Speaking the Language of Business

Organizational Behavior & Leadership

Business Communications

Organizational Change (W430- cross-listed)

Human Resource Management

Seminar in Industrial Relations

Conflict Management

Negotiations

Venture Growth Management

Managing the Team-Based Organization

However, Speaking the Language of Business will not be taught this fall. Instead, students starting this semester will take a tenth course to fulfill the 30 credit hour requirement.

Learning Outcomes

As listed in the proposal for the program, the MS in Management is designed to provide graduates the ability to think analytically, communicate effectively, plan strategically, behave ethically, manage change and employ teamwork.

The program also values the importance of networking by connecting students to the career services department at the business school and allowing students to collaborate with company representatives on actual business projects.

Application Process

Students interested in the program can apply online at IU Southeast’s website. The application will require a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.7, transcripts, a resume, professional references and a $40 fee. Applicants must also take either the GMAT or GRE exam; however, the GRE was waived for the first year of the program.

Students can find more information about the program on IU Southeast’s website or by talking with their advisor.