There has been some hand-wringing recently over the fate of the MBA. As Fortune magazine reported last summer, former 
dean of the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management Roger Martin is predicting a major shake-up for the top 50 U.S. business schools akin to the collapse of General Motors and Chrysler. These and other warnings about the rise of the Massive Open Online Course or MOOC cast further uncertainty about the sustainability of the once-august program. What does the future hold for MBA programs in Oregon? Three experts weigh in.
“I’m not sure that the MBA will be here 10 or 20 years down the road,” admits Robin Anderson, dean of the Pamplin School of Business at the University of Portland, right out of the gate. “There’s a trend toward competency versus a degree. The MBA is becoming less important for employers who don’t care what degree you have as long as you are competent in what you do.”
Anderson sees this volatility as both a threat and an opportunity for his school. UP is responding by offering certifications that businesses want and — importantly — are willing to foot the bill for employees to take. As expected, these certificate programs, which focus on competencies rather than a full suite of skills inherent in an MBA, are less expensive and take less time to complete.
Along with certificates, a growing number of students are also interested in Master of Science degree programs, particularly in technology management. “Any quantitative competency is in big demand right now,” says Anderson.
To read the full story: MBA at the crossroads – Oregon Business, February 23, 2016 written by Amy Milshtein.