COB Graduate Programs

Off

Mon, 01/27/2025 - 13:40

��-Dearborn hosts Fulbright Scholars from Bahrain, Cambodia, Kenya and Panama this academic year. Meet Mohamed Almajed, a finance professional from Bahrain who’s studying in the College of Business.

Fulbright student Mohamed Almajed, pictured in Fairlane Center South's Bloomberg Finance Lab, is a COB student in the Master of Finance program. Photo by Annie Barker

COB, CECS online programs among top in the country

lblouin — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:49:37 +0000

COB, CECS online programs among top in the country lblouin Wed, 02/07/2024 - 12:49

Earlier this academic year, U.S. News & World Report released their annual guide to American colleges and universities and ranked ��-Dearborn among the best in the Midwest — listed as the No. 2 regional public university.

In rankings released Wednesday, U.S. News again included ��-Dearborn in their rankings of more than 1,600 online programs.

The College of Business’ online MBA and online master’s in business programs (excluding MBA) and the College of Engineering & Computer Science’s online master’s in Information Systems and Technology were named among the best. Curious about the methodology? U.S. News explains it.

CECS’ online graduate degree in Information Systems and Technology is the second-ranked program in Michigan and No. 44 overall.

COB also ranked as second in the state and No. 68 overall on the list of Best Online Master’s in Business Programs. This isn't the first time this academic year that COB programs have been recognized. In fall 2023, Poets&Quants, a leading online publication for business education news, ranked the online MBA as No. 28 in the United States — second in Michigan, only behind ��-Ann Arbor’s Ross School of Business — and called ��-Dearborn’s program a Best Online MBA Program of 2024. Poets&Quants also named COB a Best Undergraduate Business School for 2024.

COB’s online MBA program — ranked in the No. 3 spot in Michigan on U.S. News and World Report's Best Online MBA Programs list — is also recognized on the top program for veterans list, which showcases universities that make pursuing a college education more affordable for veterans and active-duty service members.

In the fall, U.S. News named ��-Dearborn as the No. 1 in the state on the “Best College for Veterans” list among regional public universities. Criteria for the designation include being GI Bill-certified and participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. In addition, ��-Dearborn has veterans-based programming and provides structure for incoming Dearborn Wolverines who have served.

###

If you are a service member or veteran interested in learning about the campus or degree programs, contact Veterans Affairs Coordinator Tom Pitock. Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

Online Learning

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Computer and Information Science

Off

Wed, 02/07/2024 - 17:01

U.S. News & World Report’s rankings include ��-Dearborn’s outstanding online programs and ranks campus’ MBA as a top graduate program for veterans.

A graduate student presents in the Bloomberg Lab, one of the College of Business' flagship facilities. Photo by Julianne Lindsey

How a new campus lab supports students from the classroom to the boardroom

tinahu — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 19:53:59 +0000

How a new campus lab supports students from the classroom to the boardroom tinahu Wed, 02/23/2022 - 14:53

Employers need effective communicators — that’s the bottom line. So the College of Business recently opened a business communication lab to assist students in strengthening their business communication skills.

“Whether you are leading a team or working on a team, how you communicate is a reflection of your professional presence,” said College of Business faculty member Christine Fischer, a longtime business communication educator who teaches BA 330: Managerial Communication, among other courses. “Effective communication is a skill employers want their employees to have. At the end of the day, your communication skills will differentiate you in the business world.”

To help connect ��-Dearborn students with a dedicated business communication campus resource, a prominent Michigan alumnus’ family estate gifted $250,000 to establish the John H. and Patricia W. Mitchell Business Communication Lab. This gift was then matched with $250,000 from other gift funds in the College of Business to create a $500,000 endowment to support the lab.

Archive photo of Patricia and John Mitchell

The gift honors the legacy of Columbia Pictures Television Founder John H. Mitchell (A.B. ’39) and his wife Patricia Mitchell. John Mitchell was an entertainment industry executive who served as president of Columbia Pictures television division from 1968 to 1977. Under his leadership, he produced shows that include The Flintstones and Bewitched. He also served three terms as president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

“The Patricia W. Mitchell Trust supports the College of Business’ vision of evolving our business writing curriculum into a comprehensive business communication lab,” said Raju Balakrishnan, dean of the College of Business. “Business communication plays a vital role in who succeeds. Our students will benefit because of John H. and Patricia W. Mitchell’s generosity — both now with this enhanced educational experience and into the future.”

Fischer, who is the director of the John H. and Patricia W. Mitchell Business Communication Lab, previously worked at U-M’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business, meticulously researched and developed lab plans for nearly two years. She surveyed campus faculty and students, and looked at prominent business schools — like Ross, University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and others — to see what they offered when it came to business communication development. She then tailored offerings to meet Dearborn Wolverine needs.

Student services include providing feedback on written assignments, evaluating slide presentations, giving presentation rehearsal assistance, and more. Faculty resources in development include a business communications writing module and a communications best practices presentation that they can share with students.

Director Christine Fischer

She said the communication lab was a priority because research shows there is a widespread disconnect between how students view their written and oral skills versus how employers view those skills. For example, according to a National Association of Colleges and Employers survey, nearly 80% of students believed they were competent in oral and written communication, while only 42% of employers indicated that students were successful in those areas.

The Mitchell Business Communication Lab offers online and in-person appointments where communication consultants — who are business professionals or high-achieving COB students — work one-on-one with students in 30-minute sessions. In-person appointments take place in Fairlane Center South room 152.

“Memos, emails and reports are different from a research paper. People get a lot of messages each day and we want our students to get their point across clearly in their business deliverables,” Fischer said. “In the business world, clear concise communication saves time and builds goodwill because time is money.”

If you’d like to learn more about the John H. and Patricia W. Mitchell Business Communication Lab, please reach out to Fischer at chrisfis@umich.edu.

Careers or Internships

COB Undergraduate Programs

Off

Wed, 02/23/2022 - 19:53

The College of Business John H. and Patricia W. Mitchell Business Communication Lab supports ��-Dearborn business students by providing feedback on written assignments, evaluating slide presentations, giving presentation rehearsal assistance and more.

Illustration showing the variety of services available at the College of Business' new John H. and Patricia W. Mitchell Business Communication Lab. Graphic by Violet Dashi

Seeking solutions for global problems

stuxbury — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 23:10:50 +0000

Seeking solutions for global problems stuxbury Mon, 12/14/2020 - 18:10

COB Fall 2020 grad Cachet Colvard

College of Business graduate Cachet Colvard has experienced — and learned from — four major health crises.

She quarantined on a student exchange trip to China during H1N1. While doing health-based research in Ghana, Ebola broke out. Volunteering at a women's health clinic in Nicaragua, cases of Zika appeared. And while working at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi this year, Colvard helped manage the transition of care from in-person to virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"My international travels started at 16 when I went to Shanghai as an exchange student. Oddly enough, many of them have aligned with epidemics or pandemics," says Colvard, who wanted to work in healthcare since she was a high school student. "And it's helped me better mentally prepare for what we are experiencing today."

These experiences influenced Colvard, now a Department Administrator at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, to continue seeking opportunities that diversified the lenses she used to understand world problems.

Finishing up her MBA this month, the College of Business Fall 2020 graduate says she knows the importance of business understanding in a complex organization like a healthcare system. Prior to her roles at Cleveland Clinic, she worked as a Data Analyst at the Detroit Medical Center — and wanted to learn more from business experts.

Colvard says she pursued her degree from ��-Dearborn because she knew the quality of Michigan professors. She earned her undergraduate degree from U-M in 2015 and her Master of Health Services Administration from U-M in 2017. While in Abu Dhabi, she continued her ��-Dearborn MBA classes. Taking graduate courses while overseeing healthcare during an unprecedented critical time was beneficial, she says.

"I learned valuable lessons in my MBA courses while the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding."

For example, she says a business strategy class shared how to manage industry and technological change when she had to work on managing that change herself. With the first wave of the pandemic in the spring, Colvard says that the United Arab Emirates closed its borders and implemented a curfew to slow the virus's spread. That made it difficult or sometimes physically impossible for patients to get to appointments if they resided outside of Abu Dhabi.

Colvard, who primarily supports the ophthalmology department, says they needed a way to still connect patients to doctors.

Virtual appointments were the answer. But many questions still needed to be answered. When someone has vision issues, how do you conduct a virtual appointment on their eye? How can it be proven to doctors and patients that it's an effective and valuable care experience? — and Colvard says she relied on business principles to provide solutions.

Her team looked at available and innovative diagnostic technologies, like cameras that can help doctors examine an eye's anatomy through a computer screen. She managed the department's time and resources appropriately and created virtual appointment time blocks for physicians. Chart reviews were done to ensure the quality of care. Looking at volumes and targets, she asked questions such as: How often did patients use the virtual services and, for the ones who did, how many required a follow-up appointment?

"Business strategies were extremely valuable in this process and helped me navigate this new world we were in. When things started to open back up, we also used analytics to decide when and how to revamp our 'normal' operations," she says. "That's not to say virtual services are going away — they are not by any means. Digital services can provide more timely services and are valuable for patients who don't have a critical need."

Colvard, who is passionate about health inequity and social justice issues, says these new virtual offerings are beneficial for people with mobility issues. For example, Colvard says some people drive from hours away to the hospital for their care. Now, with virtual services, patients with less critical needs have the option to see their ophthalmologist from their home.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi provides much diversity of education and experiences, especially given the Abu Dhabi population is roughly 80 percent expatriate. Colvard says she hears four or five different languages a day. Given this, she's learned new ways and techniques to connect with people and patients, even when the language itself is a barrier. This diversity is something she will continue to seek out both personally and professionally. Earning this diploma is another step along her journey to help others.

"It's nice to be here at this finish line. But, with the necessary action needed in the world, there's always another start line. This degree offers another lens for me to look through when trying to understand and resolve complex problems," she says. "I don't know exactly where I want to end up when it comes to career or location. But I can tell you that whenever I am, I want to make sure that I'm using my education, experiences, and opportunities to make a difference in our world."

Commencement

Student Success

Off

Mon, 12/14/2020 - 23:09

Four major health crises, three degrees, and several international experiences will guide MBA Fall 2020 graduate Cachet Colvard, who works at the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, on her journey to make the world a better place.

College of Business has top programs in the state, nation

stuxbury — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 15:03:50 +0000

College of Business has top programs in the state, nation stuxbury Thu, 01/16/2020 - 10:03

College of Business students outside of Fairlane Center South

Several ranking and news organizations have listed ��-Dearborn’s College of Business among the best in the country.

“For more than a decade we have delivered innovative curricula and experiential opportunities to prepare students for the ever-changing marketplace,” says COB Dean Raju Balakrishnan. “These not only serve as a testament to the quality of our students, faculty and staff, but also to our mission of being a leading educational institution in Michigan.”

Lists from U.S. News & World Report, Poets&Quants and The Princeton Review have all recognized business programs on campus. The U.S. News and World Report online rankings — which list COB’s online MBA second in the state — were announced this week.

U.S. News & World Report, Online MBA

University of Michigan-Dearborn’s College of Business has one of the country’s top online MBA programs, according to recent rankings by U.S. News & World Report. The publication ranks COB’s online MBA program second in the state.

More than 200 students are currently enrolled in ��-Dearborn’s online MBA program, which is fully accredited by AACSB International and offers concentrations in finance and international business. Only 5-percent of business schools worldwide have earned AACSB accreditation.

U.S. News & World Report surveyed 335 online MBA programs this year and based its online graduate programs rankings on statistical data provided by the participating institutions and peer assessment. COB’s online MBA program was recognized in categories focused on student satisfaction and instructor responsiveness with admissions selectivity as its highest score. Also of note: COB’s program was ranked as a “Best Online Program for Veterans.”

“We take great pride in providing our students with highly-qualified faculty, and we enhance the student experience by surrounding them with other highly-motivated students,” Balakrishnan says. “We are also very proud to note that our program ranked among the country's best programs for veterans.”

Poets&Quants, Online MBA and Undergraduate Programs

��-Dearborn’s College of Business among the best in the nation, according to Poets&Quants, a leading online publication for business education news. P&Q took over the ranking process from Bloomberg Businessweek three years ago and is now the primary ranking source for business programs.

In the comprehensive assessment of online MBA programs for 2020, the publication ranked COB 19th in the U.S., two places higher than last year’s ranking, within a group of schools that included Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Southern California.

The undergraduate business program at ��-Dearborn has been ranked by P&Q among the highest tier of AACSB-accredited undergraduate business programs in the U.S. too. The program ranked 69th in the country, 16 places higher than last year in the list headed by Wharton and Ross.

The Princeton Review, Best Business School

The College of Business was named an outstanding business school, by The Princeton Review for the 11th consecutive year.

The Princeton Review’s business school profiles have sections on academics, student life, admissions information and graduates' employment data. The profiles also have five categories of ratings that The Princeton Review tallies based on institutional data it collected during the 2018-19 academic year and/or its on-campus MBA student survey. Rating categories are: Academic Experience, Admissions Selectivity, Career, Professors — Interesting, and Professors — Accessible.

Awards

COB Undergraduate Programs

Off

Thu, 01/16/2020 - 15:01

U.S. News & World Report, Poets&Quants and The Princeton Review have all recognized COB in their lists and rankings.

��-Dearborn has three new master’s degree programs

stuxbury — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 17:55:29 +0000

��-Dearborn has three new master’s degree programs stuxbury Wed, 06/19/2019 - 13:55

Education and community needs are ever evolving. And, to best reflect that, so are the programs offered at ��-Dearborn.
In three growing fields, ��-Dearborn faculty developed graduate-level instruction to provide an education that will help advance both knowledge and opportunities. You can apply to these new programs at any time; but course registration for Fall 2019 ends Sept. 17.

Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

Just two years after starting its bachelors’ in cybersecurity, ��-Dearborn is already adding a master’s program. Associate Professor of Computer and Information Science Di Ma says the fall debut of the M.S. in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance is being driven by student demand and the metro region’s big growth in the field — which saw a 400-percent spike in job postings between 2010 and 2016.

There are currently five other cybersecurity master’s programs in the state. But Ma expects ��-Dearborn’s to stand out for its unique approach, which is both highly multidisciplinary and rooted in technical core studies in computer science and engineering. “The interesting thing about cyber security is that computing is a central part, but you also have to have an understanding of social engineering, human factors, psychology and legal and ethical issues,” Ma told us. The program can be completed entirely on campus, entirely online or a combination of both.

Master of Science in Marketing

College of Business faculty experts leveraged their research skills to learn more about the community’s educational needs. The result? A new graduate program specializing in marketing.

Marketing faculty including Associate Professor Crystal Scott and Professor Aaron Ahuvia discovered employers are increasingly looking for shorter, more specialized alternatives to an MBA. And that mid-career professionals — in particular ones with liberal arts degrees — enjoy the creative aspects of their careers, but want to add analytical knowledge to enhance their skillset and better understand their work’s impact.

So COB Assistant Dean Scott and her team created the M.S. in Marketing. It’s tailored for those looking to sharpen the promotional side of a business education — core courses include customer understanding and market research — and can be completed in a year.

Scott says the degree is for students from a variety of backgrounds — a bachelor’s degree field of study isn’t as important as your interest in marketing and “all areas are welcome.” In addition, ��-Dearborn seniors in their final semester may take up to six credits toward this degree.

Master of Public Administration and Policy

��-Dearborn is building on the strength of a 40-plus year old graduate program by updating it to best accommodate the growing needs in today’s public and nonprofit sectors.

Transforming the long-standing Master of Public Administration degree by incorporating a public policy education into the program, the new Master in Public Administration and Policy (MPAP) degree will help public and nonprofit leaders master the parts of their jobs where public policy and administration intersect.

Job growth in the nonprofit sector in Michigan and in the government sector nationally has grown rapidly since 2010 and is projected to continue. And with the increasing scarcity of public resources, Social Sciences Department Chair Dale Thomson says this is a program focusing on teaching future community leaders to thoughtfully, creatively and confidently guide staff and collaborative partners.

“Whether it be education, poverty, infrastructure, housing, economic opportunity, health, or the myriad other issues facing our region, we need leaders who can design and implement policies to tackle these tough challenges,” Thomson says. “Our new MPAP program is designed to help build such leaders and help our region thrive.”

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Social Sciences

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Computer and Information Science

Off

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 17:50

New programs in marketing, public administration and policy, and cybersecurity were created to meet industry and student needs; they are open for enrollment now.

Four ��-Dearborn grad programs stand out in latest rankings

jmcheat — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:47:49 +0000

Four ��-Dearborn grad programs stand out in latest rankings jmcheat Mon, 03/18/2019 - 12:47

��-Dearborn grad school rankings

In rankings released last week, U.S. News & World Report has recognized four University of Michigan-Dearborn graduate programs as among the state’s best. The publication ranked the College of Business’ (COB) part-time MBA program as second in Michigan. College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) programs in industrial engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering also were included in the publication’s specialties rankings.

Associate Provost for Graduate, Global and Digital Education Ilir Miteza said each of the four programs recognized plays a role in strengthening the state’s ability to attract and train a 21st century workforce.

“Professionals with graduate degrees drive innovation and enhance our global competitiveness,” he said. “With larger and more complex global challenges, higher education will need to strengthen and advance graduate education, a key source of future human talent. That is the mission of these four exceptional graduate programs."

This marks the 10th consecutive year COB’s part-time MBA program has been included in the publication. Part-time MBA rankings were based on five factors: average peer assessment score; average GMAT or GRE score for incoming students; average undergraduate GPA; work experience; and the percentage of the business schools MBA enrollment that is part time.

The publication based engineering specialty program rankings solely on peer assessment.

“That our faculty and programs are held in such high regard by their peers is a reflection of the success of our graduates and of the rigor, relevance and impact characteristic of the ��-Dearborn edge,” Miteza said.

Learn more about the methodology and view additional rankings at the U.S. News site.

Graduate Studies

Off

Mon, 03/18/2019 - 16:46

U.S. News & World Report recognized one College of Business program and three College of Engineering and Computer Science programs in its annual “Best Graduate Schools” rankings.

College of Business’ online MBA program ranked second in the state

jmcheat — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 19:44:26 +0000

College of Business’ online MBA program ranked second in the state jmcheat Fri, 01/18/2019 - 14:44

��-Dearborn online programs

University of Michigan-Dearborn’s College of Business (COB) has one of the country’s top online MBA programs, according to recent rankings by U.S. News & World Report. The publication ranks COB’s online MBA program second in the state.

Nearly 200 students currently are enrolled in ��-Dearborn’s online MBA program, which is fully accredited by AACSB International and offers concentrations in finance and international business. Only 5% of business schools worldwide have earned AACSB accreditation.

COB Dean Raju Balakrishnan said the ranking affirms that the college is providing an education that works for students.

“At a time when the quality of some online MBA programs is being questioned, we are proud to note that our courses are taught by the same faculty with the same rigor as in our top ranked campus program,” said Raju Balakrishnan, dean, COB. “These rankings are affirmation of the quality education we provide while offering convenience and flexibility to our students.”

U.S. News & World Report surveyed 302 online MBA programs this year and based its online graduate programs rankings on statistical data provided by the participating institutions and peer assessment. COB’s online MBA program scored highest in categories focused on student satisfaction, instructor responsiveness and admissions selectivity.

The U.S. News & World Report program rankings also highlighted COB’s online non-MBA graduate program and the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s online information technology and engineering programs.

Earlier this academic year, COB’s undergraduate program ranked among the nation’s best in the Poets&Quants annual rankings; and The Princeton Review included the college in its annual list of best business schools.

Accessibility or Affordability

Off

Fri, 01/18/2019 - 19:09

The AACSB International-accredited program was again recognized in the latest rankings from U.S. News & World Report.

��-Dearborn College of Business named a best business school by The Princeton Review

admin — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 13:22:14 +0000

��-Dearborn College of Business named a best business school by The Princeton Review admin Mon, 12/17/2018 - 08:22

College of Business named top business school

The University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Business is an outstanding business school, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company included the college in its annual business school rankings for the 10th consecutive year.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by The Princeton Review as a top business school for the tenth consecutive year,” said Raju Balakrishnan, dean of the college. “Over the last ten years we have delivered innovative curricula and experiential opportunities to prepare students for the ever-changing marketplace. These rankings not only serve as testament to the quality of our students, faculty and staff, but also to our mission of being a leading educational institution in Michigan.”

The Princeton Review’s business school profiles have sections on academics, student life, admissions information and graduates' employment data. The profiles also have five categories of ratings that The Princeton Review tallies based on institutional data it collected during the 2017-18 academic year and/or its on-campus MBA student survey. Rating categories are: Academic Experience, Admissions Selectivity, Career, Professors — Interesting, and Professors — Accessible.

The Princeton Review's on-campus MBA survey asked students at the 252 b-schools about their school's academics, student body, and campus life as well as about themselves and their career plans.

According to Robert Franek, Princeton Review editor-in-chief, "We recommend the University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Business as one of the best to earn an MBA. We chose the 252 on-campus MBA programs schools on this list based on our high regard for their academics and our assessment of institutional data we collect from the schools. We also solicited and greatly respect the opinions of 18,400 students attending these schools who reported on their experiences at their schools on our 80-question student survey."

Off

Mon, 12/17/2018 - 13:21

The publication has recognized COB in its annual rankings for 10 consecutive years.

COB graduate TJ Sobeck complements his medical care experience with a business education

jmcheat — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 20:32:42 +0000

COB graduate TJ Sobeck complements his medical care experience with a business education jmcheat Fri, 12/14/2018 - 15:32

TJ Sobeck

When TJ Sobeck walks into a room, a calm soothing, presence follows. And then, a light-hearted joke.

“Hello. I see the board says my name is Kelly. But I’ll be going by TJ today,” he said with a smile while changing the nurse name on the patient goal chart in the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital room.

Meeting Sobeck, he’s got the bedside manner down. Although he credits his disposition to having three younger brothers, you can tell it just comes naturally.

Sobeck said he wanted to add to his skillset and learn how to make the backend of things — the stuff in the hospital that you don’t see, like the report writing and analysis — more efficient. And a recently completed College of Business program helped him gain those tools. Sobeck graduated Dec. 15 with his M.B.A.

“��-Dearborn had everything I was looking for: The great business program reputation, class-time flexibility that worked with my 12-hour shifts, and it was financially reasonable for me,” said Sobeck, who’s worked at Michigan Medicine’s C.S. Mott Hospital for five years. “The advising was excellent too. They helped me figure out an education strategy so that, even when working full time, I could earn my graduate degree in two years.”

He said lessons learned through his M.B.A. program, such as logistics and management operations, will help him with his hospital duties, like when he’s the acting charge nurse, leading medical-focused committees, training new hires or organizing report information. He said it also gives him the credentials and expanded knowledge to serve as a hospital administrator in the future.

“My goal from high school was to be a healthcare administrator, but I wanted to get bedside knowledge first so I could better understand the effect of the decisions I’d be making. Nursing has given me that and so much more. I love the kids and what I do. I also think it’s a cool way for kids to see that males can be nurturing caregivers too,” said Sobeck, who also coaches youth wrestling and baseball. “My M.B.A. has expanded my view of the hospital administration side. So no matter the discussion or who I am having the conversation with, I will be able to have an understanding and can thoughtfully contribute.”

Sobeck said he had a great role model — his father — and he saw as a youth the strength of a nursing and business education.

“My dad started as a nurse and is now an administrator at a nursing home. When I’d go to work with my dad over the years, I remember hearing so many people tell me how much he’s helped them and how good of a man he is. That stayed with me and drives me a bit — I want to be a man like that,” he said. “My upbringing helped me see what I wanted to do. And earning my M.B.A. adds to my ability to provide people with the best care I can give and extends the reach I’ll be able to have.”

Commencement