Revamped evening MBA program gets global infusion

An intensive program review and student surveys have prompted major curriculum revisions in the Evening MBA program (EvMBA) at the School of Business.

Starting this fall, incoming students will experience a new program, streamlined and geared more toward international perspectives and concerns, says Linda Uitvlugt, director of operations for the program.

A major addition is an international trip in the second year of the three-year program. Uitvlugt says UW–Madison is the only Evening MBA program in the area to offer a trip abroad as part of its curriculum.

“MBA students are increasingly interested in the international aspects of any business program offered,” Uitvlugt says. “Since studying abroad is a signature experience for many programs on campus, it seemed natural to add it to the Evening MBA curriculum.”

The School of Business is putting increased emphasis on international experience. The new emphasis in the executive education arena is to provide exposure to other cultures and business environments. The school’s Executive MBA (EMBA) includes an international study trip in its curriculum. EMBA students recently returned from a trip to Brazil and Argentina, led by Associate Professor Mason Carpenter.

Adds Michael Knetter, dean of the School of Business: “We wanted to distinguish our program by offering this international component, which we feel is essential for anyone who seeks a leadership post in today’s business world.”

Other changes in the Evening MBA curriculum reflect the climate at the School of Business, which launched a major revision of its full-time MBA program this year along with a $40 million MBA addition to Grainger Hall. This fall, students in the program will see expanded coverage of economics and data analysis and the introduction of a forum for executive speakers led by Knetter and other faculty.

UW–Madison’s Evening MBA is a three-year program in which students attend classes two evenings a week for three years. More than 100 students are enrolled in the program. Designed to meet the needs of working professionals without interrupting their careers, many of the program’s graduates are managers and executives in the Madison and Milwaukee area.

For information on the Evening MBA program, visit: http://www.bus.wisc.edu/evemba.