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University of Colorado Business School to Ease Restriction on Some Classes

Posted on: Friday, 2 December 2005, 15:00 CST

By Brian Newsome, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Dec. 2--The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is changing the way it does business -- literally.

Beginning this spring, the business school will waive a key admission requirement to its graduate program that will allow people to take some classes without pursuing a master's of business administration.

For years, UCCS has offered certificates in certain subject areas within the MBA program. The certificates are awarded after students complete a set of courses in one area, similar to undergraduate majors and minors. Now prospective students will no longer have to take the GMAT, the standard MBA entrance exam, to enroll in those courses.

Business-school officials are quick to point out that the courses won't become easier, and admitted students won't be allowed to dilute the quality of the program. Students cannot obtain an MBA by piecing together these classes.

"We're not changing the bar," said Ben Martz, chair of the graduate committee and a professor of information systems. "The class is going to be taught as a graduate-level class, and it's going to be taught at the same level that it's always been taught at."

Venkat Reddy, dean of the UCCS College of Business and Administration, said relaxing the admissions exam will be a test. If the school admits too many unprepared students, the GMAT requirement could be reinstated.

He doesn't expect that to happen. Instead, Reddy says he thinks the change will bring new talent to the program and meet the changing needs of the business world.

There are experienced business people with undergraduate degrees who are interested in continuing their education but unsure of whether they have what it takes to earn an MBA or pass the GMAT, he said. Allowing them to sample some courses will build their confidence and encourage them to later take the GMAT and pursue the degree, the thinking goes. In class, those people can share their real-world experiences and bring something to the other students.

"Why keep these talented people out of the college?" Reddy asked. "I think we are keeping some valuable experiences out of the business school when we are not a little flexible about it."

Other prospective students may not need an MBA but could stand to advance their education in a particular subject.

The days of earning an undergraduate degree and staying in one job for life are gone, Reddy and Martz said. Many people will change jobs 10 to 15 times in their careers, Reddy said. Factors such as downsizing force employees to take on additional responsibilities. A seasoned businessperson may take on a new management role, for example, that requires more duties in finance or administration. He or she could earn a certificate in that area by taking four to six courses.

The business school will look at applicants' resumes when considering them for admission. Undergraduate degrees are required, and cumulative GPAs and work experience will be considered.

"I don't think we're going to have a mad influx of students that are really unqualified," Martz said.

Chris Hufman is a vice president for T. Rowe Price and general manager for the investment-management company's Colorado Springs operations, which employs about 500 people. His company's tuition-reimbursement program wouldn't cover courses or certificates that are not on track for a degree, he said. Still, the increased access to the graduate school could be an opportunity for "people to get a taste of" the MBA program, he said.

More than 200 students are enrolled in the university's MBA program, and school officials said they will still constitute the majority of students in certificate classes.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo.

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Source: The Gazette

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