Carson Online Business Programs: A Front-Runner in Global Education Delivery for Ten+ Years
Dean Chip Hunter led an aggressive strategic planning exercise upon his arrival in 2015 with the intent to become the “model business school for tomorrow’s land-grant university.” Germane to that aspiration are the online business programs the WSU Carson College of Business offers to students across the world.
Among the five online undergraduate degree programs and two MBA programs (OMBA, EMBA) the college enrolled over 1,100 MBA students and 1,400 undergraduates in 2019-2020 as of this writing. Over the last five years, the college has graduated over 2,600 students from online programs.
As we work to serve the business communities of Washington state and beyond with high quality, affordable business education, the college’s online MBA programs are making tremendous impact. COVID-19 has produced a variety of challenges for many business schools across the country. Our early entry into the online environment equipped the college to successfully support students in their academic pursuits beginning spring semester 2020.
You can read stories about our recent students’ experiences in the following features:
MBA Opens Doors for Nontraditional Couple with Passion for Family, Education, and Careers
Executive MBA Affords Bradley Hof New Opportunities
Ted Nolan Applies MBA Skills in Health Care Career During Covid-19
Career Resources Help Carson Veteran Students Reach New Professional Milestones
Providing Better Student and Program Experiences
While MBA programs across the country are wondering how to continue to reach students, the college has been a front-runner in offering an entirely online program reaching students on a global scale for over ten years. Having been involved in that endeavor from the very start, I can speak to several key milestones and accomplishments.
First, we have listened to the market. Our students and corporate partners have recognized the need for program development that enables them to access content and connect with our outstanding faculty in a way that is efficient, affordable, and sustainable. We have created shorter courses, with access to concentrated information rather than diffusing students’ focus across multiple topics while they are managing their busy lives.
Second, our faculty have risen to the opportunity. They have thought creatively about how the subject matter in which they are experts can be presented to a working, adult audience. Teaching approaches help students apply what they learn to their day-today work experiences to cement learning and create value within their companies.
Third, our faculty and staff have created an environment online where students can form meaningful relationships with the faculty and one another so they can remain connected as Carson Cougs and WSU alumni long after they complete their degree program. The stories I hear about students becoming members of one another’s families or helping each other to find the next best career opportunity are heartwarming and rewarding.
Our students, the people who choose to invest in an education from the college, never cease to amaze me with their intellect, drive, and the ways in which they contribute to their communities. Please check out our alumni stories to see for yourself a small sample of how terrific these students are!
WSU Global Campus Alumnus Serves in Pullman City Government
Army Vet Taps WSU’s Executive MBA Program to Grow International Ventures
Go Cougs!
Cheryl Oliver
Associate Dean, Professional Programs