Clarion University to Launch Bachelor’s-to-MBA Degree Program

Starting in fall 2013, Clarion University students can choose to embark on an academic path that will grant them both a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration in just five years.

Students in the bachelor’s-to-MBA program with either business or non-business academic interests – including chemistry, communications, computer information systems, history, modern languages, psychology, theatre and more – will be able to obtain both an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in their chosen field, and an MBA.

The bachelor’s-to-MBA curriculum is designed for the serious, focused student, said Dr. Ron Nowaczyk, Clarion University provost. Ideally, the student begins the program freshman year.

“We will be intentionally combining discipline-specific material and business applications in courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” he said. “Many of the undergraduate courses will not focus just on the discipline, but how it would be reflected in the business world. Business courses will include case studies specific to the discipline.”

A communications major, for example, might address the fact that traditional magazines are no longer surviving and ask, “What’s the current business model for communication and news?”

The experience and success of Dustin McElhattan (BS in molecular biology/biotechnology ’09 and MBA ’11) supports the Clarion model. McElhattan blazed his own career path with a bachelor’s degree in science followed by the MBA. Today, he is the associate product manager for a private biotech company, Clarion Research Group, where he manages the Hormonal Clarity Diagnostics unit that provides client clinical test results to physicians.

Clarion believes flexibility and breadth of knowledge are needed in today’s competitive world. The knowledge and skills gained from a substantive undergraduate discipline, when integrated with the graduate MBA degree, will make these graduates unique and very marketable in today’s workforce.

“We recognize that for many careers, a bachelor’s degree is no longer sufficient – you need a master’s to go with it,” Nowaczyk said. “When taking a content area that’s non-business and combining it with an MBA, it creates an individual who stands out in the job field. Companies are looking for individuals who are flexible and who are broadly educated.”

Like many programs at Clarion, the bachelor’s-to-MBA program will combine classroom education with real-world experience. Students will meet and learn from professionals, visit companies and organizations and be encouraged to complete internships, all directly applicable to their academic and career fields.

Students who meet the MBA admission requirements will not have to apply for admission into the graduate school.

Clarion University College of Business Administration and its programs are fully accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. The MBA program was recently recognized as a “top 20 best buy” by geteducated.com.

For more information regarding Clarion University’s bachelor’s-to-MBA program, contact the Office of Admissions at 800-672-7171, ext. 1, or admissions@clarion.edu.

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