Like business itself, business students need to be nimble to thrive in today's ever-changing marketplace. That's why DePaul University's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business offers students the opportunity to customize their MBA programs to gain a competitive edge.
The DePaul Custom MBA concentration gives students the flexibility to design an MBA program to fit their unique career goals. After finishing the program's core classes, students in this concentration can combine any four electives to complete their MBA degrees. The electives include classes in a variety of business disciplines, as well as approved courses offered by DePaul’s other colleges and schools.
The Custom MBA concentration is particularly appealing for professionals in careers that require a wide range of capabilities, says Dan Heiser, chair of DePaul's Department of Management.
"Many of today's careers require an interdisciplinary skill set," Heiser says. "The Custom MBA concentration allows motivated students to work with their Kellstadt advisors to tailor a unique program to meet their specific professional goals. It empowers students in fast-paced, dynamic industries to leap ahead by developing the capabilities needed in emerging sectors."
Heiser says examples include students who are managers in the health care sector or sustainability field. "These students can combine DePaul business, science, technology and liberal arts electives that focus on the specific skill sets needed for these career paths."
Assistant Dean Christa Hinton, director of the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, also recommends the Custom MBA choice for students who want to advance as consultants, project managers and business analysts. "The genius of the Custom MBA concentration lies in its ability to enable students to marry their passions with their career goals," Hinton says. "It is truly a choice for those students who want to forge their own unique path."
Electives That Fit Your Career Interest
Pallavi Jain (BUS MS '11) says she returned to DePaul to pursue a Custom MBA concentration because it gives her the flexibility to choose classes that provide the right skills and knowledge to advance her career as an analyst at a management consulting firm.
"After completing my MS in Finance from DePaul University, I began my career in analytics, a field which requires interdisciplinary business knowledge and skill," says Jain, a manager at Mu Sigma Inc. "DePaul's Custom MBA program equips me with the ability to select courses of my interest, to understand interconnections between different business functions, and gives me a holistic picture of business.
"I chose this program because of its flexibility, mirroring today's world," she says. "Everything is integrated, and learning does not happen in silos."
Learn more about the DePaul Custom MBA concentration.