Executive MBA Programs Give Professionals a Tune Up on Business Knowledge

After being in business 25 years, most everything he learned in school had become obsolete. Paul Scioli, successful in financial planning, insurance, and employee benefits planning, already had his hands full with his career and family, but knew having an MBA would not only add value to his business, but bring him up to date on current trends and practices. Finding the time to fit schooling into his already busy life seemed daunting, until he found Texas Tech University's Rawls College Executive Master's of Business Administration programs. The Rawls College offers three unique programs - a week-block curriculum, weekend-block curriculum, and a physicians/dentists program. The college is taking applications now for the next cohorts of the three MBA programs. Working professionals, doctors and other healthcare professionals have the opportunity to earn their MBA in condensed programs, formatted to offer more flexibility for participants. Scioli, who enrolled in the week-block program because it worked best for scheduling his business and family activities around weeks he would be in the classroom, described the program as challenging, empowering and rewarding.  "I needed to reset my sights on my goals and objectives, and relearn how to think in this much faster-paced world. This MBA program has given me a whole new outlook." Jim Hoffman, director of the programs, said that in business it is critical to stay close to the customer, and be aware of the customer's needs. "Our customers are those working professionals who cannot leave their jobs to secure an MBA," said Hoffman. Hoffman said the Texas Tech curriculum is all about creating value. "We have a fantastic team of faculty tasked with teaching these professionals how to create and assess value on both an individual and organizationallevel," Hoffman said. "We want graduates of our program to be able to create value in others around them and in themselves, create value for their customers, and create overall value for their company or organization." Harvey Richey III, a faculty member in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo, and a physician in the military and in private practice for 20 years, chose Texas Tech's physician/dentist program to enhance his own knowledge and skills. Richey said the program emphasizes the things in which physicians don't get trained. "In medical school we're taught how to help people, but we are not taught how to make a living at it. I also have used some of the assigned projects in my work with medical students." Hoffman said because all the students work, they can apply the learned principles directly to the jobs they have, making them more valuable to their company or practice. "The program encourages students to come early to class, to have time to eat together, network, and exchange information. Comfortable chairs and delicious food - which are provided - are essential to that process. "They usually eat lunch together also, and, in the evenings we intentionally leave enough time for them to socialize and network after class," said Hoffman. Week-block classes meet in Lubbock during five one-week blocks spread over 27 months. Applications are currently being accepted for the class starting May 2010. Weekend-block classes meet in Lubbock one weekend a month spread over 28 months.  Applications are currently being accepted for the class starting fall 2009. The MBA for physicians/dentists is a fully accredited program that has been consistently ranked as a top 20 Physician MBA program by Modern Physician magazine. It consists of 36 semester hours of coursework that focus on the managerial, financial and technical aspects of competing successfully in today's turbulent healthcare environment.  The program takes 24 months to complete. The next class begins Aug. 29, and a new group of doctors start every other fall semester.   Find Texas Tech news, experts and story ideas at www.media.ttu.edu. CONTACT:Jim Hoffman, director, Rawls College executive MBA programs, (806) 928-1364 days; (806) 866-0763 evenings, or james.hoffman@ttu.edu.