Ottawa University is offering a new degree program in its Adult Professional & Graduate Studies (APGS) division. The Strategic Business Administration (SBA) degree was developed to address growing employer demand for graduates from business administration programs to possess essential work skills and employment readiness.
Dr. Eric Koch, interim dean of APGS, said the goal of the SBA is to improve the marketability and overall employability of adult students. Furthermore, he said the new degree program will provide adult learners the opportunity to enhance their current business skills beyond technical proficiency and job-specific knowledge, and will strategically focus more on interpersonal skills that are less quantifiable in nature.
“The SBA degree emphasizes practical skills, such as written and verbal communication and data analysis and problem solving, with the relevance of critical thinking,” Koch said. “This new degree also focuses strongly on the ethical manager, leadership, teamwork and collaboration, along with the important use of technology within a business setting.”
Adult students who enroll in OU’s SBA will increase their understanding of various business functions and how they connect, while engaging in a specific concentration to further augment their management competencies.
“Students will develop practical managerial and communication skills, and the decision-making capability necessary to compete in today’s challenging business environment,” Koch said.
Requirements for enrollment in the BA in Strategic Business Administration degree are two to three years of full-time work experience, a professional resume and a personal essay. The online program consists of 30 credit hours with eight major courses, and provides a more clarified and simplified path to the MBA.