Department of Graduate Business

Gatlin, Heinrich, Jackson, Ladner (department head), McCollum, Pierce, Reimer, Togami, Waldron, Walenciak

In every segment of society today there is a need for leaders who have relevant skills, high integrity, and strong character. The Graduate Business programs are designed to equip people to lead with excellence.

Master of Business Administration

The M.B.A. Program combines functional training in essential business skills with training in leadership, ethics, and global business. The M.B.A. degree can be taken on its own or paired with a concentration in International Business, Market Research and Consumer Insights, or Design Thinking and Innovation. These programs develop and prepare leaders from a broad range of undergraduate majors.

Master of Science in Leadership

The M.S. in Leadership Program combines organizational studies and strategic thinking with training in ethical leadership. The program integrates a body of knowledge infused with the core values of Christian faith and character that can be practically applied within organizations and communities in diverse contexts. The M.S. in Leadership can be accomplished in one to two years.

Master of Science in Design Thinking and Innovation

The M.S. in Design Thinking and Innovation is tailored to ideators, strategizers, investigators, self-starters, problem-solvers and make-it-up-as-you goers who desire to learn how to think their way from post-it notes and whiteboards to solving human-centric problems in unorthodox ways. Through this program, students develop critical thinking skills and a mind for innovation. Whether in engineering, product design, health care, psychology, or the arts, organizations need to know who their customer is. Design thinking has enabled the designer to become the agent of change in organizations and to act as a lever of transformation in a new way of working, enabling innovation in processes, products, services, communication, and business strategy. This concentration is also available as part of our MBA program.

Master of Science in Outdoor Program Management

Given the increasing complexity in the outdoor industry as camps are consolidating into larger organizations, outdoor pursuits are being used to enhance education, corporate training, and therapeutic treatment. The M.S. in Outdoor Program Management degree prepares students who see themselves moving toward an executive director or site manager role at some point in their career.

Designed with the working professional in mind, graduate business classes are available in various formats. Students may choose to study online, at one of our physical locations, or in some combination of the two. Most courses are eight weeks in duration. Other program enhancements include studies trips to China and Guatemala. Through our partnership with Milestone Leadership, students also have access to an executive-level leadership development program.

All undergraduate and graduate business degree programs of the Soderquist College of Business are accredited by or are candidates for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), http://acbsp.org, (913) 339-9356.

Earn a Second Master’s Degree in Business

A student who has completed either an M.B.A. or an M.S. at John Brown University can earn the other as a second degree by completing all degree requirements. An application for the second degree must be submitted and approved before any of the additional hours are taken.