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With years of industry experience that bolster their teachings and academic research, WP business professors bring real-life to our Pioneers’ studies. Here are just a few members of our Powerhouse team. Pictured from left: Professors Chuanqian Zhang, Ge Zhang, Rajiv Kashyap, Alexandros Panayides, Stephen Betts, Shan Feng, and Ike Ndu.
Flexible scheduling options and innovative degree concentrations have fueled William Paterson University’s MBA enrollment growth by 75 percent in the past four years. With more than 670 students today, it is now the fastest growing MBA program in New Jersey.
The rapid expansion began in 2020 with the launch of WP Online, the University’s 100 percent online degree suite created with working professionals in mind, offering rolling start dates and two accelerated, 7-week sessions each semester.
Dean Anthony “Tony” Bowrin
“Our momentum is attracting great attention from prospective students, and we subsequently have high hopes that William Paterson will someday be home to the largest MBA program at any college or university in New Jersey,” says Joshua Powers, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
“Today’s students are mostly working adults, and they are coming to us to advance or change their careers knowing that we will support their ability to balance graduate studies, career, and family commitments,” adds Anthony “Tony” Bowrin, dean of WP’s Cotsakos College of Business.
Changing landscape
One of the most popular MBA concentrations at WP today is human resource management.
The business of doing business post-COVID has changed at almost every organization, Dean Bowrin points out. “We are in a new work environment with fully remote employees, partially remote employees, and changed employee preferences,” he says. What does that mean? Big opportunities in human resources, as organizations work to pivot their practices, policies, and benefits.
The MBA concentration in healthcare management is similarly gaining popularity post-COVID, particularly from seasoned frontline workers, mid-level managers, and corporate executives looking for newer, bigger roles in their very dynamic industry.
Another sign of the times is the new MBA track in applied business analytics, which includes coursework in artificial intelligence and just received designation as a STEM degree from State officials.
“Most organizations are increasingly understanding the importance of being evidenced based in their decision making, and in order to be evidenced based in decision making, you need to know how to analyze the large volume of data available in today’s technological age,” Dean Bowrin explains. “We are training people to look at different slices of data with business questions in mind, such as whether a particular marketing strategy is working. If you can learn how to do that in a mid-level career, you set yourself up for advancement.”
Associate Dean Martin Gritsch
Online classes are taught by the same faculty teaching on-campus classes, and dedicated MBA advisors customize their guidance for adult students with busy lives who need personalized advice and direction, says Martin Gritsch, associate dean of the Cotsakos College of Business. This is important for both online and on-campus students.
Campus community
Students who desire a traditional on-campus experience for their MBA can still find a home at WP with seven-week semesters that mirror the flexibility of the online program. Consistent with national trends, most MBA students prefer the shorter term, according to Gritsch.
“For working professionals, if they have a big project coming up or business trips to consider, they can more conveniently schedule a 7-week course between those obligations,” he adds.
The on-campus MBA program is expected to see an enrollment growth in the coming years, too, both from international students—a population that has grown by 25 percent at WP overall—and from customized programs designed to fit the needs of area corporations’ employees.
To learn more about our MBA programs, visit us online.
