Coweta County will soon have another educational opportunity for area residents. This time it will be Mercer University’s Professional Masters of Business Administration (PMBA), with classes to be held at the Coweta County Central Education Center in Newnan beginning in September. The announcement of Mercer’s new offering was made recently to the Coweta County Development Authority by university senior vice president Dr. Penny Elkins.
Elkins in describing the new PMBA program said it is designed for managers and professionals who want to obtain their MBA while continuing their careers. The PMBA also provides a venue for mid-career professionals to network and study in an interactive, experience-based setting, Elkins said.
The new program will be offered through the university’s Stetson School of Business and Economics.
Elkins said the new offering will continue to build on the university’s strong ties with the Coweta community.
The program will meet on alternate weekends with classes held on Friday evenings at 5 p.m. and all day Saturdays. Elkins said that schedule is intended to allow the busiest professional the opportunity to earn the degree without having to travel substantial distances.
Included in the program are four retreats geared to provide concentrated study on specific business topics. One of the retreats involves a week-long field residency.
Elkins said that unlike traditional MBA programs, the PMBA courses are integrated in thematically-based, cross-functional modules. The modules are designed to reflect how business decisions are made across functional departments and how various company departments intersect and work together.
As a result, participants gain the enhanced and broader perspective that is needed for today’s competitive business environment, Elkins said.
The Stetson School is accredited through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. According to Mercer, only 442 business school out of more than 1,500 in the United States have received the AACSBI accreditation. The Stetson School has also been recognized by the Princeton Review for the opportunities it offers to women in business and was recognized for its accounting and marketing components.
Applications for the new PMBA program that begins in September are currently being accepted. Admission requirements include a completed application, a personal statement, two professional references, an interview and a quantitative assessment. Those interested in applying should contact Mercer University Adult Admissions and Marketing Director Andrew Horn at 678-547-6206.
