In keeping with Fairfield University’s mission to help students turn strengths into careers, Fairfield Dolan has launched a new Master of Science in Management (MSM) program for non-business majors. The one-year, 30-credit program has been added to the School’s roster of nationally ranked graduate degree programs in response to growing demand from arts and sciences students who are seeking business skills and experience.

“The MSM program reflects a need for a mindset that is not inhibited by conventional templates,” said Carl Scheraga, PhD, professor of business strategy and technology management and chair of the Department of Management. “The program provides recent graduates who have studied, for example, film, television, and media arts, or engineering, with the opportunity to gain focused career development and fundamental business skills rooted in an entrepreneurial approach.”

There are two signature elements that distinguish the MSM program from others: the capstone entrepreneurship course and the global immersion experience. The capstone entrepreneurship course challenges students to become well-rounded leaders and resourceful innovators with a global awareness. The course emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship, whether students advance to run their own startup, or lead within a large corporation. Students develop a comprehensive business plan and conduct competitive market analysis, forecast sales and net revenues, devise a go-to-market strategy, and present their pitches to a panel.

The global immersion experience emphasizes the importance of managing across cultures and the need to understand the historical and socio-political context of today’s economy. Students will have the opportunity to study in Korea or Japan for a week during the spring semester, where they will experience cultural contrasts and the business practices of international companies as a means to expand their perspective and understanding of the global economy.

As a cohort program, candidates will progress through the MSM curriculum in a lockstep format, which allows students to develop strong bonds that translate to a professional network of colleagues after completing the program. Currently, the MSM is structured as a face-to-face, on-campus degree program with some hybrid and online courses. Non-business students will have access to structured career development resources through the Graduate Professional Development Series (PDS) Program. Through the PDS, professionals can make connections with nationally recognized companies and successful alumni, which can lead to top notch learning opportunities and lifelong connections. The MSM will launch May 2020 and Fairfield Dolan is currently accepting applications. To learn more, visit fairfield.edu/msm.