The College of Business has created a new master program that allows non-business majors to earn a business master degree in one year after obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

The program, called the Master of Management Practice, helps give students primary business skills to compete in the job market and accelerate a career path that might involve project management, teamwork, financial or functional management.

“There is a growing need for focused business education and specialized management skills for non-business majors,” said John Hoxmeier, associate dean of graduate programs in the College of Business. “Managing multiple projects with virtual teams, designing new global business processes and understanding the complicated buyer/supplier relationship have forced organizations to evaluate their personnel and training procedures.”

Classes begin this fall for the 30-credit program.

Jennifer Workman, a technical journalism senior at Colorado State University, has applied for entry into the inaugural class of the new business program. The 22-year-old student from Masonville wants to pursue a marketing and communications career.

“I like that the program builds off of my business minor and allows me to attain a master’s degree in one year,” said Workman. “I will receive a solid educational base in business management that is attractive to employers, that I know will be of use no matter what career path I take. The courses in the degree program are versatile and can apply to almost any job setting.”

Students can design their own emphasis in the program by adding selected non-business graduate courses to the core business curriculum. Students who have or are graduating with a Business minor or equivalent will have priority in the limited enrollment program.

“I am strongly considering this program because management skills are a vital part of any industry and the MMP is an excellent opportunity to acquire those skills at a graduate level,” said Matt Senderhauf, a senior studying landscape horticulture. “To an extent, it allows us to customize the program to our undergraduate degrees opening the door wide open for various career opportunities.”

The skill set required for technical and scientific workers has changed dramatically, which has led to the introduction of specialized degree programs and changes to the traditional MBA, Hoxmeier said.

“Professional Master’s Programs that do not have a traditional thesis requirement are expanding rapidly,” he said.

The College of Business at Colorado State consistently ranks among the top business schools in the country. In February, Business Week magazine ranked the college as one of the top undergraduate business programs. The Princeton Review, a New York-based education services company, consistently names the college’s MBA program one of the best in the nation. The college has earned kudos for having one of the top 10 best administered programs three years in a row.

For information on the MMP Program, please contact Tonja Rosales at (970) 491-4661 or visit the website at www.csummp.com.