Shannon School of Business
PROPOSAL
For Continued Delivery of
Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development
degree program in Saskatchewan
Hosted at Great Plains College, Warman campus
PHASE A - SYSTEM COORDINATION REVIEW
April 2019
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PROGRAM DETAIL Program Structure………………………………………………………………………………….2 Program Features………………………………………………………………………………….6 Course Descriptions …………………………………………………………………………….8 Learning Outcomes……………………………………………………………………………….12 Regulation and Accreditation …………………………………………………………………...18 Prior Assessments………………………………………………………………………………..18
2. BENEFITS TO SASKATCHEWAN LEARNERS AND THE SASKATCHEWAN POST- SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM……………………………………………………………………..20
3. ADVANCEMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN’s ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PRIORITIES…………...26 Mandate……………………………………………………………………………………………27 Connection to CBU’s plans………………………………………………………………………27 Expertise and Capacity…………………………………………………………………………..27
4. ALIGNMENT WITH CBU’s MANDATE, MISSION, and STRATEGIC PLAN ………………………27 Program’s Impact on Existing Programs at CBU……………………………………………..32 Approval Process followed………………………………………………………………………32
5. PROGRAM MARKETABILITY and GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY…………………………………33
6. FISCAL PLAN……………………………………………………………………………………………..38
APPENDIX……………………………………………………………………………………………………40
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 2
1. PROGRAM DETAILS
a) Program: Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development (MBA in CED)
The MBA in CED is a program of the Shannon School of Business at Cape Breton University. The MBA in CED is offered on CBU’s campus in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and it also offered in select cities in Canada on a part-time basis. In Saskatchewan, it is hosted by Great Plains College, Warman campus. b) Period of Study: 48 credit hours (16 courses, including the Applied Research project) 24 months for the part-time, weekend-format Warman program 12 months for the full-time program offered on Sydney NS campus c) Maximum capacity: 415 students in total, 25 in the SK cohort d) Minimum Viable Enrolment for SK program: 10 students e) Annual Tuition per Student: $15,008 (7 x $2,144 per course), subject to a modest 2- 3% annual increase as per CBU’s budget process. Students register and pay one course at a time: they do not need to register for a full year course load. f) Expected Enrolment: 15 students g) Total full-load equivalent: 10 three-credit courses h) Anticipated Number of Graduates per Year: 7
i) PROGRAM STRUCTURE
The MBA in CED curriculum provides advanced competencies in both business and in community economic development. The program emphasis is on integrative thinking and skills; it includes all core courses typically found in general MBA programs, and adds advanced content in community economic development.
A reinvention of the traditional MBA, the MBA in CED program was launched to bridge business, society, and development, and provide managers with the leadership skills they need to make an impact in their organizations and communities. The program takes a holistic, multi-disciplinary, research-based approach towards business and economic development and resonates with people who wish to make a difference. The community dimension is present in every course within the program. Specialty options include First Nations, Strategic Leadership, Public Policy, Peace-building, and International Business.
Students are required to complete 15 half courses (45 credits) and an Applied Research Project (3 credits) under the supervision of two faculty advisors, for a total of 48 credits. Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 3 Thirteen (13) of the 15 courses are mandatory/core and 2 courses are electives. The electives and the Applied Research Project enable learners to focus their degree in a topical Option. A summary of program requirements follows:
# Courses # Credits Core : Business Foundation 4 12 Integrative Skills 5 15 Economic Development 4 12
Electives: 2 6
Capstone: Applied Research Project 1 3 16 48
Specialization (Option):
Several general electives are offered, however, the majority of electives are coupled within certain topical areas. Students pursing and MBA in CED are able to specialize in a topical Option such as Strategic Leadership, First Nations, International Business, Peace-Building, Public Administration, Marketing, Sustainability, and Tourism. The Applied Research Project would build on coupled electives within the Option.
Construct of Core Curriculum (13 courses, 39 credits):
Business Foundation Courses
All MBA programs are expected to include a business foundation that consists of at least one course from each of the four business disciplines of Accounting, Marketing, Finance, and Organizational Behavior. The CBU MBA in CED has the following four (4) foundation business courses in its core curriculum:
MBAC 5103 Fundamentals of Accounting MBAC 5104 Fundamentals of Marketing MBAC 5105 Organizational Behaviour MBAC 6103 Fundamentals of Finance
Integrative Skills Courses
MBA programs have placed an emphasis on strategy and encourage the development of leaders with a broad view. In the MBA in CED these competencies are honed in courses that require assimilation and integration of the skills gained from both business and community development in order to solve bigger, organization-wide or community-wide issues. These courses typically require a ‘synthesis’ type of deliverable, like a business plan, a strategic plan, or a research proposal, and they also utilize case studies; they are the ‘hallmark’ MBA courses. CBU’s five (5) core integrative skills core courses are:
MBAC 6106 Leadership Training MBAC 6118 Fundamentals of Venture Analysis Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 4 MBAC 6121 Applied Research Methods MBAC 6124 International Business MBAC 6125 Strategic Management
Economic Development courses
Most specialized MBA programs include 4-6 courses that give the program emphasis on a ‘major-like’ theme. CBU MBA’s theme is Community Economic Development and the 4 courses are:
MBAC 5101 Business and Community Development I MBAC 5107 Economic Geography MBAC 6101 Business and Community Development II MBAC 6107 Comparative Development
Construct of Elective Curriculum (2 courses, 6 credits):
Students pursuing a general MBA in CED have the choice of selecting two courses from a set of general electives or they can mix and match general electives and electives specific to areas of specialization.
Students pursuing an Option in the MBA in CED are required to choose pre-selected electives offered within the area of specialization. The Applied Research Project would then build on the pre-selected electives to achieve an Option in the specialized area.
Elective courses
MBAC6204 Communication and Social Change MBAC6208 Information and Communication Technology and ED MBAC6214 Social Entrepreneurship MBAC6221 Public Policy MBAC6223 Government, Business and Third Sector Relations MBAC6227 Environment, Energy, & the Economy: Strategies for Sustainable Futures MBAC6229 Sustainability Marketing MBAC6231 Marketing Strategy
Options
Strategic Leadership Option:
The most popular Option for off-site Cohorts, with the following two electives:
MBAC6219 Social Dynamics of Leadership MBAC6233 Contemporary Issues: Change Management and Governance
First Nations Option:
The First Nations Option is a natural outgrowth of Cape Breton University’s already extensive Mi’kmaq Studies program, and it is well received by aboriginal and non-aboriginal learners Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 5 throughout Canada. Five aboriginal students have graduated with the MBA in CED, First Nations Option to date. The electives are:
MBAC6209 Land Claims, Self-Government and CED MBAC6211 The Dynamics of Community Economic Development in First Nations
International Business Option:
Developed in consideration of the interests of our international students, and increasingly favored by Canadian students.
MBAC6228 International Marketing MBAC6226 International Finance
Peace-Building, Reconstruction and Good-Governance Option:
One of the MBA in CED program’s strengths is its strategic partnerships. In collaboration with the Canadian Defense Academy, Department of National Defense, the Peace-Building & Reconstruction Option was designed for personnel involved in planning and implementing post-conflict resolution and restoration activities. The two electives are:
MBAC6215 Emergency Management MBAC6217 Conflict Resolution and Community Reconstruction
Capstone Activity (3 credits)
MBA programs have a final requirement that is generally either a comprehensive set of examinations or a project. The MBA in CED program has the requirement of a research project, the Applied Research Project (ARP).
MBAC 6121 Applied Research Methods, the last core course in the cohort schedule, prepares the students for their ARP. The deliverable of MBAC 6121 is the research proposal for the ARP. The ARP approaches a problem in a holistic, multidisciplinary manner and must meet the highest academic standards. The Applied Research Project forces students to learn how to ask their own questions in a topic of their interest: learn to develop a thesis, frame the research question, conduct literature review and develop the theoretical framework, adopt the appropriate methodology, carry out the research, analyze the results, and summarize conclusions.
MBAC 6801 Applied Research Project (ARP) is a 3-credit course and must be completed within one academic year. The research project provides another avenue for learners to gain deep insights in an area of interest and it can become the means of improving their knowledge in a specialization that will advance their career, their organization, and/or the community. Two advisors drawn from different disciplines are assigned to each student and serve in an academic advisory capacity during the development and completion of the research project. The primary advisor ideally is an expert in methodology and the secondary advisor is an expert in the topic.
Several steps are required to ensure consistency and that the ARP meets the highest academic standards: the ARP proposal must be approved by the Director prior to the assigning of advisors, Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 6 an ethics application must be signed by the primary advisor and submitted and approved by CBU’s Research Ethics Board before research begins, and the final product, including cited resources, must be submitted to, reviewed, and approved by the advisors and the Director.
ARP Assistance – ARP Boot-Camp (Post-Core)
A set of complementary workshops (ARP Boot-Camp) are offered at the end of the program, on alternate Saturdays over 16 weeks. This is in addition to the core applied research methodology course that precedes the start of the ARP project. The goal of the ARP Boot- Camp is to provide some structure to what is essentially a self-directed project; to provide immediate feedback to encourage the completion of a ARP draft. The workshops are led by a professor with research experience and a passion for supervising student research. The completion of an ARP draft will provide a launching pad from which the student can work with his/her primary and secondary advisor, to ensure that the ARP is completed in a timely manner.
PROGRAM FEATURES
Multidisciplinary: Curriculum and faculty come from Business and Social Sciences. Curriculum includes courses in general business, leadership, venture analysis, research methods, community economic development, and economic geography. Faculty comes from different disciplines; from social sciences, business, engineering, and arts
Community in the program core: All courses are delivered in the context of the community and the world, in addition to the four Development courses. Even the business foundation courses are delivered under the community lens. For example, the core Marketing course (MBAC5104) uses the best-selling MBA Marketing textbook (Kotler and Keller) but it also covers social marketing, macro-marketing, and social responsibility with content from journal articles and it uses case studies on government and Third Sector organizations.
First Nations Specialization Option: The model of community-based economic development is very compatible with indigenous value systems and the MBA in CED has attracted quite a few indigenous students over the years. The MBA in CED program has a First Nations Specialization Option since the program started in 1997, with two designated electives. We had more than 15 First Nations students graduating with their MBA in CED so far, including the first ever Denesuline person graduating with a Master's degree.
The First Nations Option of the MBA in CED is also recognized by CANDO (Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers) and graduates are granted the CANDO Technician Level certification. There is no other program accredited by CANDO in SK.
Work-friendly scheduling: The program was structured for working adults from its conception, and CBU has been sensitive to tailoring the program around typical work Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 7 schedule: students are not forced to put their career on hold while pursuing a career relevant degree. CBU offers a short-residency program in its Sydney campus in the month of July, and it also offers all core courses on alternate weekends in select cities, like Toronto, Kingston, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Whitehorse. This is unique for a program that is not an Executive one.
The weekend delivery format allows Ontario students to complete their MBA in CED over 24 months while they are working, by attending classes on alternate weekends at the local community college campus: Centennial College in Scarborough, St Lawrence College in Kingston, or Sault College in Sault Ste Marie.
Diverse: The MBA in CED program attracts a large number of women, aboriginals, immigrants, and non-business grads.
The majority of MBA in CED students are females, unlike the male-dominated mainstream MBA programs.
MBA in CED cohorts in Saskatoon, Edmonton, Whitehorse, and Northern Ontario attract aboriginal students and the Toronto and Edmonton cohorts attract quite a few immigrants as well.
More than 80% of the MBA in CED students do not hold an undergraduate degree in Business; they typically hold undergraduate degrees in the social sciences, healthcare, engineering, or education and this diversity adds to an intense and rich learning classroom experience. We have integrated a Pre-Core Program in the paced format schedule, to help prepare non-business students for the MBA coursework.
Research focus: Since successful proposals and programming in the public sector and in the Third Sector are based on good research, CBU’s MBA program includes an Applier Research Methods course in its core and it requires the completion of an Applied Research Project. This research component has enabled our students to successfully compete for the coveted $17.5K SSHRC Canada Graduate Studies scholarships and 11 of our students were successful in winning them to-date; including 2 Ontario students and 2 First Nations students. We are not aware of any other MBA program in Ontario that has had SSHRC student scholarships.
Our home location in Cape Breton island, a struggling but determined region, provides us with a unique perspective. Our curriculum reflects an awareness of the pressing need to build on community strengths and leverage these strengths and engage globally. We are building our programs on our deep community roots and our curriculum has been well received in many different parts of Canada. We have successfully delivered more than 30 cohorts outside of Nova Scotia.
Program Format
The Saskatchewan MBA in CED program is cohort based, similar to our Alberta, Yukon, and Ontario programs. Students normally will enroll for three 3-credit courses in the fall semester and for four courses in the Winter/Spring semester; classes are scheduled on alternate Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 8 weekends, delivered on site in Warman. The weekend-delivery format of the MBA in CED program was developed to provide a flexible schedule to accommodate the majority of students who continue to work while taking the program.
The program format schedules the 15 courses over 22 months and the Applied Research Project (ARP/capstone activity) is typically completed within 6-12 months. Some part-time students have succeeded in completing the program and graduating in 18 months by taking some courses during the July residential program onsite in Cape Breton; others take longer to complete their capstone activity and graduate, but since we have started using the ARP ‘boot-camp’ sessions in Warman, we have noticed that 60% of the cohort completes the program within 24 months.
Although offered in week-end format courses meet the 30+ in-class contact hour requirement of a traditional degree program. Instead of completing a 2 hour and 45 minutes’ lecture per week with weekly assignments over 12 weeks within a semester, CBU’s week-end delivery modules places contact time upfront followed by home study for a period of 8-10 weeks re completion of course deliverables.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: All courses are 3-credits each
CORE COURSES:
MBAC 5101 Business and Community Development I Provides the theoretical and philosophical foundations of community economic development, identifying business as a way of achieving an enhanced quality of community life. Students are introduced to the language and concept of “Third Sector” structures such as civil society organizations, community development corporations, worker owned ventures, co-operatives, and social enterprises.
MBAC 5103 Fundamentals of Accounting, with Applications to CED A combination of financial and managerial accounting themes with added content for those working in a the public and Third sectors. This course provides students with a general understanding of financial statements with a focus on the analytical techniques used to process financial information by various user groups and a study of accounting information systems. Topics include financial statement analysis, budgeting, performance measures and management accounting for problem solving and decision making.
MBAC 5104 Fundamentals of Marketing, with Applications to CED The purpose of this course is to present the marketing dimensions as they apply to private, public and third sector organizations. It deals with both the strategic and tactical approaches to influencing behavior in a wide range of key target markets, such as customers, funding sources, volunteers, the media and the organization’s own staff. The community venture will be examined through the basic concept of the marketing mix.
MBAC 5105 Organizational Behaviour The course presents the history, theory, models, and research in several topics in organization behavior and organization design, including strategic human resource planning. Class discussions, exercises, and cases will be used to reinforce concepts and improve skills required in managing and motivating people.
MBAC 5107 Economic Geography Introduces students to the analytic tools that economic geographers use to measure and compare spatial variations in economic growth. The course describes the dominant economic mechanisms and processes of uneven development that produce global cities, peripheral regions and regional economies. Students will employ this background to study the attributes of their community and to assess its potential for economic growth.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 9 MBAC 6101 Business and Community Development II Pre-requisite: MBAC 5101 This practical course will explore the relationship of business with the community, and the challenges and issues surrounding community-based business institutions. This topic will be explored through the assigned readings, case studies and class discussion. The course will seek to draw from theories of CED and the social economy and compare them to examples of how community business and CED gets implemented.
MBAC 6103 Fundamentals of Finance, with Applications to CED Pre-requisite: MBAC 5103 Provides students with a comprehensive body of knowledge concerning management of the firm’s financial affairs. The course covers financial analysis and planning, valuation of assets, long-term capital budgeting and capital structure decisions, short term investment and financing decisions, and tax principles influencing the organization’s finance and investment decisions.
MBAC 6106 Leadership Training & CED Pre-requisite: MBAC 5105 The course uses a combination of lectures, discussions, cases and presentations to focus on leadership training techniques. It covers major issues in leadership, and presents practical techniques for implementation. Learners will be able to analyze typical leadership problems and develop options for solutions, including means for conflict resolution and mediation. Emphasis is placed on cultural and political differences in the conduct of community organization and leadership training, and their effect on outcomes.
MBAC 6107 Comparative Development This course employs a comparative approach in the assessment of alternative development philosophies in both the North and South, especially those which attempt to define a sustainable community. It examines the influence of natural resources and governance on development, it synthesizes concepts of development, and it examines strategies used to formulate action plans to achieve sustainability in communities. Learners will become skilled on thinking globally and acting locally, and on using qualitative and quantitative indicators of sustainability.
MBAC 6118 Fundamentals of Venture Analysis Pre-requisites: MBAC 5103, 5104 The course provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge acquired in prior experience and other business courses, in planning and developing a business venture. Students who complete this course will have a sound understanding of the process of developing a business plan, and will be able to evaluate business plans. The course will also attempt to explore the differences between traditional business practice and community economic development.
MBAC 6121 Applied Research Methods This survey course will provide students with an understanding of varying approaches to applied research, including qualitative, quantitative, and ethnographic methods. Learners will be required to analyze critically the strengths and weaknesses of the methods. Participants will be encouraged to prepare their proposal for their Applied Research Project and identify research methods appropriate to their capstone research project.
MBAC 6124 International Business Pre-requisites: 5103, 5104, 5105 This course focuses on the issues raised by doing business internationally. It examines the economic and financial environment, institutions and markets, and interrelationships of principal trade centers. It also discusses trade issues and strategic international management issues. The course is integrated across business functional areas.
MBAC 6125 Strategic Management Pre-requisites: MBAC 6124 A capstone course that introduces students to the basic concepts and methodologies used in crafting and executing business strategy. The course provides the student with the opportunity to apply knowledge garnered in previous courses and integrate it. The course will use the case method extensively and will focus on strategic decision making in the CED context.
MBAC 6801 Applied Research Project Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 10 Pre-requisites: MBAC 6121 The research project will approach a socio-economic problem in a holistic, multidisciplinary manner and will meet the high academic standards expected for an applied research thesis. Students will ground their research in an existing or planned initiative. A two-person supervisory committee, drawn from different disciplines, will oversee the preparation of the final document. There is no residency requirement for the research project, which will be completed off site. The research project must be completed within one calendar year.
ELECTIVE COURSES
MBAC 6204 Communication and Social Change The ideologies and conditions of the pre-modern, modern, and postmodern worlds through their manifestations in cultural and technological artifacts.
MBAC 6208 Information & Communication Technology and Economic Development This course focuses on the use of information technology in organizations and communities. It examines how organizations can use information technology as a tool to improve their effectiveness, enhance their competitive advantages, and help transform the economy.
MBAC 6209 Land Claims, Self-Government and Planning for Community Economic Development in First Nations Communities Provides an overview of the ever-changing environment in the political economy of First Nations communities in Canada. Models and cases of land claims and self-government are explored with an emphasis on issues relevant to long-range planning and policy- making for community economic development.
MBAC 6211 The Dynamics of Community Economic Development in Urban and Rural First Nations Communities A comparative course which analyses the social and economic conditions that distinguish urban and rural First Nation communities. Students discuss the different strategic approaches to community economic development that could be used in each case
MBAC 6214 Social Entrepreneurship Prerequisite: MBAC 5101 Social entrepreneurship refers to initiatives by citizens and community groups to respond to social needs. Social enterprises are blurring the lines between the sectors, taking for-profit, non-profit, and hybrid forms of organization. The objective of this course is to introduce students to the concepts, practices, and challenges of social entrepreneurship. Students will learn from examples of regional experiences and from case studies that illustrate the application of business skills in the social sector. The course discusses the impact of trust and social capital in communities, and the use of the Balanced Scorecard to strengthen the management of the enterprise.
MBAC 6215 Emergency Management This course is designed to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the role of community in preparing for and dealing with local and national emergencies and their consequences. Knowledge and skills acquired in this course will be directly transferable to international crises and disasters. Students will consider and discuss the necessity of being prepared to carry out community economic development. The preparedness measures of various organizations are examined. Using a provided scenario, students prepare a CED plan, including concept, implementation, and transfer/close-out aspects.
MBAC 6217 Conflict Resolution and Community Reconstruction This course is designed to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the role of community in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict restoration activities. Students will acquire knowledge and analytical insight in two significant aspects of the human condition: the origins and nature of conflict and the conditions necessary for peace. The course focuses on: security assurances attained by alliance building at all levels, prevention and resolution of conflict, the theory and practice of CED and its place in building secure communities, and how CED initiatives are employed by civilian and military organizations. Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 11
MBAC 6219 Social Dynamics of Leadership Prerequisite: MBAC 6106 The course discusses how modes of communication, distribution of power, values, sharing of knowledge, and the ways in that people interact with others affects Leadership. The purpose of the course is to help participants gain an understanding of the sociological, psychological, and cultural factors that contribute to leadership behaviours and the ways in which people respond to them. It will provide practical tools with which participants can assess and improve their own leadership skills.
MBAC 6221 Public Policy Prerequisites: MBAC 5101, 5103, 5104, 5105 This course will examine the major theories relating to the policy-making process, the institutional, political and socio-economic contexts in which decisions are made and how those decisions have been implemented. Understanding the variety of means in which policies can be implemented is as important as the designing of public policy. In this respect, attention will be paid to the policy relationship between government and community economic development (CED) organizations. A number of CED public policy case studies will be used as pedagogical tools, in order to understand how the policy-making process has occurred, the other types of policy options which were available and what the results have been from particular policy decisions.
MBAC 6223 Government, Business and Third Sector Relations Prerequisites: MBAC 5101, 5103, 5104, 5105 This course will explore the multi-layered relationships between government, business, and the third sector, in order to detail the political, institutional, and societal context in which businesses and non-profit/community economic development organizations operate. This exploration will provide a lively theoretical introduction to government/business relations. The course will discuss a wide range of ideological perspectives, which attempt to inform us as to what those relations should or should not be based upon. The course includes an agenda setting exercise, by which participants attempt to project possible medium-term policy outcomes, regarding the most important issues concerning government/business/third sector relations.
MBAC 6226 International Finance Prerequisites: MBAC6103. This course provides a conceptual framework within which the key financial decisions of the multinational firm can be analyzed. The course considers the environment of international financial management, foreign exchange markets and the tools that can be used to hedge exchange rate risks. The course covers methods used to manage accounting and economic exchange rate exposures and examines the financing options available to multinational financial managers and how cost of capital can be determined.
MBAC 6227 Environment, Energy, and the Economy: Strategies for Sustainable Futures Prerequisites: MBAC 5101, 5103, 5104, 5105 Prerequisites: First 12 credits of the MBA (CED) program. The course provides a comprehensive examination of the environmental issues facing organizations and communities. The goal of the course is to prepare learners to help organizations understand sustainability and how it affects corporate strategy and public policy. The course builds on the concept of socially sustainable development, fused in the program’s core curriculum and extends it to planning for sustainable environmental and energy futures at regional and corporate levels
MBAC 6228 International Marketing Prerequisites: MBAC5104. This course focuses on the basic concepts of international marketing, the need for international marketing activities and global trade. It reviews institutions and markets, covers in-depth geography discussion and explores cultural and strategic marketing issues. The principle aim of the course is to internationalize theory and practice across the broad range of functional marketing areas.
MBAC 6229 Sustainability Marketing Prerequisites: MBAC5104 The course aims to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how environmental issues influence marketing in business, government and the social economy. The course follows the multiple-bottom-line approach built in the MBA (CED) program. Going beyond the concepts introduced in the core marketing course, it explores marketing theory and strategy as it relates to the objectives of organizations striving for social and environmental sustainability. Learners will study marketing implications for sustainability and critically analyze Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 12 existing marketing systems. It reviews approaches to green marketing, focusing on sustainable ideas and behaviour.
MBAC 6231 Marketing Strategy Prerequisites: MBAC5104. This course focuses on developing effective marketing strategies that can serve as blueprint for marketing programs that build long-term success for the organization. Students learn basic branding principles and examine the branding strategies organizations employ to enhance positioning and deliver high levels of satisfaction to targeted customers and clients, sustain a competitive advantage and improve market performance and financial performance. issues of ethics, social responsibility, customer satisfaction and credibility arise throughout the course in readings, lectures, case studies and projects. Case studies explore the benefits and risks of valuing socially focused brands.
MBAC 6233 Contemporary Issues: Change Management and Governance Prerequisites: MBAC5105. Change management and governance are two organizational issues that dominate managerial, board and regulatory time and resources because of their high degree of both risk and opportunity. The pace of change affecting organizations in the private, public and non-profit sectors has increased dramatically as a result of new enabling technologies and the need to respond to changing national and global political and market operating environments. This course provides the student with a theoretical underpinning for both cross-cutting issues, while also focusing on practical applications of that theory to real-life situations in all three economic sectors.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The program’s overall goal is to produce leaders for organizations in all sectors. At the program design stage, the program development committee performed an extensive literature review on MBA programs and learning outcomes, including results of Graduate Management Admission Council global surveys. The committee also followed an extensive community consultation process with scholars, practitioners, and leaders in the public, private, and Third sectors across Canada and prioritized the learning outcomes expected.
The most recent program review included formal surveying of students, graduates, and professors, and a review of standards of international accreditation bodies. The standing degree committee believes the program experience that comes from its structure, content, and delivery, must provide the learning outcomes and competencies detailed below. Program core courses are designed to deliver these and students must achieve a 70% grade to pass the course:
Self-responsibility and Effectiveness – The graduate should be an effective written and oral communicator, understand and be able to use principal business and CED productivity tools, exhibit appropriate ethical standards for professional practice, contribute effectively as a team member, understand most commonly used professional and business protocols, etc.
Business Functional Depth – The graduate should exhibit capable understanding and operational knowledge (knowledge based on the person’s sense of certainty concerning objects and events encountered in an organization) of the key functional areas of business (e.g., accounting/finance, marketing, organizational behavior, venture development/entrepreneurship, comparative business practices, strategy and leadership). Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 13 Community Economic Development Ability -- The graduate should be able to understand and effectively communicate to others both theoretical and comparative theories of CED and their historical and contemporary use globally and regionally (e.g. concepts of development, strategies and action plans, role of spatial variations in economic growth, structural options in venture development, role of government, business, and community organizations/NGOs, etc.)
Integrative Ability – The graduate should be able to integrate and apply competencies associated with the functional areas of business and community economic development activities (e.g., analysis of global and regional economic and social contexts, social science research methodologies and most commonly used statistical tools, etc.). Problems and opportunities typically require approaches that integrate skills gained in a variety of subject areas. Synthesis-type activities that combine various frameworks of problem-identification and problem-solving, such as business plans or community planning, require integrative competencies.
Learning outcomes are identified as follows are mapped with the core MBA in CED courses in the subsequent table. Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 14
Self Responsibility and Effectiveness
SELF RESPONSIBILITY and EFFECTIVENESS Program Goal Learning Outcome Competency (During their studies at CBU, (During their studies at CBU, students will (Graduates of CBU have the opportunity Courses students will have the have the opportunity to enhance their to develop as individuals as they…) opportunity to become…) knowledge as they…) -Aware of Indigenous and other MBAC 5101- CED I - Make astute judgements based cultural perspectives; MBAC 5105 -Org Behavior Culturally and ethically on intercultural understanding, -Engage with different ethical MBAC 5107- Ec Geography aware. informed by different ethical perspectives and evaluate their MBAC 6101- CED II perspectives. implications for action. MBAC 6107-Comp’ve Dev -Experience a range of disciplinary -Identify, define, and apply and interdisciplinary approaches to MBAC 6101 -CED II Creative, innovative, creative, innovative, critical, and inquiry; MBAC 6118-Venture and critical thinkers. entrepreneurial thinking to -Research complex issues and Analysis personal and societal problems disseminate their conclusions. -Engage with pressing social, economic, environmental, and cultural issues. - Recognize their responsibility - understand the relevance of what Engaged citizens who towards their communities; MBAC 5101- CED I they are learning to their care about and nurture -able to articulate a stance on MBAC 5107- Ec Geography communities their social & ecological social, economic, environmental, MBAC 6101- CED II -are attentive to the needs of environment. and cultural issues, including MBAC 6107-Comp’ive Dev future generations; issues of social justice. -recognize the relationships between personal well-being and well-being for all - Able to plan and chair a meeting MBAC 6106 – Leadership
-Engage in a variety of ways with - Deliver effective public Professional Experienced people of different presentations Communications Pre-Core communicators and races/ethnicities, economic weekend collaborators. backgrounds, religious beliefs, and - Write a research report that has political views. utility to executive decision- Presentations required in making qualitative courses. -Engage and apply current practices - Able to learn new concepts and Library resources seminar in learning technologies skills through a diverse range of - Understands technology pedagogies and technologies. Critical adopters of Assignments and projects alternatives available to access and - Able to select and use tools, to learning technologies. in many program courses analyze content and learn new augment classroom learning concepts and skills experience
- Use technologies in competent -Excel Pre-Core workshop - Understand role of technology as and creative ways. - Assignments, cases it applies to self, work, and society - Use productivity and social Proficient adopter of studies, and projects in - Understand the strategic media applications to technology used in many courses, including: importance of digital, social and collaborate, investigate, solve organizations and -MBAC5104 Marketing mobile technologies in problems, produce reports and industry plan project communicating, marketing, presentations, and manage -MBAC6118-Venture managing, and financing. campaigns. analysis project
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 15
Business Functional Depth
BUSINESS FUNCTIONAL DEPTH Program Goal Learning Outcome Competency (During their studies at CBU, (During their studies at CBU, students will (Graduates of CBU have the opportunity Courses students will have the have the opportunity to enhance their to develop as individuals as they…) opportunity to become…) knowledge as they…) -Prepare, understand, interpret financial statements (Operating Proficient in analyzing Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Accounting Pre-Core financial statements Gain understanding of the concepts Flow projections, Working Capital MBAC 5103-Accounting and making accounting and applications of accounting Statement, Budgeting & capital MBAC 6118-Venture decisions. requirements) Analysis -Apply and interpret key financial ratios -Evaluate financing alternatives -Estimate value of debt & equity instruments Understand the concepts, -Make capital investment processes, and institutions for Proficient in evaluating decisions, lease vs. buy making investment and financing Finance Pre-Core financing and -Evaluate project profitability decisions MBAC 6103-Finance investment alternatives -Conduct financial forecasts, MBAC 6118-Venture and making finance accounting breakeven, economic Understand the role of Analysis decisions. breakeven development finance -Investments to maximize
enterprise value -Microcredit practices -Community investment funds -Describe, analyze and quantify: o Market description & attributes o Market growth Understand the concepts and Proficient in analyzing o Distribution channels MBAC 5104-Marketing processes for marketing goods, markets and developing o Positioning & segmentation MBAC 6118-Venture services, and ideas, and changing marketing plans. o Marketing mix Analysis behaviours -Apply social marketing principles and practices -Develop a marketing plan Understand theory and practice of o Able to apply best practices general management and processes to build teams, Knowledgeable in empower colleagues, and exercising appropriate Enhance interpersonal skills and motivate subordinates MBAC 5105 –Org Behavior management and supervisory skills: o Mission setting to advance MBAC 6106 - Leadership leadership, and -goal-setting organization managing change. -motivation o Leading organizational groups -harnessing group dynamics o Able to introduce and manage change
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 16
Community Economic Development Ability
COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ABILITY Program Goal Learning Outcome Competency (During their studies at CBU, (During their studies at CBU, students will (Graduates of CBU have the opportunity Courses students will have the have the opportunity to enhance their to develop as individuals as they…) opportunity to become…) knowledge as they…) -Perform a community analysis (Economic development history, statistical descriptions of the current economy, location quotients, shift share, etc). Understand community economic -Understand the stage of
development theory and practice development and specific Proficient in analyzing a MBAC 5101- CED I (social and economic) advantages community’s economic MBAC 6101- CED II Understand theory and concepts of and disadvantages of a local situation MBAC 5107 -Ec Geography economic geography community. -An analysis of the community's geography and the community's geographic and economic relationship to its region, its country, and the world. -Understand various development approaches (endogenous and exogenous development). Understand development theory -Understand the principles of and select appropriate practices uneven development and the forces that underlie it.
Understand and appreciate use of -Understand the role of the social Able to apply MBAC 6107-Comp Dev’t co-operatives, credit unions, social in the economic development practices MBAC 5101-CED II enterprises, and NGOs as -Identify and understand MBAC 5107-Ec Geography instruments of development different schools of thought on development and to be able to critique each. -Identify specific equity gaps and appropriate policy for specific communities
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 17 Integrative Ability
INTEGRATIVE ABILITY Program Goal Learning Outcome Competency (During their studies at CBU, (During their studies at CBU, students will (Graduates of CBU have the opportunity Courses students will have the have the opportunity to enhance their to develop as individuals as they…) opportunity to become…) knowledge as they…) -Understand the importance of global economic and social forces in creating organizational strategy -Interpret/apply major international ranking indexes -Interpret/apply major cultural analytical tools -Able to source credible data on national and regional differences -Understand/apply principal Understand impact of global forces universal norms of business
Skilled in thinking and trends on the economy, etiquette MBAC 6124 – Int’l Bus globally and aware of organizations, and community -Understand major trade trends MBAC 6107 - Comp. Dev’t challenges of managing and agreements MBAC6125 - Strat. Mgmt across borders Understand and appreciate the -Understand international
significance of organizational financial institutions and strategy their roles -Understand/apply appropriately the principal means of engaging in international expansion: o Exporting o Licensing o Franchising o Strategic alliances and joint ventures o Subsidiaries
-Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods -Understand literature review techniques -Identify research goal and setup Understand and appreciate hypothesis Applied Research Project business & social research methods -Select methodology to fit bootcamp research question Capable of undertaking Understand structure and content -Analysis & interpretation of MBAC 6121 – Applied a small-scale research requirements of a research project research results Research Methods project report or thesis -Demonstrates ability to use basic statistical techniques (e.g., MBAC 6801 – Applied averages, distribution) Research Project -Can differentiate between appropriate uses of quantitative and qualitative research techniques
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 18
j) Methods of Delivery: Interactive face-to-face classes on alternate weekends, right on site at Great Plains College, Warman campus. The program is cohort based for enhanced learning and convenient scheduling. Students are taking the program with the same group of learners, learning from each other’s backgrounds and experiences. Students normally enroll for three courses in the fall semester and for four courses in the Winter/Spring semester; classes scheduled on alternate weekends. The program is developed to provide a flexible schedule to accommodate the majority of students who continue to work while taking the program.
All courses are also supported by web-based material repositories and CBU’s online library holdings and electronic subscriptions. All professors are accessible in person, by phone, and email.
k) Accreditation requirements: The MBA credential is not a designation and typically MBA programs are not required to meet standards set by regulatory bodies, national associations or accreditation agencies.
However, the MBA in CED is used for accreditation by two organizations:
Accredited by the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO), since 2006. Learners who complete the MBA in CED with the First Nations Option are granted the Native Economic Development Officer accreditation by CANDO.
Recognized by the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) as one of only 3 qualifying credentials for their Economic Developer (Ed.D.) designation:
“Applicants who have completed the Cape Breton University’s MBA in Community Economic Development program along with one year of experience within the profession, can challenge the Ec.D. exam.” (EDAC website, retrieved April 12, 2019)
The MBA in CED is an approved academic program and in addition, it is accredited by CANDO and recognized by EDAC.
Prior Assessments
The MBA in CED program has received Ministerial consent in Alberta in 2011; it has been delivered there uninterrupted. The program underwent a complete two-phase assessment by the Alberta Ministry of Advanced Education & Technology and by the Campus Alberta Quality Council (CAQC), that included a site visit by an external review panel chaired by Dr. Steve Murgatroyd. The official Minister’s approval letter was issued on May 18th, 2011 and we have supplied copies of the letter and all assessment reports to your offices with our initial application in 2011. We have been submitting the mandated annual reports to the Ministry and we are in good standing in Alberta. Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 19
We have recently completed successfully an external review of the program, with the review panel consisting of two senior academics from Ontario, and we are including a copy of our self-study and the external panel report with the submission to PEQAB. The MBA in CED was initially approved in 1996 in our home jurisdiction, by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC), and the comprehensive cyclical external review is mandated by the MPHEC quality assurance framework.
Recent prior assessments of the MBA in CED program:
Winter 2018 External QA review of the MBA in CED program, as per MPHEC guidelines. External reviewers: Dr Darryl Reed (York U), Dr Scott Carson (Queens U)
Winter 2014 External QA review of all Shannon School of Business programs, including the MBA in CED, as per MPHEC guidelines. External reviewers: Dr Robert Ellis (U of Lethbridge), Dr Wanda George (Mount St Vincent U)
Fall 2013 QA review of MBA in CED program, by PEQAB. PEQAB review panel: Dr Scott Carson (Queen’s), Dr Frances Abele (Carleton U) Ministerial Consent for offer program in Ontario was granted on May 7, 2014
Winter 2011 QA review of MBA in CED program, by Campus Alberta Quality Council (CAQC). CAQC review panel: Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd (Athabasca U), Garnet Garven (The Public Policy Forum), Dr Gerry Nixon (Royal Roads U) Ministerial Consent to offer program in Alberta was granted on May 19, 2011
l) Plan to meet requirements: Not relevant, as accreditation arrangements are listed above
m) Requirements/Options for work experience in the program:
The MBA in CED is not a co-op program and does not require workplace placements. MBA in CED students in the weekend-format cohorts, like the Warman SK students, are employed professionals.
n) Types of work placements: Not applicable to the MBA in CED
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 20
2. BENEFITS TO SASKATCHEWAN LEARNERS AND THE SASKATCHEWAN
POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM
a) Benefits to the Saskatchewan post-secondary system
The MBA in CED is a unique offering that responds to the need to build capacity for economic development in both rural and urban communities, that incorporates community development concepts with business fundamentals, that it accommodates and advances learners with varied backgrounds, and that is being delivered in a work-friendly schedule and an affordable tuition level. Although there are other MBA programs offered in Saskatchewan, the MBA in CED is the only one with community in its core and that it is being tailored to the needs and aspirations of working people who strive to advance their communities.
The MBA in CED program includes four courses in Development, including economic geography, and it appeals to people working in economic development in cities, rural communities, or in First Nations. No other MBA program incorporates this content or focuses on preparing students for leadership positions in the community. The MBA issue of the Financial Post BUSINESS Magazine has included a passionate profile of Brock Junkin, one our MBA in CED graduates, who is making a difference in a First Nations community in the North. (see copy in Appendix)
The MBA in CED program provides an attractive route for further education for several underserved publics:
- Learners in the public sector and the Third Sector who wish to complete an MBA degree program that is aimed at the non-corporate world,
- Learners from First Nations communities who wish to complete an MBA program that is compatible with traditional aboriginal values, focuses on economic development, and also offers a First Nations Option.
- Supervisors or middle managers who aspire to pursue advanced management studies while they are working; right in their city, at an affordable cost. Other MBA/EMBA programs are either too expensive or are not offered at convenient times in the Saskatoon area within a two-year schedule.
- Graduates of four-year Applied Degree programs who wish to pursue an MBA degree program and have difficulty accessing MBA programs in Saskatchewan.
- Canadian Forces officers who aspire to complete a Master’s degree that understands new holistic approaches, like the Whole of Government development approach espoused by the Canadian Forces, and it offers a Peace-building and Reconstruction Option.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 21 The vast majority of students in the program have academic and work backgrounds in the social sciences, social services, arts, education, healthcare, development, the military, and local and aboriginal government. We have been delivering intensive PreCore sessions to facilitate the transition of our diverse adult learners to the MBA courses.
(b) Program fit within the broader post-secondary system
The MBA in CED program is unique to the region, the country, and the world. CBU had conducted a review of MBA programs, as CBU had identified the MBA degree program as the prime graduate degree to seek, and took a differentiated approach. CBU also conducted a review of Community Development programs at the same time, as CBU faculty expressed interest in developing a graduate degree program in that area and capitalize on faculty’s expertise in community economic development. The scan revealed the following:
- The MBA was by far the most sought after credential in all sectors: the corporate sector, the public sector, and the Third Sector/social economy. There were increasingly rigorous expectations for professional management practice in CED organizations and the MBA. was perceived as the most credible program for organizational leaders.
- MBA programs offered in North America are aimed to mid and higher level management aspiring to advance within the corporate business world and their curriculum consists of business courses exclusively. There were no MBA in CED programs offered by any other university.
- A large number of students in traditional MBA programs are actually employed in the public sector and the Third Sector/Social Economy, but their MBA course content is aimed at mainstream corporate business.
- There were short certificate programs offered in Community Economic Development in the country, by Concordia University-Montreal and Simon Fraser University- Vancouver. These programs are fairly short and practical in nature, and they do not include any business or management content. The Certificate credential offered is not a degree, and certainly not equivalent to an MBA.
- Another trend observed, is the proliferation of Executive MBA programs. CBU observed that EMBA programs are conveniently scheduled on weekends and they fit nicely in the lifestyle of working people, but they were prohibitively expensive and focused on upper level management.
CBU concluded that the MBA in CED would be a program with a unique, niche place in the post-secondary space and pursued that vigorously. Consultations with employers indicated that the set of skills being developed in the MBA in CED program fits their perceived needs for middle and top management in the public sector and the Third Sector/Social Economy.
Social Economy funding is moving away from core funding and it is moving towards project- driven funding that requires sustainability. Organizations are now evolving into businesses, and leaders from the community organizations consulted indicated that directors, managers, Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 22 and officers in their organizations need to learn about finances, marketing, planning, strategy, and leadership, while learning about the intricacies of responsibility and the importance of supporting people and communities to make significant changes.
Our experience clearly indicates that this was a correct evaluation of the public demand, and there is no close substitute in the post-secondary world for the MBA in CED. The program has been warmly welcomed in many communities across Canada and it has its own niche but loyal public.
Comparable
There was care taken by CBU to ensure that the MBA in CED, although unique in its focus on CED, at the same time retains the characteristics of the generic MBA program structure. As discussed above, MBA programs are general by nature and include 4-6 distinctive courses that give them their uniqueness, their ‘flavor’. The MBA in CED is comparable to typical MBA programs in that way. There was care taken to ensure that the MBA in CED includes the business and management courses normally found in mainstream MBA programs and it adds courses for the specialization: 9 courses follow the typical MBA core course roster, 4 courses are in development to deliver the CED specialization, and the 2 elective courses and the Major Research Essay deliver an Option for more focus. Other MBA programs that specialize in financial services, for example, would include a minimum of 4 financial management courses in their required course list; our 4 courses are in development.
The MBA in CED program requirements on the number of courses (16) and credits (48) is the same as the requirements of the MBA programs of the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina.
Complementary
The MBA in CED program complements the offerings of other Universities in the region and the country. The MBA in CED complements the Business offerings of University of Saskatchewan and Regina, as their BBA and MBA programs are primarily oriented to the corporate sector, agribusiness, mining, or policing, and they do not offer a specialization in community-based economic CED. The MBA in CED also complements the Development offerings of colleges and universities, as it offers a pertinent upgrade path for their undergraduates.
At present some of our learners travel from Regina, Prince Albert, Foamlake, and even Estevan to attend classes in Warman. This should serve as further proof that our program has a unique appeal and does not duplicate others. The residential program on campus in Cape Breton attracts over 50 students every July and they come from all provinces.
(c) Student Demand
The program has been delivered in Saskatchewan since 2009, hosted by Great Plains College, Warman campus. As discussed above, the program was successful in attracting healthy enrolment figures. The latest cohort, the 6th, at Great Plains College Warman Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 23 campus has 14 students, although very limited advertising took place. We have had more than 35 cohorts delivered outside of Nova Scotia to date, each with 10-25 students.
The value of an MBA education in general is well documented in the media, sourced in Statistics Canada reports.
- MBA programs in general provide an 88% higher salary than bachelor’s degrees. Canadians with MBA degrees earn 88% more on average than the average Canadian holding a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, and 40% more than Canadians with an undergraduate degree in management, business administration or commerce (Source: 2001 Census and the Association for Canadian Studies, released in August 2004). -
- Critics of the MBA degree base their arguments on an outdated notion of the MBA, but a lot has changed, both in the workplace and in programs. The MBA in CED program is on the vanguard of this change, with its emphasis on leadership, management of change, community development, and international management. The MBA in CED emphasizes “human” skills: communication, leadership, teamwork. The program focuses on teaching learners how to be effective team leaders and team players needed in today’s environment.
- The variety of student work experience and background is much higher in the MBA in CED classes, and it raises the caliber of class interaction so that students learn from both the professor and each other.
- The MBA in CED programming helps students manage the ambiguity of management issues and how to develop effective approaches that work in the real world of business and community dynamics. For example, it incorporates corporate social responsibility and business ethics into every course to help students develop a framework for value-based decision-making.
(d) Transferability of credits
The initial program proposal was circulated throughout the post-secondary sector in Canada, and received favorable feedback from many universities.
The MBA is generally considered a terminal, professional degree: MBA grads typically pursue managerial and leadership positions. The MBA in CED has a research component and a minority of MBA in CED grads wish to pursue an academic career, with a few being successful in landing the coveted SSHRC graduate scholarships.
MBA in CED graduates are eligible to apply for admission in Ph.D. programs in Alberta, Canada and abroad, but the process is certainly competitive and selective. In Western Canada, the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Alberta, has provided a letter (Heather M Hogg) confirming that MBA in CED grads are eligible and welcome to apply for admission to their PhD programs. A few MBA in CED candidates have been successful in being admitted in Ph.D. programs in Canada, USA, UK, and Germany. For example, a MBA in CED graduate, was admitted at Carleton University, Ottawa and is in Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 24 final phase of completing Ph.D. program. another MBA in CED grad, was successful in obtaining the only full graduate scholarship offered to an international student (17,000 pounds per year, plus free tuition) at Bournemouth University, UK, and completed Ph.D. in October 2017.
We have initiated discussion with the Graduate Schools of the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina, although they do not offer a doctorate program in Business, and we believe that they are now aware of the complementary role of the MBA in CED program within the post-secondary sector and the preparation in research skills that our students receive.
Course transfers
Being an institution that has its roots in both university and community college, we have always recognized college degrees and diplomas and we extend course transfer credits. Graduates of 4-year applied degrees from colleges and polytechnics are eligible to apply for admission in our MBA in CED program.
With respect to credit transfer arrangements for incoming students, transfer credits may be granted for certain courses by the Director after review of the applicant file. Typically, BBA/BCom degree holders with a B average qualify for exemption from the four first year business foundation courses.
Students may apply for Transfer Credits and/or Prior Learning Assessment. To evaluate applicants for course transfer credits or exemptions because of their life experiences, applicants are requested to provide official copies of their transcripts from previous postsecondary education and detailed resumes.
(e) Implications for students
The MBA is considered a terminal degree, because of its professional orientation, and there are no institution-specific implications for our graduates in Saskatchewan.
As mentioned above the MBA in CED has a research component and unlike other programs, a few MBA in CED grads have proceeded with further education, such as pursuing a Ph.D.
The MBA in CED program’s research emphasis has supported learners’ pursuit of research endeavors:
- 12 MBA in CED students have been awarded the coveted $17,500 SSHRC research scholarships over the last eight years, including a student from Saskatchewan. - Four MBA in CED graduates have pursued Ph.D. degrees (two have completed). - Several MBA in CED students and graduates have presented their research in regional and national conferences.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 25 (f) Partnerships
CBU has a partnership with Great Plains College (GPC) since 2008: CBU is responsible for all academic aspects of the program and relationships with faculty and students, while GPC provides a classroom at their Warman campus and site services. Copy of the MOU can be found in the Appendix.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 26
3. ADVANCEMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN’s ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PRIORITIES
One of the priorities of the provincial government is to continue diversifying the economy and lessen the difference between rural and urban economies.
One of the goals of the Ministry of Advanced Education is to increase participation and completion of higher education for all, especially rural, First Nations and Metis people.
In addition, the complexity of the modern economy has brought forward the realization that long-term prosperity depends on the success of both commercial and social enterprise; on private, public, and community sectors. The MBA in CED program content and delivery format responds well to these challenges.
The MBA in CED is a program with community and development in its core, with advanced content on management, economic geography, and urban and rural economic development. It is aimed at working adults from all walks of life who aspire to manage and lead; to make a difference in their organization and their community. It is program that not only has community in its core, but it is known to inspire and prepare students to take on leadership roles in government, business, or community organizations; in urban or rural settings.
The program is designed to accommodate and advance learners with varied backgrounds, not just learners with a business background. The vast majority of students in the program have academic and work backgrounds in the social sciences, social services, arts, education, healthcare, development, and local and aboriginal government.
It should be noted that the first approved specialization Option within the MBA in CED was the First Nations Management Option and we have been attracting indigenous students consistently across Canada. Our Warman MBA program has also attracted quite a few new Canadians and women. Typically, half of the students in the Warman cohort come from indigenous communities and have a keen interest in gaining knowledge and skills that will help transform the economy of their communities and the livelihoods of their fellow citizens. There are 32 indigenous students in the program nationally, and students who complete the MBA in CED with the First Nations Option are also granted the Native Economic Development Officer accreditation by CANDO. (see Appendix)
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 27
4. ALIGNMENT WITH CBU’s MANDATE, MISSION, and STRATEGIC PLAN
(a) Mandate
Cape Breton University (CBU) is a regional, primarily undergraduate institution, chartered by the Province of Nova Scotia and was bestowed with its degree-granting status in 1980. The Province of Nova Scotia bestowed the university charter to CBU, because the government understood that the economy of Cape Breton would not grow if the local population did not have access to university education, right in the community.
(b) Connection to CBU’s plans
CBU understood its special role as an agent of change for the community and its varied programming reflects its enhanced mandate in economic development. The MBA in CED is the finest example of a unique CBU program that aims to build capacity for economic development. It is also a fine example of a program that works well for communities that are undergoing change and that is why CBU has taken the program all across Canada
In the mid 1990s, CBU consciously made the decision to offer one graduate-level degree and decided to deliver a program that provides a credential that is in high demand by the community and that at the same time builds upon the expertise and culture of CBU.
There was demand expressed by the local community for an MBA program and CBU hosted and facilitated the delivery of St. Mary University’s MBA program to one cohort in Cape Breton in the early 1990s. The demand for a home grown MBA program got stronger and CBU decided to make the MBA the chosen graduate program to pursue. CBU decided to develop the MBA in CED because of Cape Breton’s heritage in community economic development and CBU’s mandate to build capacity for local economic development.
(c) Expertise and Capacity
Cape Breton is the birthplace of the co-operative movement and home of the first Credit Union in English Canada. CBU has built on this heritage and it had developed programming in the community development area at the undergraduate level in both its BBA and its BA in Community Studies degrees since the 1980s. At the same time, several CBU faculty were heavily involved in the community and had initiated a few ventures in locally-based development.
CBU had also been delivering Business programs since the early 1970s, as the junior college of St. Francis Xavier University, and CBU graduates scored very well on many industry exams, like the qualification exams for the CA/CPA accounting designation.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 28 CBU’s faculty has strengths in both business and CED, and that influenced the dual character of the MBA in CED program. CBU has also considerable experience in delivering professional programs in evenings and weekends for working adults, and that is the population segment the MBA program is designed for.
Capacity
CBU has over 60 faculty with PhD credentials and the Shannon School of Business has 16 faculty with PhDs, many with very strong teaching, business, and community experiences which are valued in MBA programs. We have delivered more than 35 off-campus cohorts and we have always used well-qualified professors: primarily tenured professors with a PhD.
We have added four new full-time faculty dedicated to the MBA program over the last two years and we are well positioned to serve the on-campus and off-campus cohorts; with a few of the SK course offerings to be delivered by CBU professors. We do well in attracting well qualified professors for all our MBA in CED courses due to favourable factors that leverage the niche appeal of the program:
- Because of its multidisciplinary nature, the MBA in CED program also taps into faculty with PhDs from other departments within CBU, such as social sciences, engineering, and communications. That is in addition to the 15 Shannon School of Business faculty who have a doctorate. Of the current faculty, many have international teaching and or work experiences, some at very senior roles.
- The MBA in CED program also engages professors from accredited Canadian universities in teaching our courses at times, on and off campus. The academic CED/Social Economy community is fairly tight and has been very supportive of the program. This includes two professors from the University of Alberta, one from University of Calgary, Algoma University, University of Saskatchewan and York University, and three from Simon Fraser University.
The MBA in CED is viewed as a complementary offering and the quality and diversity of the student body makes it attractive for high caliber professors to teach in the program. Several professors from different parts of Canada have expressed interest in teaching in our program as they have a strong interest in the subject matter and the publics served by our program, and they do not have the same course opportunities in their home institutions.
Faculty leadership
CBU faculty are known nationally for their active role in CED and social entrepreneurship: it was a CBU faculty (Dr. Greg MacLeod, OC) who founded New Dawn Enterprises, Canada’s first Community Development Corporation, now employing over 300 people. CBU faculty also started BCA Investment Co-Operative, Nova Scotia’s first community economic development investment fund. CBU faculty have written several books on community economic development and one of Dr. MacLeod’s books has even been translated in Japanese and Korean.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 29 CBU faculty also have significant experience in development overseas. Dr. Edwin MacLellan has spearheaded a few CIDA-funded development projects in India and Africa over the last twenty years. CBU faculty have also led two projects in El Salvador and in San Antonio del Sur, both in Guantánamo Province - Cuba, for the United Nations Development Program’s Human Resources Development Program.
Other CBU faculty have played leading roles in business, technology, and innovation research: Dr. Jacquelyn Thayer Scott, OC was the operating head for the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Science and Technology, Government of Canada, and led the Premier’s Advisory Committee on Innovation, Government of Alberta. Dr. Scott has recently served as Chair of Innovacorp, the innovation and research agency of the Province of Nova Scotia.
The Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education has noted for CBU:
“The strong focus on community development through service, liaison with local business, labor force orientation and active outreach is endorsed. Council looks forward to CBU playing an even greater leadership role in community development 9social, economic. And cultural) in the future” (NSCHE, 1995)
CBU’s MBA in CED faculty have research interests in:
• economic development • innovation and entrepreneurship • co-operatives and social enterprise • aboriginal development • international development • cultural tourism.
Research Units
Purdy Crawford Chair in Aboriginal business Studies
The Shannon School of Business has established the endowed Purdy Crawford Chair in Aboriginal Business Studies (https://www.cbu.ca/indigenous-affairs/purdy-crawford-chair-in- aboriginal-business-studies/ ).
Chief Terry Paul, Chief of the Membertou First Nations community in his 27th consecutive year as leader, sits on the Shannon Advisory Board and has contributed to the guidelines and parameters for this initiative. The Purdy Crawford Chair in Aboriginal Business Studies:
- promotes interest among Canada’s Aboriginal people in the study of business at the post-secondary level; - undertakes pure and applied research specific to Aboriginal communities; and - focuses attention and research efforts on the Membertou Business Model, Unama'ki Partnership Model and national and international comparative analysis
The Purdy Crawford Chair has hosted several conferences and has produced a popular textbook: “Indigenous Business in Canada: principles and Practice”, 2016.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 30
Canada Research Chair: Social Enterprise and Inclusive Markets
The Shannon School of Business has been successful in a recent competition and has been granted a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair titled ‘Social Enterprise and Inclusive Markets’, with Dr. Kevin McKague as the successful chair holder. Dr. Kevin McKague, CRC holder, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the Shannon School of Business, is a researcher of market-based and social enterprise-led approaches global poverty alleviation.
Kevin has led major research projects for the International Finance Corporation (World Bank), The UN’s Growing Inclusive Markets Initiative, the International Development Research Centre and the Canadian International Development Agency. His research has spanned 12 African countries as well as Bangladesh, Canada, the US and India. His work has been published in numerous practitioner reports as well as in California Management Review, MIT/Sloan Management Review, Innovations, Stanford Social Innovation Review and the Social Enterprise Journal. Kevin is also the author of Making Markets More Inclusive (Palgrave).
Dr. McKague also holds a Senior Research Fellowship at the Centre for Peace, Democracy and Development at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
Community Economic Development Institute
The Shannon School of Business is home of the Community Economic Development Institute. This Institute draws on a deep history of community economic development and conducts research into CED issues, while supporting community initiatives. The CED Institute sought and was granted accreditation by the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO), making CBU the first fully accredited institution in Canada to offer a Certified Aboriginal Economic Developer program.
In addition to hosting international conferences on Community Innovation and Social Enterprise and producing documentaries, the CED Institute has delivered “Learning Vacation in CED” experiences which brought people from across Canada to CBU for a week-long immersion into the theory and practice of CED in Cape Breton.
Research Activity
Some examples of recent research activity of CBU’s MBA in CED faculty:
- The state of the urban affordable rental housing sector (Dr Catherine Leviten-Reid). Dr Leviten-Reid received the coveted Golden Roof Award by CMHC and a new SSHRC research grant for her innovative research in housing.
- Innovative Job Design: Social Enterprises Building Employment Skills. Studying in- depth barriers faced by people living with disabilities and enhance job readiness programs. Dr Leslie Wardley and Dr Heather Schmidt are working with Horizon Achievement Centre social firm in Sydney on this action research project. Funding by CLARI, Nova Scotia’s Change Lab Action Research Initiative. Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 31
- The socio-economic impact of oilpatch migrant workers in their home communities in Atlantic Canada. 5-year SSHRC research grant (Dr Doug Lionais)
- Community Health research project in South Sudan, on effectiveness of Health Worker Incentives. $1M five-year action research project, sponsored by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (Dr Kevin McKague)
- Social enterprise models in agriculture. $4M five-year project in Sub-Saharan Africa, funded by IDRC (Dr Kevin McKague)
- Place-based entrepreneurship and innovation. Several journal articles, conference presentations, and book chapters to-date (Drs. Harvey Johnstone and Doug Lionais)
- Leading development projects on food security and management training in Guantánamo Province, Cuba; for the United Nations Development Program’s Human Resources Development Program (Dr Jacquelyn Scott OC, funding by UNDP, United Nations)
- Aboriginal self-employment research project: proposal for a SSHRC CURA multi-year project, in partnership with all Northern Ontario First Nations communities. (Dr Michael McNamara)
- Cultural and Aboriginal cultural tourism research, with several journal articles and conference presentations over the last few years (Dr Keith Brown)
- Research on Financing the Social Economy, sponsored by the Atlantic Research Node, of the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnership (CSERP) and funded by SSHRC. Project has been highlighted by the national hub of CSERP and was showcased to federal government as an example of worthy research projects funded by SSHRC. (George Karaphillis, CURA grant, SSHRC)
- Completed research on the Social Enterprise Sector of Nova Scotia, sponsored by the Policy Directorate of the Nova Scotia Department of Rural and Economic Development. A similar research study was completed on the Social Enterprise Sector of New Brunswick, sponsored by the New Brunswick government (George Karaphillis)
- Economic impact study of the Cape Breton hiking trails, sponsored by the Cape Breton Pathways Association and funded by the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. (George Karaphillis, Doug Lionais, Richard Watuwa)
- National and provincial studies on economic impact of Co-Operatives, supported by the SSHRC project on Measuring the Co-Op Difference and by the NB, ON, MB, and BC co-op associations: five detailed reports completed, one journal paper published, several presentations and seminars, presentation to Industry Canada official and the standing parliamentary committee on Co-Operatives. (Dr Fiona Duguid, George Karaphillis, Alicia Lake-MBA student)
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 32
(d) Program’s Impact on Existing Programs at CBU
The MBA in CED has been delivered by CBU since 1997 and it is CBU’s only Master degree. It is the only Master program at CBU and has not competed for internal transfer students or resources with other programs.
The MBA in CED has offered a convenient Master-degree path to graduates of CBU’s Bachelor degree programs, especially the B.A. in Community Studies and the B.B.A.
(e) Approval Process followed
Cape Breton University is a full member of the Universities Canada since 1981 and it has a bicameral governance structure that includes the following: - Board of Governors - Academic Senate - Academic Schools - Departments within Schools, and - Academic Committees in each School, that act as degree committees for each program delivered by the School.
All programs receive internal approval first, and then are submitted to the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) for external approval, and finally to the Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education for approval to be offered in Nova Scotia.
Internally, a program is: - Reviewed and recommended at the Departmental level - Presented for feedback to the School Advisory Board - Voted and endorsed at School meetings - Reviewed and recommended by the School Academic Committee, and - Approved by the Senate.
Programs in Nova Scotia do not commence until they receive approval by the MPHEC and the Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education. The MBA in CED program was approved under this process.
The MBA in CED program was presented and endorsed by CBU’s Department of Organizational Management, the School of Business, the Planning and Priorities Committee of the Senate/Academic Council, the Academic Committee of the Senate/Academic Council, and finally approved by CBU’s Senate/Academic Council in 1995.
It was approved by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) and the Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education in 1996. The first set of MBA in CED classes were delivered in July 1997. Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 33
5. PROGRAM MARKETABILITY and GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY
(a) Employment Outcomes and Education Paths
STUDENT DEMAND
The program has been delivered in Saskatchewan for a few years. Despite the growing pains of the program and its delivery venue in a small city, the program is successful in attracting healthy enrolment figures. More than 30 students have been enrolled in the program in Warman in the last 5 years, with limited advertising and recruiting.
The short-residency program on campus in Sydney, Cape Breton, attracts over 50 students every July and they come from all provinces. This serves as further evidence that the MBA in CED program has a unique appeal and does not duplicate others.
LABOUR MARKET DEMAND
The value of an MBA education in general is well documented in the media, and sourced in Statistics Canada reports and industry publications.
- Hiring of MBA graduates has been increasing steadily, with 89 per cent of organizations that employ MBAs expecting to increase or maintain their new-hire roster of MBAs (‘Job prospects promising for new MBA graduates’, Globe and Mail, July 4 2017)
- Canadians with MBA degrees earn 88% more on average than the average Canadian holding a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, and 40% more than Canadians with an undergraduate degree in management, business administration or commerce (‘Education Indicators in Canada: Handbook for the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program’, Statistics Canada, May 2013).
- Recent reports in the popular media in Canada, based on data from compensation websites, indicate that the MBA is on the top 5 of Best Master Degrees for employment at a high salary; with a recruitment manager adding that “MBAs have replaced the value that bachelor’s degrees used to hold.” (‘Best and Worst Master’s Degrees for Jobs Today’, Global News, September 8, 2017).
- In addition, although Canada leads in tertiary education rates (ahead of Japan, the U.S. and U.K.), according to statistics released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, we actually lag in graduate degree holders; at 9% of the population vs. 12% average for the OECD countries. (‘Jobs Report: The State of the Canadian Labour Market’, Department of Finance, Government of Canada, 2014).
This statistic indicates there is an unmet demand for popular Master’s degrees, with the MBA probably being the most sought-after Master’s degree. Although there are two MBA programs Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 34 delivered in Saskatchewan, besides CBU’s MBA in CED, there is no affordable MBA program delivered on weekends; conveniently scheduled for mature students who are working.
Here are some graduation and employability statistics of MBA in CED students and graduates: Graduation Employment Rate (in Student Graduate Program Rate1 a related field)2 Satisfaction3 Satisfaction4 Most recent academic year N/A 91.6% 87.5% 87.1%- (2017-18) 2016-17 N/A - 89.0% - 2015-16 57.8% - 92.5% - 2014-15 62.0% - 92.0% - 2013-14 70.6% - - - Average 63.5% 90.25% Notes: 1 Graduation rate includes data for all MBA-CED students. 2 Employment data was collected as part of the 2017 Alumni Survey (119 responses from all MBA-CED graduates). The employment sector breakdown was as follows: 36.6% corporate, 24.1% Government, and 39.3% Third Sector. 3 Student satisfaction data is collected annually and its domain includes all MBA-CED students. The 2017-2018 information does not yet include the results from the winter semester surveys. 4 Graduation Satisfaction data was collected as part of the 2017 MBA in CED Alumni Survey and includes all MBA-CED graduates from off-campus cohorts.
STUDENT MOBILITY
The MBA in CED was developed to meet the need of mature students, of a variety of academic and social backgrounds, to attain higher management capability and credentials. The admission process of the MBA in CED and its program structure are designed to facilitate admission for capable students and enable further Doctorate studies for high achievers.
Since its inception, the MBA in CED has had a student-friendly admission process and it recognizes all degrees granted by Ontario institutions, including applied degrees issued by community colleges. Over the years, CBU has been approached by a few Colleges and we have provided letters of support for graduates of their applied undergraduate degrees.
In addition, graduates of Canadian Universities, who had a B+ average in their last four semesters and had achieved a B+ in a quantitative course, are exempt from the GMAT standardized test admission requirement.
Because of the research component of the MBA in CED, with the core research methods courses and the Applied Research Project requirement, our graduates are well prepared to enter Ph.D. programs. MBA in CED graduates are eligible to apply for admission in Ph.D. programs in Ontario, Canada and abroad, and have been successful in doing so; although the process is certainly competitive and selective. For example: Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 35
of , MBA CED 2013 graduate, was admitted at Carleton University, Ottawa and is in final phase of completing Ph.D. program on public policy for place-based development
of , MBA CED 2011 graduate, was successful in obtaining the only full-scholarship offered to an international student (£17,000 per year, plus free tuition) at Bournemouth University, UK, and graduated with Ph.D. in October 2017.
of , MBA CED 2008 graduate, was admitted at St. Mary’s University, Halifax and is completing Ph.D. thesis on First Nations policy and governance
of , MBA CED 2016 graduate, was admitted at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, and is completing Ph.D. in Development Economics and International Development.
EMPLOYMENT
MBA in CED learners gain knowledge, skills, and confidence as they complete program courses and they typically pursue higher responsibility positions in their industry and the community, or they pursue different careers. A minority pursue further education or research- based employment. In a typical cohort, one observes that nearly half of the participants achieve significant promotions half-way through the program, while others change careers. For example, in a recent cohort of 12 students, three achieved significant promotions and four changed careers while they were still in the program. Although CBU does not have a formal graduate tracking process in place, many MBA grads stay in touch via the MBA in CED Alumni group on LinkedIn. Examples of career changes and advancement of MBA in CED students and graduates (with their permission) are: career change to CEO, Sturgeon Lake Developments Ltd, SK career change to CEO, First Nations Power Authority, Regina promotion to Major Projects Officer, INAC, Govt of Canada, Regina career change to Manager, Christina River Enterprises LP career change to HR Consultant, SK Health Authority, Price Albert career change to Community Liaison officer – LLRIB and Cameco, La Ronge serial career advancement, from CAO of Ft Saskatchewan AB, to CFO of the City of Edmonton, to Deputy Minister of Education AB, to Deputy Minister of Treasury Board and Finance AB - career change to Mayor, City of St. Albert, AB. was re-elected twice, using a community economic development platform became Program Manager, Community and Employee Engagement, City of Edmonton career change to Manager, Centre for Innovation and Applied Research at Concordia University, Edmonton AB promotion from Edmonton branch manager to Vice President, Corporate Express Canada. started career as Policy Analyst, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry - e’s career change to Executive Director, Ontario First Nations Economic Developers Association, and later to Chief of Staff, BC Assembly of First Nations. Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 36 received the Aboriginal Economic Developer of the Year Award 2017 from CANDO, for work in Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation promotion to Executive Director at Family & Children's Services of the Waterloo Region career change and advancement to Director of Residential & Client Services, Ongwanada Hospital, Kingston - started career as the Community Engagement Specialist for St. Michael’s Hospital Academic Family Health Team, Toronto. new position as Superintendent of Education, Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, and then as Director at the Faculty of Education, Lakehead University promotion to Brigadier General, Canadian Forces started career in Canada as Analyst, Derivatives unit at RBC Capital Markets, Toronto
MBA in CED graduates are eligible to apply for admission in Ph.D. programs in Canada and abroad, but the process is certainly competitive and selective. Four MBA in CED grads have pursued PhD programs and two have graduated already.
Tin Western Canada, the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Alberta, has provided a letter (Heather M Hogg, Nov 21 2008) confirming the eligibility of MBA in CED grads to apply to their PhD programs.
(b) Community Support
Stakeholders and employers and are fairly supportive of MBA programs in general and the MBA in CED in particular. Some examples:
- The Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) and Saskatchewan First Nations Economic Development Network (SFNEDN) have sponsored the annual $5,000 SREDA Indigenous Economic Development Scholarship (SIEDS) for MBA in CED students. The SIEDS scholarship recognizes leaders in the Indigenous community by offering a scholarship to an Indigenous student who is actively enrolled in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Community Economic Development (see Appendix)
- Many First Nations support students who pursue the MBA in CED. More than 20 indigenous students to date have been partially or fully funded by their bands while they were pursuing the MBA in CED degree in Warman.
- The Canadian Defense Academy has prioritized the MBA in CED as one of their approved programs and qualified officers in the Canadian Forces may apply and receive as much as $25,000 towards their MBA in CED studies. The MBA issue of Canadian Business Magazine – Annual MBA Guide profiled Brigadier General Mike Jorgensen, one of our recent graduates who completed the MBA in CED program on a part-time basis in only 18 months and he was fully funded by the DND (see Appendix)
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 37 CONSULTATION
The MBA in CED program was initially developed by an ad-hoc committee that included: - Seven professors from all CBU academic schools: business, arts, science and technology. - The Dean of the School of Business - The Dean of the School of Community Studies
The committee consulted internally and they also consulted externally with:
- Faculty from other universities: o Dr. Eric Shragge of Concordia-Montreal o Dr. Jack Quarter of OISE o Dr. Bruce MacFarlane of Carleton, etc.
- Leaders of local community development groups: o Dr. Rankin MacSween of New Dawn Enterprises o Dr. Charles MacDonald of BCA Investment Co-Operative o Bruce MacDonald, Northside Economic Development Association
- Leaders from local government: o Jan Reimer- former mayor of Edmonton, o Eileen Oldford-Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority, etc.)
All of the external members of the ad-hoc advisory committee supported program development and issued support letters.
The MBA in CED program was presented and endorsed by CBU’s Department of Organizational Management, the School of Business, the Planning and Priorities Committee of the Senate/Academic Council, the Academic Committee of the Senate/Academic Council, and finally approved by CBU’s Senate/Academic Council in 1995.
It was approved by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) and the Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education in 1996. The first set of MBA in CED classes were delivered in July 1997.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 38
6. FISCAL PLAN
CBU’s MBA in CED program has been delivered in Warman since September 2009, at the Great Plains College (GPC) campus and CBU has very good understanding of program revenues and costs.
The program is fully supported at CBU’s campus and the incremental costs of delivering it in Edmonton are relatively small; essentially the direct teaching and travel costs. Central services, as student support services and Library services, do have spare capacity at CBU. Library holdings and journal subscriptions, paper and electronic, are fully absorbed by CBU’s main operations in Nova Scotia and the CBU Library has spare capacity for student inquiries available also.
Revenues and costs are nearly evenly shared between CBU and GPC. A 4-year financial Table projection is included below:
Enrolment Table 2020 2021 2022 2023 Annual Ongoing
Number of students 12 12 12 12 12
Revenue Per student tuition average charge $ 12,924 13,312 13,711 14,122 $ 14,546 Tuition Revenue Amount 155,088 159,741 164,533 169,469 174,553
Expenditures Faculty & Staff $ 39,200 41,160 43,218 45,379 47,648 Student/institutional support services 35,000 36,750 38,588 40,517 42,543 Supplies 1,800 1,890 1,985 2,084 2,188 Promotion 3,000 3,150 3,308 3,473 3,647 Other - Travel 24,000 25,200 26,460 27,783 29,172 Total Expenditures 103,000 106,335 111,734 117,412 123,382
Net $79,736 80,029 80,221 80,302 $80,263
We are assuming that a new cohort will be started every second year, with 12 active students every time, in Warman. 7 courses are delivered in each year.
The tuition of $2,154 per course ($34,464 for whole program) is relatively low for a weekend- format program delivered face-to-face in small classes; with tuition paid one course at a time. The only other MBA program delivered on weekends in Saskatchewan is the University of Regina’s Levene Executive MBA and that program costs $51,850; paid in three instalments (U of Regina website, retrieved on April 18, 2019).
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 39
Financial considerations for Ministry of Advanced Education and other ministries
CBU’s MBA in CED program has been delivered in the present alternate-weekend format in Saskatchewan and other provinces for years and CBU has very good understanding of program revenues and costs.
The MBA in CED program does not receive any government funding, from any jurisdiction: its costs are covered by student tuition. There is no expectation of support from MAE or other Saskatchewan Ministries; or from our Saskatchewan hosting partner.
CBU compensates the partner Saskatchewan regional college for use of classrooms, Wi Fi access, etc. The MBA in CED uses only spare classroom capacity, as the MBA in CED classes take place in the under-utilized weekend times.
Risks
Internal risks include shortage of faculty, drastic cost increases in travel costs, etc. The probability associated with these events is fairly low and the costs included above are fairly conservative.
External risks include the following:
Similar programs introduced by resident Saskatchewan institutions
Drastic price decreases in weekend-format MBA programs from resident institutions
Public shifts preference to non-MBA programs
The probability of these events is fairly low, as:
The MBA in CED is a niche program and big institutions are not interested in small programs.
Operating costs increase every year, older and bigger universities have built-in cost inertia, and do not decrease tuition fees.
As low as the risk of withdrawal of the program from Saskatchewan is, there are built-in coping mechanisms for MBA in CED students in Saskatchewan:
All program courses are offered in the Cape Breton campus every July and students from across Canada attend these classes.
All program courses are offered in Edmonton on alternate weekends
A few courses are offered by distance from the main CBU campus, with web support
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 40
APPENDIX
. Ministerial Approval Letters: Ontario and Alberta
. MOU with Great Plains College
. CANDO accreditation
. Faculty and Student comments
. MBA in CED in the press
11th Floor, Commerce Place 10155 102 Street Campus Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4L5 780-427-8921 Quality Council fax 780-427-0423 www.caqc.gov.ab.ca
2505-02
19 May 2011
Dr. Robert Bailey Vice-President Academic & Provost Cape Breton University P.O. Box 5300 1250 Grand Lake Road Sydney, NS B1P 6L2
Dear Dr. Bailey:
Re: Application for a Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development
As you are now aware, upon recommendation of the Campus Alberta Quality Council, the Minister has agreed to approve Cape Breton University’s Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development for implementation in September 2011. Thank you for providing a finalized copy of the Addendum A to the Protocol of General Agreement between CBU and NAIT.
In keeping with its role of monitoring the ongoing quality of approved degree programs following their implementation, Council requests that beginning in fall 2012, CBU report to Council on substantive program issues, including the faculty complement, enrolments, and any significant curriculum changes. In late summer 2012, Council’s Secretariat will write to you to provide more detail regarding the format of, and issues to be included in, your first annual report. Annual reports to Council are due by 1 November each year.
Except for the first two items listed below, in addition to providing information on the issues noted above, we ask that you provide Council with the following in your first annual report: • a report on your systematic review of equity of access to electives (referenced on page 12 of the Program Evaluation Team’s report). This information should be provided to Council prior to your external review of the program which is scheduled, I understand, for later this year; • a copy of the report of the forthcoming external review of the MBA program (including the Alberta offering), along with the institutional response to it. These documents should be provided as soon as they are available; • a progress report regarding consistent application of academic regulations and policies under the new School of Graduate and Professional Studies (referenced on page 13 of the Program Evaluation Team’s report); • information on the evaluation of faculty teaching the Edmonton cohort (referenced on page 15 of the Program Evaluation Team’s report); • an update on your ongoing initiatives to integrate graduate students into the emerging research culture at CBU; and • further information on the protocol for admitting non-baccalaureates into the program (specifically, the criteria used to assess prior learning).
Established by the Post-secondary Learning Act, 2004
2
We wish you success with this program. Please let Marilyn Patton or me know if you have any questions about the additional information we are requesting from you.
Sincerely,
Ronald B. Bond, PhD Chair cc Mr. George Karaphillis Director, MBA in CED
Mr. John MacKinnon Dean, Shannon School of Business
Ms. Eileen Passmore Director, Post-secondary programs
Ms. Marilyn Patton Director, CAQC Secretariat
8th Floor, Commerce Place 10155 102 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4L5 780-427-8921 fax 780-641 9783
caqc.alberta.ca
2505-01 0370-10
15 March 2019
Via e-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Richard MacKinnon Vice-President, Academic (Provost) Cape Breton University P.O. Box 5300 1250 Grand Lake Road Sydney, NS B1P 6L2
Dear Dr. MacKinnon:
Re: Review of 2017/18 annual report
Thank you for submitting Cape Breton University’s 2017/18 annual report on its MBA in Community Economic Development (MBA CED) program offered in Alberta, along with responses to issues raised by Council from the 2016/17 annual report.
Your report was reviewed by the Monitoring Standing Committee, established to act on Council’s behalf as it performs its monitoring role. In addition to your report, the Committee reviewed the enrolment and graduate data CBU submitted to Advanced Education (AE).
From our review of your annual report and the AE data, I have highlighted below several commendations and acknowledgements, as well as items for which Council would like further clarification.
Commendations Overall, this is a good report for your Alberta program. It is positive that both the permanent and temporary faculty continue to show a significant and increased level of scholarly activity. A sample of the Applied Research Projects completed by recent graduates (p. 2) looks good and underscores the community focus of student scholarship, which makes sense given the nature of the program. The explanatory notes on the Excel scholarly activity tables are very useful. The enrolments continue to be stable and significantly surpass the original forecasted numbers of 35 PT students annually (increasing from 62 students in 2014/15 to 80 in 2016/17 and 81 in 2017/18).
Established by the Post-secondary Learning Act
2
Acknowledgements Your explanation of the lower graduation rates is reasonable, given the PT nature of the program.
Future reporting The following issues from the 2017/18 annual report need additional clarification in your 2018/19 annual report: Reporting scholarly activity data by faculty − continue to submit two Excel tables for scholarly activity; one should include scholarly activity of both the continuing and temporary faculty. As the latter comprise a significant portion of those teaching in the program, it is important to understand the level of their involvement in scholarship. Completion rates – include a student flow table with completion rates over a six-year period for each intake since the program was approved on Council’s recommendation in September 2011.
We will respond to your results of the MBA CED cyclical review in a separate letter in due course.
Thank you for your cooperation in completing this annual report.
Sincerely,
ORIGINAL SIGNED BY
Art Quinney, PhD Co-Chair cc: Peter Mahaffy, PhD Co-Chair
Mr. George Karaphillis Dean, Shannon School of Business E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Guy Germain Director, CAQC Secretariat
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 41
APPENDIX
MOU with Great Plains College PROTOCOL OF GENERAL AGREEMENT
Between
And
Considering:
The interest manifested by both institutions The mutual desire of both parties to formally associate themselves and to give an official character to their cooperation;
CAPE BRETON UNIVERSITY, a University incorporated by a special act of the Legislature of the Province of Nova Scotia, and empowered inter alia to grant degrees (hereinafter referred to "CBU")
- and -
GREAT PLAINS COLLEGE, an institution of higher learning incorporated by the Province of Saskatchewan, that confers certificates and diplomas (hereinafter referred to as “GPC”)
Agree to the following:
Article 1
CBU and GPC will cooperate to create training opportunities for faculty and students of both institutions. This protocol is open to instructors, professors and researchers in all disciplines who express an interest in developing projects of joint cooperation.
Article 2
In a general way and depending on the financial means collaborations could take the following forms: Degree completion opportunities for faculty and students (depending on means to be settled in articulation agreements and by agreed program delivery agreements) Exchange of professors and experts for educational missions; Exchange of students (depending on means to be settled in a protocol of student exchanges); Seminars and colloquia in areas of common interest Joint research projects; All other projects initiated by one or the other of the parties.
Article 3
The collaborative activities and programs will be established in this agreement and will be covered in appendices attached to this document or in separate documents.
Article 4
Both institutions will work towards finding the means to allow the realization of exchanges and the reciprocal support of a fruitful cooperation.
Article 5
This protocol will come into force from the date of signature and will have duration of five (5) years. It will be renewable provided both parties agree upon this. At any time it can be cancelled by either one of the parties within a six (6) month notice. Both parties, however, agree to complete the activities planned before the termination of the protocol.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 42
APPENDIX
CANDO accreditation
http://www.edo.ca/certification/accredited-programs (retrieved on April 19, 2019)
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 43
APPENDIX
Faculty and Student Comments 4
Faculty Comments
Assoc. Professor Dept. of Political Science
This program allows for face to face interaction in short intense classroom experiences. While not ideal in terms of the intensity of the way that classes are set up, the program provides an invaluable service to the community. All of the students I have taught in the program are working full-time and would not likely be inclined into a semester-long format. Most are involved in community or public service-oriented positions and so the impact of a refining their research and analytical skills is extremely valuable to the community.
I have been able to supervise or help with several projects that were oriented towards real life practical problems related to their work or pragmatic concerns in the local community. At the same time, the class allows a space for interaction, debate, and discussion with each other and with my international experience that enriches their approaches to their own professional challenges. I believe therefore that this program strongly benefits both the students and the public interest.
Associate Professor Adult Education Specialization Department of Educational Policy Studies
I am a professor in the Faculty of Education of the in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. My area of scholarship is Adult Education and Community Development, which is one of the reasons why I was invited to teach in Cape Breton’s MBA in Community Economic Development. I was familiar with the program since it’s inception, so it has been a real privilege to teach in the program since fall 2008. I was concerned that communicating from a distance would present challenges that would impact on the quality of the academic experience. However, the level of professionalism and efficiency immediately helped to alleviate my concerns that academic rigor was compromised. In my experience the program shares the same level of rigor I find in the . Overall my interaction with the Cape Breton administration has been very effective and constructive.
Over the last ten years I have taught two courses for two different cohorts: Introduction to Business and Community, and Research Methods. In both instances I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with all of the students. The students brought highly diverse backgrounds that ensured there was a breadth of experiences that enhanced my adult learning pedagogical strategies. The students have consistently proven to be highly qualified and capable learners that is expected at the graduate level. The student brought experiences that greatly enhanced the learning environment for all participants. I am very excited that we will see the first NAIT cohort completing this fall, and I am proud to say that they started in my course.
5
Graduate Comments
Governor General’s Gold Medal Recipient Program Development Scientist Centre for Sustainability in Energy & Environment, CBU
As a student in CBU’s MBA in Community Economic Development program, I had the opportunity to participate in a national research study focused on the social economy highlighting common problems, concerns, and opportunities for stakeholders. I have experienced first hand CBU’s strong commitment to community. With the establishment of the Centre for Sustainability in Energy and Environment CBU continues to identify itself as a centre for research and learning in the field of community economic development.
CIDA Internship Governor General’s Gold Medal Recipient
I would recommend the MBA in CED Program to anyone who is interested in building and strengthening communities in a realistic and meaningful way. The unique blend of business and community economic development classes, which cannot be found in any other program in Canada, exceeded my expectations. The condensed course schedule allowed me to continue working without taking away from my academic experience. I learned the essential skills to think critically to make sound business decisions, while learning about innovative community development concepts and strategies.
The diverse student population made for very interesting and well-balanced discussions, encouraging each of us to gain new perspectives and learn from one another. There were entrepreneurs, government employees, non-profit practitioners, teachers, and military personnel. Each student came from a different background, with different experience but everyone had something to offer and something to learn. The one common thread among each student was the passion for the material and an eagerness to learn.
The classroom was also enriched by the knowledgeable and approachable professors who showed a genuine interest in the students in the classroom.
Through the MBA in CED program I was also provided the opportunity to conduct research in Zambia (Africa) for my final project. It was an unforgettable experience where I was able to put many of the skills and concepts I had learned into practice. It was the first, and certainly not the last, example of the value of the knowledge and skills I gained through the MBA in CED program at CBU. It has without a doubt well prepared me to succeed in my chosen career.
Health Promotion Facilitator East Central Health, Alberta
The course material in the MBA in CED program has been extremely relevant to the work that I am currently doing and has certainly broadened my mind and my opportunities for the future. The sharpening of my skills in community economic development will serve as a valuable resource for the remainder of my working career and beyond.
6
Business Development Coordinator Causeway Work Centre, Ottawa
I looked at a few graduate programs. In the MBACED I not only discovered a solid program in both business and economic development, but also a supportive, collaborative community. Its flexible delivery has made it possible for me to continue working while I pursue a quality MBA degree.
Industrial Engineer Membertou First Nation $17,500 SSHRC Recipient
A typical MBA program teaches students to utilize core business principals such as strategy, finance, marketing, and organizational behaviour. In the MBA in CED Program at CBU, we discussed all that and more. Business structures that normally get a sideline note in a typical MBA text book, we discussed in detail. Co-ops, community partnerships, social enterprise and location-based business, present the same situations that every business does with the added challenges created by small, disenfranchised, and/or remote communities. In the CBU program, we were challenged to think differently about business, our communities, and ourselves.
OMM, MSM, CD
Commander of Land Force Western Area – Joint Task Force West I enjoyed the opportunities and challenges the program provided, including the opportunity to meet people from different career streams and professions, and to benefit from the ensuing group discussions that served to provide a critical perspective on a number of my own, long-held views and opinions. Being in the military for 31 years, I had my perspective broadened considerably from facing off with fellow students working in international aid organizations, municipal and regional economic development councils and First Nations government. Key to delivering value from these critical interactions was the provision of a challenging compilation of comprehensive pre-reading materials that provided a wide range of perspectives on the topics to be discussed by recognized subject-matter experts. Even the briefest discussions in some of our courses, such as International Business, lasting less than three hours, demanded more than 1000 pages of prior reading to participate effectively.
With a very limited background in finance, economics or accounting, I found all three of these core courses daunting. However, the most demanding moment in program was a highly condensed course focused on Entrepreneurship in which I was required to coordinate the efforts of a four-member group to work with a small business to determine opportunities for market expansion, product diversification, production efficiencies, and so forth. My colleagues and I examined the operations of a small business in New Brunswick over an eight-week period, working some incredibly demanding hours from our hometowns, including Ottawa, Kingston, and St. Johns, while continuing to work in relatively busy careers. This task became an incredibly intense test of our abilities to work as a team, while we concurrently put to work our collective skills and knowledge of marketing, finance and accounting, and qualitative and quantitative research. There is no doubt in my mind that we all benefited enormously from this opportunity to work under this type of pressure with a successful small business operation - personally, I found this unparalleled experience immensely beneficial to my current career.
7
Director, Residential & Client Services Ongwanada Hospital, Kingston
The MBA in CED is an affordable program offered in Kingston. The versatile, small class approach allows you to directly shape and share the wealth of knowledge and experience from both faculty and students. It provided me with a first-class management education and a unique life experience.
Director of Services Frontenac Children’s Aid Society
Although I already had a Master’s degree in another discipline, I believed that pursuing an advanced business degree would make me a more effective leader. The MBA in CED program with its focus on strategy, leadership, and responsibility has exceeded my expectations in preparing me for senior management. I enjoyed the courses and the small class community immensely!
Past Vice-President Corporate Express Canada, Toronto
The MBA in CED program equipped me for a major promotion in my company. It helped me acquire advanced skills and become more effective in what I love to do: lead, develop, and create while helping others grow.
RSI Management Solutions PhD (Candidate) / Lecturer Faculty of Management, Bachelor of Commerce Dalhousie University, Halifax
Cape Breton University’s MBA in CED was a major millstone in my life. This unique MBA that has a mixture of business and social science disciplines provided me an opportunity to access across sector opportunities. The program pushed me to think outside the classroom and relate to the community at large. I entered the program as an international student from Egypt; however, I graduated as a global community member with a passion for community economic development that has no limit. The program also opened several doors for me when I decided to further my education towards a Ph.D. degree. I received more than 7 offers from Ph.D. programs in Canada, the US, and the UK – recognition of the quality of education offered by CBU.
The MBA in CED has provided me with a solid academic and professional foundation and enabled me to mobilize it towards multiple directions, as an academic and as a professional.
Principal, McNally High School, Edmonton
I was involved in the first cohort of students who enrolled in the MBA in Community Economic Development program through a partnership between Lakeland College and Cape Breton University. As a public school administrator, I was looking for a program that would allow me to continue working full time while applying practical aspects of my studies towards school improvement. The MBA in CED
8 program, a blend of business studies with elements of social sciences, challenged me to enhance my business acumen, while focusing on our core work to improve student achievement. The Major Research Essay served as the culminating activity for the program. The essay topic that I chose dealt with the concept of building Social Capital through Public Education. The program proved to be a perfect fit for my graduate study aspirations.
Beyond the content of the MBA in CED program, I found the networking with local professionals from the profit and non-profit sectors immensely valuable. As instructors were both hired locally and brought in from Cape Breton University, we were introduced to a first class business education through the lens of challenges that our society faces locally, regionally and internationally. Tuition for the program was very competitive with other business schools in Canada, and the fact that there was no residency requirement for the program made it very practical and affordable. I have no hesitation in recommending the MBA in CED program to those who are looking for a rewarding graduate study experience. There is no doubt that the learning experiences in this program have helped to equip me with the tools that I need for success as a public school administrator.
Past President Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Unama’ki Economic Benefits Office Membertou First Nation, Nova Scotia
I have seen my community suffer economic hardship and I have also experience that hardship in my own business. I had a great desire to be able to help my community build a strong new economy. I had a strong background in business, but lacked the knowledge in community economic development. My studies at Cape Breton University in the MBA program in Community Economic Development taught me that before you can build a stronger community, you need to build up the individual. The MBA program at CBU built me up and now I feel I am making a meaningful contribution towards my community’s efforts in building a stronger economy.
I recently completed a three year term as president of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce and now find myself working for five local First Nation communities helping them build a stronger economic future. Both of these ventures have been extremely exciting and rewarding. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the staff at the Shannon School of Business at CBU and say how unique your program is and how the flexibility it showed towards a mature student, helped allow me to become a better person, a person that can now help my community.
I especially appreciated the diversity of the student body in the MBA program. I got to study with and learn from some very bright and experienced students from across the globe. My studies in leadership have helped enable me to step forward to provide some leadership within my own community. My new understanding of the challenges communities face in economic development, helped prepare me to act as a leader, a mediator, a facilitator and a listener, as I work in the First Nation communities. My MBA studies at CBU have opened many new doors for me that I never dreamed I could walk through. Education truly is the key to success and CBU presented me with the opportunity for find that key. Thank you and I hope many others will have the opportunity I had to take the MBA program at Cape Breton University, allowing them to grow in confidence, grow in knowledge and grow in understanding, thus becoming better individuals that can help make their communities stronger.
9
Instructor, Department of Economics and Business Administration Shijiazhuang Institute of Technology & Instructor (Part-Time) Shijiazhuang Vocational College of Foreign Language Translation
I am doing something for the community which I belong to using what I learned overseas in Canada. The MBA in CED qualifies me to work in the economic and business administration department of the university and the experiences I had in Canada enables me to teach English to Chinese students and ntroduce a whole different culture to them.
National Coordinator, American Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund & Democracy and Human Rights Fund, Malawi
CBU faculty exceeded my expectations as a student of Development Economics. The education I received has enabled me to make unparalleled contributions in poverty reduction in Malawi by enabling Malawian civil society organizations and community-based organizations to collaborate more effectively at different levels of society to reap the benefits of foreign intervention in development and improve the wellbeing of historically disadvantaged communities. This job has been professionally fulfilling and in some ways, challenging. Nonetheless, the education from CBU has made me [according to Embassy sources] the most versatile Administrator for these professional challenges. My invaluable community services yield renewed energy, enjoyment and excitement, which inspire me to want to do even more!
MMM, CD
Senior Project Manager Information, Environmental & Engineering Solutions Division Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC Canada), Halifax
In my duties as past Deputy Commander of the Land Forces Atlantic and also in my civilian job, I have found that what I learned in the MBA in CED to be particularly useful. Now that there is a Peace-building Option, its value can only increase.
Management Consulting Inc.
I have run my own management consulting firm for over 20 years specializing in entrepreneurship, restructuring, succession planning, training, and facilitation. I started investigating MBA programs in England, the United States, and Canada. I had contacted registrars about MBA's in finance, leadership and training, and conflict resolution. Nothing lit a spark in me until I accidently discovered CBU’s MBA program while searching for books on economic development from CBU Press. CBU’s MBA in CED program was definitely the only program that I was interested in. It allowed me to further my education and successfully expand my current business and volunteer activities in community economic development.
Cape Breton University - MBA in Community Economic Development program 43
APPENDIX
MBA in CED in the press SREDA creates scholarship for future indigenous leaders in economic development
SASKATOON STARPHOENIX (HTTPS://THESTARPHOENIX.COM/AUTHOR/THESTARPHOENIX) Updated: June 7, 2017
The Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) announced on June 6, 2017 the Indigenous Economic Development Scholarship, up to $5,000, which will be offered for students to use toward their first or second year of study in the Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development program
The Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority will soon award a new scholarship to indigenous students studying community economic development at Great Plains College.
The annual SREDA Indigenous Economic Development Scholarship, up to $5,000, will be offered for students to use toward their first or second year of study in the Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development program. SREDA put in $10,000 to be spread over four years, and the Saskatchewan government matched the investment to total $20,000.
“We are happy to partner with Great Plains College and the Saskatchewan First Nations Economic Development Network on awarding scholarships to future indigenous leaders in economic development,” said Alex Fallon, president and CEO of SREDA in a statement on Tuesday.
“This investment is part of SREDA’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, specifically the call for ensuring aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training and education opportunities in the corporate sector.”
TRENDING IN CANADA
‹
This Week's Flyers
Northern SK business grad student earns SREDA scholarship
Toggle Whitehorse Daily Star (/)
Partnership with Cape Breton University opened up doors Earning a master’s degree while also keeping up with a busy family life,
By Stephanie Waddell on September 6, 2016
Share on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3a%2f%2fwww.whitehorsestar.com%2fNews%2fpartnership-with-cape-breton-university-opened-up-doors) Share on Twitter (https://twitter.com/share?url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.whitehorsestar.com%2fNews%2fpartnership-with-cape-breton-university-opened-up-doors)
Earning a master’s degree while also keeping up with a busy family life, a full-time job and helping a spouse run the family business is not for the faint of heart, but for Damien Burns there are no regrets thanks to a partnership between Yukon College and Cape Breton University.
Burns is part of the first cohort to earn his master’s of business administration in community economic development from CBU through Yukon College. The two-year program is being offered a second time beginning this fall.
Through the program Burns said he was able to apply what he learned directly to his job with the government and he is seeing new potential entrepreneurial opportunities as well (though it’s too early for him to specify what they might be).
“It exceeded my expectations,” he said in a recent interview. “This is a very innovative way of delivering an MBA.”
Burns had been looking at furthering his education for some time through online programs. Most of the online programs he was interested in would have been difficult with his family life, some that would require travel at various points in the program.
When he learned he could earn his MBA at Yukon College, it didn’t take him long to look a little further into the program and submit his application.
Rather than doing a few courses at once, the program delivers one course at a time over a period of four to six weeks with students attending weekend sessions every other week. As Burns described that means students can focus on one subject at a time with a break in between courses.
The program also saw a high calibre of professors from across the country fly in to Whitehorse to deliver their particular course. Burns said it meant hearing from instructors from not only CBU, but also from schools like Simon Fraser University, the University of Alberta and more. Depending on the course, Burns estimated he spent anywhere between 10 and 15 hours a week on assignments and the like. As he noted, some courses were easier than others, though all seemed to have some application to his career.
A course on how global forces influence local economies is proving useful in his work for the government, while studying marketing is helping with the business he and his wife Betty Skoke Burns owns — Angellina’s Toy Boutique.
The local delivery of the program also means that issues specific to the Yukon make their way into classroom discussions and projects, making the program that much more relevant.
“It is a unique opportunity to learn in your own town and discuss real Yukon issues with fellow students,” Burns said.
Another graduate, Jordan Stackhouse, who works for the City of Whitehorse as its economic development officer, also praised the program, noting he’s come out of it with a greater depth of knowledge he now applies to his job.
“For me it was a perfect opportunity,” he said.
He hadn’t been looking for more educational opportunities at the time, but when he saw the ad for the program and realized he could earn his master’s degree in town while continuing to work full-time and balancing his family life, it was an opportunity he could not pass up.
He admits its not easy to earn a degree while balancing all those other aspects of life.
However, he also came out with more skills in critical thinking and understanding of various issues. It has made him better able to craft strategies to deal with issues as they come up in his daily work, he said.
Program details are available online at www.cbu.ca/mba
© 2019 Whitehorse Star Limited. All rights reserved.
Ne