This past semester Fairfield Dolan continued to expand its options for students considering an MBA by launching two new programs: the dual MBA/MSBA (Master of Science in Business Analytics) Program and the Online Analytics MBA. The dual MBA/MSBA was designed for students looking for a deep dive into analytics.

“This dual degree provides students with the well-rounded business curriculum of an MBA paired with a robust and more technical business analytics curriculum,” said Fairfield Dolan Dean Zhan Li, DBA. With the dual degree, students are prepared to stand out in the job market with both the technology-driven skills provided by the MSBA and the broader organizational and leadership skills stressed in the MBA.

Sensing a desire among professionals for an analytics-focused MBA that can be completed in just one year, Fairfield Dolan created the Online Analytics MBA. The program combines rigorous grounding in the software tools used in analytics with core business courses. Projects emphasize hands-on experiences in data analysis, investment strategy, deep learning, consumer behavior, and more. Students learn fully online, get support from expert faculty, and have the opportunity to connect with employers in the process.

In addition to these new programs, students considering the traditional Dolan MBA degree can customize their MBA by reducing the number of courses they’re required to take so they can focus on their area of interest. Whether they want to focus on finance, marketing, management, analytics, economics, or accounting, students have more flexibility and can even pursue two concentration areas.

Two New Programs Graduate Their First Cohorts

In addition to launching new programs, Fairfield Dolan faculty have graduated their first cohorts for two, recently launched programs. Introduced last summer, the MS in Management (MSM) is a graduate business degree specifically designed for non-business majors.

“We had students who studied psychology, communication, film, and engineering as undergrads,” said Program Director Lisa Stafford, MBA. “We offer them a one year, immersive business degree that wraps around their undergraduate focus and gives them a tremendous advantage in the market.”

The capstone project, which has an entrepreneurial focus, brings it all together, and demonstrates students’ ability to understand marketing, accounting, finance, and management. In addition, the Global Business Strategy course gives students hands on consulting assignments with organizations internationally. This past semester, students worked in teams to complete virtual consulting assignments for organizations in France.

Although they were unable to do so this past year, subsequent MSM students will spend a week overseas working with and presenting to a non-American company. “It’s a fantastic and unique opportunity to lead in a global setting,” says Stafford. “In this, Dolan’s MSM stands alone. No other MS program in a business school has a global immersion program like this.”

The recently launched Marketing Analytics and Strategy (MAS) program is also graduating its first cohort class. This STEM-designated program teaches students to use current analytical methods to create and assess marketing strategies. The program’s point of difference is its emphasis on experiential learning. 

By partnering with companies, Program Director Julie Marella, MS, has established the ability for students to work with the syndicated data those companies hold. For example, this year’s experiential learning projects entailed market research analysis using actual data for Henkel Consumer Goods and Kellogg’s. Other students worked with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team as they rebrand the team to reflect their affiliation with the Long Island Islanders.

“Getting hands on experience and being able to work closely with data to help provide client solutions was incredibly beneficial to my academic and professional development,” says Eric Hett, MAS’21. “These experiential projects have helped improve the way I approach a business problem.” Hett landed a job with Nielsen as a result of using syndicated data in Professor Marella’s Pricing and Contemporary Topics class, experience that gave him a solid competitive edge.

Experiential learning is key to the success of the program, maintains Marella. “Students don't typically get the opportunity to work with current syndicated data and consumer data from companies like Nielsen/IRI or Kantar media. Our partnerships give Dolan students a solid advantage in the marketplace, and it’s not surprising that several of these experiential opportunities have led to job offers. 

To learn more about Fairfield Dolan graduate program offerings visit fairfield.edu/dolan or contact Assistant Dean of Dolan Graduate Programs Leanne De Los Santos.