Mount Ida College to Launch Its First Graduate Programs: Blending Business and Design
Master of Science in Management and Master of Science with Interior Design Concentration
May 19, 2009
Charging a team of faculty and administrators from Mount Ida College’s five schools to think outside of the box has resulted in the design of two innovative Master of Science in Management programs. The College’s first graduate offerings, a Master of Science in Management and a Master of Science Management (MSM) with a concentration in Interior Design are geared towards current professionals from a wide range of business disciplines. The new MSM programs combine the business and aesthetics graduates need to move forward in a market where creative business solutions are required for career advancement. The College is now accepting applications for the fall 2009 semester.“We studied the current needs of businesses and tried not to confine the creative process,” said Dr. Lance Carluccio, vice president for academic affairs. “When we first approached the planning, we established that it was okay to be different as long as the result is a graduate program that positively impacted the way its students conducted business.” The collaborative planning process resulted in the two initial MSM programs and plans to roll out additional concentrations that will also play on the strengths of the College’s School of Animal Science, Arts and Sciences, Business, and Design.
The 36-credit, part-time MSM programs are delivered evenings and weekends in a combined on-site and online format. On-site courses will be held on the Mount Ida College campus in Newton, MA. The design of the programs allows students to continue working full-time while completing their degree requirements in two years.
Master of Science in Management
The MSM program is designed to provide small business owners and young professionals the expertise required to manage a growing business and the creative ability to succeed in a competitive market. The program offers students a wide range of business courses, from e-marketing to strategic planning to management theory. “In the ever-changing global economic scene, there is a greater emphasis on relevant business skills and knowledge that can be transferred across industries,” a trait Ronald Akie, director of the School of Business, believes employers are seeking more and more often.
Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Interior Design
The MSM with a concentration in Interior Design also targets working professionals. This multi-dimensional program offers a combination of business and marketing course work with electronic studios that provide interior designers the additional technological prowess needed to emerge as an industry leader. “The interior design program is a direct result of the rapid advances in technology and a need for designers, who work independently and with firms, that understand how to position a business in today’s challenging economy,” said Dr. RoseMary Botti-Salitsky, director of the interior design program. “It’s exciting to offer a graduate program that expands a student’s knowledge of business management while it simultaneously advances their design skills,” said Botti-Salitsky, acknowledging a key feature of this program that she believes makes it unique to the New England market.
“Mount Ida has established a tradition of providing a progressive education that offers solutions to a variety of industry needs through professionally focused programs,” said Dr. Carol J. Matteson, president of Mount Ida College. “We have talented faculty who are known nationally and internationally for their dedication to teaching and accomplishments in their respected professions. Mount Ida’s first graduate programs are a reflection of our tradition.”
Mount Ida College recently received approval for the Master of Science in Management and the Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Interior Design from the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education.
Capping off a year of significant growth
The launch of Mount Ida’s first graduate programs marks the end of an academic year during which the College underwent significant growth. In the 2008-2009 academic year, the College opened a new 136-bed residence hall, increased the amount of institutional aid it provided to students by $1.2 million, and broke ground on a new center for veterinary technology (scheduled to open in a few weeks).
Visit http://msm.mountida.edu for more information about the MSM programs at Mount Ida College or contact the admissions office at (617) 928-4553 or by email at graduate@mountida.edu.