LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- To better meet the needs of its current and potential students, Rider University's College of Business Administration (CBA) has redesigned its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

It moves away from the traditional MBA program for the generalist who wants to gain a generic business knowledge to one that is integrative, cross-functional,and provides skill-building and team-oriented experiences.

"For many years most MBA students held non-business undergraduate degrees and were moving into career paths that required business skills," said Dr. Mark Sandberg, CBA dean. "Now two-thirds of the students have undergraduate business degrees.

"These students expect the MBA program to provide advanced, leading-edge knowledge and the opportunity to specialize," Dr. Sandberg added. "Corporations expect MBA graduates to possess strong interpersonal skills, the ability to work in groups effectively, and solid leadership traits."

Molding such a program for a predominantly part-time student enrollment takes careful evaluation. Through Tom Kelly, associate CBA dean, and a faculty MBA curriculum redesign committee that study occurred -- the results of which promise far-reaching effects.

Beginning September 1, the program revisions feature a reduction in maximum credits from 57 to 51,a new core of 24 credits, a significant level of course integration in the advanced core, an expansion in the number of elective credits from 12 to 15, and the addition of distinctively defined concentration options. As in the past, one or more of the eight core courses may be waived based on academic accomplishment and/or work experience. The program minimum is 30 credit hours for students with recent undergraduate degrees in business.

"The advanced core is distinctive and forward looking with extensive cross-discipline integration and the addition of significant skill-building components," Kelly said.

A six-credit module, customer focused management, integrates management, marketing, and selected team and interpersonal skills. The module is divided into two courses to be taken sequentially.

Another six-credit module will combine contemporary accounting, economics, and finance theory and practice into two integrated courses.

As a result, students gain an elective and the ability to blend in cross-discipline concentrations such as global business and health care administration. They could also focus on function-specific areas such as management, marketing, or finance.

All revisions are in compliance with the standards of AACSB International -- The International Association of Management Education, to which the CBA holds accreditation.

Rider's College of Business Administration is one of four colleges in New Jersey to hold American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accreditation and among 23 percent nationally who hold AACSB International accreditation. The College offers undergraduate majors in accounting, business policy and environment, computer information systems, economics, finance, global business, management and human resources, management sciences, and marketing. It also offers Master of Business Administration and Master of Accountancy programs.