Isenberg School of Management continues to expand its portfolio of career-focused graduate education with the launch of three new focus areas in its online and on-campus MBA programs: Organizational Management, Supply Chain Management, and Design-Your-Own. New coursework in the MBA Healthcare leadership focus and the launch of the new MS in Management (MSM) degree also enhance Isenberg’s leadership offerings.
With a total of eight MBA focus areas, students now have expanded opportunities to customize their MBA experience while building the leadership skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex business environment. Students also have access to four certificate programs, including the Artificial Intelligence in Business and Project Management certificates that launched in the last year.
"As the needs of today's graduate students and employers continue to evolve, our graduate portfolio changes with them," said Anne Massey, dean of Isenberg. "Expanding our MBA focus areas allows us to provide students with specialized knowledge and practical skills that align with changing workforce demands, while ensuring our programs remain relevant, innovative, and responsive to the future of business."
"Focus areas are designed to equip students with knowledge and leadership skills that can have a meaningful impact on career advancement," said Traci Hess, senior associate dean of graduate education and professional programs. "Each focus area includes nine credits of elective coursework that enables students to build expertise in a specific domain while developing the strategic thinking and leadership skills employers seek."
The new Organizational Management MBA focus area is designed for professionals who aspire to lead teams, shape organizational strategy, and drive meaningful change. Students in the focus area will gain a deeper understanding of how organizations function through the study of human behavior, workplace communication, and interpersonal dynamics.
"Organizations are fundamentally about people," said Feng Qiu, assistant professor of management, who teaches the core MBA class, Organizational Behavior and Leadership. "This focus area helps students understand the complex interactions that influence employee behavior, teamwork, and organizational effectiveness. By recognizing the patterns behind these dynamics, students become more thoughtful decision-makers and effective leaders."
The new Supply Chain Management MBA focus area responds to growing demand for leaders who can oversee increasingly sophisticated and technology-driven supply networks. By combining operational expertise with strategic decision-making, the focus area prepares students for leadership roles in one of the most critical functions of modern business.
"Emerging technologies continually transform supply chain infrastructure and operations," said Agha Iqbal Ali, Karen & Chuck Peters Family endowed professor of operations and information management, who teaches a required course within the new focus area. "Managers must be able to leverage these technologies to improve planning, decision-making, and organizational performance. The Supply Chain Management focus equips students with the analytical tools and methodologies needed to lead complex supply chain processes that create value across organizations."
For professionals whose career goals span multiple disciplines, the new Design-Your-Own MBA focus area offers maximum flexibility.
"The Design-Your-Own focus is an excellent option for professionals seeking expertise across several business domains," Hess said. "By selecting electives that align with their career aspirations and high demand areas such as artificial intelligence, students can create a personalized MBA experience that supports both immediate opportunities and long-term professional growth."
In addition to introducing new focus areas, Isenberg is enhancing its Healthcare Administration MBA focus with a new course, Healthcare Leadership, taught by W. Mitch Heroman, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAP, DFAAPL, a board-certified neonatologist who served as a Navy-Marine Corps physician for 30 years.
"Healthcare is a complex environment with many moving parts and little room for error," Heroman said. "Through this course, MBA students will develop skills in organizational values, cultural leadership, the High Reliability Organization framework, and leading in volatile, uncertain, and complex environments."
The course is designed to help students build leadership capabilities specific to healthcare settings, including working effectively with clinical professionals, managing organizational change, and making decisions in high-stakes environments.
The launch of these MBA focus areas follows the recent introduction of Isenberg's MS in Management program, which offers concentrations in Project Management, Human Resources, and Arts Administration—the latter developed in collaboration with the Arts Extension Service at UMass Amherst.
"Today's graduate students want programs that provide clear career pathways," Hess said. "Whether they're recent graduates or experienced professionals, the new MS in management outlines industry-relevant coursework that leads to high-demand careers. The MS in management core curriculum and concentrations allow students to build an academic experience that strengthens their leadership potential and supports the careers they want to pursue."