KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 4, 2024

Kennesaw State University’s Master of Business Administration program is adding three new concentrations to its Evening MBA offering which will give students more choices to focus their degrees on cutting-edge skills that employers want. 

Beginning March 2024, students who enroll in the Michael J. Coles College of Business’s Evening MBA program can elect to concentrate in one of three new disciplines: digital marketing, organizational entrepreneurship and innovation, and information security and assurance. 

These three disciplines – as well as the existing concentrations in accounting, finance, general management, and fintech – reflect a growing trend among business schools in allowing students to customize their degree to meet their career goals. 

“Concentrations and specialized master’s programs have gained popularity among many b-schools nationwide over the past 5 years,” said Renee Bourbeau, Kennesaw State’s executive director of MBA programs. “Specialization is an important vehicle for meeting industry demands because it enables our MBAs to develop expertise and a depth of knowledge that leads to greater innovation, problem solving and increased efficiency for employers.” 

Robin Cheramie, dean of the Coles College of Business, said, “Our MBA programs have been designed from the ground up to bring immediate value and return on investment for our students. By offering students a variety of concentrations, each addressing a critical business need, our students can begin making meaningful improvements in their organizations – and their careers – even before their degree program is complete.” 

Each of the new concentrations is designed around developing skills to succeed in an increasingly technology-driven marketplace and are ideal for professionals looking to stay current in their fields as well as for managers and career changers looking to expand their skills.  

The digital marketing concentration offers courses that teach students to leverage social media, search engine optimization, content marketing, and analytics to enhance brand visibility, customer acquisition, and customer retention. 

“Proficiency in digital marketing is a sought-after skill, with employers valuing it for roles across industries,” said Prachi Gala, assistant professor of marketing. “Professionals equipped with digital marketing skills have a competitive edge as they can drive effective campaigns, analyze data for informed decision-making, and adapt to the evolving online landscape.” 

The concentration in information security and assurance addresses organizations’ need to protect their data. With courses on information security technology, governance and risk management, disaster recovery planning, and legal/ethical issues, students learn how to keep data secure, and how security affects the entire organization. 

While digital marketing and information security and assurance focus on specific functional areas, the organizational entrepreneurship and innovation concentration teaches students to apply the principles of entrepreneurship across their organization. They learn to launch new ventures and products, create new markets, and manage company strategy, skills applicable to entrepreneurs working for themselves or within an existing company. 

“Entrepreneurship and innovation are the true drivers of our economy,” said Birton Cowden, associate professor and academic director of the Robin and Doug Shore Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center. “The pace of change in society is occurring faster thanks to technology like AI and blockchain and to global shocks like the pandemic. Our courses teach students to engage in uncertainty and utilize structure to create something new and valuable for their companies.” 

To earn one of the Evening MBA program’s concentrations, students must complete 15 hours of core business classes followed by 21 hours of concentration-related courses. Kennesaw State’s Evening MBA is a part-time accelerated program that can be completed in as little as 18 months. In 2023, the Evening MBA was rated the No. 5 part-time MBA in Georgia by US News and World Report.