Georgia Southwestern set to launch executive business program

AMERICUS — Georgia Southwestern State University will launch an Executive Master of Business Administration in spring 2023.

The 12-month, cohort-based program is designed specifically to prepare mid- to upper-level executives for increasingly advanced management roles within their current or future organizations, leading to career advancement, personal growth and salary increase, school officials said.

Approval for the new program was recently granted by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia at the board’s August meeting. Business and community leaders in the region expressed a high level of interest and need for an EMBA program in southwest Georgia during GSW’s Academic Planning in 2019.

“I am so proud of the work our dedicated faculty has put into providing this unique experience for executives in our region that will support them in their career endeavors,” Gaynor Cheokas, dean of the GSW College of Business and Computing, said in a news release. “GSW’s EMBA program will reinvigorate our existing curriculum and is part of the institution’s overall effort to modernize course offerings to meet market needs.”

GSW’s EMBA will consist of 10 courses carefully designed and delivered in a convenient hybrid format to fit the needs of the university’s busy organizational leaders and move these professionals through the program in cohorts with maximum time efficiency and minimum distraction from their important duties, school officials said.

By focusing on emerging trends, participants in the program will enhance their current skillset and broaden their industry knowledge propelling them in their careers. GSW’s EMBA includes the following advanced courses: Accounting for Executives, Strategic Marketing, Global Economics, the Analytical Edge, Organizational Strategy and Change, Strategic Financial Management, Global Enterprise Management, New Product Development and Innovation, Enterprise Value Chain, and Executive Perspectives in Leadership.

EMBA Program Director Jim Aller said the courses are “carefully designed to maximize exposure to current best practices and philosophy from the world of business.”

GSW’s EMBA will be offered through the College of Business and Computing, accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, which represents the top 5% of business programs worldwide.

There are only four other EMBA programs within the University System of Georgia — all located in north Georgia. Their two-year programs are more than twice the cost compared to GSW’s one-year program. The new EMBA will meet the needs of southwest Georgia business leaders by offering an aggressive curriculum at a more affordable cost and in a format suited for a diverse group of executives with demanding schedules.

Organizations in GSW’s service area reported difficulty filling upper management positions, indicating a tight labor market and a need to increase training and education for future leadership roles.

In addition to these discussions with regional employers, GSW also looked at employment outlook calculations over the next 10 years when considering implementing an EMBA. Projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics suggested an increasing demand for managers and top executive occupations. The Bureau projected 1,600 new positions will be created in the next decade in GSW’s region, all requiring a master’s degree.

The EMBA is a complementary program rather than a competing program when compared to GSW’s traditional MBA program. Differences include time of completion, mode of delivery, type of student targeted and content of the curriculum.

Admittance into GSW’s EMBA program will focus primarily on job-related skills and accomplishments, with two entry points during the year in January and August. No pre-requisite courses, undergraduate business degree, or entrance exams are required.

Those interested in learning more and applying to GSW’s EMBA may visit www.gsw.edu/EMBA.

Special Photo: GSW