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By Joe O’Donnell
Versatility is the watchword for the Master of Arts Program in Public and Private Management at Birmingham- Southern College. The college, regularly honored as one of the nation’s top liberal arts institutions, extended its focus on liberal arts to a masters degree in business that is different from the typical MBA.

“The MPPM program is distinctive in that it blends together a liberal arts approach to leadership, decisionmaking, and organizational behavior with contemporary business strategies. Our students learn the value of applying these techniques in the varied disciplines in which they work.

The MPPM program creates an environment rich with classroom interaction between students and our worldclass faculty as well as each other.

The level of peer-to-peer learning in the MPPM program is simply outstanding. The MPPM graduate is poised to assume greater leadership in his or her respective organization as well as assuming leadership roles in the larger community,” says Dr. Stephen H. Craft, Dean of Business Programs and the Elton B. Stephens Professor of Marketing at Birmingham-Southern College.

“Having chosen the not-for-profit work environment for myself in the early 80s, at 40 I decided to pursue a graduate degree in marketing; the leadership overlay to the business curriculum at ‘Southern appealed to me,” says David Hill, director of marketing for the Birmingham YMCA. “I have MPPM moments most every day. When I am called on to think spontaneously about a business situation that perplexes, I avoid the threat of an Amygdala Hijack—uncontrolled response to a brain threat—by moving into the zone of reasoning, thought, and longterm consideration that was the bedrock of my experience in the Birmingham-Southern College graduate program.”

For Hill the equation has been a simple one: “The program is versatile, it is entrepreneurial, and it is based in the liberal arts approach. Simply, I was able to bring meaning and value to the numbers processes of business; first for me, and now, for the Birmingham YMCA.”

According to Craft, to be successful today and into the future, business people need to be versatile. They need to be able to roll with the punches that are thrown at organizations or industries. “Versatility is job security. Can you prosper professionally knowing only what you know now? For most, the answer is ‘No,’” Craft says.

The MPPM program consists of sixteen courses, which can be completed in two years, though up to five years are allowed, if necessary. Signature courses include "Perspectives on Management," a year-long experience that focuses on critical success factors which have been identified as essential for effective leadership; and the "Humanist Perspectives on Management," which covers such subjects as ethics, the role of the arts in the community, communication, dealing with change and ambiguity, cross-cultural studies and the impact of technology on society. The course, "Ethics and Managerial Choice," specifically developed for the MPPM program, brings philosophical ethics to bear on major organizational issues. A practical learning experience such as a management internship, consultancy or thesis comes at the end of the program.

The MPPM program selects students who will enrich the learning experiences of their fellow students. Typical students are professionals: managers in private enterprises or within public domains, including physicians, engineers, or attorneys. From these diverse backgrounds, students share perspectives on leadership and management. Students are selected for the MPPM program with differing educational backgrounds, life experiences, academic achievements, and motivations for learning. The interdependency of student relationships is a major focus of the MPPM program.

Through group projects and assignments, students invest time and energy in each other's learning. The MPPM faculty encourages students to learn from one another as colleagues.

“When I chose the Master of Arts in Public and Private Management Program at Birmingham-Southern College, I chose to brand myself as a legacy of the traditions, the quality, and the history that lies on The Hilltop,” Hill says. “It lies, mostly, in the people who have traveled through here, on their way to bright futures and fuller lives. I found that the MPPM program is the best that the college has to offer: the best faculty, the best thinking, and the best processes. Each aspect helped me reach my mission and provided me a framework from which I could achieve my personal goals of extending both my business and marketing knowledge.”

Birmingham-Southern College
900 Arkadelphia Road
Birmingham, AL 35254
(205) 226-4803
www.bsc.edu

Admissions Criteria: The Master of Arts in Public and Private Management is considered to be a graduate management degree of distinction because of the quality teaching faculty, small class size, individualized attention, and the overall reputation of Birmingham- Southern College. To apply, you will need to submit a complete application, an essay, and an entrance examination from either the GRE or GMAT. You will also need to provide a resume, two letters of recommendation, transcripts from each college or university you have attended and a $25 application fee. An entrance interview will be scheduled for candidates who meet the admissions criteria, which include a satisfactory test score and grade poinst average plus a minimum of three years management experience that includes responsibility for organizational resources.
Tution: Contact 226-4803 for program costs’ which are variable with scholarship availability and employer reimbursement programs.

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