RE: Update on Thunderbird Undergraduate Degree Progress Hello Chapter, As most of you know, Thunderbird is currently working on building an undergraduate degree program. Professor Mary Teagarden is spearheading this initiative. She recently provided an update on the progress to date via the Thunderbird Alumni (Official) LinkedIn Group. She is openly soliciting feedback from alumni, suggesting the noted LinkedIn thread or via [email protected] as good mediums. I have already sent her an overview of the skills I am seeing in the most competitive entry-level candidates in my trade, analytics & business intelligence. LinkedIn Group: linkedin/groups?home=&gid=1005 Thread: linkedin/groupItem?view=&gid=1005&type=member&item=5841265576407752706 Also, I have a venue and most details for Super First Tuesday figured out. More coming soon... Patrick Stewart ------------------------------------- UPDATE ON THUNDERBIRD UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRESS We are making good progress. We benchmarked the top ranked undergraduate IB programs in the world to identify program content, requirements, admissions standards (GPA, TOFEL, SAT/ACT, other activities), program length, design, and accreditations. We determined the State of Arizona, the HLC, and the AACSB requirements and recommendations. We conducted market research to identify student and employer preferences. Bases on this, we developed a strawman 4 year degree curriculum. It is highly differentiated from competitors by its delivery structure and focus on global business, innovation and entrepreneurship. It is similar based on the scope and depth of basic international business content and skills development. Design criteria included: • Benchmark top programs and then differentiate ours. • Common program on multiple campuses emphasizing Business, International Studies, Language for Business. • International experiences--real, simulated and virtual. • Business linkages--internships, projects, living case studies focusing on corporate and social innovation. • Use of technology to reinforce learning and to link TIS. • Social Innovation labs in emerging markets (e.g.--Un Techo Para Mi Pais in Latin America) • Professional proficiency in two languages (English plus one other minimum). • Rotation among TIS or temporary sites-ideally on 3-4 continents. • Thunderbird Glendale 4th year of study. This strawman has been presented to the Undergraduate Advisory Committee and more than two dozen alumni around the world in a wide variety of industries and jobs have provided recommendations Based on the feedback of both of these advisory groups, I have incorporated changes into the design. I am still seeking additional alumni design feedback. This week I will present the strawman to CAPCOM--our faculty committee empowered to approve curriculum and programs. The CAPCOM report includes the curriculum design, a course description of each course; identification of our target student profile; and a preliminary budget. After CAPCOM approval, we will seek Board of Trustees approval for the degree, State of Arizona for approval to offer a new program; and HLC accreditation of the program. We will then apply for AACSB accreditation. Our Dean of Faculty and I are developing a staffing plan to ensure that we will have the right Thunderbird faculty in the right places at the right times. Our launch target date is September 2015. This will be a Thunderbird undergraduate degree that will require attendance at multiple Thunderbird Instructional Sites (TIS). These Sites will be staffed by Thunderbird faculty and overseen by Thunderbird Staff. Thunderbird faculty will deliver this program--we are in the process of hiring some new faculty now and will continue until our targets are achieved. The qualifications for new faculty members are guided by the new AACSB standards for faculty and our assessment of the quality of new faculty. We are developing a program to develop and socialize new faculty to ensure that they are truly Thunderbird faculty. Thunderbirds undergraduates will only complete their 4th year of study in the U.S., on the Glendale campus. The first three years of study will be at other TIS and temporary sites. Right now we are planning a TIS in Brazil and one in Spain for the September 2015 launch. We are considering other TIS as the program expands--Paris is likely to be added in 2016. We are considering adding a TIS in Chicago for those who would choose to study in the U.S. We will use temporary sites to deliver special field courses in geographies where we do not have TIS. There will be articulation possibilities for students to transfer into our degree program from other degree programs and from community colleges based on their ability to meet Thunderbirds course prerequisite, TOEFEL and GPA requirements. I welcome your questions, comments and advice. Mary Teagarden Professor of Global Strategy at Thunderbird School of Global Management
Posted on: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 06:26:15 +0000
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