First TCU MBA/Ed.D.degrees awarded at Commencement

James Bowen, Alison Tanner, and Jessica Tyler wait for Commencement to begin.

Fort Worth, TX

1/5/2007

Three dual MBA/Ed.D. degrees were bestowed for the first time at Fall Commencement to students Jessica Tyler, James Bowen and Alison Tanner. The Neeley School of Business and the School of Education partnered to create this unique option: a comprehensive program that integrates a master of business administration degree with a doctorate in educational leadership, effectively combining the best of business and educational disciplines to help assure qualified leaders for our nation's educational institutions.

The dual degree program is one of only three in the nation to integrate these two areas. It prepares students to assume leadership positions in a variety of education-related organizations by applying managerial skills and educational leadership.

"To help assure qualified leaders for our nation's educational institutions, we created a program that combines the best of education and business disciplines," said Dr. Bill Cron, associate dean of graduate studies for Neeley. "The program prepares students to enter educational management in school systems, regional, state or federal governments, research institutions, private foundations, universities or private sector companies."

"The MBA/Ed.D. reflects the complexities of educational systems and emergent institutions," said Dr. Mike Sacken of the School of Education. "These graduates have drawn on the best knowledge about leading organizations and systems irrespective of public or private, profit or nonprofit, and have challenged and been challenged to question traditional expectations and solutions. They are prepared to lead in the present and future, however policy and practice evolves to meet the educational demands of our society and its young people."

Candidates for the MBA/Ed.D. first must be admitted to the MBA program and meet all 36 hours of core requirements as well as the START Workshop. At the completion of the first year of the MBA program, and a summer of coursework in educational administration, students apply for the doctoral program. Throughout the program, students must maintain a B average. At the completion of coursework, students take written and oral comprehensives before proceeding to the dissertation stage.

“TCU is a unique place,” said Jessica Tyler, one of the three students who earned the degree. “The School of Education and the Neeley School of Business are full of high-quality professors. They care, they spend time with you, and they made the experience challenging,  what every graduate program should be!”

Tyler credits Dr. Sacken with beginning the program, understanding that educational leaders need both educational background/knowledge and the business savvy to have a positive impact in today’s educational climate.

“The challenges we face and will face educationally can admit no boundaries to possible responses and alternatives,” said Dr. Sacken. “That is what these students have accepted as their leadership perspective: that the future cannot be the captive of familiar reactions to new problems. They are prototypes of adaptive leaders and learners, exactly what our educational systems must expect and require now and in the future.”

Tyler offers this advice to anyone considering the MBA/Ed.D. program: “Make it your own. That’s the beauty of this program. Each individual that goes through the program has a completely different focus, goal, and background. Design the program to fit your personal goals – get out of it what you need to grow and move along your own path. It is not a ‘jump through the hoops’ curriculum, thank goodness.”

For more information on the MBA/Ed.D. program, click here.