New Miami MiniMBA: Beyond Ready For the Future offers business credential program at no cost to alumni

Plans to expand program already underway

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to batter the job market, Miami University is launching Miami MiniMBA: Beyond Ready For the Future, a series of free, online business modules that culminate in a Miami University professional certificate of completion.

The career-enhancing opportunity will roll out to Miami’s more than 220,000 alumni at no cost this fall. The self-paced program is ideal for individuals who do not have a business degree and those who want to strengthen their skillsets and supplement their professional experience as they navigate the workforce.

The new Miami MiniMBA: Beyond Ready For the Future leverages the university’s Farmer School of Business talent and resources to help participants face the unprecedented economic challenges of the coronavirus pandemic with practical knowledge to advance their skill levels. After the initial offering this fall, plans for expansion to open the program more broadly, including that outside of the Miami community, will be announced.

“Our alumni have always been there for us, and during the extraordinary circumstances and challenges in our world today, this is our way of expressing gratitude through the gift of education,” said Miami University President Gregory Crawford.

Miami University’s Miami MiniMBA: Beyond Ready For the Future program is a fast-track, non-credit light-sample of a full Miami MBA. It abridges a two-year MBA degree into an “overview” learning experience of approximately 24 hours of media content taught by faculty from Miami University’s nationally ranked Farmer School of Business. The Miami MiniMBAcovers topics typically found in an MBA program, such as leadership, entrepreneurship, accounting and finance, but will be more laser-focused on the concepts and activities at the forefront of these business areas.

“Each topic will feature the highest-quality mini lectures, meaningful readings, case studies and interviews with some of Miami’s most successful alumni,” said Jenny Darroch, Dean of the Farmer School of Business. “This program is ideal for professionals without a business degree who want to strengthen their perception of the modern business world, with innovation and informed business decision-making at its core. It’s also a great way for business alumni to update and add to their skill sets.”

Module materials will be posted online beginning October 5 for attendees to take at their own pace through January 2021.

Kim Tavares, associate vice president and executive director of the Alumni Association, said the program signals the university’s lifelong commitment to its alumni.

“Our commitment to students continues long after graduation as they form a lifelong connection to Miami as alumni,” she said. “This program underscores that commitment with a value-added educational opportunity that will be immediately applicable to their employment and careers. It’s also a great way for alumni to test the waters if they are considering one of Miami’s full MBA programs.”

Registration for Miami alumni begins online September 21 at www.MiamiOH.edu/MiniMBA.