New International Executive MBA Program offers options and outlook

--Deciding where to get an MBA is a big decision and one some students may approach with reservations: Can I afford it? How will I have time to go to school? How will this degree benefit me in the long run?

Hellenic American University answers these questions with their new flexible, globally focused MBA program, based in Manchester, NH and designed with working professionals in mind.

The MBA program saw its first American graduate in June 2015. It is a ground breaking international executive MBA program of its kind in Manchester. The University is currently expanding and offering new degrees. The next degree to be offered is a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics with a TESOL specialization that will give students the opportunity to do their practicum in Greece 

“The University is very international,” said Dr. Triant Flouris, Hellenic American University Provost based in Athens, Greece. “Our program is very unique because it is an international business program in its very core as it is offered in two different continents from a very diverse and international faculty. Our motto is ‘managers not MBAs,’ as we focus on practical skills needed by today’s managers informed by contemporary management theory The international link allows our students to study business, to study society and social movement, and understand decision making in a different context and in a different environment.”

An essential component included in the program is two weeks spent studying in Athens as part of an international business practicum, which combines classroom instruction and experiential learning activities. As part of the curriculum, students also work together on a project commissioned by an international company on a global management project. Dr. John Slater, Associate Professor and Director of Operations at Hellenic American University’s Manchester campus, noted that the trip to Greece is just as much about the academics as it is the experience and cultivating international relationship ties. It allows students to learn more about the cultural, cultural and social aspects of global business models.

The final component of the program is a capstone project, where students apply the business skills and knowledge they have learned. Students have used their capstone projects to start their own organizations and or get behind a cause they believe in, often related to their careers. One recent graduate worked with her local homeless resource center to secure funding for a new washer and dryer, among other resources, for the local community’s homeless and low-income residents.

Because the majority of students are working professionals, program is flexible to allow time for life’s commitments like work and family. Students may take in person classes in Manchester, online classes or a hybrid combination of both, depending upon their needs. Classes are kept small and allow students to develop meaningful relationships with their instructors and classmates. And, classes are after work and on the weekend to help working MBA candidates.

“The students enjoy the relationships they are able to create with the instructors,” said Dr. Slater. “We emphasize the face to face classes (when students schedules allow). You cannot get that same level of connection in an online class.”

While the opportunity to study in Greece, yet be able to forge close relationships may sound like it comes with a high price tag, that isn’t the case at Hellenic American University.

“It is a best cost program, which means low cost with high quality,” said Dr. Flouris. “Our model is one of mentoring. There is a great deal of customization and personal attention. The mix of our faculty is both practitioners as well as academics, which provide students with real world experience. We are also proud of the rigor of our program and the skills students can use following graduation.”

It is not uncommon for students in Manchester to take an online class from an instructor based in Greece, but taught in English. This gives students the opportunity to learn from and connect with an international professor.

As part of the MBA program, students have the opportunity to further develop their skill sets and obtain certificates in digital marketing, global aviation management, operational excellence and people management. This further allows graduates to develop their skills and have the ability to run their own businesses, take on managerial roles and be involved in international business matters.

Established in New Hampshire in 2004 as an institute of higher education, the University has an international reach with its campus in Greece – yet a local focus on small classes, mentoring and relationships.

MBA program enrollment is based on a rolling cohort schedule. They are currently accepting applications for fall 2015. For more information, visit https://www.hauniv.edu/.