Harvard – reinvention of an MBA curriculum

Whilst changes to the first year included a three-module course called the Field Immersion Experiences for Leadership Development, or Field, the new changes are said to work in concert with the Field curriculum, including new second-year electives and affecting case studies according to Business Week. 

During the mentioned Field course students travel to a developing country to work with a company in the creation of a new product or service. They also join together in teams to develop and launch a “micro business” in just 15 weeks. HBS was able to undertake further changes to its curriculum due to a $10 million gift from the family of the late William Connell, a 1963 HBS graduate. Connell was the founding chairman and CEO of Connell LP, a group of companies doing business in automotive, energy, mining, and other sectors.

Several other top business schools have also changed their MBA curricula in recent years. Amongst them are the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and Columbia Business School.

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek