by Jacob Fuher |
OSU is moving into Portland’s Pearl District, and it’s bringing a new Masters of Business Administration in innovation with it. The second largest college in Oregon will now compete with the likes of UP and University of Oregon for graduate students.
The “hybrid” MBA program at OSU’s new downtown base is a mix of online and in-person classes, according to a January press release.
Jon Down, strategy and entrepreneurship professor in UP’s School of Business, is not surprised by the move.
“Portland is an innovation hub because of the success of a lot of the companies that have grown here in Portland,” Down said.
OSU is just the most recent entrant into the field.
Willamette University also offers an MBA in Portland located in the Pearl District as well as the University of Oregon, which is constructing a new building in Old Town Chinatown to house its executive MBA program.
Down, who taught at OSU for 10 years before coming to UP, sees the larger state schools’ presence as an opportunity rather than a threat.
“We might be competing for the same students … but it might be raising awareness in more people's minds,” Down said. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It might expand the pie a little bit.”
Another advantage, Down says, is UP’s small class sizes and the chance to meet in person with classmates, whereas 80 percent of OSU’s innovation MBA will take place on the computer.
“You’re developing skills beyond being able to communicate online,” Down said.
No doubt price will also play a role in where students choose to go.
UP’s one-year MBA program, which runs about $44,000 dollars, is substantially more expensive than a similar hybrid degree at OSU, which runs about $18,000.
UP’s MBA and MS programs currently serve about 150 students, with 45 percent having majored in business.
Jacob Fuhrer is a reporter for The Beacon. He can be reached at fuhrer17@up.edu or on Twitter @jacobfuhrer.
