UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership (MOL) Program from the Penn State Smeal College of Business is now offering assured acceptance to students in Susquehanna University’s science programs through a newly formed relationship between the universities.
The MOL program is a one-year residential program held at Penn State’s University Park campus that is uniquely designed for pre-professional students from technical and STEM disciplines to bridge the gap between a technical background and the business world.
“Our new partnership with the Smeal College of Business exposes our students in the sciences to career opportunities they may never have considered before,” said Valerie Martin, vice provost and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Susquehanna. “We are happy to formalize this affiliation that has resulted in professional success for our graduates who have gone on to complete the program.”
“We’re excited about the relationship with Susquehanna University,” said Brian Cameron, associate dean for professional graduate programs at Smeal. “We have several Susquehanna students who have graduated from the program and have gone on to great careers with great companies. We look forward to growing this relationship in the future.”
To be eligible for assured admission, Susquehanna students must complete 60 credits of coursework in a science major at Susquehanna while maintaining a cumulative 3.25 GPA.
Students may apply for provisional acceptance to the Penn State Smeal MOL program beginning in the fall semester of their junior year at Susquehanna. Final admission is contingent upon conferral of their baccalaureate degree from Susquehanna.
The accelerated master’s program is designed to provide students with both functional expertise and a broad business perspective to propel their professional careers. The MOL curriculum focuses on business fundamentals with coursework in areas such as accounting, economics and statistical analysis. Functional courses build competencies in specific areas of business, including finance, marketing and supply chain management, with a focus on communication and team process skills.
As a neuroscience major at Susquehanna, Jordan Zezza, a 2018 graduate of the MOL program, assumed he would pursue a research-oriented career path, which he thought was his only option as a science major.
“However, I received advice from Dr. Wade Johnson (professor of chemistry, Susquehanna University) during our analytical chemistry class one day. He told me if I am ever able to leverage my STEM background in a business setting, I should, because there’s a lot of opportunity to make an impact in that space,” Zezza said.
Zezza found that Smeal’s MOL program aligned perfectly with his professional goals. He graduated with his master’s degree in 2018 and is now in the Leadership Acceleration Program at Highmark Health in Pittsburgh.
“Businesses have identified a need for people with STEM backgrounds blended with a business foundation. Being that hybrid individual will allow you to fill a niche role that not many others can fill,” Zezza said. “Most of all, you will have a unique and compelling story. Telling that story effectively is a skill you’ll gain through the program and, in my mind, the ability to tell an effective story is the most important skill you can have in business.”
The Penn State Smeal Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership program is currently accepting applications for classes beginning in August 2020. More information about the program can be found online.