Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business (SMU - Cox) will launch a one-year MBA program next year.
The "MBA Fast Track" program is designed for students "who are seeking an intensive business school experience and want to advance in their current careers rather than switch careers," according to a statement from the school.
The new one-year program differs from Cox's traditional two-year option in several ways. Fewer elective options will be offered, and the program will not require a summer internship.
Concentrations will be available through courses offered during the evening and on weekends. Available concentration options include Accounting, Finance, IT and Operations Management, Marketing, and Strategy and Entrepreneurship.
Although one-year options are rarer in US than they are in other parts of the world, a number of business schools have begun offering them in the past few years, catering to time- and budget-conscious students. For instance, this year Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management launched a one-year MBA program in New York City. And in 2012, both Washington State University and Rochester University's Simon School of Management announced that they would be launching one-year MBA programs as well.
Other US business schools offering one-year MBA programs include Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business, and Notre Dame University's Mendoza College of Business, among others.
SMU - Cox's MBA Fast Track program is set to launch in May 2015. To apply for the program, interested candidates must have taken the GMAT or the GRE within the last five years and submit undergraduate transcripts. International applicant whose first language is not English will have to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson Test of English scores as well.
The round one deadline to apply for the program is January 12, 2015, while the final deadline for international applicants is March 8, 2015. The final deadline for domestic applicants is April 12, 2015.
For more information, please see the SMU - Cox press release that announces the launch of the MBA Fast Track program, or attend an upcoming information session.
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