Sherif Attallah, James Jones, Mathew Simpson
Ball State University
Muncie, IN
There is an absence of data in the available literature on the current status of programs that offer an MBA with a technical specialization. This study addresses that absence of data with an overall discussion of MBA specializations and an investigation of MBAs that offer a technical specialization in construction management (CM) and project management (PM). Information on programs that offer CM or PM technical specializations was collected using a university’s official website, as well as, phone conversations with personnel. A total of 39 of 368 MBA programs offered the CM and/or PM technical specialization. These programs were analyzed across multiple data points such as cost, courses, and time to completion. Data collected on the availability of MBAs with a technical specialization in either CM or PM revealed that both curriculums are virtually nonexistent across academia. Universities that begin to offer PM or CM technical specializations will be filling a current knowledge gap that will benefit both students and employers alike. Further research into the degree that employers prefer technical specialization is needed. The data collected in this study indicate that there are still areas of study that MBA programs can address with the introduction of new technical specializations.
Key Words: construction management, project management, MBA, technical specialization