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The Aerospace and Defense MBA Program at the University of Tennessee was developed in 2004 in response to suggestions from aerospace and defense industry executives. These leaders identified the unique business issues faced by aerospace and defense organizations and the benefits of bringing together proven leaders from across the industry to study and learn from top educators and from each other. The University of Tennessee Aerospace and Defense MBA program provides in-depth business management education for high-potential professionals currently in, or headed for, senior-management positions. The program is focused strongly on developing leadership skills, strategic thinking, and a global perspective.
The program is completed in just one challenging but rewarding year. Students attend their first classes in January and graduate in December. The program requires less time away from work and home than any other executive MBA program. Rather than being designed around nights and/or weekends, the curriculum is delivered in an executive development format consisting of six, week-long residence periods and 20 Internet-based, interactive, distance-learning sessions.
Six times during the year, students leave the demands of work and family behind for a week to concentrate exclusively on learning and development. Beginning on a Saturday morning and running through the following Sunday afternoon (two weekends and a work week), students learn under the university’s top business educators and from each other. During this time of “high-compression learning,” students attend classes, meet with faculty advisors and leadership development coaches, and work in teams to carry out assignments and projects. During these residence periods, students also spend time getting to know their classmates and faculty members, broadening their understanding of the industry, and developing an invaluable network of peers. For five of the six residence periods, students travel to the University of Tennessee campus, in Knoxville to study, learn, and grow in our world-class facilities. For the other residence period, students travel abroad to a foreign business center to study global business issues in an international residence period. Click here to view a profile of the average student profile.
During the international residence period, the program delivers a global business seminar examining global business issues first-hand. The destinations typically rotate among Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Students obtain first-hand insights into challenges and opportunities facing the aerospace and defence industry in a global business environment.
In the Aerospace and Defense MBA, students study precisely that – aerospace and defense. Classes include operations excellence, accounting, finance, marketing, economics, and human resources. New knowledge improves participants skills in new product development, program management, lean ,and supply chain management/logistics. It is delivered in an integrated curriculum, often using case studies and out-of-class assignments focused on the aerospace and defense industries. The curriculum is rich with experiential learning, including site visits to “best-in-class” organizations representing virtually every sector of the industry.
For students and sponsors alike, return on investment begins day one. Most assignments are tied directly to a student’s organization or the broader aerospace & defense industry. Many involve designing and executing strategic analysis or initiatives to move the sponsoring organization forward.
The Aerospace & Defense MBA class is composed of individuals who work in or directly serve the aerospace and defense industry. This ensures all class members are positioned to enrich the learning experience of others by sharing practical examples and personal experiences. The Aerospace & Defense MBA Program combines textbook learning with real-world experience. This produces a challenging and stimulating learning experience for maximum growth.
The one year program has an integrated, lockstep design. All students begin and proceed through the Aerospace & Defense MBA at the same time taking the same courses. They remain with this group of classmates throughout the program, providing continuity and invaluable mutual support.
Unlike traditional MBA programs, in the Aerospace & Defense MBA there are no electives or subject-specific courses. Faculty members address real-world themes and business processes from multiple perspectives. Rather than taking a two-month course in accounting followed by a separate, two-month course in management, UT’s Aerospace & Defense MBA Program integrates all business disciplines by focusing them on a common business competency or challenge. The curriculum teaches all core business disciplines through one integrated set of learning experiences known as the Executive Core.
Support from the employer is essential to the student’s successful completion of the University of Tennessee Aerospace & Defense MBA Program. The employer must endorse and support the student’s attendance, time away from work, and the program’s applied management projects. In most cases, student participation is fully or principally financed by a sponsoring employer. A few students may need to match or supplement sponsor funding with funds of their own from other sources, including low interest student loans, G.I. Bill benefits or their own income.
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