The Catholic University of America strives to integrate faith into each of its programs -- including this dynamic Bachelor of Arts in Management - General Management. One of the goals is to provide an education program which places the pursuit of professional excellence within the context of human, social, and religious values. We believe that, when fed by the rich streams of the Catholic intellectual tradition, you can not only pursue business as a noble vocation, but you can also be a better and more successful businessperson.
The Catholic University of America was founded in 1889. In the last decade, we have sought out opportunities to expand our rich programs beyond the East Coast. In 2017, we committed to finding a way to deliver a low-cost, high-quality Catholic University business degree in the southwest United States, far from our main campus in Washington, DC. Although this was a brand-new effort, it represented a return to what Catholic University had done early in its history.
We were blessed to partner with generous and visionary donors, without whom this dream could never have come to fruition.
After months of research, we selected Tucson as the ideal city to launch the program, from a pool of some 15 cities.
We did not imagine that we could just airdrop a program into a city 2,000 miles away. Instead, we spent the next two years getting to know Tucson and connect with leaders in business, city government, education, and the local Catholic diocese. Many meetings, design sessions, surveys, and interviews helped us grasp the specific needs and market in Tucson.
We knew we would need to use technology to bring down the cost of delivering our content. But did not want to settle for an impersonal online education. We wanted a program that was low-cost and high tech, but also high touch.
After much research, we settled on a “hybrid learning model.” This combines small, local cohorts, in-person co-instructors and support staff, cutting-edge online content and testing, a partnership with Pima Community College, and hands-on experience with local employers.
Students accepted into this program will be among the first to experience a new model for higher education, designed for the 21st century. We are delighted to be leading the way in this new endeavor.
Vincent Kiernan, Dean, Metropolitan School of Professional Studies