Technology managers play important roles in their companies by coordinating technology plans and supervising a staff of other technology experts. They often hold the vital responsibility of online and network security. An online MBA program in technology management prepares you for these challenges by offering coursework in economics, financial analysis, management analysis, marketing, and systems analysis. (Source)
I am now at the tail end of my MBA in Technology Management. I started my degree in August of 2007 through the University of Phoenix and will complete my program in just two weeks. I am often asked questions by people I know about my decision, the process and what I have learned. I want to share some of that with you.
Q: Why did you choose to go to University of Phoenix (UOP) as opposed to a brick and mortar school or another online school?
A: First, let me start by saying that UOP is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association, and is an accredited for-profit organization. Since it is for-profit, it is also un-ranked and considered a “specialty” school by US News and World Report. I did my research, I knew what I was getting into and I understood that not everyone was going to take me seriously when I said I am going to school “online”. I selected UOP for several reasons. The first and most important was that I was trying to go back to school and maintain my job full time because, I was not in a position to take time away from work to go back to school. Also, I was already in a management position and had a little more experience than people going to B school the first time out. Basically my decision was based on the following factors: Could I keep working? Would my experience be enhanced at work through my education, and would the program be accredited.
Q: What is an MBA in Technology Management and what can you do with it?
A: Technology Management, is a fairly new program for many schools, including MIT, UCLA and NYU. The curriculum for my degree is based on various roles that IT managers have had to perform over time. The most important of which is to become the mouth peice for their IT department in terms of relating information and planning back to the business people in a language and format that they can understand and then sign off on. My studies have been based on MBA level material that is geared toward all of the technological planning, strategic initiatives and information system management that technologists go through. The difference is that instead of following everything through a strictly technical level, it’s presented in business language, and I have learned things like how captial budgeting effects technology planning.
It’s been an incredible journey and it seems that every time I start one of my six week courses something happens at work during that time period that directly correlates to what I am learning in school. I will say that it’s made me a better writer, and allowed me to experess myself in a more effective way both at work and in my personal life.
I would like to know what questions you have for me, and I would be glad to answer them.
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