Beginning this fall, Temple's Fox School of Business will launch a new online MBA program that combines technology, collaboration and real-world experience for students juggling the demands of full-time employment and family.

The Online MBA features the same core curriculum, faculty and values as Fox’s traditional MBA programs, and keeps learning intimate and connected for those at a distance — without a commute. The AACSB-accredited master’s degree program will be offered to students around the world, and will feature a unique mix of residency experiences, cohort-based learning and consulting with actual businesses.

“The forward-thinking Fox Online MBA program will help define the future of quality education and prepare tomorrow’s business leaders with the skills they need to succeed,” said Fox School of Business Dean Moshe Porat.

Darin Kapanjie, faculty coordinator of Fox online initiatives, has been working on the project for over a year with Dean Porat, the Fox faculty, staff and administration. “It truly has the rigor and respect of the traditional MBA program with the flexibility and convenience of online learning,” explained Kapanjie.

The two-year program will be delivered virtually using WebEx, the world’s most-used web-conference tool. Using headsets and webcams provided by the program, students will interact and participate in real-time weekly lectures by asking questions and answering problems as they would in a traditional classroom session. WebEx also allows for synchronous work on group projects, enabling students to share their computer desktops to collaborate on presentations.

Fox will also host an Executive Lecture Series online, through which students can learn from and connect with business professionals.

“Cutting edge technology is key,” said Online MBA program director Jason Bozzone. “It opens the doorway to prospective students globally and brings a world-class program into their homes and offices.”

At the beginning of their first year, accepted students are required to attend a five-day residency held at Temple’s Main Campus and participate in leadership, team-building and networking activities as well as coursework.

“The affinity to Temple University is essential,” said Bozzone, who added that it’s important that students remain connected to the university and other MBA students.

“We want to make sure students aren’t lost in the virtual world, and that they can match names to faces,” said Kapanjie.

Two additional residency experiences, one at the beginning of the second year and again at the end of the program, promote career development opportunities and ensure that students are personally connected to their faculty and one another.

The final segment of the Online MBA is the distinguished EMC Practicum, during which teams of students will undertake research, problem solving and planning for real firms.

“Our students will come from all different backgrounds, and this diversity really helps the educational process,” said Kapanjie. Final presentations will be given during the last residency period before graduation so that students leave with a unique, hands-on experience to add to their resumes.

To learn more about the program, visit http://onlinemba.temple.edu. A virtual information session will be offered in the WebEx classroom on Monday, April 13 at 8 p.m.

—Written by Julie Achilles