Helping MBAs get up close and personal

Northeastern’s MBA program wants to train kinder, gentler students.

Starting next fall, the full-time MBA curriculum will place a greater emphasis on interpersonal skills training. The move comes after recent surveys indicate employers are having trouble finding MBA graduates who exhibit a healthy degree of collegiality.

According to surveys conducted by the Association of Graduate Recruiters, a British organization, employers are looking for MBA graduates who have enthusiasm, self-motivation, good interpersonal skills, a knack for teamwork, and good verbal communication skills. In fact, these skills are more important to companies than specialized business training.

In another adjustment, Northeastern MBA students will also be asked to focus on one of three career tracks—finance, marketing, or operations/supply chain management. Students will then develop practical experience through corporate residencies, in which they become actively involved in important projects from start to finish and interact directly with top executives.
The revamped MBA approach builds on the College of Business Administration’s reputation as a school that delivers a real-world business education.

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