New visa policy a good thing for US universities: School administrators

The Ernest C. Trefz School of Business, with the University of Bridgeport. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The MBA has been one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, as it offers valuable opportunities for career development and professional networks. How does UB prepare its students for internships and job hunting in a relatively short term?

Boyd: Let me speak as a former student. I did the MBA program at UB and graduated in 2006. The preparation starts in the classroom, with finance and accounting courses, including both theoretical learning and practice, from the textbook, and also industry experiences provided by the professors. The other dimension is the practical application of what you learned in theory, usually a project, whether it's an individual project or a team project. The professors will try to make it as real-life as possible.

In the workplace, you probably don't get to choose who you work with on a particular project when you get an assignment. You boss probably has assigned it to you. In the classroom, teams are often chosen, and you learn to work with them. This helps you to practice your research skills, critical thinking skills and your problem-solving skills. So before we talk about resume building and letters of recommendation, which we do, it's for preparing the students to get as close as possible to a real-life experience on a real job that makes the students more attractive to the employers.

What suggestions do you have for students who are preparing to study abroad?

Boyd: Students have to define what their objectives are and then go to the market and the universities that are out there. If it is a good match, there is a high probability of student satisfaction. The student will do well academically, contribute to the academic community, life outside the classroom and be happier in the long term.