A More Modern MBA: Adelphi's Flex MBA Will Help Students Future-Proof Their Business Careers

Adelphi is bringing its innovative Flex MBA and two graduate business certificate programs to its new Manhattan Center in the fall. And generous scholarships make earning this degree more affordable than ever.

Adelphi is making it even easier for working professionals to earn a career-boosting MBA.

Starting this fall, the University's Robert B. Willumstad School of Business-recognized as a Best Business School by The Princeton Review for eight years running-will begin offering its Flex MBA program at Adelphi's new Manhattan Center on Fifth Avenue and 44th Street, just steps away from Grand Central Station and easily accessible by subway, bus and commuter train.

The Flex MBA, which can be completed in as little as one year, is designed to meet the schedules of busy, career-minded adults. The program is conveniently presented in a hybrid format, with on-site and online classes held in the evening.

Professionals looking to advance their business career will have three other options at the Manhattan Center starting this fall: graduate certificate programs in business analytics and human resource management, as well as a human resource management concentration in the MA in General Psychology program.

All four programs are also offered at Adelphi's main campus in Garden City, New York, and are part of a suite of 13 graduate business degree and certificate programs. The Willumstad School is also known for its undergraduate programs and was recently recognized as a Best Undergraduate Business School by Poets&Quants, ranking ahead of all other Long Island institutions.

We spoke with MaryAnne Hyland, PhD, dean of the Willumstad School, to learn more about the programs and the tuition-saving Manhattan Advantage Award scholarships available to Adelphi alumni.

What makes Flex MBA such a flexible option for working professionals?

The Flex MBA program is a 36-credit program that offers many convenient options for students. Students can earn their degree in one year or choose to study part-time in our two-year track. Courses will be in a hybrid format, with some class sessions held in the evening at the Manhattan Center and others conducted online. This setup offers the convenience of online learning with the personalized support and networking associated with in-person classes.

Is the Flex MBA program only for students with a business background?

No, not everyone comes with a business background. We have students with healthcare backgrounds and students with experience in various other fields outside of business, and we help to acclimate them. We provide online modules to help them understand some of the business basics so they're ready to go once they start the program.

Are the graduate certificate programs flexible too?

We'll be offering two certificate programs at the Manhattan Center: the business analytics certificate and the human resource management certificate. The courses for those programs fold right into the Flex MBA program. So if a student wants to start out by earning a certificate and then enrolling in the MBA program, they can take these three to four courses, and those credits carry right in. These certificates offer a nice way to test the waters of what it's like to be in school again and the ability to walk away with a strong credential, even if they don't want to pursue a full master's degree.

Adelphi alumni can earn their MBA at the Manhattan Center for only $20,000. How is that possible?

We are really excited to offer this opportunity to Adelphi alumni as a way to kick off the opening of the Manhattan Center. It works by combining two scholarships: our new Manhattan Advantage Award scholarship for $10,000 and our Alumni Award for Graduate Study scholarship, which covers $5,000 per year. If students take two years to complete this program on a part-time basis and they receive $5,000 a year in addition to the $10,000, one-time Manhattan Advantage Award, they can complete their degree for under $20,000, which is quite reasonable for an AACSB-accredited [Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business] program.

How does the Flex MBA program differ from other MBA programs?

We are trying to give students the skills that they need to be successful in today's workplace. The Flex MBA program, for example, is a relatively new program that focuses on solving business problems. We have problem-solving days built into the program where students come in-outside of their classes-to work in teams on a project for a real company. They do this first without AI to work on their critical thinking skills, and then they use AI so they can see the differences between what they generated as a team and what AI assisted them with. That's a distinctive feature of our program that we're very proud of. We think it's unique, and we get great feedback from our students about it.

It's also the personalized attention that students really say makes their education special and valuable. When we ask students why they chose Adelphi, they almost always mention that it's a place where professors know your name. There are small classes, and we have dedicated staff there to assist the students with finding jobs and internships.

What are your hopes for the first year of the Flex MBA program at the Manhattan Center?

I hope that it's a program where students really thrive. My hope would be that the students who participate in this kickoff year of the program have an excellent learning experience in our brand-new, state-of-the-art facility.