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Does an MBA really mean business in the age of AI?

hugginsm — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:48:52 +0000

Does an MBA really mean business in the age of AI?hugginsm September 25, 2025

Dean Dan Freedman weighs the advantages of a specialized management degree.

Interest in graduate business school programs has always maintained a close relationship with the business cycle. For example, according to MBA news source Clear Admit, MBA applications peaked for many of the elite programs in 2020 in the depths of the COVID pandemic, and in 2024 business-oriented newspapers started noting a new spike in applications. “Applications to M.B.A. Program Soar,” from the Oct. 23, 2024, issue of the Wall Street Journal, noted that applications nationwide had risen by 12% in the previous year.

As a dean and data nerd, I follow trends in enrollment very carefully. It is very typical for enrollments at all levels to grow as the economy slows down because people use the time between jobs to upskill. As it did in many other ways, the COVID pandemic changed the pattern as we saw an economic slowdown along with a general decrease in enrollment. MBA enrollments went counter to that trend, growing in 2021 and 2022 and then shrinking in the following years. The more recent growth in applications in 2024 could be a leading indicator of an economic slowdown, especially in white collar jobs such as finance, banking, big tech and consulting where an MBA is generally considered to be a valuable degree.

You may ask, then, why doesn’t �� offer an MBA? The number of MBAs awarded is a good proxy for the general interest in master ��. degrees in business fields, and we have been looking carefully at our offerings in this area. Stout currently offers master ��. degrees in operations and supply management, training and talent development, and risk control and safety. These are all degrees that are very much business-related but are more specific than the general business MBA. And the same thinking created Stout ��. new master ��. degree in applied computer science, which offers people with nontechnical degrees the opportunity to combine their expertise with an overlay of computer science skills in areas such as coding, data and cybersecurity.

I had an interesting experience discussing the value of an MBA with four industry leaders – three of them Stout alumni. Let ��. just say they were not overly impressed with what a traditional MBA had to offer. That response was probably not that surprising since they were from industries that I see as very practical and very Stout-aligned: construction, manufacturing, printing and hospitality. An MBA is designed to be a general degree, focusing on finance, strategy and leadership. In my two years at Stout, I’ve met a remarkable number of Stout alumni in executive leadership roles in companies large and small, and they seem to do very well without an MBA. What they have in common are undergraduate degrees from our programs that are designed to develop leadership skills in technical fields.

As the world adjusts to generative AI, our more practical and applied master ��. degrees will be increasingly valuable. Generative AI is very good at providing middle-of-the-road answers to standard questions – in other words, it can make a beginner look like someone with a medium amount of experience. It is entirely possible that someone who would have relied on an MBA as an entry point into the business world from, say, engineering, could now use AI to generate the needed general business information. What AI cannot do is provide nuanced solutions to complex problems that require in-depth knowledge combined with an understanding of a particular company ��. operations. That ��. what Stout ��. business-related master ��. degrees provide – a depth of knowledge in important fields that AI simply is not close to being able to replace.

There are two ways to think about training business leaders. One is a generalist education (MBA) that provides an overview of business operations that could apply to any organization. The other is building expertise in a particular field with the expectation that an individual can grow into a leadership role based on an understanding of the core business operations. Stout ��. alumni show the success of the latter approach with an impressive list of industry leaders in areas like construction, hospitality, manufacturing, printing and more. Our School of Management master ��. programs were built on that principle, and I will continue to contend that expertise in a field is the best base for a career. The burning question that everyone is trying to address is: How will recent advances in AI change the relative value of different types of degrees? AI will have impacts on specific fields, like helping with coding, but I suspect that its broadest impact will be to provide medium-level expertise in almost any area. If that is correct, it will elevate the value of detailed expertise relative to a generalist ��. knowledge, because everyone will effectively be a generalist.

Stout will continue to analyze the trends to ensure we’re making sound decisions for our future, as should any prospective graduate student – and who knows, that could include an MBA or a degree in AI – but at the moment, the smart investment for a workforce standing at the fork in the road is to follow a path that distinguishes them with specialized knowledge.

Daniel Freedman is dean of ��'s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management. Before joining ��, he served as dean of the School of Science and Engineering at SUNY New Paltz, where he also was founding director of the Hudson Valley Additive Manufacturing Center. He holds a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Minnesota and has taught a wide variety of chemistry courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels throughout his 34 years in higher education.

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Op-Ed: Reframing Higher Education

giffeyt — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Op-Ed: Reframing Higher Educationgiffeyt September 16, 2025

��, CVTC are working together to break down barriers and redefine higher education for the 21st century

By Dr. Katherine Frank, Chancellor of University of Wisconsin-Stout
and Dr. Sunem Beaton-Garcia, President of Chippewa Valley Technical College

As leaders of institutions committed to preparing the next generation of skilled professionals, we find ourselves aligned as regional partners at a decisive moment in the evolution of American higher education. We acknowledge that higher education is changing, that this is a good thing, and that we are uniquely positioned to reframe what higher education means in a 21st-century economy.

In place of perceived rigid educational silos, a more dynamic ecosystem is emerging. One where credentials are increasingly stackable, learning is lifelong, and value is measured not solely by credit hours earned but by competencies gained and career opportunities unlocked at different points in time and flexible to learners. This is particularly true at the intersection of technical education as offered at Chippewa Valley Technical College and polytechnic learning and research at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Together, our institutions serve as launchpads for students and professionals of all backgrounds to enter the workforce, upskill, or transition into new careers. Our aligned missions are not just to educate, but also to connect education directly to employment. Whether a student is earning an industry certification, an associate degree, a bachelor ��. degree, or a graduate degree, the ultimate goals remains the same: to make the on and off ramps for students seamless as they navigate educational pathways, and to empower individuals with the knowledge, skills and experience to thrive in today ��. — and tomorrow ��. — economy.

What sets technical colleges like CVTC and polytechnic universities like �� apart is our intentional focus on aligning learning with labor market demand across our entire program array. We are uniquely equipped to translate credits into careers and experience into impact. From advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity to healthcare and clean energy technologies, our institutions respond rapidly to evolving industry needs and emerging technologies such as the integration of artificial intelligence and automation.

Moreover, we are actively breaking down barriers between credentials by recognizing a wider range of qualifications. The future of higher education is not linear. It ��. modular, flexible, and deeply connected to industry. A student may start with a short-term credential and then stack that into an associate degree at a technical college, and go on to pursue a bachelor ��., graduate, or professional degree at a polytechnic university — all while working and gaining real-world experience. This fluidity is no longer the exception; it ��. the new norm through strong transfer agreements and program alignment between CVTC and ��.

As we look to the future, higher education must be reframed. Not as a one-size-fits-all model rooted in tradition, but as an agile, inclusive system that meets learners where they are and takes them where they want to go. Credentials must be transparent, portable, and a return on investment. Equally important, every student must see a clear connection among what they are learning today, the opportunities that await them tomorrow, and the impact they will have on society.

This is where our institutions excel. At the heart of our work is a shared belief that education should be transformational for the individual learner, their families, their communities, and the broader economy. Our institutions are not just adapting to change; we are driving it.

It ��. time to reframe higher education. The future isn’t about competing models; it ��. about complementary missions that support all learners, at every stage, and help them turn their education into a lifelong advantage. Together, we are building a model that is more responsive, equitable, and aligned with the needs of a rapidly changing world.

As we welcome new and continuing students this fall, and into the future, we do so with pride in our shared commitment to the communities we serve. Our campuses are more than places of learning. They are engines of opportunity and hubs of innovation. Together we are catalysts for a stronger, more vibrant future for all.

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��, CVTC are working together to break down barriers and redefine higher education for the 21st century �� Chancellor Frank and CVTC President Beaton-Garcia

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Hero Caption: Dr. Katherine Frank, �� chancellor, right, and Dr. Sunem Beaton Garcia, president of Chippewa Valley Technical College, at a Sept. 15 ribbon-cutting at CVTC ��. Menomonie campus.

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Op-Ed: The Unmatched Value of Wisconsin ��. ��

hugginsm — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:50:15 +0000

Op-Ed: The Unmatched Value of Wisconsin ��. ��hugginsm September 4, 2024

Katherine P. Frank

Beyond the Midwest, the "polytechnic" designation is widely known. Cal Poly, MIT, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech – all are recognizable names, and each is a polytechnic university. For �� Blue Devils, the distinction simply recognizes the education they have been earning for decades.

There are thousands of traditional four-year universities and two-year colleges throughout the U.S. By contrast, only 3% of U.S. universities are polytechnics. And as others begin to market themselves as “career-ready” and “hands-on,” what substantively separates a polytechnic from the traditional four-year and two-year higher education options might, at first glance, seem difficult to decipher.

At ��, we refer to the polytechnic "ABCs": Applied learning and research, Business and industry collaboration, and Career-focused experiences. These are the hallmarks of what we do best and are at the core of our polytechnic university. They are part of every student ��. experience whether a student pursues engineering, a technology-forward field, art and design, management, or any other program at ��, and these ABCs contribute to the unmatched value we provide to our students, the future workforce.

Stout ��. Polytechnic advantage is why 99% of our graduates are employed in their field of study within six months of graduation and why we have maintained a near-perfect employment rate for more than 15 years. It is why our graduates earn one of the highest average starting salaries among UW universities and why more than 50 Fortune 500 companies hire them each year. And it is why employers consistently rate our students above their national peers on leadership, communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and other competencies.

Preparing students for professional and post-graduate success is what we do and have done best for decades at ��.

Converting cranberry waste to biodegradable food packaging. Improving road conditions, water security, and waste disposal in remote rural areas. Developing highway barriers from post-consumer plastic. Enhancing rural access to cultural heritage artifacts through improved 3D digital rendering. Designing protective base-layer fashion for workers who wear chemically treated uniforms. Using robotics to create automated solutions for industry partners. This is what applied learning and research look like in practice: impactful solutions applied to real problems. These examples, and so many more, started with students, faculty, and staff at Stout.

Polytechnic education is not only about what or how our students learn, but also where they learn. Stout ��. labs and studio spaces outnumber traditional classrooms by three to one, and students work in these industry-aligned environments as soon as their first week of class: Labs for robotics, biotechnology, energy, construction, packaging, instrumentation, welding, and other professional fields. A foundry. Motion capture, industrial design, game design studios, and so much more. These spaces are incubators for ideas, problem-solving, and innovation. And they are designed so Stout students learn to critically examine, manage, and solve the real challenges that other students may only hear or read about in their classes.

Thanks to our business and industry partners, research and development projects are embedded at each step in a Stout education. Annual relationships with more than 700 companies, including partners like 3M, Andersen Windows, Phillips Medisize, Greenheck, EVCO, Prent, Room & Board, Fastenal, Forbes and Great Northern Company, ensure our students have access to industry experts, sponsored projects, paid internships, and other opportunities that replicate the cross-functional team scenario they will encounter after they graduate. And thanks to representatives from these companies and other industry professionals who sit on the program advisory committees for every academic degree program at Stout, our programs reflect the current and future skill sets graduates will need to not only outperform others on the job, but also to lead and manage others in the workplace.

So, what is distinct about a polytechnic education? We prepare graduates to see and solve problems on day one, to lead and manage innovative change, and to advance in their careers. How and where we teach ensures graduates develop communication, critical-thinking, and technology-forward skills in a real-world environment.

This is why �� continues to prepare our graduates for meaningful, gainful careers that meet workforce needs at a higher rate than anyone else in our region. And as you invest in helping your student find the best avenue for their future, I invite you to come experience �� in person. You'll leave a Blue Devil.

#StoutProud,

Katherine Frank
Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Stout

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Does an MBA really mean business in the age of AI?

A leading perspective: Does an MBA really mean business in the age of AI?

September 25, 2025

Op-Ed: Reframing Higher Education

��, CVTC are working together to break down barriers and redefine higher education for the 21st century

September 16, 2025

Op-Ed: The Unmatched Value of Wisconsin ��. ��

Chancellor Katherine Frank discusses the importance of polytechnic universities after the Board of Regents modified RPD 1-1 to recognize ��.

September 4, 2024

Chancellor Katherine Frank discusses the importance of polytechnic universities after the Board of Regents modified RPD 1-1 to recognize ��. Chancellor Opening Presentation 2025

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