James Madison University - College of Business

James Madison University offers two AASCB-accredited MBA programs: the Innovation MBA and the Information Security MBA. JMU's information security concentration, particularly, is unique in the field and a "hot topic among industry professionals." Students describe it as the "best degree that combines Infosec and MBA." Students like JMU's instructional format, especially the hybrid format. "The mix of on-line and in-person classes was incredibly valuable. The program was designed to make efficient use of live classroom time." But students still enjoy enough flexibility to accommodate "any career or geographical changes within a several hundred-mile radius" from campus. Students are "also encouraged to meet outside of class often to enhance the learning experience." The university's technology supports this dynamic mode of learning through Blackboard Collaborate, which students describe as "seamless" and "very easy to navigate" while facilitating "great interaction from classmates and professors." The school has also recently rolled out SharePoint online, a platform that allows for real time collaborations, which works well in a learning environment that "stresses collaboration and the importance of teamwork." In administering these learning systems, JMU's professors are "excellent," their "content is relevant and innovative," and they work hard to "[cater] to a working professional." "I am impressed with the willingness of the professors to listen and to be flexible, while never reducing the amount of the coursework. There are some professors who are experts in their field, and you can tell it." Similarly, the "administrators of the program are accessible and inviting about feedback on how to improve the program." Students are kept busy, but, as one points out, "I am able to keep up by planning my time out ahead of time and making sure I don't get behind." More than anything, students enjoy having a "collaborative environment" with their "top-notch" peers who are "diverse in careers and backgrounds," "driven," and "supportive" "critical thinkers."