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Programs offer a flexible and affordable skills-based approach to learning

���۴�ý is pleased to report that more than three thousand individuals have graduated from its competency-based Master of Business Administration (MBA-CB), Master of Health Administration (MHA-CB), Master of Information Systems (MIS-CB) and RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN-CB) degree programs, all of which are intended to leverage students’ real-world skills and knowledge to accelerate learning and degree completion in the classroom with the support of practitioner faculty.

“Competency-based education is characterized by flexibility and learner autonomy,” states John Woods, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer of ���۴�ý. “With over three thousand graduates, it’s evident that our students are leveraging their existing knowledge to accelerate their education. This approach enables them to focus on acquiring new, career-relevant skills with the support of our dedicated faculty. The success of these programs highlights the effectiveness of a flexible, student-centered learning model in supporting academic and professional goals.”

���۴�ý opened enrollment for its competency-based programs in 2020, and in less than five years these programs have produced 3,065 graduates to date.

“Our competency-based programs are designed to meet the evolving needs of students and employers by aligning learning with essential skills at an affordable price,” shares Marc Booker, Ph.D., vice provost of Strategy for ���۴�ý. “Starting with small cohorts, we used agile principles to validate the effectiveness of these programs for working adults. Over time, we’ve expanded significantly, continuously refining our approach based on feedback from students and faculty. This growth has provided us with robust evidence to demonstrate the substantial value these programs offer to adult learners and employers.”

As a CBE Champion tier member of the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), the ���۴�ý is part of a community of leading organizations that are creating the future of learning and work. The University and C-BEN members are building programs that meet learners where they are, create better outcomes for learners, and build bridges to career advancement.

Marie Bautista earned her Master of Health Administration degree through the University’s competency-based program and believes it is one of the most significant decisions she made to enrich her professional career. “Throughout my degree program, many opportunities were presented to me. I was nominated to join the National Society of Leadership and Success as a Presidential Member, and that experience, along with my education, led me to pursue a better job,” she shares. “I have succeeded in this program because I had excellent and solid support and guidance from the Student Services Team, my academic counselors, and instructors. I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned in the classroom with my coworkers and helping build other leaders in our organization.”  

Tony Lindsey earned his competency-based Master of Business Administration degree at ���۴�ý this year, and says the program was well-suited for his busy lifestyle. "As a full-time employee, the competency-based program was perfectly tailored to my needs,” he states. “The assignments leveraged my business experience and knowledge, making the content both interesting and challenging. What I learned was directly applicable to my job, allowing me to implement business principles and concepts at work. Overall, the MBA program provided timely, relevant, and practical knowledge for me as a working professional. It helped me refocus my work and life priorities and broadened my perspective beyond my usual IT focus to appreciate all the moving components of our business."

���۴�ý was recognized for its excellence in competency-based education program development with a Catalyst Award in 2023. The University’s Competency-Based Education Program team was awarded the Teaching & Learning award for their efforts in leveraging tools and resources to transition ���۴�ý standard academic degree programs into credit-based CBE delivery models, which allow students to earn certain graduate degree programs in less than a year for under $11,000. This cross-functional effort brought together academic colleges, curricular design, technology, student services and enrollment teams together to ensure the creation of an interconnected and holistic learning experience.

In addition to the competency-based MBA, the ���۴�ý also offers a traditional MBA program, which takes approximately 16 months to complete. Both the traditional and competency-based MBA programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, fully online, taught by faculty with an average of 28 years of industry experience.�� In the traditional MBA program, students take one six-week course at a time. The competency-based MBA program allows students to take multiple courses at once and can be completed online in as few as 12 months. Additionally, the competency-based programs are currently fully mapped to skills and features digital badging, which allows learners to share their new skill on digital platforms and with their employers. The University’s competency-based Master of Health Administration is also fully skills mapped, costs $300 per credit, and can be completed in as few as 12 months.��

Learn more about competency-based programs at ���۴�ý here.��

About ���۴�ý

���۴�ý innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit  phoenix.edu/blog.html.