We put some of the leading higher education institutions in the state to the test: Asking them to describe how their school — and their business programs — stand out from the crowd.
Felician University
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
For a career of the future in cybersecurity, our university offers a specialized class titled “Digital Forensics and Investigations” under the B.S. in cybersecurity program. This course delves into cutting-edge technologies to combat evolving cyberthreats.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
We collaborate extensively with the business community to ensure our curriculum remains relevant and practical. In recent years, we’ve increasingly emphasized hands-on experiences and internships to bridge the gap between academia and industry demands.
What makes your business school stand out from the crowd?
Our school stands out due to its comprehensive approach to cybersecurity and data analysis within the computer science and cybersecurity programs. We integrate theoretical knowledge with practical applications, offering state-of-the-art labs and research opportunities. Moreover, our faculty comprises seasoned professionals and experts in the field who actively engage with students, fostering a dynamic learning environment.
Kean University
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
Kean University has several different academic program options that focus on cybersecurity, including criminal justice and information technology and computer science. These programs will prepare you for a career in developing software innovations, managing systems to run more efficiently and working collaboratively with others to solve the problems of the present and future. Kean also features the Center for Cybersecurity, which focuses on providing cyberdefense and cybersecurity-related information, resources and academic programs for students.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
Kean University recognizes that a rapidly changing world demands confident leaders with creative approaches to today’s opportunities and challenges in business. At Kean, you receive the education and experience you need to claim your place as a socially responsible innovator in the global economy. Kean students have access to internships, mentors and classroom collaboration with international companies and nonprofits, which provide the rock-solid foundation on which you can build the career of your dreams.
What makes your business school stand out from the crowd?
Kean University’s College of Business and Public Management offers students the opportunity to pursue in-demand undergraduate and graduate degree options in marketing, management, accounting and more. The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the gold standard of accreditation for business colleges worldwide. AACSB accreditation places Kean’s program among an elite group of less than 6% of colleges and universities worldwide.
Montclair State University
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
Project management is widely recognized as the discipline of choice for managing disruptive change and transformation. The program focuses on providing an optimal blend of practical, hands-on skills and tools and essential concepts. The courses are highly aligned with the Project Management Institute’s standards and will prepare students for a profession experiencing breathtaking technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. More importantly, most of our faculty teaching project management courses are certified in the specific domain and with at least 10-plus years of experience working in the field.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
At the Feliciano School of Business, we consider the business community to be an integral, equal partner in informing, validating and sustaining our learning ecosystem. Our engagement runs the length and breadth of our operations, from the Dean’s Advisory Board to individual student mentors and alumni “ambassadors” — from faculty-industry consulting and research initiatives to daylong class field trips and immersive “live” case studies. In recent years, we have focused our efforts and resources on developing and nurturing relationships with businesses that have the potential to be multidimensional and constructive, and on engaging partners who value and share our mission: to develop talent for a changing world.
What makes your business school stand out from the crowd?
First and foremost, the Feliciano School of Business operates as a generative source of opportunity for its students and members of its learning community — faculty, corporate and institutional partners and alumni. FSB prizes its diverse population and offers top-ranked programs and experiences that are the equal of much more expensive private school offerings. The expertise of the faculty is protean and varied, presenting a mix of outstanding academic and professional credentials, while deep corporate partnerships inform teaching as well as employment preparation. Our goal is to simultaneously support and stretch students beyond their perceived boundaries, acclimating them to change and providing continuous access to a network of innovators and business leaders.
New Jersey City University
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
New Jersey City University offers nine in-demand graduate programs that will help students obtain the knowledge and skills needed to excel in today’s dynamic business world. Among them are four STEM-focused programs — M.S. programs in business analytics and data science, business information systems and financial technology, and an MBA concentration in business analytics.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
In June 2021, the NJCU School of Business announced an innovative move to seven-week graduate sessions. This streamlined, accelerated format allows the school to offer more courses and help its graduate students complete their degrees quickly, mindful that graduate students are often busy professionals whose time is limited. The flexible seven-week course schedule includes Hyflex, evening and Saturday options, and all classes have the same high-quality content and academic rigor of the previous full semester structure, while granting students greater flexibility. Experience cutting-edge programs and extensive career development support, designed to propel your success in the ever-evolving business landscape.
What makes your business school stand out from the crowd?
In addition to our flexible schedule, enjoy affordability without sacrificing excellence, as we offer competitive rates that make top-tier education accessible to all. For those who prefer an in-person experience rather than online or Hyflex, we also offer a convenient location for busy professionals at our state-of-the-art School of Business at Harborside in Jersey City’s financial district, where innovation thrives and the future of business takes shape. Our full-time faculty and adjuncts are current experts in the field and, as a comprehensive regional university, NJCU has a strong alumni network. All students also have access to our School of Business career coach to guide their professional journey. Students also can elevate their credentials with our exclusive Harvard Business Credential, paving the way for extraordinary career opportunities worldwide.
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
NJIT’s Tech MBA program is designed to make each of its students ready and adaptable in the ever-changing landscape of business and covers technology-driven topics like artificial intelligence, Big Data, fintech and more. Its most recent bachelor’s degree program concentration, sports data analytics, prepares students to enter the nearly $4 billion global industry that is set to grow to $12 billion by 2030.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
At NJIT, our technology-focused curriculum integrates real-world expertise from faculty and industry leaders. Centers like Leir Research Institute that foster sustainable economic development also foster collaboration between academia and business. NJIT has also expanded engagement with expert panels, like hosting a “smart cities” conference, uniting engineers, computer scientists and business professionals to tackle industry challenges.
What makes your business school stand out from the crowd?
The future of business is technology. From NJIT’s flagship Tech MBA program to each and every concentration in our bachelor’s and master’s programs, we tailor a business education to adapt to a dynamic market. With focuses on AI, entrepreneurship and Big Data, NJIT understands that business is tech-driven — and innovation is a way of life.
William Paterson University
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
A great example is our fintech track in our B.S. in finance program. It emphasizes financial analytics, software applications, artificial intelligence, machine learning and text mining for finance. It hones students’ skills in analyzing both structured and unstructured data and building models to address valuation and forecasting questions. Graduates are prepared to excel as financial analysts, financial engineers and data scientists.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
We conduct market analyses and work with the business community through our advisory councils and institutes to better understand the career opportunities available in various organizations and the wider economy, as well as the competencies needed to succeed. We then work closely with businesses to design and deliver learning experiences that help students master those competencies. Our industry-leading professional enrichment program provides experiential learning opportunities such as internships, mentoring, networking, and consulting projects.
What makes your business school stand out from the crowd?
The tremendous success of our WP Online programs offers working adults choice and flexibility that has accelerated our growth into one of New Jersey’s largest-enrolled MBA programs. We stand out in our ability to meet students where they are — with multiple admissions paths and high-impact learning opportunities and support geared toward working adults. They graduate from a cutting-edge curriculum, with the skills that employers demand, and often with less education-related debt, thanks to our competitive tuition and fees.
Bergen Community College
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
In November, we opened the Innovation Center at Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands, an incredible learning facility focused on preparing students for careers in cybersecurity, gaming and business. We have brought the real world into the classroom by completely renovating an entire floor of our Lyndhurst location. We even opened a Bloomberg Finance lab as part of the project. In all, it’s an amazing space designed to bolster the region’s workforce.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
Community colleges serve as critical engines of their regions’ workforce development. We’re nimble, responsive and constantly engaging with our community partners to ensure we develop programs that meet their needs. Most significantly, and, in just the past few years, we have reconstituted many of our programmatic community advisory boards and launched numerous initiatives through a redeveloped Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development to strengthen the relationship between the college and industry.
Give us one example of an advantage BCC gives its students?
There’s a reason our business administration program ranks as our highest enrolled academic program. (In fact, it enrolls twice the number of students than the next-highest academic program — computer science). Students appreciate the articulation agreements we offer with the region’s best four-year colleges, the resources we provide such as the Meadowlands Innovation Center Bloomberg Finance lab and the knowledge of our terrific faculty.
County College of Morris
Talk about a class, certificate or degree program that is based on a career of the future?
Businesses and companies across all industry sectors are leveraging data to guide and inform strategic decision-making and look to County College of Morris data science program to meet this demand. In recent years, CCM has been awarded over $850,000 in grant funding to expand its data science degrees and certificate programs.
Describe how you work with the business community to create your curriculum/teach your students?
Students in CCM’s data science program have the opportunity to participate in the Women in Statistics and Data Science Conference and ASA DataFest. In partnership and collaboration with businesses such as Intel, Atlantic Health, ADP, Moody’s and Bayer, the curriculum was developed to be innovative and meet industry needs. These partnerships have resulted in internships with well-known companies such as Fiserv, Atlantic Health, CCM’s Office of Institutional Research and Cranium AI, where students gain a competitive advantage.
Give us one example of an advantage CCM gives its students?
For students looking to transfer, CCM and Ramapo College of New Jersey signed the first articulation agreement in New Jersey for data science. This agreement provides students with a seamless transfer from CCM to Ramapo with an opportunity to earn up to their master’s in data science.
