KENNESAW, Ga. — Kennesaw State University announced it would be launching a new business graduate program in the fall, and not only is it new to the university, it’s the first of its kind in the United States.
KSU will offer a Rural Management concentration for its evening Master of Business Administration program, the first in the U.S., and aimed at “empowering rural communities to create economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for their residents.”
The University System of Georgia approved two concentrations for the program, Rural Management and Business Intelligence, which KSU said will both allow the program to expand its reach and relevance.
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“Rural counties are experiencing incredible growth right now,” Renee Bourbeau, executive director of MBA programs for Kennesaw State’s Michael Coles College of Business, said in a statement. “These communities have a need for qualified professionals to fill leadership positions in business and government. Kennesaw State is proud to be the first university in the country to offer an MBA program specifically tailored to their unique economic position.”
The university said “the time is right” for a program focused on rural counties as they see population growth across the board. In Georgia, KSU said Jackson and Dawson counties were among the fastest growing in the U.S., based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We’ve seen what can happen in rural communities when there is a leadership vacuum,” Bourbeau said. “When Talking Rock, Ga. lost its mayor in 2021, it led to the city losing its fire station and eventually its fire designation, leading to increased insurance rates for its residents. A program like ours will prepare cities and counties for leadership crises like this.”
Students in the Rural Management program, in addition to the usual core MBA classes, will also study topics like economic development in rural America and agribusiness strategy.
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