What Makes Concordia University Chicago’s Online MBA Different?
Concordia University Chicago’s online MBA combines business education with faculty care, a Christian institutional identity and coursework that connects analytical, creative and technological skills. For prospective students, those features offer considerations beyond tuition and program length.
In a recent interview, Dr. Lynn Hunnicutt, Dean of the College of Business, described how the university’s values and curriculum shape the MBA experience. Her explanation centers on both how students are supported and how they learn to approach business problems.
Faculty Care Is Part of the Learning Experience
Dr. Hunnicutt encourages prospective students to consider the care they can expect from instructors. Program comparisons often begin with cost and time, but the quality of support matters when students encounter unfamiliar material.
She describes faculty care at CUC as connected to the university’s Christian ethos and commitment to serving students. That care shows up in how instructors relate to students and help them pursue demanding academic goals.
For working professionals, the opportunity to ask questions and receive useful guidance can be an important part of evaluating an online program.
Christian Values Connect Leadership With Purpose
CUC’s Christian identity informs Dr. Hunnicutt’s description of business education. In the interview, she identifies truth, freedom and vocation as pillars of learning and explains that these ideas influence how classes are taught and how students encounter instructors.
She describes vocation as a question of who you are, what you are good at and how you want to contribute to the world. That extends the conversation beyond a job title or salary goal.
For an MBA student, reflecting on vocation can help connect professional development with purpose. It invites questions about the kind of leader you want to become and how your work can serve other people.
Readers can explore the wider institutional context in How Concordia University Chicago Prepares Leaders for a Changing Economy.
Analytics, Design Thinking and AI Work Together
Dr. Hunnicutt also emphasizes the combination of business analytics, design thinking and AI. Each contributes something different to how a professional approaches a challenge.
Business analytics helps students examine information and understand what results mean. Design thinking supports creative problem-solving. AI can serve as a tool for exploring questions and testing ideas.
She compares analytics and design thinking to the base of a cupcake, with AI as the frosting. The point of the analogy is the combination: technological capability becomes more useful when students also have quantitative and creative skills.
CUC’s MBA course descriptions provide a closer look at Design Thinking and Applied Artificial Intelligence, among other business courses.
Look Beyond the Headline Numbers
Cost and program length are important. A fuller comparison also asks what kind of learning experience will help you develop the abilities you need.
Questions to consider include:
- How will instructors provide feedback and academic support?
- How does the curriculum connect technology with business judgment?
- What opportunities will help me practice creative problem-solving?
- How does the university’s approach to purpose align with my goals?
These questions help you compare programs against your own priorities rather than relying only on a short list of features.
Explore Whether CUC Fits Your Goals
The CUC MBA experience Dr. Hunnicutt describes brings together professional preparation and an emphasis on people and purpose. The best next step is to connect those features with the skills and responsibilities you want to develop.
Review the online General MBA program and admission and tuition information to begin that conversation.
About the Contributor
Dr. Lynn Hunnicutt is Dean of the College of Business and Professor of Business at Concordia University Chicago. Her interests include decision-making and vocation.
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