Obtaining Your Master’s Degree in
Business Administration
at Sofia
David Bergner, Ph. D.
Chair, Sofia Business Programs
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To design Sofia’s MBA Programs, we started by
looking at what employers say they need from
graduates…
Data-driven
decision making
Exceptional
interpersonal skills
According to a recent poll by the Graduate Management Admissions
Council:
“Nearly all (98%) of employers agree that business school graduates
need to demonstrate data-driven decision-making skills and exhibit
exceptional interpersonal skills.”
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… and then we reflected on what graduates
would need, in order to provide what employers
say they need …
Value-driven
decision making in
organizational
settings
Exceptional
Interpersonal Skills
and Emotional
Intelligence
Self knowledge, mindfulness, consciousness
“Know Yourself”
-Delphic Maxim
“Knowing others is intelligence;
while knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
while mastering yourself is true power.”
-Laozi
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… and
finally,
we laid
out the
path:
Value-driven
decision making in
organizational
settings
Exceptional
interpersonal skills
and Emotional
Intelligence
CrossCutting,
Integral
Themes
Self Knowledge, mindfulness, consciousness
Program Learning Outcomes (WASC)
Teamwork and
leadership
competencies
Communication
Critical and
creative
thinking
Business
strategy in a
global
environment
Knowledge
across
business
disciplines
Course Learning Outcomes
Sofia Core
Business
Fundamentals
Concentration
Electives
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MBA Curriculum Overview
Total 54 Units (Quarter System)
Sofia Core (16 Units)
Business Fundamentals (26 Units)
Concentration Electives and Projects (12 units)
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Sofia Core (16 Units)
Transpersonal Core (6 Units)
 Fundamentals of Transpersonal Psychology
 Self Cultivation & Happiness
Integral Decision Science (6 Units)
 Develop, strengthen, and balance three human capacities for better decision
making: Cool Head, Warm Heart, Guiding Soul
 Integrates quantitative, behavioral, interpersonal, transpersonal, and
organizational perspectives, including topics from: Decision Theory and
Decision Analysis, Behavioral Economics & Decision Making, Naturalistic
Decision Making, Semantics and Pragmatics, Design Thinking, Cognitive
Science and Organizational Behavior, Transpersonal Psychology
Organizational Wellbeing (4 Units)
 Builds on the transpersonal core with a specific focus on the
interrelationships of individual wellbeing to wellbeing in organizational
settings, and of employee wellbeing to organizational performance and
sustainability
 Leadership and management strategies to enhance wellbeing and combat
the epidemic of unhealthy stress in organizations.
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Business Fundamentals (26 Units)
 Learn how organizations transform cash flows into meaning for
stakeholders and customers, by understanding and meeting
demand in the face of competition in an economic environment.
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Accounting (3)
Finance (3)
Economics (3)
Data Analysis (2)
Operations Management (3)
Business Law and Ethics (3)
Business Communications (3)
Strategy (3)
Marketing (3)
Self-paced “on-demand” learning assessed through examinations,
project presentations and reports
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Cornerstone Projects and
Concentration Electives (12 Units)
 Cornerstone Projects (3-6 Units)
 Sow the seeds of your future growth, as you learn
 Present a business plan to an angel investor or venture fund
manager
 Complete projects for your current employer
 Build a portfolio to demonstrate your acquired expertise
 Lay a foundation for consulting/coaching practice
 Concentration Electives (6-9 Units)
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Entrepreneurship
Management of Technology and Innovation
Human Resources Management
Supply Chain Management
Analytics
Leadership
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Course of Study
 Students will have flexibility as to how they schedule their coursework.
 A student who takes 9-Units per quarter could complete the program in 6
quarters.
 The program will issue waivers on a course-by-course basis, based on an
examination and other criteria, if courses have been completed within the
past six years.
 An exceptional student who has waived most courses in business
fundamentals, and completes more than 9 units per quarter, could finish in
one year.
 All concentrations will require a comprehensive exam on core learning,
and an oral examination/presentation of a cornerstone project.
 Cultural exchange trips and study abroad opportunities will be made
available.
 Courses in Business Communications will be provided for students
whose English language skills require further development
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Sofia brings a unique, transpersonal
perspective to business education.
 Completing an MBA typically provides opportunities to:
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Acquire fundamental knowledge and skills to work in business
Make new connections – with peers, faculty, alumni, and others
Broaden your perspective on the business world
Set out on a new course in your career and life
 Completing an MBA at Sofia provides these,
as well as additional opportunities to:
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Acquire new knowledge and skills to work on yourself
Make new and deeper connections – with your self
Broaden your perspective on the inner world – yours and others’
Set out on a new course to achieve your highest potential as a human
being, and to bring your deep insight into the business community
Transpersonal Psychology is concerned with understanding
humanity's highest potential. Studying it will help you reach yours,
and will also help you help others to reach theirs.
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Sofia’s, approach to business education helps
you cultivate transpersonal values:
Peace
Harmony
Mindfulness
Happiness
Wellness
Positive thinking
As well as the ability to bring these qualities into organizations
where you will work to create healthy growth, sustainability, and
meaningful products and services.
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Alfred Marshall, 1842-1924, British Economist.
“It will be my most cherished ambition, my highest
endeavour, …, to increase the numbers of those
whom Cambridge …sends out into the world with
cool heads but warm hearts*, willing to give some at
least of their best powers to grappling with the
social suffering around them”
* To this we would add – with guiding souls
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Questions about obtaining your
MBA at Sofia?
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Recent accomplishments
 Piloted four MBA courses (cross-listed with other programs, including
M.A. and Ph.D)
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Technology Entrepreneurship
Transpersonal Finance
Integral Decision Science 1
Behavioral Strategy
 Redesigned the program to create a unique, compelling market offering
 Brought VC’s onsite to increase visibility and enhance credibility;
Garage Diamond (Silicon valley veterans)
 MBAO students enrolled (Tsinghua articulation agreement)
 Opened a promising dialogue with Pedago/Smartly on curriculum use
and possible future collaborations
 Opened dialogue on future collaborations with Silicon Valley Forum
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Smartly Background/Strategy
 Founded by former executive from Rosetta Stone language learning
software
 Smartly offers a free “MBA” online (not accredited)
 Expect to get their revenue from corporations, not students
 Highly selective admissions policy
 Signing up approximately 200 students every 6 weeks
 Knowledge acquisition only, no experiential learning component (yet)
 They suggested they would refer students to us for workshops,
classes and programs
 High visibility and good student reviews
 Sofia MBA classes can use the Smartly curriculum analogously to a
text book, or we might work out a more formal articulation
Strategy: take advantage of Smartly’s visibility and alumni base.
Goal: convert 2-5% of Smartly students/alumni to Sofia MBA program
with credit for 26 units of the Business Fundamentals (credit will require
a competency examination and possibly additional coursework)
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Near-Term Goals
 Release Course Catalogue (June 1)
 Develop 100% online curriculum for domestic and China delivery
 Integral Decision Sciences (summer)
 Transpersonal Finance (fall)
 Pilot Business Fundamentals courses with Smartly curriculum
and hybrid workshop delivery format (summer)
 Develop online course in Organizational Wellbeing (fall)
 Engage thought leaders (Virgin Group, AETNA, Wisdom Labs)
 Potential sources of curricula, teachers, students, funding
 MBA program start, Fall 2017, goal 30 students
 Continue dialogue with Silicon Valley Forum
 SVF Activities at Sofia
 Sofia students could receive credit for participation in SVF activities
 International Connections in South America
 Develop business programs accreditation plan (ACBSP)
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Business programs currently under consideration
China
MBAO
• Tsinghua
• Wealth Management
• In Place
Domestic /
Global
South America
MBAO
• Hong Kong Management Association
• Human Resources Management
• Analytics
• Dialogue proceeding
Sofia MBA
• Smartly
• Sofia on campus online/hybrid
• Six concentrations
• Fall 2017
Sofia BA
• TBD
MBAO
• Articulation agreements
Chile, Brazil?
• Entrepreneurship. HR,
TBD
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