Whittemore School offers degree in Korea

The University of New Hampshire has launched its first degree program outside the United States, offering a master of science in the management of technology to students in Seoul, South Korea.

A program of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics, the expansion of curriculum internationally takes the university to a new level in its effort to meet the challenges of the world marketplace, said J. Bonnie Newman, interim president of the university.

“In our globalized economy, a world-class education is a critical component in one’s ability to meet the fluid demands of international business. Our effort in South Korea capitalizes on the Whittemore School’s core competencies in the management of technology and innovation to provide a comprehensive degree program to our students in Seoul who live in an epicenter of this global economy,” said Newman. “The university looks forward to welcoming our Korean students following their August graduation as the newest members of the UNH Alumni Association.”

Students admitted to the full-time, one-year graduate program must meet the same requirements as any student applying to the program, with the added prerequisite of demonstrating a thorough understanding of English, since all of the classes are taught in English. Most classes are team-taught by Whittemore School faculty members and adjunct faculty members drawn primarily from six of Seoul’s top business schools, most of whom hold Ph.D.s from some of the most prestigious business schools in the United States.

All curricula, syllabi, course materials, grading and other academic components are developed and approved by UNH. The Whittemore School’s business partner in Seoul, MetaB, is responsible for marketing the program to students, identifying top Korean faculty, and managing operations in Korea.

“The Korea program will create vital links for faculty collaboration with international partners, new international opportunities for students, and broaden the international reputation of the school. From this launching pad we can expand our future influence into other Asian countries,” said Steve Bolander, dean of the Whittemore School.

Christine Shea, associate professor of technology and operations management, helped launch the program and taught the first course this fall in Seoul.

“Koreans attach great value to education in general, and to American degrees, in particular. However, not all Koreans can afford to study abroad. These students are delighted to have this opportunity to obtain an American advanced degree without leaving home for an extended period of time. I’ve been told by our partners at MetaB that up to the very last minute, they kept calling them and asking, ‘Are you sure they’re really going to come?’,” Shea said.

Most of UNH’s 15 students in the Korea program hold multiple degrees from non-Western universities. The majority have technical backgrounds and several years of experience. They hail from some of Korea’s largest local and foreign companies, including Samsung and Hewlett-Packard (electronics), KOSPO (Korean power company), Oracle (software), Comverse (networking systems), POSCO (steel), Zuellig (pharmaceutical), Doosan (heavy construction), and Travellers-Jeju Hotel (hospitality). Their positions in these companies range from independent consultants to senior investment manager to president.

The Whittemore School decided to offer the Master of Science in the Management of Technology (MS-MOT) instead of its MBA because the MS-MOT is a proven and successful program that serves a specific market and thus distinguishes UNH from other Western graduate business degree initiatives in the Pacific Rim, said Shea.

“Our choice of a collaborative, mutually beneficial approach where we actually team-teach with Korean business school faculty sets us apart from other Western universities who offer degrees in the region and is being very well received by Korean business schools. This provides even more opportunity for us to develop relationships with, and learn from, our Korean counterparts,” Shea said.