Led by Dean and Professor of Management William O’Neill, the Sawyer Business School (SBS) has grown its efforts to improve and develop the curriculum to meet the demands of current employers, industries and markets.
Courses at the school of management now feature a focus and emphasis on leadership, innovation, networking, knowledge, and service (LINKS).
“[The focus] is to upgrade classes in terms of contents and rigor and to integrate Dean O’Neill’s vision of LINKS,” said Assistant Dean Laurie Levesque.
According to Levesque, the Sawyer Business School has been making these changes on a constant basis to help students to become more involved and adept to the changes in the real world and in the world of business.
She gave an example of the noted success of the marketing department in graduating students, explaining that the department offers courses in social media and sports marketing.
The constant revamping and improvement with the Entrepreneurial major includes the Entreneurship center and new programs for students in that major, she said.
Each major has an external advisory board of alumni and other Boston executives who give feedback to faculty on what they want to see graduates come out with.
Levesque deemed the reason for consistent focus and changes made to majors and other programs was to equip them with the needed skills.
She also mentioned that the school has revamped the SU101 course in the business school to teach freshman students more team and library research skills.
The new curriculum also features more emphasis on internships and work experience. “We owe students a duty to make sure that they not only have the skills necessary but amass the experience to compete in the job market,” said John McCoy, director of internships.
The Sawyer Business School has seen some reputational success as it has been in the top 25 schools in terms of entrepreneurial and student successes.
Graduates have gone on to work at companies such as KPMG, Fidelity, State Street, and Hill Holiday.
“Bill O’Neill allowed me to open up a door but the students were so good that that door has remained open,” said McCoy.