Students in the One-Year MBA and Two-Year MBA programs at Emory Goizueta can now elect a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) concentration.
Brian Mitchell, associate dean of Full-Time MBA programs and Goizueta global strategy and initiatives, tells Clear Admit, “MBA applicants should know that the academic courses that comprise this concentration have been thoughtfully designed to help students develop as principled, empathetic leaders in increasingly diverse settings.” He continues, “Whether they are launching their own startups or joining large existing firms, our graduates will work within the most diverse workforce that has ever existed. Our faculty have developed several courses to help prepare our graduates to thrive in these settings, and to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion as they build their careers.”
Students must take a minimum of three qualifying electives to earn the designation. Spring semester qualifying electives include:
- “Bias in the Workplace” by Erika Hall, associate professor of Organization & Management. This course explores the science of bias as a foundation for how to design and assess effective organizational policies and DEI interventions.
- “Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Investing” by J.B. Kurish, professor in the practice of finance. This class covers myriad social issues and the influence of capitalism on causes and potential solutions.
- “Philanthropy Lab” by Brian Goebel, managing director of The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute, and Tene Traylor, Goizueta adjunct instructor. As an experiential learning course, students learn about the role of philanthropy in solving public problems with a local focus on Atlanta.
- “Peachtree Minority Venture Fund” by Rob Kazanjian, academic director of The Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Organization & Management. This million-dollar venture capital fund is focused exclusively on Black, LatinX, and Native American founders.
Mitchell also says, “Everyone can benefit from having formal, academic exposure to the challenges businesses face when it comes to DEI. Most of all, students who have never taken courses on subjects like unconscious bias or impact investing can get foundational knowledge. Certainly students who are interested in leading teams, and ultimately large organizations, should consider courses in this academic concentration.”
Other Goizueta’s DEI Initiatives
Years ahead of this new DEI concentration, Goizueta has already been making strategic strides in supporting the related social issues. Mitchell highlights in the school’s announcement, “This curricular expansion is the latest in a series of structural changes that have been made since the summer of 2020 when Dean Karen Sedatole elevated DEI to a strategic priority for the school.” Others include:
- The publication of Goizueta’s Statement of Values
- The launch of the John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition
- Re-launching the staff and faculty DEI Council
- Goizueta’s Community Read and Discussion on “The Sum of Us” with author Heather McGhee
- The addition of a new full-time position, Director of DEI Ama Ampadu-Fofie
See the full announcement here.
