Why Entrepreneurs Should Get a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies
Posted: December 13, 2023 | Author: Madelyn Bushman | Read Time: 3 minutes
Want to get a master’s degree, but don’t know what program would best fit the needs of your career goals as an entrepreneur?
“Think of yourself as a commodity - the rarer you are, the higher your value. Your knowledge and skill set determines your value and differentiates you from others. However, having a Master’s degree that is generic does little to enhance your value,” stated Miliyun Chiu, co-founder of Xixilab, in an article from Jumpstart.
But what if you could tailor a graduate degree to not only give you practical business skills for your operations but also level up skills for your core business?
Southern Utah University offers a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS) degree that is customizable so students can tailor their degree to match their varied interests and professional needs.
In fact, an MIS degree is perhaps a better alternative to an MBA for entrepreneurs, because the MIS program offers a perfect combination of skills and disciplines, and can be more focused towards your field.
What is the MIS program?
SUU’s Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS) degree allows students to create a graduate degree from 3 disciplines. The MIS program is online, so students have the flexibility to study and enroll in courses based on their schedules. The program also includes accelerated 7-week courses and traditional 14-week courses, requires 30 credit hours and can be completed in as few as 12 months.
There are 19 learning blocks (disciplines) available within the MIS program for students to choose from to create their unique degree. From these, students can choose courses from 3 learning blocks to improve their skills, deepen their knowledge and meet their unique needs.
The learning blocks in the MIS program include:
- Arts Administration
- Aviation
- Business Administration
- Contemporary Animal Services Leadership (CASL)
- Creative Writing
- Cybersecurity & Information Assurance
- Education
- General Studies
- Global Health
- Human Values
- Leadership Studies
- Music Technology
- National Parks & Public Lands
- Non-Profit Management
- Online Teaching
- Public Administration
- School Library
- Social Media & Public Relations
- Special Education
- TESOL
- Writing & Rhetoric
How the MIS program is ideal for Entrepreneurs
All graduate programs can allow students to gain the necessary skills and training to thrive as an entrepreneur, especially if the program has a main focus on the field or industry. But for many entrepreneurs, their endeavors and skill needs do not fit neatly into an existing, targeted, master’s program.
Fortunately, the MIS program at Southern Utah University provides a variety of options and opportunities, as well as knowledge and experience.
“The MIS is ideal for entrepreneurs. It satisfies your intellectual curiosity, teaches diverse thinking, active listening, and creative problem-solving,” said Tawny Hammond, 2020 MIS graduate at SUU, and entrepreneur of Discover Cruises.
The MIS program gives students the opportunity to gain business acumen through the Business Administration learning block. Students can acquire a broad knowledge of business by learning the principles of leadership, marketing, accounting, finance, and more. Student entrepreneurs are ideally situated to apply those skills and techniques in their own businesses to help them make better, informed decisions and build their businesses for sustained growth.
As for the other two learning blocks, students can select additional disciplines that are relevant to their industry and interests. For example, entrepreneurs in the non-profit field can select “Non-profit Management” as one of the learning blocks where they will learn about grants, fundraising, and the like. Or if entrepreneurs want more skills and experience promoting their business, they can select “Social Media & Public Relations” as another learning block. From this, they can learn how to handle crises, advertising and public relations, in addition to social media strategies.
If your business, product or idea aligns with any of the learning blocks SUU’s MIS program offers, then acquiring this knowledge and skills can be extremely beneficial for you and your business.
