NSU Huizenga Business School Introduces Florida’s First Sales MBA and Graduate Certificates at the Huizenga Sales Institute

NSU One of Only 12 Universities Nationwide to Offer Graduate-Level Sales MBA and Certificate

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, FL (January 20, 2011) — Nova Southeastern University (NSU) welcomed the inaugural class of students enrolled in the newly established Master of Business Administration in Sales (MBA in Sales) and graduate certificate in Sales programs.  Offered exclusively through NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship’s Huizenga Sales Institute, these programs are the first graduate-level degrees specific to the sales profession offered by any university in Florida.

The Huizenga Business School is introducing the Sales MBA and graduate certificate after successfully launching a dedicated sales education curriculum at the undergraduate level last semester.  NSU’s Sales Program is the first in the Huizenga Business School’s innovative “Market-Driven Education” series of specialty business programs shaped by the trends and opportunities that are driving the marketplace.  “Today’s economic climate and ultra-competitive job market are dictating that business schools become more specialized in preparing students for employment opportunities in target professions and industries,” said Michael Fields, Ph.D., dean of the Huizenga Business School.

According to Fields, employers have identified sales jobs as essential to driving their business’ bottom line, making the highly qualified sales professional a high-demand prospect.  The challenge comes when companies seek to hire experienced individuals who can contribute right away, leaving little room or chance for “on-the-job” development that college graduates used to rely on.

For that reason, the Huizenga Business School collaborated exclusively with Sandler Training^®, the nation’s leading sales training firm, to develop robust sales-centric curriculums and innovative methods of sales training and instruction. Through this collaboration with Sandler, NSU can uniquely provide its students with advanced preparation and experiences they can transfer directly into the workforce.  “Our graduates will be armed with the necessary skill sets that they have honed during their time in the program to compete for job openings and deliver immediate results for their employers.”

NSU becomes one of only a dozen universities nationwide – and the only university in Florida — to offer sales education courses at the graduate level, according to the University Sales Education Foundation. At the Huizenga Business School, the 36-credit MBA in Sales and 12-credit sales graduate certificate program are delivered through a uniquely flexible, blended curriculum of online and on-campus courses.  The four sales courses are currently offered online, with one weekend visit required per course to participate in technology-enhanced sales training workshops at the Huizenga Sales Institute on the main Ft. Lauderdale-Davie campus.  Beginning in April, NSU will offer students the option to take the sales courses in-person exclusively at the main campus. The core MBA courses can be taken on campus, at SEC locations, and also online.

Twenty students enrolled in these first classes of the Sales MBA and graduate certificate programs.  The programs begin four times a year, with starts in January, April, July and October.  The Huizenga Business School will also be introducing MBA and graduate certificate curriculums in Sales Management set to launch in the Fall 2011 semester.

Media Contact:
Julie Spechler, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5348 (office), 954-591-3361 (cell), julies@nova.edu

Mary Sudasassi, rbb Public Relations
305-448-6163, mary.sudasassi@rbbpr.com