The University of Arizona is permanently moving a program for business executives to Scottsdale.
UA’s Eller College of Management signed a lease agreement with the McDowell Mountain Business Park, 16425 N. Pima Road, choosing Scottsdale Airpark as the location for its new fast-track business administration executive master’s degree.
It marks the first time the university’s business school has offered a degree program beyond its home campus in Tucson, and it continues an ongoing distance learning trend by state universities who have been expanding programs to off-site campuses.
Eller Dean Paul Portney said UA chose the Valley for its rapid growth and specifically chose Scottsdale to attract more high-end executives.
“We’re looking for very, very successful midcareer executives and we think Scottsdale is a particularly attractive place to find people like that and run a program that will be convenient to them,” he said.
The lease comes six months after the college launched its Executive Master of Business Administration Program out of temporary space at the Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains.
The new facility will feature classroom space, a dining area, breakout rooms, offices, conference rooms and an outdoor balcony.
The standard MBA takes two years to complete, but UA’s accelerated 14-month program is designed for career professionals. Classes meet Fridays and Saturdays only, and students will continue to reside at the hotel on the weekends they attend class. The new campus is less than two miles from the hotel.
The campus, which is set to be completed by fall, also will be home to Eller College Executive Education, which was launched in Phoenix in December. The nondegree professional development courses are designed to enhance or refresh business skills of executive, senior and midlevel managers.
Eller College said it will accept applications for its executive MBA program between April 1 and May 15.
