The following article was posted on the Kennesaw State University website, republished with permission:

Kennesaw State University is launching a new Rural Management concentration for its Evening Master of Business Administration program in Fall 2025. The program, which is the first rural management MBA program in the country, will empower rural communities to create economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for their residents.

The University System of Georgia this week approved two new concentrations for the Evening MBA program: Rural Management and Business Intelligence. While both additions allow the MBA program to expand its reach and relevance, the Rural Management concentration is unique in that no other university in the state serves that audience.

“Rural counties are experiencing incredible growth right now,” said Renee Bourbeau, executive director of MBA programs for Kennesaw State’s Michael Coles College of Business. “These communities have a need for qualified professionals to fill leadership positions in business and government. Kennesaw State is proud to be the first university in the country to offer an MBA program specifically tailored to their unique economic position.”

As a discipline, rural management involves solving challenges around sustainable agriculture, building and maintaining infrastructure, and ensuring access to healthcare, education, and employment.

Bourbeau said the time is right for a program like this. For the first time in a decade, rural counties across America are experiencing population growth, with the U.S. Census Bureau listing two Georgia counties – Jackson and Dawson – among the fastest growing in the country.

“We’ve seen what can happen in rural communities when there is a leadership vacuum,” Bourbeau said. “When Talking Rock, Ga. lost its mayor in 2021, it led to the city losing its fire station and eventually its fire designation, leading to increased insurance rates for its residents. A program like ours will prepare cities and counties for leadership crises like this.”

In addition to the Rural Management Concentration, the USG also approved the creation of an Evening MBA concentration in Business Intelligence. The MBA program has had a certificate program in BI since 2020. The concentration provides MBA students with greater opportunities to gain the analytics skills to become data-driven decision-makers.

“Business intelligence reflects the tools and technologies to collect, integrate, analyze, and present an organization’s data to create insightful, actionable information,” said Jomon Paul, the Coles College’s associate dean of research and accreditation and the BI program’s lead faculty. “This knowledge prepares professionals to make critical decisions that impact their organization’s effectiveness and bottom line.”

Students in either concentration will complete the core MBA classes. Those enrolled in the Rural Management program will also take courses on topics like economic development in rural America and agribusiness strategy. BI students complete courses on business analysis, risk management, big-data analysis, and more.

These additions join existing MBA concentrations in accounting, digital marketing, finance, fintech, general management, information security and assurance, and organizational entrepreneurship and innovation.

“We are always looking for new ways to adapt our programs to respond to the needs of our students and the business community,” Bourbeau said. “Our concentrations in Rural Management and Business Intelligence expand Kennesaw State into new markets and provide more students with opportunities for career advancement.”