Earn an MBA -- right from your tatami room
by Kyoko Fujimoto

In September, Business Breakthrough (BBT) will launch a joint program with the University of Southern California (USC) offering MBA classes via the Internet and the SKY PerfecTV home satellite broadcast service.

Established in April 1998, Business Breakthrough has been offering business and education programs via satellite, and for this new MBA program, Kenichi Omae, the president of BBT, has developed patented-technology called the DistaLearning system, which allows traditional classroom activities -- like taking attendance or giving tests -- via the Internet.

The programs BBT has been offering so far include Insight programs, including the Giants in the World series which introduces the world's top businesspeople; Innovation programs such as Silicon Valley Report and Trade Show Report; Encounter programs where unlisted companies and new business ideas are introduced; Education programs such as Business Basics and an entrepreneurship course. All classes are offered through SKY PerfecTV, the biggest satellite broadcast company in Japan with more than 1,000,000 subscribers. BBT programs are shown on channel 757, 24 hours a day. BBT programs also make use of the Internet to accept questions by e-mail, which are then answered live on TV.

BBT's new MBA program is being offered in conjunction with USC's Marshall School of Business. BBT will serve as a satellite campus of USC, and students' attendance is confirmed via the Internet. With the DistaLearning system, students go to a website before the TV program starts, enter specific numbers and letters that appear throughout the program, and then submit the information to confirm attendance. When attendance is confirmed, students can take a comprehensive test.

In the first year, students will take business administration pre-requisites, including several courses required of full-time MBA students at the Marshall School. Courses include Corporate Financial Reporting, Managerial Accounting, Applied Managerial Statistics, Marketing Management, Business Economics, Macroeconomics, and Corporate Finance. All these classes are offered through satellite broadcast. Workshops by USC faculty will also be held periodically in Japan, and this will enhance the understanding of students and enable them to be actively involved in the lecture. One teaching assistant will be provided for every 8 to 20 students, and he or she will help answer questions and lead students to their goals.

In the second year, students can choose to either continue their studies in Japan through the satellite service, or go to the US to attend the classes at the Marshall school. With the former choice, students will still take classes as they have done in the first year, following more advanced courses similar to second year MBA courses. Those who finish this course can obtain the Advanced Certificate in Management Studies certification. Students who choose to transfer must meet certain requirements to be accepted by USC, and their first year grades will greatly influence their eligibility. Once students are accepted, they must take a summer transition program offered at USC comprising 15 units, including classes such as Management Communication, Leadership in Corporate Organizations, and Global Strategic Planning. Upon successfully finishing the transition program, students can officially enroll in USC and take 11 elective courses in the fall and spring semesters with other MBA students. Those who successfully complete these courses will be awarded an MBA degree.

The main advantage of the satellite broadcast program is that, since the first-year classes are all offered in Japan, students can study at the same time that they work. Even if the students choose to go to the US for the second year, they need only take a single year off. Also, fees can be quite low when compared to attending USC for two full years. Costs include the SKY PerfecTV installation fee (tuner and antenna), the BBT subscription fee (JPY200,000 per year), and the USC enrollment fee (US$5,000 per year compared to US$25,000 to attend classes at USC). Upper tier business schools have not issued degrees to distance learning students so far, and this program will be the first distance learning program enabling students to acquire a degree from one of the world's top-ranked schools. BBT plans to offer CPA and other business courses in partnership with Bond University in Australia next year. In the future, it may become possible to earn any degree anyplace you'd like.

For more information, access http://www.bbt757.co.jp/, or in Japan, call 0120-386-757 or 03-5354-7099.

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