Chapter 4: Effective Academic Program Building: A Case Study From Utah Valley University

Tying business school offerings to the needs of the business community provides a series of challenges and opportunities. When done well, implementing new programs can result in enhanced reputation with business leaders and meaningful career opportunities for students. Poor implementation, on the other hand, can result in frustrated faculty, students, and administrators while also confirming the image of universities as havens for those who teach rather than “do.”

The following brief case study traces the development of the Personal Financial Planning program (PFP) at the Woodbury School of Business (WSB) of Utah Valley University (UVU), a Carnegie classified Community Engagement University with a regional development mission. In so doing, it offers lessons in prelaunch and launch strategies as well as a portfolio approach to building the faculty team. Further, the case provides significant insight into working closely with external stakeholders to develop a program that builds student competence, confidence, and connectedness as they launch into rewarding careers.