Discover Mo’s Journey
Big-picture thinking, bigger impact with Sprott’s Professional MBA
One of the most satisfying moments in Mohammad (Mo) Al Jarrah’s Professional MBA (PMBA) journey happened in his final term – during the Corporate Strategy course – when everything clicked.
“It’s basically MBA in a nutshell,” says Mo. “At the end of the program, you tie all of your learning together – in marketing, accounting, finance, and more – and the entire journey makes sense.”
The course is the culmination of an integrated PMBA curriculum offered by Carleton’s Sprott School of Business that equips graduates to have a greater impact in their workplaces – and the world.
Putting classroom learning to work
For Mo, who works as a Risk Analyst at Export Development Canada and graduated from the program in December 2020, pursuing an MBA was a deliberate move to become more competitive in his career.
“The MBA has made me a better contributor to my team and organization, overall,” he says. On top of improving his time management, communication, and collaboration, the PMBA also formalized Mo’s on-the-job learning.
“You learn a lot in your workplace. You learn a lot of things through life. And the MBA is a good place to validate some of that informal learning.”
Discovery in diversity
Having completed his bachelor’s degree in business, Mo was worried about replicating that experience in the MBA. The reality couldn’t have been more different.
Not only was the course content highly tailored to his needs as a working professional, but Mo discovered a multidisciplinary learning environment that brought together peers from diverse backgrounds and expanded his professional network.
“Whether it’s engineering, science, healthcare, environmental and social governance – you’re learning from people who are subject matter experts in their fields. The points raised are very different from what you’d get in a room of likeminded individuals. The discussions are richer and more robust.”
Tailored-made for working professionals
One major factor that drew Mo to Sprott was the unique biweekly delivery format. Designed to balance work-life demands, PMBA courses are held on Fridays and Saturdays every two weeks.
“Sprott’s format creates a very nurturing environment for learning. The structure allowed me to bucket the learning into two days, work the other days, and still have time for life commitments,” he says.
That concern for students’ well-being and work-life balance is also clear through interactions with faculty and staff.
“Carleton is big enough that its name carries weight, but it’s not so big that you get lost in the mix. You become on a first-name basis with the faculty and support staff. The professors are really good at helping students succeed when life happens.”