A new MBA program at Baker University is targeted for recent graduates just starting their careers.

The university received approval from the Higher Learning Commission of Colleges and Schools to launch the program, and the university is accepting applications now for the inaugural class that will start its work in June.

The intensive full-time 15-month program will be based at the Baldwin City campus and will have 60 credit hours of course work.

It’s designed for recent graduates who have three years or less experience in the business world, said Kevin McCarthy, professor in the department of business and economics who helped design the program.

He said the university decided to offer the program after talking with area businesses and surveying the marketplace.

“We thought, ‘Let’s take what we think we do well and see if we can come up with something that’s different than what others are doing in the marketplace,'” he said.

McCarthy said the program is looking for academically talented students with undergraduate GPA scores of 3.5 or better and a Graduate Management Admission Test score of at least 600 who are willing to commit to the 15-month program.

The program will combine classwork with residencies and real-life case studies in the business world, McCarthy said.

The first class will be small–about 15 students, he said — as the school lacks the capability to offer the program to a large number of students.

More information on the program is available online at bakeru.edu/EcMBA.