At Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics, MBA students gain from the insights and expertise of professors with versatile academic and applied professional experience. Particularly in management-focused disciplines such as human resources, faculty bring decades of highly-ranked research and a vast professional network to provide a holistic introduction to the rapidly evolving business landscape.

One such professor is Management Professor Lori Muse, who earned her doctorate in human resource management and organizational change from Auburn University. She teaches HR-focused courses in the college’s MBA programs, including MGMT 543 – Seminar in Human Resource Management, a Flex MBA course, and MGMT 525 – Team Leadership Skills in the Fully-Employed MBA program. Both courses focus on experiential learning, incorporating class discussion, role play and case discussion. Her research interests have focused on the employer/employee relationship, including work/family conflict, work/life balance and benefits, and stress and job performance.

“The experience level in the MBA program makes the graduate courses I teach especially rewarding,” explains Muse. “I incorporate student work experience into each class meeting. For example, in the team leadership class, I ask students to bring a work-related problem to class. Following our discussion on creative problem solving, they discuss the problems in teams to explore how class content can be used to solve these business world challenges they are facing. When we discuss supportive communication, students pair up to role play a manager communicating a sensitive issue to their peer who is playing the role of an employee. I select two to three pairs to do the role play in front of the class for the class to critique their technique of applying the communication tools discussed.”

At the College of Business and Economics, the combined research and instructional acumen of faculty truly sets the graduate programs apart, observes Muse. This treasure trove of experience and knowledge is an immense resource for graduate students.

“Our faculty are passionate about teaching in the MBA programs and are dedicated to work with their students, especially our graduate students, to ensure they get their money’s worth. I advise students to take full advantage of this. Ask questions during class, visit your professors during office hours or schedule other times to ensure you are getting as much knowledge and advice from each professor they have as possible. Connecting on this level can also create a relationship for them to ask for advice from their professors beyond graduation,” she says.

Muse is also the director of the Women’s leadership Program and encourages her graduate students to explore and apply for the program. The program, which is open to all genders, hosts professional development seminars, workshops, and networking events.

On a personal level, Muse breaks gender stereotypes as a football fan. “This can be atypical for women. But I grew up watching the Pittsburgh Steelers with my extended family during the 1970s and 1980s, when they went to several super bowls,” she recalls. “It was a family tradition. My mom and grandma would yell at the referees, and we would all cheer every time they made a great play. While I am poised and professional in a business setting, until this day, I cannot watch football quietly!”

For More Information

For more on the MBA and graduate programs at Cal State Fullerton, read more of our articles on graduate programs. For more on the Women’s Leadership Program, read more of our articles on women’s leadership.