Last month, I was astonished to find that a 2-year part-time MBA program in Wharton, San Francisco costs a staggering $172,000. But I suppose it all works out in the end. An MBA degree from Wharton is worth much more than the whopping course fees. So what, if the final cost makes it seem like a luxury MBA course. Incidentally, there is now a luxury MBA course. SDA Bocconi School of Management has teamed up with luxury brand Bulgari to create a full-time MBA program that offers specialization in Luxury Business Management. At the outset, only 20 students will be allowed to avail of the new specialized course, which is the first of its kind in a top ranking international MBA program.
The faculty of SDA Bocconi and Bulgari’s managers have worked out the new specialized program. As part of the course, students will spend three months working at Bulgari’s offices in Rome and work on a two-month in-house project at either an international Bulgari branch or in the office of some other luxury sector company. Students will also be tested on their ability to face challenges, and increase profitability and sustainability in the luxury business.
The new MBA program and the tie-up with Bulgari aims to increase the integration between theory and application, said SDA Bocconi Dean, Alberto Grando. Meanwhile, Bulgari CEO, Francesco Trapani said that he hoped that the new specialized program would enrich both the company and the participants by providing “a valuable opportunity for exchange and for personal and professional growth”. Students will graduate with an MBA diploma from the B-school and a certificate in specialization in Luxury Business Management from the school and Bulgari.
