GARY | The Indiana University Northwest School of Business and Economics will host an evening open house from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday to introduce area professionals to its Weekend MBA for Professionals program.

The event will take place at the School of Business offices on the first floor of the Dunes Medical/Professional Building on campus, 35th Avenue and Jefferson Street.

The Weekend MBA program is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals.

The program offers all-day Saturday classes every other Saturday for 10 months out of the year, leading to degree completion in 18 months.

Classes are taught by full-time business faculty, and the program includes an online component for added convenience to students.

The Weekend MBA program is intended to make this advanced degree accessible for working professionals who must meet other obligations during the work week. The alternating Saturday schedule allows students the freedom to enjoy weekends off while they pursue their degrees, and the two-month summer break provides time for family vacations and other pursuits.

IUN's School of Business and Economics is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. It is the only public business school in Northwest Indiana to carry this distinction, according to a news release. Only 15 percent of business schools worldwide are accredited by the association.

Lunch will be provided on class days, and laptop computers are included for students as part of the cost of tuition.

Anyone interested in pursuing an MBA through Weekend MBA classes is invited to meet School of Business faculty and see the school's facilities, including the new Wall St. on Broadway Trading Floor. For more information, call (219) 980-6552, or e-mail iunbiz@iun.edu.

- For The Times