The results are in: Concordia College’s partnership with Rize Education in cybersecurity, financial planning, human resource management, and project management programs has already greatly benefited Cobbers.
The new programs pair classes from Concordia’s existing business-related programs — taught in person and on campus by Concordia faculty — with online courses taught by outside experts from Rize, in a flexible format designed to maintain academic rigor.
“We were thinking about new programs to develop — what else might we want to do? And how can we do that in a way that best serves our students?” said Dr. Susan Larson, provost and dean of the college.
Working with Rize has allowed Concordia to offer students more options strategically, keeping initial costs down, while allowing the college to potentially expand to invest more in the programs in the future, driven by student demand.
Survey results of participants show Rize is serving students well.
- 95% felt the course prepared them for their postgraduation goals.
- 88% said they would be likely to recommend a Rize course to a peer.
- 95% said they would like one or more online classes each term.
- 93% found the workload to be the same or more than other classes.
For Concordia, it’s all about the students, and that means finding the right balance for the curriculum, Larson said.
“We don’t want to move fully online, but it’s OK for our students to learn how to learn online. They will get some skills and some flexibility from having some asynchronous coursework,” she explained.
The lack of fixed class times in Rize courses can help students in time-intensive internships, courses, or cocurriculars manage their schedules.
“Personally, I was working full time and being able to complete the coursework on my own time made it easier to absorb the material at my own pace,” said Kidus Ayelew ’24, who studied financial planning through Rize. “My favorite part of the Financial Planning class was how it provided practical, real-world knowledge. It wasn’t just about theory — it was filled with actionable advice that I could immediately apply to my own financial situation.”
Three of the four Concordia programs powered by Rize include both a minor option and a concentration option; whereas, the fourth, financial planning, is currently only offered as a minor. All four, however, have a Concordia program director, ensuring that Rize material complements Concordia’s curriculum, meets Concordia standards, and, ultimately, serves Concordia students.
- The cybersecurity program is business-oriented, targeting low-code/no-code cybersecurity roles. It gives students well-rounded, practical experience beyond IT skills, like building defenses against cyber attacks, investigating breaches, and ultimately, thinking like a hacker. The rise in digital attacks has led to a massive demand for cybersecurity professionals.
- The Certified Financial Planning program equips students with the knowledge and skills to guide clients in managing their finances, including investment, tax, insurance, retirement, and estate planning, aligning with CFP Board requirements. Students gain practical experience in creating comprehensive financial plans, and graduates of the program are prepared to sit for the CFP exam.
- The human resource management program combines foundational business knowledge with specialized HR skills, covering talent acquisition, employee development, performance management, and organizational culture. This program prepares graduates to effectively manage human capital and contribute to organizational success.
- Project management will prepare students for a role as a project manager or technical project manager upon graduation. It will provide students with skills in project management, product development and basic programming, and by the end of the program, students will be eligible to sit for the Certified Associate in Project Management exam.
“I had a great experience with Rize and benefited so much from all three courses I took. The professors set you up for success and want to be there for you whenever it is needed,” said Cassie Sieben ’25. “My favorite part about human resource management was the ability to guide and help a company drive its overall success. I love helping people and establishing relationships with them.”