ITI: A Success Story of Intermodal Transportation Education

DENVER, CO, April 27, 2011 – The Intermodal Transportation Institute (ITI) at the University of Denver was established in early 1997 as part of the University’s strategic initiative. In May of that year, a group of transportation industry leaders and University faculty met to discuss the development of a unique graduate program focused on intermodal transportation, which would include courses relating to both passenger and freight transportation. This collaborative effort between industry and academia resulted in a unique Master of Science degree in Intermodal Transportation Management that addresses both freight and passenger intermodal transportation since both sectors share similar challenges.

This one-of-a-kind program allows transportation professionals in both the private and the public sectors to work full time, from anywhere, while earning a graduate degree. The degree program consists of five quarters of coursework and an international travel seminar in the sixth quarter. Each quarter has a one week, on-campus residency requirement. Course materials are available online.

To keep the graduate program current and cutting edge, improvements to the curriculum are ongoing. Several of the key features of the program include:

The intermodal travel seminar: Each cohort is required to attend a five-day travel seminar to Europe or Asia. There they meet with senior level executives from various sectors of the transportation industry to discuss global industry challenges and opportunities. This seminar is part of the academic program and required for graduation.
The intermodal business planning project: Students are required to complete a business plan that has real world application rather than a traditional thesis. Frequently, these business plans provide a return on investment for companies that sponsor students.
The leadership development planning project: One of the purposes of the ITI program is to educate the next generation of intermodal transportation managers and leaders. With this individualized educational project, students have the opportunity to enhance specific leadership and management skills.
The ITI faculty: Faculty comprise both university faculty and industry executives, thereby enhancing academic expertise with industry experience. Several ITI Board members teach in the program and many more participate as guest speakers, bringing “real world” experiences into the classroom.
According to Ted Prince, Principal of T. Prince & Associates, LLC, a founding member of ITI’s Board of Directors, and an ITI faculty member: “Networking is an important part of the program. Since each cohort is limited to 25 individuals, students are able to develop both professional and personal relationships that remain beyond graduation. This network is also enhanced through interaction with, and support from, Board members.”

Prince describes how ITI, like many intermodal success stories, came about “almost by accident”. The concept was conceived at a global conference in Barcelona, Spain, in 1994 and flourished from there. The Institute and its educational programs are based at the University of Denver because the University had faith in the entrepreneurial approach of the program as well as the industry leadership provided by the ITI Board of Directors. The academic-business partnership is critical to the program’s success. And, just as the intermodal industry flourishes from a degree of cross-cultural tension, so too does ITI and its programs.

More than 160 students have enrolled in the program since its inception, and the program has a retention and graduation rate in excess of 98 percent. Currently ITI is recruiting for its 10th cohort, which will begin in fall 2011. “The scope of ITI student recruiting has broadened beyond the transportation modes and we are now seeing participation by shippers, government agencies, and the military,” says Prince. “As the intermodal industry continues to grow, so will the ITI Executive Masters Program.”

About ITI

The Intermodal Transportation Institute at the University of Denver offers an Executive Masters Program that awards a Master of Science in Intermodal Transportation Management from the University of Denver. This graduate degree program prepares transportation industry managers for the increasingly complex, global business environment where knowledge of finance, quantitative processes, supply chain, law, and public policy issues as well as freight, passenger, and intermodal transportation operational strategies are critical management tools for success. For more information on the ITI Executive Masters Program call: 303-871-4702 or visit: www.du.edu/transportation.