The U’s School of Business executive master’s in business administration program was ranked 30th in the nation and 77th in the world by the Financial Times, the London-based financial publication.
The program has made strides to improve its ranking. In 2008, the program was ranked 34th in the nation and 80th in the world. Brad Vierig, the assistant dean of the business school, credits the curriculum, the faculty and quality of students for the success and growth of the school and MBA program.
“I’m thrilled about it,” Vierig said. “This is an absolute indication of our quality.”
The rankings are based on four aspects: the average salary of alumni in the three years since their graduation; the percentage increase of income for alumni from pre-MBA to post-MBA; the number of faculty publications in international, academic and practitioner journals; and the career progress of alumni since pre-MBA to their current situation.
The rise in the rankings is a reflection of how the alumni are succeeding in their respective career fields after they graduate from the program. According to the Financial Times, alumni from the U increase their pre-MBA salary by 50 percent, making an average $127,000 annual income.
The program is a 21-month program designed for experienced managers, which challenges the analytical skills and methods of students, and are constantly being updated to meet the issues facing the business world.