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MSU MBA ranked No. 20 in US

November 15, 2010

MSU’s Master of Business Administration, or MBA, program ranked No. 20 nationally by Bloomberg Businessweek, above schools such as Yale University and Georgia Institute of Technology.

This year’s ranking represents a leap over nine spots from 2000, when the school was ranked highly by students and recruiters but didn’t make the top 20 list.

Thrilled with the ranking, Karyll Shaw, associate dean of the MBA and professional master’s program, said it shows students and recruiters alike are happy with what they see happening in the close-knit community in Eli Broad College of Business.

“We’ve done a good job of strengthening the community of MBA students,” Shaw said. “They support each other and are feeling very strongly about their experience here at (Eli Broad College of Business). And the recruiters are finding the kind of people they want to hire for their companies. The combination is great for us.”

Compared to most MBA programs, Shaw said MSU’s advantage is in having small class sizes. With about 200 students, the college is able to offer classes with as few as 10 to 12 students, she said.

“They do several charity events as a group,” she said. “There’s an MBA food fight, which we’ve won every year for the last six years or so in competition with MBAs around the country. Even as a smaller group of students, they’ve been able to win with their money and food donations for the (Mid-Michigan) Food Bank. That’s just them, coming together.”

The MBA program also is a productive place for faculty to thrive, said Gerry McNamara, a professor of management, who has been with the university since 1997.

“My experience at MSU has been one where there’s a collaborative culture where faculty can work together,” McNamara said. “It’s a good environment for research, and research projects are able to cut across boundaries, which we’re able to translate to the classroom.”

According to Businessweek, program alumni ranked MSU No. 13 nationally while recruiters ranked the program No. 32. In terms of research and intellectual capital, the program was ranked No. 39. These three factors determine the overall ranking, with student and recruiter feedback accounting for 45 percent each of the total ranking and intellectual capital accounting for 10 percent.

Josh Tyrangiel, editor of Businessweek, said in a statement the rankings help prospective MBA students find programs that fit their needs.

“The schools on this list set themselves apart from the competition by continuing to deliver exceptional academic quality and career development services to their students and graduates,” Tyrangiel said in the statement.

The congenial atmosphere in the MBA community at MSU is what enticed second-year graduate student Erik Hall to become a Spartan.

“One of the things I notice about the students that did their undergraduate degree here, or even people like myself that were in another program, is that the interest is really strong in what MSU is and stands for,” Hall said.“It’s about the loyalty. It’s easy to call any business school alumni, and they’re more than willing to help you and find contacts in their companies or just talk to you.”

Choosing dedicated students and keeping them engaged is important in making the program a success, said Rick Simonds, a professor of finance who has been with the university for more than 36 years.

“It’s about the kind of students that are admitted,” Simonds said. “The staff is doing a good job of finding students that will work hard and make a difference here.”

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