KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University’s MBA program has risen in U.S. News and World Report’s part-time MBA program ranking to No. 101 in the country and No. 2 in the state of Michigan.
Why is Western topping the list in Michigan for its MBA program? "We have incorporated a broad base of life experiences that tie into the objectives we have for the MBA," says Dr. Steve Newell, associate dean of graduate programs and operations, Haworth College of Business. "It's been a win-win because these individuals with this great experience—both career and otherwise—are contributing to course discussions, and we have the opportunity to reward them for doing all of this with credit for past experience and current work projects.”
The MBA team took a careful look at feedback from students, employers and WMU alumni on where the program should go and made changes that adapted to the needs of today, tailoring curriculum to the most in-demand skill sets in industry: analytics, communication, leadership and negotiation.
“Not only does the curriculum give students a competitive advantage over peers from other master's programs, it also offers classes in different modes so students can adapt how they attend class to their schedule, learning style and life demands,” says Renuka Phillips, director of graduate programs. The HyFlex MBA courses allow students to take their classes in person or online synchronously, and switch the mode of attendance week to week as desired. The result is the best of both worlds—flexibility and high student engagement with faculty and peers.
The U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools ranking is derived from a combination of statistical surveys that institutions submit and reputational surveys that are sent to administrators in each discipline area.
Both enrollment in the MBA program and the recent WMU Career Outcomes Report back up what U.S. News and World Report is noting: The WMU MBA provides quality and value.
According to WMU's 2022-23 Post-graduation Activity Survey of graduates:
- 100% of MBA graduates are working or continuing their education quickly after earning their degree.
- 97% of MBA graduates participated in experience-driven learning while earning their degree.
- 97% of MBA graduates felt their instructors cared about them as a person.
“The faculty, staff and administrators who worked through the process of revising the MBA program had two goals: increased quality and increased access,” says Dr. Satish Deshpande, dean, Haworth College of Business. They achieved both, and we are seeing the results with MBA students happier than ever with their experiences in courses and their ability to leverage their skills to gain promotions and new career opportunities. This accolade is a reflection of the excellent work that those associated with the MBA program have done and will continue to do.”
Visit the MBA program webpage to learn more.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.