Prospective graduate students who examine the course requirements for MBA degrees at different universities quickly discover that the requirements vary, sometimes dramatically. Some diplomas are easy to get, whereas other require considerable effort and personal discipline. I have selected, pretty much at random, two differernt schools to illustrate the point.
~ The first is Strayer University, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. This private, for-profit school operates through a large online division in Newington, Virginia, and also through a network of satellite campuses throughout the southeast. It offers an MBA degree that can be earned through conventional study or exclusively through online courses. Strayer's MBA is conferred on any student who completes 12 courses which collectively amount to 54 quarter-hours of credit. One course must be for a "project" that carries 4.5 quarter-hours of credit.
~ The second is the University of Illinois, situated in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign. The U of I program for an MBA degree requires students to complete 18 courses, each of which has 4.0 semester-hours of credit, for a total of 72 semester-hours. The university expects students to attend four semesters as a full-time student in order to meet these requirements.
U. S. News and World Report ranks the university 11th overall among public universities in America.
In the long run, does it really matter which school the student selects? The University of Illinois is accredited by AACSB, and 94% of its MBA grads have significant job offers within 3 months of graduation. Also, the average annual salary of the MBA grads is $77,185. You decide.
Internships are a good idea, and I support them. Business students who are interested in international trade would do well to take advantage of one of the internships you mention.
Posted by: Gary Jacobsen | July 17, 2007 8:29 AM | Permalink to Comment