By Amorette Jeng

Staff Writer

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor’s Stephen M. Ross Business School is a public research university considered today to be one of the eight original “Public Ivies.”  Ranked 13th best MBA program in the U.S. for this year by BusinessWeek and U.S. News and World Report, Ross School of Business prides itself in its unique action-based approach to a solid business education.  This approach exposes students as well as faculty to invaluable experiences and situations that businesses and other such entities face in the real world.

Master of Business Administration Programs

Full-Time MBA

A two-year program that offers a variety of programs, core curriculum courses, and experience that all aid its students is becoming an analytical and confident leader.  Its programs include the renowned Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) course that exposes first year students to participating in analyzing and solving a challenging organizational situation.  The first year is spent developing business fundamentals with courses like accounting, business information technology, among many others and ends in the MAP course.  The second year is comprised of electives to help broaden the experiences obtained while working towards an MBA degree.  Over 20 dual-degree programs are also offered so that the student can pursue interests in other disciplines as well (what are such disciplines).  Students can also participate in a variety of highlighted programs such as the Ross Leadership Initiative’s Crisis Challenge which is a student team competition based upon a simulated business crisis.

Part-Time MBA

Ross offers two programs for the part-time MBA degree: Weekend and Evening.  These programs are tailored towards individuals who have busy schedules and are unable to commit to a full-time MBA program.  The Evening program is very flexible in terms of scheduling and offers a customizable MBA.  The Weekend program offers courses twice a week for two years.  Both Weekend and Evening degrees are valued equally around the world.

Executive MBA (EMBA)

This program offers a degree within twenty months through a personalized leadership development perspective.  Almost a third of a typical EMBA class at Ross is not from North America and must have at least ten years of leadership experience.  Thus, the program is greatly distinguished for candidates ranging from a variety of industries in order to further their executive education.

Global MBA

A sixteen-month program that specifically trains individuals who are already employed and are planning to seek out a managerial position upon completion of this program.  The Global MBA offers an educational experience that focuses on personal relationships and interactions between an individual and their employer/sponsor.  The program allows individuals to access courses in both America and Asia.

Masters of Supply Chain Management (MSCM)

A one year program that prepares individuals interested in being leaders in global movement of goods, services, and information.  In this program, Ross School of Business provides a paid summer project integrating teamwork and real-world experience, a MSCM boot camp, invaluable access to the corporate world as well as prominent figureheads in various industries, as well as an education provided by a distinguished faculty.

Masters of Accounting (MAcc)

A ten-month program that is usually completed after a student finishes their undergraduate education.  A thesis is generally completed in addition to the ten months, which leads to a full year of education in pursuit of the degree.  Completion of this program is usually in preparation for the Certified Public Accountants’ exam.

Doctoral Studies Program

The PhD program at Ross places emphasis on integration of theoretical ideas through research along with practice.  The goal of the program is to produce future faculty for top business schools around the world.  A close connection with corporate leaders is provided as well.

Admissions

Full-Time MBA

Applying to the Ross School of Business for the Full-Time MBA program requires a multitude of materials and requirements in order to ensure your position as a competitive applicant.

Requirements:

- Current resume

- GMAT scores

- Undergraduate and Graduate School transcripts

- 2 letters of recommendation submitted online

- 4 essays (prompts are provided online by the Ross School of Business)

- $200 application fee

- If your application is reviewed and approved, you will be invited to attend an interview.

What the admissions board looks for…

- Leadership as well as teamwork skills

- Academic strength demonstrated through your grades and GMAT scores

- A clearly stated goal as to why you want to pursue an MBA degree at the Ross School of Business

- There are no prerequisite courses, a requirement for traditional business experience, nor a specific way to ensure your acceptance into the school.  However, the Ross School of Business highly recommends a strong background in college-level mathematics (Calculus specifically).

A helpful online tool for career assessment…

If you are considering getting an MBA, the Ross School of Business, like some other top business schools, offers an online tool for career assessment through a program called CareerLeader.  To access the program you must first pay for it, but the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business offers a discount for the program with the simple step of filling out a pre-registration form.  You can find more information as well as the form at : http://www.bus.umich.edu/Admissiosn/Mba/CareerDevelopment/Career/

Additional Admissions Information

Admission criteria for the Ross School of Business differ for each program and have different deadlines.  For more information regarding program types as well as admissions material, visit: http://www.bus.umich/edu/