Wisconsin MBA Gaining National Attention for Specialized Approach
December 22, 2005
From BusinessWeek to CNN.com, the trend toward specialized MBA programs is gaining national attention, and the new Wisconsin MBA is at the forefront.
BusinessWeek had the most recent media coverage highlighting of how Wisconsin is leading a national trend toward specialized MBA programs.
CNN.com declared: “The traditional one-size-fits-all MBA degree could soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.” Its article on specialized MBA programs also explored the Wisconsin MBA.
Biz Ed magazine, a publication that looks at business education, featured Wisconsin’s new MBA program in an article on “The Extreme MBA Makeover.” Dean Michael Knetter was quoted and the experience of A Marketing Research student was examined. The focus of the article: “the conventional MBA curriculum may need to be reconsidered and revamped to supply 21st-century business with graduates trained to solve 21st-century problems.”
Graduate Management News, the newsletter of the Graduate Admissions Management Council, led off with a look at the Wisconsin MBA in “Specializing in Success: Specialized MBA Programs Are Meeting the Demand for Focused Grads.” Their conclusion: No more one size fits all. As the article put it, “UW–Madison isn’t alone. Numerous business schools the world over have changed their programs and curricula in hopes of better serving a specific slice of the management education pie.”
The Beyond Grey Pinstripes ranking, of the World Resources Institute and the Aspen Institute listed the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business among the world’s top schools for MBA offerings in social and environmental issues. The ranking evaluates how well MBA programs equip students with an understanding of the social, environmental and economic perspectives required for business success in a competitive global economy. It is the only global ranking that evaluates MBA programs for their efforts to prepare students for the new business realities demanding social and environmental stewardship. Wisconsin was 16th among U.S. business schools and 28th in the world. See related article.