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CATEGORY - TRIVIA TUESDAY

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Trivia Tuesday: Public Management at Stanford

It’s time again for another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs and opportunities that differentiate the leading business schools. This week let’s take a look at an academic program that prepares students to enter careers in the public and non-profit sectors.

Stanford’s Public Management Program (PMP) was founded in 1971 to promote communication and collaboration between leaders of government and business and to address misunderstandings between politicians and those in the private sector. The program became part of the Center for Social Innovation in 2000, and today has the broader mission of preparing students to address social problems.

The PMP offers students the option of obtaining a Certificate in Public Management as a sign of their commitment to and preparedness for a career in the sector. About 15% of each GSB class obtains this certificate, the first and only of its kind. To qualify, students take 16 relevant course units drawn from approximately 30 electives, including an independent study option. This independent study can be academic, analyzing a specific sector or organization, or can be an internship, consulting engagement or strategy planning role at a sponsor organization.

Within the Certificate program, students who are especially focused can pursue an optional specialization in Government, Nonprofit Management or Socially Responsible Business.

This program is a great way for students interested in public management or socially responsible business careers to develop an understanding of issues in these fields and to differentiate themselves in the recruitment process.

For more on Stanford’s public management program or other options for tailoring your studies, visit the school’s website or check out the Special Programs section of the Clear Admit School Guide to Stanford!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: London Business School’s Shadowing Project

In this week’s Trivia Tuesday column we turn our attention to experiential education across the pond, examining the Shadowing Project at London Business School.

The shadowing project at LBS enables students to gain a firsthand perspective on the daily role of a high ranking manager by “shadowing” that person for up to a week as they perform their job. Students report that they benefit immensely from this exposure, which illuminates skills they need to develop to succeed as managers.

Before entering the workplace of their “shadowees,” as they are called, students examine key studies and concepts in managerial behavior, building a theoretical framework to help them assess the management situations they will witness during the project. After the shadowing period, students synthesize their observations in a graded report that objectively profiles the leadership style of their shadowee.

To set up the Shadowing Project, students are expected to initiate contact with a manager of their choosing, and to arrange mutually acceptable dates for the shadowing to take place. While the task of contacting a high-level manager and pitching the shadowing idea may seem daunting, LBS explains that learning to harness the LBS network and preexisting professional contacts is one of the project’s key takeaways for students. The shadowing project can be completed between January and May in either the first or second year. The actual shadowing need not occur over five consecutive days, so students and their shadowees may decide to schedule the shadowing dates around critical meetings or events that it would be most helpful to witness.

Of the managers LBS students have shadowed over the past few years, about 15% have been CEO’s, 25% Managing Directors, General Managers or Vice Presidents, and 10% have held the highest ranking finance post in their organizations. In addition to the more traditional shadowees at investment banks and pharmaceutical companies, students have shadowed prominent figures in politics, as well as the management of a symphony orchestra. More than one-third of students travel outside the UK for the project.

For more on the projects and experiential learning opportunities at London Business School or other leading MBA programs, be sure to check out the Academics and Special Projects sections of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Kellogg’s KWEST Program

It’s time again for Trivia Tuesday, our weekly look at the options and opportunities at some of the leading MBA programs. Today we take a peek at one of Kellogg’s unique student activities.

KWEST, which stands for Kellogg Worldwide Experiences and Service Trips, is a student-organized addition to the school’s traditional pre-term program. The trips are organized by second-year students and have become an incredibly popular way to begin the Kellogg experience, with over 75% of most incoming classes taking part. While all of the trips include a community service component, they are first and foremost a way to get to know a group of Kellogg students very well, to learn about the school from the second-year trip leaders and to begin experiencing the teamwork that is at the heart of Kellogg’s educational philosophy.

KWEST participants report that the trips are generally very social, with a focus on having fun while learning about fellow participants. Recent trips have partnered with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the U.N. and the World Wildlife Fund to work on projects in Maine, Montana and Yosemite National Park in the U.S., and international destinations such as Bolivia, Iceland, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago.

To learn more about Kellogg’s pre-term program, international opportunities or teamwork philosophy (all topics that make good interview fodder), be sure to check out the school’s website or the Clear Admit School Guide to Kellogg!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Wharton’s Pre-Term

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs and policies that help to distinguish the leading business schools. This week we turn our attention to the first experience that matriculating students have on Wharton’s campus: the Wharton pre-term program.

Wharton offers a required 4-5 week pre-term program before the start of first-year classes. Students choose from among several levels of coursework in financial accounting, microeconomics and statistics, designed to bring all students up to the required level of understanding in these areas before fall classes begin. Placement in the pre-term courses is by self-registration; Wharton provides a CD-Rom with self-assessment tests in early summer so students may gauge the appropriate course levels for which to register. Wharton is very clear that it is the student’s responsibility to ensure an adequate level of mathematical understanding before starting classes; students who have less than a college level calculus background in mathematics are responsible for acquiring this background before arriving at Wharton. While the pre-term courses, including the week-long “math camp,” provide a review of quantitative subject areas, they, too, assume familiarity with college calculus.

For students who already have strong backgrounds in these fields, Wharton offers short refresher courses for the waiver exams the school offers in all but three core subjects. In addition to these refresher courses, Wharton offers special courses and seminars during pre-term on the history of business, career management, languages, communication skills and other topics. Few other business schools offer pre-term activities in such a wide range of fields. Wharton uses their online auction system, also used for elective course and job interview sign-ups, to manage enrollment in optional pre-term activities. Students use the pre-term auction as a kind of trial run of the bidding system and report that they appreciate learning bidding strategies before course and interview auctions begin.

For more information on Wharton’s pre-term or the pre-term structure at other MBA programs, be sure to speak with current students or to check out the Academics section of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: International Management Certificates at Haas and Anderson

It’s Tuesday again and that means it’s time for some trivia! As our regular readers know, each Tuesday we take the opportunity to highlight some of the programs, policies or predilections of the leading business schools. Our goal is to help applicants learn more about individual schools while also discovering some of the important differences between them. Today let’s turn our attention to the varying opportunities for international management study at two of California’s top programs: UC Berkeley’s Haas School and UCLA’s Anderson School.

The Certificate in Global Management at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business is designed to expose students to the theory and practice of global business management. To be eligible for the certificate, students must complete at least 8 credits of coursework with international content, participate in an overseas experience, and fulfill the program’s language requirement. Students may fulfill the overseas experience requirement through study abroad, participation in the International Business Development course, or through significant prior professional experience abroad.

The language requirement, meanwhile, expects proficiency at a level equivalent to four semesters of college language study at UC-Berkeley. This means that students hoping to earn a global management certificate should already have some prior language proficiency before beginning the MBA, since it is very difficult to complete four full semesters of language courses during the MBA program. Alternatively, students may demonstrate proficiency through a language exam, non-English degree, or through a college transcript showing equivalent university-level language study.

Meanwhile, the UCLA Anderson School of Business offers the Advanced International Management Program (AIM), serving students aspiring to international leadership positions. Like in the Haas program, Anderson AIM students craft an international business specialization through coursework, international exposure, and foreign language study. To graduate with the AIM Certificate, students must take one of two foundations courses, complete three international electives, and pursue an internationally-focused Applied Management Research Project. Finally, they should undertake either intensive foreign language study, an international experience, or an international independent study.

Participation in the Anderson AIM program requires a brief application, but all students who complete the application and fulfill the program requirements are awarded a Certificate in Advanced International Management upon graduation. Students may apply to the Certificate program anytime from the beginning of the Spring quarter of the first year to the end of the Fall quarter in the second year. Further, at the end of Winter quarter, the AIM office audits the academic records of second-year Anderson students who have completed an international AMR project or participated in an international exchange, contacting them if they are near completion of the Certificate requirements but have not applied.

For more information on international opportunities at Haas, Anderson, or other leading MBA programs, be sure to check out the schools’ websites or the Academics and Special Programs sections of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Leadership Development at Cornell’s Johnson School

In this week’s Trivia Tuesday column we turn our focus to the Johnson School at Cornell University and the program’s opportunities for leadership development.

The Johnson School’s leadership philosophy is founded on personal mastery through self-knowledge and self-development. As such, Johnson students begin their MBA experience with an intensive and interactive personal assessment and continue feedback and assessment sessions into the fall semester.

For students seeking to further develop their leadership abilities, Johnson offers a 10-credit Leadership Focus. The cornerstone of the Leadership Focus is the Goal Setting and Coaching for Leadership Success course, which is centered on the idea of “leader as coach.” The course trains students to effect personal behavior change, then to develop coaching strategies that enable them to help others. Throughout the semester-long course, students practice leadership by acting as a coach for a classmate. They also regularly update the personal learning plans they made during orientation so that the plans reflect their leadership progress.

Students may fulfill the remaining 8.5 credits of the Leadership Focus by choosing among thirteen 1.5- or 3-credit leadership course offerings. They can also contribute credit from day-long Leadership Skills workshops. These workshops are part of Johnson’s Leadership Skills Program, which supplements the traditional business school curriculum through one-day workshops exploring practical skills from etiquette to Excel. The workshops range from three to eight hours in duration and are worth 0.1 elective credits. While there is no limit to the number of workshops a student can participate in, only 1.5 workshop credits may be applied toward graduation. Topics range from “Building Rapport through Applied Listening” to “Wine Appreciation.”

For more information on the leadership development programs at Cornell or other leading business schools, be sure to check out the schools’ websites or the Academics and Special Programs sections of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Chicago Booth’s International MBA

It’s time once again for Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs, policies and possibilities at the leading business schools.

As business goes global, business leaders are increasingly expected to understand the nuances of doing business on the international stage. For prospective students interested in a career in international business, Chicago Booth’s IMBA offers an intriguing option. Chicago Booth is one of the few leading MBA programs to offer students an opportunity to pursue a specialized International MBA (IMBA) degree. To receive the IMBA, full-time MBA students must study abroad for one academic term, demonstrate proficiency in a non-native language and complete a concentration in international business.

The concentration in international business consists of at least five courses in international business, at least three of which must be from Chicago Booth. While students must demonstrate non-native language proficiency, they do not need to do so in the language spoken while studying abroad. For instance, international students may fulfill the program’s language requirement through demonstrating proficiency in English and their native language.

In keeping with Chicago Booth’s reputation for academic flexibility, students do not need to apply to the IMBA program until the first quarter of the MBA. In contrast, candidates for specialized degree and certificate programs at many other business schools must declare this during the general admissions process.

For more information on Chicago Booth’s International MBA option or the international offerings at other leading business schools, be sure to visit the schools’ websites or check out the International Programs/Special Programs sections of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Health Sector Management at Fuqua

It’s time once again for Trivia Tuesday, our regular exploration of the special programs and opportunities that differentiate the leading business schools. This week we take a look at Fuqua’s Health Sector Management program.

Duke University began offering healthcare education in 1930 alongside its opening of the Duke Hospital. In the more than three-quarters of a century since then, the Health Sector Management program (HSM) has evolved into one of the preeminent healthcare management education programs in the nation, alongside Wharton’s Health Care Systems major. Today, the HSM program enrolls over one-fifth of each Daytime MBA class, making it the largest healthcare program affiliated with a leading business school.

Fuqua’s affiliation with Duke University and location in the North Carolina Research Triangle area are major contributors to the strength of the HSM program. The Duke University Medical Center and Health System is a leader in biomedical research, education, and healthcare delivery, while the HSM program’s relationships with area biotech and pharmaceutical companies keep students and faculty connected to the rapidly changing healthcare industry.

Students enter the HSM program from a variety of backgrounds; though the program does not require prior health sector experience, it does look for a strong commitment to the healthcare field among all student participants. As with Wharton’s Health Care Systems major, application to Fuqua’s HSM program is through the MBA admissions process, with HSM applicants asked to indicate their interest in pursuing the HSM Certificate in a special section of the application.

Once enrolled, HSM students spend the first year completing the standard core curriculum before beginning the coursework that leads to the HSM Certificate. To earn the Certificate, HSM students complete three HSM core courses and three healthcare elective courses. All six HSM courses count as elective credit towards the MBA degree requirements. This is a slightly heavier course load than required by Wharton’s healthcare program, which asks students to complete two foundations courses and three healthcare electives.

In addition to providing students with the tools and skills to be successful in established health sector organizations, the HSM program also allows students to combine their health sector studies with the study of entrepreneurship and community involvement. For instance, HSM students may participate in the Engineering World Health program, using their skills to improve healthcare facilities in an impoverished community, or compete in the healthcare track of the Duke Start-Up Challenge.

For more information on Duke’s Health Sector Management program, be sure to visit the school’s website or check out the Health Sector Management section of the Clear Admit School Guide to Fuqua!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Starting off Strong at NYU Stern

It’s time again for Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the offerings and opportunities that impact the student experience at the leading MBA programs. Although many business schools offer optional pre-term programs for enrolling students, NYU Stern goes a step further and invites selected applicants to a summer-long session of coursework prior to the start of the full-time MBA program. Let’s take a closer look at what Stern’s program entails and how it fits into the general campus orientation.

Stern’s Summer Start program allows a selected group of entering students to spend the summer on campus getting a head start on their MBA coursework. When considering students for Summer Start, the admissions committee looks for candidates who have strong communication and leadership skills, but could benefit from extra preparatory study before beginning the MBA. Some Summer Start students have been out of school longer than most of their new classmates, while others have worked in less traditional pre-MBA professions.

Admission to Summer Start is by invitation only; there is no way to apply directly to the program. Because the admissions office looks to fill the Summer Start program with candidates who are enthusiastic about Stern and the mission of the program, candidates invited to interview for Summer Start have an opportunity to decline the invitation. However, once a student has interviewed with Summer Start and received a formal offer of admission from the program, participation is mandatory.

The program begins in mid-July and runs for six weeks, earning participants six of the 60 credits needed for graduation. All enrollees take the core curriculum course Statistics & Data Analysis, and most also enroll in Management Communication & Collaboration as well as Conflict & Negotiation. Some students in the program also pursue coursework to boost quantitative knowledge and/or business writing skills, and the program organizes a variety of social and cultural events to introduce students to each other and to the city.

In late August, Stern brings all entering students to campus for their eight-day Pre-Term Orientation. During the Pre-Term Orientation, students begin making connections within the class, explore New York City, and participate in team building and case analysis exercises plus units on management communication and ethics. Other typical Orientation activities include career development programming, a barbecue and receptions, a harbor cruise and a trip to a Yankees baseball game.

For more information on NYU Stern, including campus life, the core curriculum, and the structure of each incoming class, be sure to check out the school’s website or the Clear Admit School Guide to Stern!

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Teamwork at Wharton, Harvard and Kellogg

It’s Tuesday once again and it’s time to check in on the important details and differences of the leading MBA programs. This week’s focus is teamwork, now a hot topic in business education. For the last decade or so, business schools have moved towards greater use of teams in coursework. This trend has been prompted by the reality that much of modern business depends on the work of functional, productive teams. In response, many business schools have integrated mandatory teamwork into the MBA curriculum, especially into the first year. Today we’ll look at a few of the models used by the leading MBA programs.

Wharton was among the first of the leading business schools to incorporate small learning teams into the first year. Wharton’s teams are assigned in August, at the end of Pre-Term, and students work with their assigned team members throughout the first year. The teams go on a 2-3 day Learning Team Retreat before classes start, during which they get to know one another and start laying the foundation for their work together during the school year. In addition to working together on class projects and studying together for core courses, Wharton’s learning teams also serve as the focus for the half-credit core course Foundations of Leadership and Teamwork. The course, which meets for the first and last six weeks of the first year, focuses on self-awareness, working in teams, and leading others, key concepts for any effective manager or teammate.

Harvard Business School divides its student body into 10 smaller groups called sections, who take all of their first-year classes together. While learning team members at most schools belong to the same larger cohort or cluster, Harvard’s learning teams - only recently introduced to the program - are cross-sectional. This is necessary because of the importance of contributing original ideas to case method classes with one’s sectionmates, and beneficial because it gives students the opportunity to meet and work with classmates outside of their section.

Kellogg, a school known for its focus on teamwork, is one of the only leading MBA programs not to assign first-year study groups. Like other b-schools, Kellogg does split its entering class into smaller sections, usually consisting of approximately 65 students each, and students in each section take all of their core courses together. (Fun fact: Kellogg’s section names are among the most unusual of any b-school’s, with the eight sections called Big Dogs, Bucketheads, Bull Frogs, Cash Cows, Highlanders, Jive Turkeys, Moose and Poets.)

Despite not breaking down the sections into smaller study groups, Kellogg students do work in teams throughout the curriculum. Students report that most of their class assignments require small group work, with the group assignments usually made by individual professors. Because Kellogg students may be in different study or project groups for each course, they miss out on the experience of sustained interaction with a single group of peers, but instead gain experience in working with a broad range of personalities. This system also hones students’ time management skills, since scheduling a group meeting for 5-6 people who are in 4-5 other small groups (while also working around classes, clubs, and recruiting activities) requires a sophisticated ability to juggle schedules!

Overall, most Kellogg students praise the school’s choice to use a dynamic team structure, feeling that this organization mimics teamwork situations in the professional world. However, since students at Wharton, Tuck, Columbia, and other schools often believe that their long-term group assignments best prepare them for teamwork in the business world, applicants should think carefully about the type of teamwork experience they are looking for, as well as the kind of group work they expect to encounter after graduating from business school.

In the end, regardless of how the learning teams or study groups are organized, they all share a common goal: providing students with hands-on practice in working effectively with a group of diverse people with divergent strengths, personalities and work styles. To find out more about the team-based learning at the leading MBA programs, be sure to check out the schools’ websites or the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Supporting Entrepreneurship at Stanford

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the distinguishing details of MBA programs. This week we turn our attention to the campus support - both formal and informal - for Stanford MBA students interested in creating their own ventures.

Stanford devotes considerable resources to the examination of entrepreneurship and support of students and graduates seeking to launch their own companies. The GSB’s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES) was founded in 1996 and today supports ten associated faculty members in publishing articles in scholarly journals, composing cases for use in instruction, and designing courses to introduce students to entrepreneurial issues.

The Center also provides students with opportunities for practical experience. Through the Entrepreneurial Summer Program, students who are interested in spending the summer working in an entrepreneurial environment are matched with small companies seeking summer interns. These organizations can post their available jobs to the CES or Career Management Center, and students may also initiate contact with a company that meets the program’s criteria. Because fledgling companies are often unable to offer competitive internship salaries, the Center provides funding so that participants are able to earn close to the median for first-year interns across industries.

As part of the summer internship program, mentoring relationships are arranged between the student and an employee – or even the founder – of the sponsoring company, and this mentor and intern work together to understand the issues and challenges specific to a small organization. In addition to their basic summer responsibilities, the interns also complete a report on their experience, attend one or more CES-organized gatherings and events at various points in the summer, provide CES with feedback on the program, and participate in a conference during the first quarter of their second year.

No matter what their long-term goal or short-term destination, a high percentage of students attending Stanford GSB are interested in issues of entrepreneurship and take advantage of the MBA program’s resources and opportunities. With over 300 members – well over one-third of the student body – the student-run Entrepreneur Club is known for attracting top-notch speakers and organizes one of the most popular annual conferences on campus.

One element of Stanford’s program that students describe as remarkable is the extent to which classmates support and inspire one another. Because of the school’s noted strength in entrepreneurship, it is common for incoming students to matriculate with a business plan or idea for a company already in mind. Due to the program’s small size, students tend to become aware of each other’s plans and aspirations, and report that someone’s enthusiasm for and focus on a business idea can be infectious. This applies to their time on campus, when students might become so excited about a business plan formulated for a class exercise that they commit to pursuing it after graduation, as well as to the alumni years, when graduates keep track of, promote, celebrate and even invest in their peers’ endeavors.

For more on Stanford’s support for entrepreneurship, be sure to check out the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies website or the Clear Admit School Guide to Stanford!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Tuck’s First Year Project

It’s Tuesday again and that means it’s time for some trivia! As our regular readers know, each Tuesday we take the opportunity to highlight some of the programs, policies or predilections of the leading business schools. Our goal is to help applicants learn more about the most popular schools while also discovering some of the important differences between them. Today we’re turning our attention to a Tuck tradition, the First Year Project.

Part of Tuck’s required core curriculum, the First Year Project is one of three core courses students take in the spring quarter of their first year. In keeping with Tuck’s emphasis on teamwork and interest in experiential learning, the First Year Project is designed as a team consulting exercise. Students choose their own teams and are encouraged to develop and propose their own projects, although they are also welcome to work on a project suggested by a partner business or nonprofit. The project’s focus should either be developing a new business or developing a new product, service or market for an existing business. Since the goal is to have students apply the business theory studied throughout the first year, the projects should ideally require a nuanced analysis of strategic and competitive issues.

First-year teams are supported throughout the project by a professor and a second-year advisor and also have access to additional professors for support on specialized areas such as marketing and communication.

Although Tuck’s First Year Project is similar in design to experiential learning courses offered at other institutions, the difference at Tuck is that all students participate in the course, with the project serving as a capstone to the first year experience. In this sense, while all of the leading programs offer students opportunities to apply their classroom theory to real world experiences, Tuck shows one of the strongest commitments to integrating these opportunities into every student’s MBA experience.

To learn more about Tuck’s First Year Project or the experiential learning opportunities at other MBA programs, visit the schools’ websites or check out the Electives and Special Programs sections of the Clear Admit School Guides.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Innovation and Independent Activities at MIT Sloan

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday, where we examine differences in the programs, resources, and opportunities offered by the leading business schools. Today we’re turning our attention to two unique aspects of the academic year at MIT Sloan: the mid-semester Sloan Innovation Periods and the mid-year Independent Activities Period.

The Sloan Innovation Period, or SIP, takes place for a week at the midpoint of each semester. The SIP was introduced to the curriculum to provide an opportunity for all Sloan students and faculty members to explore interests in ways not possible within the standard framework of courses. All classes and activities stop for the week while faculty members organize seminars and other activities designed to provide students with opportunities for hands-on leadership experiences and exposure to the latest research of Sloan professors. Past areas of study include explorations of individual learning styles, social network analysis for managers, value chain roadmapping, and globalization, development & standards. Participation in SIP is required of both first- and second-year students as part of the MBA graduation requirements and most Sloan students report that they appreciate the opportunity to step back and reflect on their learning while exploring topics outside the curriculum.

In addition, while other MBA students are home in January, resting up for the second half of the school year, students at MIT Sloan use the winter break to explore new topics and make new connections on campus. Every winter break at MIT, students, faculty, staff and alumni across the Institute are able to use the special four-week January term to organize or participate in a wide range of activities. Included as part of tuition, the Independent Activities Period, or IAP, offerings typically include how-to sessions, lectures, tours, recitals, athletic events, forums and films. Since members of the MIT community are responsible for proposing and organizing IAP events, the available activities change depending on the interests of the MIT campus at large.

Because the IAP is open to all members of the MIT community, the month-long session gives Sloan students an opportunity to form connections with students and faculty outside of the business school. This kind of extended opportunity for campus-wide interaction is unique to MIT Sloan among the leading business schools. These connections may help create many of the business/science partnerships that underlie MIT Sloan’s reputation as a center for the commercialization of new technologies.

For more information on unusual academic opportunities available to MBA students, be sure to visit the schools’ websites or check out the special programs featured in the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: International Study Trips at Chicago, Columbia, Harvard, NYU Stern and Wharton

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday, our weekly exploration of the details, distinctions and developments of the leading MBA programs.

Over the last decade, most business schools have sought ways to provide relevant, hands-on international business exposure within the confines of a two-year degree. The solution that many schools have arrived at is “study trips,” which allow students to spend 1-2 weeks exploring the business environment of another country over the summer or during a mid-semester break. Depending on the school, these trips may be organized through an elective course, by an administrative office, or through a campus student group.

For instance, the Chazen Institute at Columbia works with individual students and clubs to organize study trips to countries or regions of interest, while Chicago’s International Programs Office coordinates short-term summer exchanges to Austria, Brazil, France and Germany. Several other business schools offer students academic credit for their travel abroad. At HBS students are able to earn 1.5 credits for their work abroad over the summer between the first and second year, provided they keep a weekly journal and submit a final paper. At Wharton, however, study trips are often closely integrated into full-semester elective courses, with students participating in hands-on consulting projects with firms from outside the U.S.

At NYU Stern, the school’s two-week long Doing Business In… (DBI) programs offer an appealing short-term alternative to spending an entire semester abroad. The program is usually offered in three selected locations each year and takes place outside of the normal academic calendar, usually between semester breaks or during Spring Break, making it easy for students to fit the program in at some point during their MBA. Each DBI includes one pre-trip class session and 8-10 full days of scheduled activities in the host country. Admission is by lottery, and classes are taught by the faculty of the host university; these faculty members also award the final pass/fail project or paper grades for the course.

In addition to the two-week DBI programs, Stern also offers students the unusual opportunity to study abroad for 1-6 weeks with one of four partner universities in Argentina, Denmark, Germany, or South Korea. These courses usually take place in early- to mid-May, making it possible to arrange a summer internship start date around completion of the course. The one-, three- and six-week programs may earn students 1.5 to 6 credits toward graduation. Although many MBA programs allow students to study abroad for a full semester or to travel abroad as part of a course, few provide summer exchanges through which students can earn credit toward graduation.

As knowledge of other cultures and business practices becomes more important to the daily life of business, it will become ever more important for students to gain exposure to international business during the MBA program. Since study trips range from informal and self-directed to formal consulting engagements for academic credit, applicants may want to consider the type of study trip that would best complement their prior international experience and keep this in mind as they apply to MBA programs. For more information on the details of schools’ study trip offerings, be sure to check out the schools’ websites or consult the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Pre-Term Programs at Duke’s Fuqua School

It’s time for another look at the programs, resources and opportunities that help differentiate the leading business schools. Today we will examine the options available to help incoming Fuqua students start the school year on the right foot.

All Fuqua first-year students participate in the recently-introduced, four-week Global Institute pre-term program. The Institute, held in August before the start of classes, consists of three core courses designed to help students gain a more nuanced understanding of the global business environment and enhance their collaborative leadership skills.

In addition to the mandatory Global Institute, Fuqua offers a Summer Math Review Course and a Language Institute in the weeks before New Student Orientation to help students build targeted skills before the start of classes. Although all students are generally invited to participate in these courses, the Admissions Office recommends or requires enrollment for particular students with weaker math or English skills. Because the programs meet during the same time period, it is impossible to complete both, but the administration reports that few, if any, entering students need extra preparation in both subjects.

The Language Institute, or LI, begins in mid-July and is designed to help international students build English speaking, writing and listening skills, orient to the academic environment at Fuqua, and begin creating friendships with other students. The LI, which costs $3,370 in the 2008-2009 academic year, is divided into four phases of teaching and support. In the optional first phase, students who would like to complete individual preparatory work with a tutor are encouraged to arrive in mid-July for tutorial sessions. The intensive two-week Language Institute makes up phase two of the program, and during this time students complete English diagnostic assessments, language tutorials, experiential learning projects and case study analyses. Classes during phase two meet from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day, with mandatory social events and team meetings often scheduled for the evenings. Phase three begins once LI participants start the Global Institute course. The LI faculty use the “live” academic setting of the Global Institute to give LI participants detailed feedback and suggestions for improvement before the first term of classes begins. Finally, entering students who participate in the LI are eligible to receive continued language support through individual counseling or small group work throughout their time at Fuqua.

For more information on pre-term and international orientation programs at Fuqua or other leading business schools, be sure to talk with current students or check out the Academics section of the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Applied Management Research at UCLA Anderson

It’s time again for another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs and opportunities that differentiate the leading MBA programs. This week we turn our attention to UCLA Anderson and an unusual feature of their second-year academic program: the Applied Management Research Project.

As second-years, Anderson students test their business skills in a practical setting by partnering with organizations to address complex internal business problems or evaluate strategic opportunities. Some students opt to put their entrepreneurial abilities to the test, fulfilling the two-quarter Applied Management Research Project (AMR) requirement by establishing their own ventures. Many students cite the AMR as one of their most rewarding and confidence-building experiences at Anderson.

Students choose their own AMR teams, which are comprised of three to five people guided by a faculty advisor. Teams have significant latitude in defining their projects, beginning with a choice between completing a Management Field Study, creating a business or pursuing a special project. In choosing a Management Field Study, as the vast majority of students do, a team either completes a strategic project for a company as arranged by Anderson, or independently secures a partner company, which is subject to program approval. Approaching the partnership like a consulting engagement, Management Field Study teams collaborate with company executives to identify and offer solutions to organizational and competition-based problems. Recent student teams have worked for such companies as Yahoo, Wells Fargo, Kendall Jackson Wineries, Phoenix Realty Group and the L.A. Times. Teams seeking experience in smaller businesses have joined with the online start-up Savings.com, and worked with a local cooking show host to help her launch her own line of cooking products.

In addition to freedom in choosing the industry and function of their partner companies, Management Field Study teams also select partner companies based on location. Those desiring international business exposure are matched with international partners, regularly communicating with these firms via teleconferencing, though some companies may choose to fly their student teams on-site for special meetings and debriefings. Teams who prefer consistent face-to-face meetings select business partners nearby, or opt for regional partners and split the travel obligations amongst team members.

Those students who choose to pursue the AMR over the Fall and Winter quarter may use their on-site experience to make contacts in their company or gain a foothold in the industry that will help them secure a full-time job following graduation. Those who undertake the project during the Winter and Spring quarters instead may already have accepted job offers, thus they select projects that will further prepare them for their future positions.

To learn more about UCLA Anderson’s AMR Projects or other curricular features, visit the school’s website or check out the Academics section of the Clear Admit School Guide to Anderson!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: Immersion Programs at Cornell’s Johnson School

Welcome to another addition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs and policies that impact the student experience at the leading business schools. This week, we turn our attention to the Johnson School of Cornell University and their unusual first-year Immersion Program.

In the spring semester of their first year, students complement their final two core courses with Johnson’s signature Immersion Learning program. The Immersion programs consist of a coordinated set of electives focused on a particular career or industry; these courses invite students to engage with real world business problems across functions and disciplines, as they will later do in their careers. Many career switchers report that Immersions are an effective way to gain an in-depth understanding of their new target industry.

The Johnson School offers eight defined Immersion programs. In line with Johnson’s career orientation, these courses enable students to gain specialized industry exposure early in the MBA experience, making them well-prepared for their summer internships and full-time job searches. While the protocol for each Immersion differs, the cornerstone of the Immersion experience is a practicum in which students work on real projects with companies in the target industry. Despite Cornell’s relatively remote location, students report that executives from major cities and companies are routinely drawn to campus. Lectures and workshops with visiting experts, on-site visits and team presentations are regular components of each immersion.

Approximately 80% of the first-year class typically undertakes one of the eight defined Immersions. While students must bid for placement in their Immersion programs, they report that virtually everyone is enrolled in the Immersion program of their choice. For students whose career interests do not fit within the defined Immersions, Johnson offers a customized Immersion option. Through the customized Immersion, students can work with a faculty advisor to build their own specialized curriculum from the electives offered at Johnson or in the larger University.

For more on the Johnson School’s Immersion Programs or its other unique academic offerings, be sure to check out the school’s website or the Clear Admit School Guide to Johnson!

Monday, September 08, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: International Consulting at Haas

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our weekly examination of the programs, policies and resources that help to differentiate the leading business schools. This week we turn our attention to an opportunity for hands-on international development work offered by the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

The International Business Development (IBD) course is one of the most popular electives at Haas. Similar to the international consulting electives at Wharton and Tuck, the course sends small teams of students to consult at client sites around the world for three weeks each summer. The program is open only to first-year students, and the application process includes both essays and an interview.

Students selected for participation are assigned to project teams in January of the first year and work with their teams in the spring semester to conduct background research and analysis. Following the end of first-year classes in mid-May, each team spends a dedicated three weeks on-site with the client, completing such projects as preparing a business plan, conducting market analysis, developing marketing or entry strategies, or recommending operational changes. In keeping with the course’s focus on international development, the sponsor organizations are largely regional companies or non-profits, including the Wildlife Conservation Society, GrameenPhone, The Longevity Project, and the Sewlanka Foundation.

Although the IBD project is usually delivered to the clients by the end of the three week period on-site, teams may need to conduct follow-up work in the fall semester. In order to provide students with an opportunity to share their findings with other teams and to discuss their experiences, IBD participants meet for two full Fridays during the fall semester. During these meetings, each team presents its project to the class in case format. Upon successful completion of the spring semester preparation, the in-country project, and the fall semester presentations, students receive three elective credits towards their Haas degrees.

To learn more about international study or experiential learning opportunities at Haas and other leading business schools, be sure to check out the schools’ websites or the Clear Admit School Guides!

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Trivia Tuesday: School-Wide Socializing

Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday, our ongoing series exploring the programs, resources and opportunities available at the leading business schools.

Although most of our columns have focused on the academic options schools offer, this week we turn our attention to students’ opportunities for socializing with classmates. Since creating a strong network of friends and future colleagues is one of the lasting benefits of business school, prospective students may want to examine the ways in which schools help classmates get to know each other and build relationships. One popular method schools use to bring students together is program-wide happy hours. These events are usually held at the end of the academic week and tend to be organized by the MBA student government.

For instance, a staple of Wharton’s social life is Pub, held Thursday evenings throughout the academic year. MBA students pay a membership fee at the beginning of the year for access to all club events as well as all the rotating wines and beer, pizza and non-alcoholic drinks they desire. Other Wharton clubs take turns sponsoring the weekly pubs; previous themes included Japan Night, Pink Pub: Wharton Women in Business, and Europa Oktoberfest. With over 85% of Wharton students typically joining the Pub, it is one of the best ways to meet Wharton classmates.

MIT Sloan’s Consumption Function happy hours (C-Functions) are also a popular part of student social life. Held most Thursday evenings during the academic year, the C-Functions are a g