With the University of South Carolina PMBA program, a well-respected MBA is closer
than you think.
You don’t have to amass huge amounts of student debt to earn a quality business degree.
The best part, with eight classroom sites and a flexible, distance-learning format,
the Professional MBA program allows you to access your coursework in your region.
While the Darla Moore School of Business is physically located on USC’s main campus
in Columbia, South Carolina, seven distant classrooms join the Professional MBA program
classroom in Columbia. Professor Bob Lipe, the faculty director for the PMBA program,
said the “telepresence” technology used in the PMBA program allows students to learn
alongside their peers, even if they are situated in various locations across the state.
“In my class, students attending in Greenville, for example, feel like they are in
one big classroom where they can gain insights from me in Columbia or another student
in Charleston, even though we are many miles apart,” Lipe said. “Yet, when it is time
for an in-class group exercise, the Greenville students huddle with their colleagues
in the classroom for in-person debate of the problem I have assigned. The experience
is like being in a classroom where all of the students are learning together without
the long drive to Columbia each week.”
Further, if a student’s work schedule or other commitments interfere with their ability
to be present in one of the live classrooms, a web-based platform for lectures is
available. This allows students to be a part of the class from wherever they may be.
During the spring 2020 semester, Lipe said he had a student complete his course via
the web-based platform from Wuhan, China.
The web-based platform allows students to attend sessions from virtually anywhere.
Nicholas Fernandez, a PMBA student who enrolled in the program when he lived in Charlotte, North Carolina,
received a professional promotion in the middle of his MBA coursework that required
him to move to Florida. Fernandez was able to complete the program virtually; he plans
to graduate in summer 2020.
“As you can imagine, this promotion was a great opportunity for me as it was a chance
to participate in an executive role at a regional level,” Fernandez said. “Luckily,
I have full flexibility to complete the PMBA program, but I definitely rely on the
remote connectivity [to complete my coursework].”
Lipe added that the synchronous component of the PMBA courses, which allows students
and professors to interact during every session, is far superior to fully asynchronous
online programs offered by some competitors. Even if students’ schedules prohibit
them from attending the live sessions, they can watch the replay of the course and
still benefit from the live instruction.
Whether class is attended live from a distant classroom, your own home or a different
country, the Moore School PMBA program allows working professionals like you to earn
a valuable MBA degree that can advance your career.
Taking on the work associated with earning a graduate degree while maintaining a full-time
job may sound daunting, but the flexibility of the University of South Carolina’s
Professional MBA program allows students to find a balance between their course work,
career and personal life.
“The nature of the program helps you develop and hone time management and prioritization
skills,” said Thomas Victa, a PMBA candidate who began the program in 2018. “Working
a full-time job while in graduate school is a challenge, but the PMBA program is designed
to help you manage your time.”
PMBA student Nicholas Fernandez has three young children and accepted a leadership
promotion at First Citizens Bank during the final stretch of his PMBA coursework.
Fernandez relocated to Boca Raton, Florida, in fall 2019 and is completing the remainder
of the PMBA program remotely while overseeing the integration of two banks into the
First Citizens Bank system.
“Flexibility has become key in my life as things change routinely and I have to adapt,”
Fernandez said. “Time slots are limited, so I try to make the most of my schedule
and catch up on the weekends. I have full flexibility to complete the PMBA program,
but I definitely rely on the remote connectivity. I also routinely travel back to
Columbia, South Carolina, for the Saturday sessions when I can.”
The blended learning format of the PMBA program allows students to complete their
courses while managing the demands placed on today’s working professionals. Fernandez
said that, due to the time commitment that the bank mergers require during the workday,
he often does not begin his schoolwork until after dinner.
“Balancing a family, my new role and graduate school has been extremely challenging,”
Fernandez said. “Effectively, without the flexibility of the PMBA program, I don’t
think it would have been feasible for me. The balance lies in effective time management,
sticking to a routine/schedule, prioritizing deadlines/tasks/projects well in advance,
flexibility to adjust and adaptability.”
Erika Davis, a 2018 PMBA program graduate, is also thankful for the flexibility she experienced
while completing the program. Now RDI North America logistics coordinator at Michelin,
a promotion she earned while completing the PMBA program, Davis managed her coursework
while raising her then-10-year-old daughter, Alessa.
“Finding work, home and school balance required a lot of sacrifice,” Davis said. “In
the beginning, it was more of a challenge to find how all aspects of life and the
new challenge of the PMBA program would fit together. By the second semester, a routine
formed, and time management was a key factor in the driving success of course work.”
Finding immense success from her perseverance through the PMBA program, Davis said
she is grateful that the program allowed her to “show my daughters that you can accomplish
anything you want if you put in the work.”
“Professionally, [the PMBA program] has shown me that I can manage my time and put
in the work to succeed at the tasks presented. It has opened doors for new job positions
to advance in my career,” she said.
The PMBA program at USC’s Darla Moore School of Business offers a flexible, accessible
MBA for professionals from all industry backgrounds who are looking to gain the skills
and networks needed to accelerate their career.
Are you ready to advance your education and career and apply for the University of
South Carolina’s Professional MBA program? Applying for the PMBA program requires a bit of planning on your part, but the process is not as intimidating or
time consuming as you may think. Plus, with the fall 2020 round-three application
deadline on July 15, 2020, there is still plenty of time to prepare and submit your
application.
As you prepare to apply for the PMBA program, consider these steps to help you simplify
the application process.
Begin compiling your transcripts from your previous educational institutions. Unofficial
transcripts are accepted for the PMBA application, so reach out to the institution
if you don’t have an updated version of your transcript. Identify and reach out to individuals who will write your recommendation letters.
The PMBA program requires two recommendations, so it is a good idea to begin engaging
early with the people who will write your references. Determine your GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test)/GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
status with the Moore School.In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, any PMBA candidate
that can demonstrate strong academic performance and quantitative skills may apply
for fall 2020 admission without GMAT or GRE scores. Learn more about test exception
requirements.
If you need standardized test scores to strengthen your application, both the GMAT
and GRE are currently offering virtually proctored exams, so there is still time to
fulfill this application requirement. You may submit your PMBA application and send
in your test scores after you receive them. Candidates who have previously taken the
GMAT or GRE may submit those scores; GMAT and GRE scores remain active for five years.
Once you have gathered your transcripts, recommendations and test scores (if needed),
you are ready to begin applying for the PMBA program.
May 2020 PMBA graduate Karen Canup attended an information session, applied for the
GMAT/GRE waiver and was accepted into the program in a matter of weeks.
“The application process was very simple. I attended one of the information sessions
at the USC-Upstate campus, and the recruiter who hosted the session was very helpful
in guiding me through the process,” she said. “It seems very intimidating to take
on the challenge of the PMBA program while in the midst of a full-time career, but
it is an awesome learning experience and so worth the effort!”
If you have questions about the application process or the program in general, you
should contact a PMBA recruiter.
The part-time Professional MBA program at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore
School of Business offers students the opportunity to earn an MBA degree with flexibility,
affordability and access to industry-experienced faculty.
The program, designed for working professionals with at least two years of professional
experience, can help you secure a promotion, gain insight into your industry and expand
your business knowledge.
The top-ranked part-time MBA program in South Carolina, the Moore School’s PMBA program
is ranked the number 23 program in the United States by the U.S. News and World Report.
This highly accessible program works with your schedule and allows you to complete
your coursework in tandem with your work schedule. Because PMBA sessions are held
in the evenings and on select Saturdays, you can attend class after work and then
apply what you learned the next day at the office.
With eight educational sites across South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina,
the USC PMBA program allows students to experience most of what the full-time MBA
program offers with flexible course options. As a PMBA student, you can virtually
attend class or download recorded lectures and watch them on your own time, so you
don’t have to sacrifice attending courses if you travel for work or have other obligations.
Even if you chose to complete the program virtually, you are still able to go to one
of the eight sites to network with other students and engage with professors.
“The class delivery format is the best compromise — nothing is quite as good as sitting
in the real classroom, in my opinion, but the live class through TVs at the remote
sites is very good,” said Lyderic Champetier, a Michelin service operations account
manager who graduated from the PMBA program in 2018. “The option to take the classes
live through Blackboard Collaborate is far superior to an online, non-live delivery.”
Many of the Moore School’s faculty members are actively engaged in industry and work
with Fortune 500 companies. This means that what you learn in the PMBA program is
relevant, fresh and immediately applicable to your career.
“The richness of experience and skill building in the PMBA program has provided a
really powerful stepping-stone for me in my career progress,” said Tiffany Crumpton,
a marketing director who is currently enrolled in the PMBA program. “The talent caliber
of my fellow students and the faculty has truly blown me away and encouraged me to
power up my level of engagement and learning.”
Through applying the knowledge they learned in the program, many PMBA candidates have
earned job promotions during and after completion of the program. Carolina Brown,
for example, was promoted to chief external affairs officer at the Medical University
of South Carolina after earning her MBA in 2019.
“Without the Professional MBA, it would have been difficult to continue to progress
in my career and especially to earn a role in the C-suite,” Brown said. “The program
helped round out my business acumen and ensured that I can speak the language of colleagues
and external partners who work in essential functional areas including finance, operations,
marketing and quality. I improved my negotiation and leadership skills, which I use
on a daily basis to influence decisions and create partnerships, affiliations and
joint ventures with outside groups.”
Additionally, since Moore School PMBA program students pay tuition based on the number
of credit hours they are enrolled in, the program is a tremendous value. The total
cost of tuition to earn the MBA is less than $40,000, which is highly competitive
with other part-time MBA programs across the nation. This allows students to receive
a high-quality degree at an affordable price. What’s more, out-of-state students in
areas like Augusta and Charlotte pay in-state rates. “If you’re considering an MBA
and think it will help advance your career or personal goals, start now,” Brown said.
“The time is going to pass regardless, and you will be so glad you didn’t wait any
longer to begin your journey.”
The International MBA program at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School
of Business is again ranked the nation’s best according to U.S. News & World Report’s
Best Graduate School 2020 Rankings. The program has been ranked in the top three for
31 consecutive years and No. 1 for the past seven years.
The 22-month International MBA program begins annually in July and features two tracks
of study: the Global Track for in-country immersion where English is widely spoken
or the Language Track for immersion in an international environment that includes
language study.
“Ranking as the No. 1 International MBA in the nation is a credit to our outstanding
faculty and the educational excellence of our program,” said Darla Moore School of
Business Dean Peter Brews. “The Moore School is committed to delivering exceptional
business programming that not only prepares graduates for future career success but
teaches them the value of teamwork, integrity and resilience and hard skills like
data analytics and understanding international marketplaces so that they can better
lead and make a difference in corporations around the world.”
“The No. 1 ranking showcases our commitment to prepare students to compete in global
marketplaces,” said Satish Jayachandran, Moore School associate dean for full-time
MBA programs and marketing department chair. “Our international business faculty are
experts in their fields, and our students go on to have successful and high-level
careers with an array of multi-national companies.”
Another Moore School standout according to the rankings is the part-time MBA program.
The first of its kind when it launched in 1970, the program is the No. 1 program in
South Carolina and is among the top 25 programs in the nation. The Professional MBA
program is currently ranked at No. 23 for part-time MBA programs, according to the
2020 U.S. News & World Report publication.
“Having our Professional MBA program rank in the top 25 part-time MBA programs is
an amazing accomplishment,” said Brews. “The innovative, multi-location classroom
offerings, combined with stellar teaching and networking opportunities, ensures that
our graduates gain the preparation needed to become the impactful and highly productive
business leaders that companies seek.”
The Professional MBA program’s flexible, part-time format allows professionals to
complete their MBAs while continuing to work. The program can be completed in 28 months
with start dates in both January and August. Regionally networked classrooms connect
students with peers across eight different locations on Saturdays and evenings, and
on-demand access – real-time and delay – enables students to take classes on their
own schedule.
Learn more about our top-ranked International MBA or Professional MBA or other MBA
programs at the Darla Moore School of Business.
Marjorie Riddle Duffie
There’s a good reason more than 200,000 students earn a master’s degree in business
each year.
At first blush, you might think their goal is to boost their earnings or accelerate
their career. But there’s often much more that comes with the degree.
An MBA Fulfills Higher-Level Needs Abraham Maslow is one of the most influential psychologists in modern history. In
studying humans’ desire to live the best life possible, he discovered our needs had
different levels. Once foundational needs are met — food, shelter, safety, love and
belonging — our attention can turn to two higher-level needs: esteem and self-actualization.
With basic needs secure, we can focus on aspirational needs such as personal growth,
confidence and achievement. That explains, in part, why the MBA is one of the most
popular graduate degrees. Not only are there limited ways to leapfrog to the top of
the pyramid, with an MBA, you can do it in just a year or two. That alone is powerful
ROI.
But your definition of esteem and self-actualization is yours alone. Someone with
a strong passion for entrepreneurship, for example, might be influenced by a need
for independence. Someone who seeks employment at an elite consulting powerhouse could
be driven by prestige. Another peer may be motivated by the desire to know that their
work is appreciated and recognized.
That also means the ROI of your MBA begins with an understanding of your unique values
and priorities.
An MBA Offers Unparalleled Career Exploration The first step in securing any dream job is to make sure the job is exactly that.
What you think you want to do and what you will enjoy doing are not always the same
thing. And it’s better to find that out before you accept a job offer.
That’s why the Darla Moore School of Business integrates the Birkman Method, a multi-dimensional
scientific assessment. This approach is the one trusted by many Fortune 500 companies
to identify a person’s underlying needs and motivations, interests and expectations,
and occupational focus. The Birkman Method can also help you crystallize your business
interests or open your eyes to career avenues that you didn’t even know existed. Throughout
your time in the program, your Birkman results are customized guidance we use to create
an interview-ready resume, compelling LinkedIn profile and even your elevator pitch
to employers.
Beyond Birkman, you’ll work with individual career coaches who will help you with
career exploration and job search strategies. You’ll also have the opportunity to
network with employers at exclusive MBA recruitment fairs.
An MBA Is Your Ticket to Elite Employers There’s an old adage: You can tell a lot about someone by the company they keep. And
the same can be said of business schools.
In the past four years, our graduates have been hired by leading global companies
such as Accenture, Amazon, Bank of America, BMW, Boeing, Coca-Cola North America,
Credit Suisse, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, Google, Honeywell, IBM Global Services, Michelin,
Mondelēz and UPS. We also place students in firms that may not be as widely known,
but offer equally exciting opportunities in consulting, finance, technology and other
in-demand industries.
The Moore School never stops cultivating employer connections. In fact, our employer
team is on the road throughout the year, meeting companies in major metropolitan areas
such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, New York City and other top job markets.
An MBA Invigorates Your Personal Network Some business schools boast about the size of their alumni network. Frankly, we don’t
blame them. After all, we’re pretty proud of our more than 45,000 Moore School alumni,
which include leaders at more than 100 top-performing global companies.
Yet we know that impressive numbers aren’t enough. You need an alumni network made
up of people who will promptly answer your career questions and earnestly introduce
you within their companies.
The Moore School maintains strong relationships with students well beyond graduation.
We can connect you to alumni who can be most helpful in your career search. Our strong
alumni relationships are a super highway of opportunity for you. We’re equally proud
that Moore School alumni maintain involvement with our program. We often know about
internship and job opportunities before the marketplace ever does.
An MBA Doesn’t have to be Extravagant Finally, there’s no ROI equation without calculating the cost of the investment. That’s
why we provide generous scholarship and fellowship packages and offer the option to
spread your program payments out over your total enrollment.
As you consider the net cost, we also encourage you to ask another question: will
this program offer the same placement outcome as another program, but at a more sensible
cost?
The ROI of your MBA will ultimately depend on the amount of effort you put into your
studies and career search. But one thing is 100 percent certain. You’ll have our support
at every stage of the program to achieve the greatest return possible.
Jeff Rehling 30 Years of Marketing & Consulting Experience Clinical Faculty – Marketing Director, Center for Marketing Solutions
Many students I meet with know the value of learning from a leader in global business.
What they’re far less sure about is which type of MBA program is right for them.
Before I discuss degree options, I want to understand two aspects of your pursuit:
why you want an MBA and what you hope it will do for you. Between my experience and
your answers to these two questions not only will a degree path emerge, it’ll be one
that fits your career goals, experience and time requirements.
While the process is not as cut and dry as it sounds, this career reflection, goal
establishment and long-term planning is imperative to completing your MBA on-time
and with the most value for your investment.
Here’s how we get you thinking through these key questions to find the degree that
fits your goals, plans and timeline.
1. Think about your career focus and answer the following questions:
What do you like about your current position?
What do you dislike about it?
Would adding concentrated business knowledge and expertise to your current experience
enhance your career?
Would global business expertise open up additional opportunities for you?
Do you seek to increase your leadership potential?
Are you where you want to be industry-wise, but want to skip a few rungs on your career
ladder?
2. Think about what you’d like to gain through your MBA studies:
Would you like to learn another language and gain higher-level fluency through international
immersion?
Do you want international experience that has the potential to create global career
opportunities?
Do you want to acquire specialization in a functional area of business such as finance
or supply chain management?
Would you like the opportunity to enhance your degree with graduate or industry certificates
in specific areas?
3. What are the advantages for me to study at the University of South Carolina? Some schools will have specific advantages when you consider your unique interests,
timeline and educational goals. Here are points to consider:
South Carolina is consistently a top state for foreign direct investment so you’ll
have a path to multiple Global 100 company headquarters as well as the service providers
and manufacturers that support them.
Our MBA curriculum incorporates projects with corporations and business entities through
our university’s nine Research and Partnership Centers.
You’ll join a tightly knit alumni organization featuring leaders at more than 100
top-performing companies including Accenture, Amazon, Apple, Coca-Cola, Delta, ESPN,
Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, Microsoft, New Balance, Siemens, Starbucks, Wells Fargo
and more.
In the past four years, our graduates have been hired by companies such as Bank of
America, BMW, Boeing, Credit Suisse, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, Google, Honeywell, IBM
Global Services, Michelin, Mondelēz, UPS and Zulily
You’ll be part of a school community that cares as much about you as a person as your
personal success.
You’ll live in a vibrant city recently ranked among the Top 50 “Best Places to Live”
by U.S. News & World Report.
4. What can you realistically afford from a financial perspective? Here, you’ll have choices and opportunities that can make your education more affordable
or enhance the value of your degree, such as:
If you’re on a short timeline due to a career transition or change, our one-year MBA
can offer significant ROI.
If you’re seeking greater global opportunities, our International MBA was one of the
world’s first International MBA programs and remains the #1 program in the country
according to U.S. News & World Report.
Nearly 100 percent of our incoming classes receive scholarships, fellowships or some
level of financial support and the most qualified can earn awards of up to 100 percent.
While there are many choices to be made as your MBA journey begins, know that at the
University of South Carolina you’ll have a team alongside you for guidance, insight
and support. As you work through your degree and specialization decisions, your application
and admission, our team — from fellow students to program administration and faculty
to alumni mentors — is here to help you.
You don’t have to be an applicant to get started. Just email me or call me at 803-777-7903
to discuss your career aspirations and plans.
Jennifer Ninh Managing Director, Full-time MBA Programs
If you look on my resume, you might notice that I haven’t always been a faculty member
or an educator, for that matter. Before I became a full-time faculty member at the
University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, I’d spent 25 years
in marketing strategy development for real-world businesses. While I don’t have a
doctorate in the academic sense, I joke that those 25 years were a Ph.D. in the ‘real
world.’
One thing I learned in more than two decades in business is some things simply can’t
be picked up from a textbook or in a classroom. This dynamic is what I often call
the art and science of marketing. Yes, science can answer many questions but, frequently
in the business world, there’s some degree of art also needed to create successful
outcomes. But teaching such instinct and skill isn’t easy. How do you teach creative
thinking, agility, curiosity, independence, resiliency and relationship building?
Certainly techniques and tools help, but I believe the best way to build these artistic
skills is through practice and application. The answers to marketing questions don’t
always live in textbooks; they live inside you. You have to leverage this combination
of art and science to identify a winning solution, to communicate it and ultimately
lead it to successful completion.
In teaching my students, I bring the real world into the classroom every day, through
direct connections to a real client, a real marketing problem or a real learning opportunity.
While some schools talk about experiential learning, at the University of South Carolina,
we embrace and integrate it throughout our curriculum.
The Moore School of Business features nine Research and Partnership Centers for experiential
learning and I’m fortunate to lead the Center for Marketing Solutions. Other research
centers include the Operations and Supply Chain Center, the Risk and Uncertainty Management
Center, the Folks Center for International Business, the Center for Executive Succession,
the Center for Applied Business Analytics, the Center for Sales Success, the Riegel
& Emory Human Resources Center and the Faber Entrepreneurship Center. Each center
is committed to deepening our relationship with leading companies to ensure the Moore
School’s programs provide the absolute best experience for our students, the next
generation of business leaders.
As an example, in the Center for Marketing Solutions, we reach out to organizations
and build direct connections between our faculty, students, courses and our corporate
partners. Learn more about our collaborative approach and see ways we harnessed our connections in 2017:
Corporate partners such as Textron, FedEx, Ingersoll-Rand, Sonoco, Lionsgate Entertainment
and Coca-Cola Bottling provided our center with projects each semester that were integrated
into our courses.
Dozens of marketing and sales executives spoke in our classes and shared the current
state of their industry, along with their company’s unique business and marketing
challenges. These sessions feature cases, simulations and networking, all led by our
corporate partners.
The Center for Marketing Solutions advisory board includes more than a dozen senior
executives who meet annually to review our curriculum, interact with faculty, help
us identify new corporate partners, and share hiring opportunities for both student
internships and full-time jobs.
Our students are invited to attend the University of South Carolina CMO Summit, an
annual event featuring as many as eight senior marketing executives speaking on current
topics, networking with our students and participating in panel discussions. The 2017
event, co-hosted by Forbes, featured speakers from Disney/ESPN, Nationwide Insurance,
IBM Watson and Coca-Cola.
The marketing discipline and the business world overall is transforming at a pace
we’ve never seen before. The opportunities, challenges and tools we have today will
be very different in 10 or even five years. We can’t predict the future so our efforts
to formalize experiential learning are a critical piece of our curriculum, not because
we don’t believe in the science but because the art is more important than ever.
As you’re researching options, pay particular attention to a formal connection to
the real world. Our commitment to you is to provide the optimal balance of art and
science so you can successfully impact the real world today and tomorrow.
Jeff Rehling Clinical Faculty – Marketing Director, Center for Marketing Solutions
There’s a great deal of information about business schools in the digital sphere.
That means you’re one search query away from a pipeline of information and advice
— much of it conflicting. So where can you turn for advice about choosing a business
school knowing that even the most well intentioned co-workers, friends and family
can have biased opinions?
That conundrum is one reason media rankings are so popular. In the search for an objective
third party, many prospective students rely on publications such as Bloomberg Businessweek,
Financial Times, Forbes, Poets & Quants, The Economist, The Princeton Review, or U.S.
News & World Report.
But even in these publications, “experts” often disagree. Results vary widely depending
on the publication or even the year. That’s why one of the most common questions I’m
often asked is about our rankings and what they mean.
Here are four things you need to know about MBA rankings.
1. Each media ranking is based on a different methodology. Comparing one ranking to another is like comparing apples to oranges. They’re all
different. Some rankings place more weight on corporate recruiter surveys. Others
factor test scores of admitted students. The variance in criteria among rankings is
what leads to different results.
U.S. News & World Report, which ranked the University of South Carolina MBA #1 for
international business in 2017, calculates its specialty ranking of the best business
schools according to ratings by business school deans and directors of accredited
MBA programs. It considers the opinions of industry leaders who are deeply immersed
in the business school sector on a daily basis and have an extensive purview of best
practices. They attend numerous conferences around the world to share knowledge about
exceptional programs with cutting-edge curriculum or subject matter expertise. In
other words, they know which business schools excel in international business, and
rank programs accordingly.
2. Media rankings are multidimensional. Many prospective students focus on the total ranking of a particular program, but
it’s equally important to look at individual components. For example, the Financial
Times considers 20 different criteria in their overall ranking.
In their 2017 ranking, the University of South Carolina MBA program is ranked in the
top 40 in the U.S. (#77 in the world). With respect to the individual criteria, we’re
ranked:
No. 1 in the world for international course experience
No. 2 in the world for percentage of female MBA students
No. 2 in the U.S. for international mobility for MBA graduates
Dig deeply into cumulative rankings for metrics that are meaningful to you. That single
overall number is sometimes strongly influenced by factors that may be inconsequential
to you.
The Financial Times calculates 20 percent of their ranking on the increase in alumni salaries, but only
3 percent on alumni aims achieved — the extent to which alumni fulfilled their stated
goals or reasons for doing an MBA.
You may be considering an MBA because you want to work at a startup or in social entrepreneurship
like Kate Williams, 2015 MBA. Before attending the Moore School, Kate was a microfinance
consultant and business project manager in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. Today, she’s
an impact manager at Fair Trade USA in Oakland, California. Alums like Kate achieve
their stated goals yet their chosen career path is “worth” less in the Financial Times
ranking.
3. You need to take a long-term view of rankings. We’ve proud to be ranked in U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 3 graduate
international business programs for 28 consecutive years, but it’s important to note
that media rankings fluctuate year to year for trivial reasons. For example, an editor
may modify the ranking’s methodology or expand the number of schools included. Changes
like these can realign programs from previous rankings.
A school can even inadvertently omit a data point the survey as one top business school
did. They dropped nine points in a major ranking last year. Rankings can be unpredictable
so it’s critical to take a long-term view.
4. Some schools don’t even get ranked or drop out of rankings for good reason. Schools may not be eligible to participate in some rankings based on the longevity
of their program or class size, among other reasons. If your targeted MBA program
is small by design, the advantages of that small, tight cohort and network may not
be as apparent if you’re evaluating purely by ranking.
Often, schools simply choose not to participate in rakings. It takes a lot of internal
resources to manage and submit surveys required by ranking organizations. While larger
business schools may have a staff person dedicated to coordinating and managing rankings
year-round, smaller schools invest those resources into services that benefit students
such as scholarships or strengthening employer relations in major cities.
You may have noticed that the Moore School isn’t included in the Bloomberg Businessweek ranking.
Marcelo Frias, managing director of Full-Time MBA Programs, explains why. “Bloomberg
Businessweek calculates its’ ranking, in part, based on a minimum amount of survey
responses from alumni. That’s always going to be easier to achieve for programs with
hundreds of students,” he says. “Our intentionally small class size impacts our ability
to meet these thresholds. As a result, our high level of alumni satisfaction doesn’t
get reflected in this ranking. Instead, we communicate it through stories on our website
and social media channels, and are always happy to connect prospective students to
chat directly with alums.”
Suffice to say that there’s a lot more to rankings than meets the eye. Look into our rankings and then talk to us. In fact, you can email me or call me at 803-777-0262. I’m happy
to any questions you many have about rankings or, even better, discuss how our placements
can impact your career aspirations and plans.
Jennifer Ninh Managing Director, Full-time MBA Programs
When you step in your first class at the Darla Moore School of Business, you’ll notice
something different right away. Your cohort wouldn’t fill up an auditorium. Our average
cohort size is 40 to 50 students. And that’s good for you on several levels.
Our priority isn’t enrollment quotas. We created the Moore School to be an environment
that’s conducive to personal interactions and relationship building. Here’s why.
Whether you work in business development or finance, it’s relationships that drive
business. So we ensure our students have space to collaborate and lead with ample
opportunities to practice their business skills.
As part of that process, we know you’ll need to understand yourself as deeply as you
understand others. You’ll need to experience different situations — including stressful
ones — to know how you’ll respond or adapt.
Self-awareness is so important in business that we employ the Birkman Method, a multi-dimensional scientific assessment trusted by many Fortune 500 companies
for providing the highest insight into people’s motivations, perceptions and behaviors.
In your first weeks as Moore School student, you’ll take a Birkman assessment to identify
your personal perspectives in key areas including behavioral styles, underlying needs
and motivations, stress behavior, interests and expectations, and occupational focus.
Throughout your program, you’ll work one-on-one with career coaches to address these
insights, and use them to guide decision-making and identify your preferred work environment.
Your Birkman insights can even shed light on job offers. If you have two job offers,
its easy to see which would best align with your workplace needs and preferences,
and which might offer you the greatest opportunity for personal success.
The Birkman Method isn’t just about the warm and fuzzies. We found job placements
increased by 30 percent once we started using the test. It’s also prescriptive. Through
it you can learn how to better manage relationships — a key skill in the business
world that can be the difference between receiving a promotion and a pink slip.
We believe the global managers we educate are really global relationship-builders.
That’s why we help our students build individualized business awareness, skills and
knowledge that will help them thrive — in every situation.
Jennifer Ninh Managing Director, Full-time MBA Programs
I’ve been an admissions professional for more than nine years so I know you could
earn your MBA anywhere. Why should you even consider the University of South Carolina?
I can tell you that as assistant director of admissions I see students benefit from
being part of one of the nation’s most experiential MBA programs every day. I see
them leave our doors, headed for careers at leading companies and global enterprises
at levels you can’t reach with an undergraduate education. It’s an opportunity that
impressed me so much, I pursued my own University of South Carolina master’s degree.
I know the MBA experience we’ve created at the Darla Moore School of Business amplifies
your one or two years of intensive study like no other program. And because an MBA
is a significant investment, we work hard to make your experience more fruitful, meaningful
and even enjoyable at the University of South Carolina. Here’s how:
You’ll go global. Our International MBA offers the first-person perspective and language fluency no
classroom can provide. You live and work in a foreign market during the longest immersion
of any international MBA program in the U.S. I know of no greater opportunity for
an international-minded candidate than the nation’s #1 international program.
Interested in a one-year MBA but crave that global worldview? At USC you can spend
your spring break on an international trip that exposes you to the culture, practices
and environment of a foreign market.
You can enhance your degree. During the program, you can ratchet up your own market value by earning top industry
certifications — even in the one-year MBA structure. You can earn SAP and Six Sigma
certifications that enhance your marketability and save the thousands it would cost
you to pursue them independently.
Our students enjoy a level of experiential learning that’s unique in the southeast
and in the nation. We take learning out of the classroom and into thriving Research
and Partnership Centers with executives at leading companies. I see students create
connections and opportunities that change their trajectory overnight.
We support you. Here, support takes a number of forms. In each class, 100% of candidates receive financial
support through scholarships and special tuition awards. We also match admitted students
with current student mentors, whose experienced insight can help you as you work through
key decisions.
At the University of South Carolina, you’ll find the international business coursework
you expect. The big differentiator, according to many of our graduates, is the extras
— like our international immersion, degree enhancements and career support.
From my perspective, considering the University of South Carolina isn’t just smart.
It’s a step in the right direction.
If you’d like to talk more about our one-year MBA or International MBA, I’m happy
to help. Just email me or call me at 803-777-0262 today.
Jennifer Ninh Managing Director, Full-time MBA Programs
Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.