Cal Poly State University at San Luis Obispo

Poised at the intersection of business and technology, California Polytechnic State University's graduate business programs are a great choice for students with a background in applied science or architecture. As a state school, Cal Poly is "less expensive" than comparable private institutions, yet its AACSB-accredited business programs are rigorous, current, and intimate, enrolling fewer than fifty students each year. The MBA comprises sixty to sixty-four total credits for graduation; depending on your schedule, availability, and academic goals, students have "the option for oneor two-year completion" of the MBA, with an academic focus in general management, agribusiness, or graphic communication document systems management. The chance to complete a specialized MBA in just one year—even without an undergraduate degree in business— is a huge advantage to this program. At the same time, students must be prepared to work hard: not only is coursework challenging and accelerated, "the program requires students [to] maintain a 3.0 GPA" throughout. For working students who want to pursue a degree part-time, or for those who'd like to explore concurrent employment or internship opportunities, Cal Poly also allows students to take fewer than the full-time 16 units per quarter, through a secondary MBA track.

For many, the major benefit of Cal Poly is its strength in technical fields, which students can exploit through technology-oriented electives, or through formal dual degree programs with other academic departments. Of particular note, the school offers joint MS and MBA degrees in engineering management and engineering fields (including aerospace, civil and environmental, computer science, and more). Almost 40 percent of current MBA candidates are concurrently enrolled in a master 's program, telling us that, "the dual degree program is fantastic" at Cal Poly. A current student adds, "The MBA/ EMP dual degree program they offer was exactly the type of program that I was looking for, and Cal Poly has a tremendous reputation in the world of engineering."

A hallmark of the Cal Poly MBA program is the "learning-by-doing teaching style," which encourages students to develop applicable skills through coursework. To that end, classes and assignments include teamwork, case studies, and presentations. Additionally, the "international business course"—a unique offering within an accelerated program—gives students the opportunity to study a foreign economy and business practices during a two-week trip overseas. In recent years, the program took students to India and China. Students can also tailor their education by pursuing research projects in conjunction with Cal Poly faculty, or by competing with other business students in national case study and strategy competitions. When it comes to Cal Poly's faculty and administration, it's a mixed bag. Here, "there are some professors that are outstanding, and some that are good in their field, but not good at teaching." A student summarizes, "It's a cliché, but the more effort you put into the program, the more you will get out of the program."

At Cal Poly, Career Services hosts career fairs and networking events for the entire school community. They also offer career preparation assistance, including resume revi- sions and interview skills workshops. While graduate students are free to participate in these offerings, "the career services are more geared towards undergrads" at Cal Poly. Fortunately, the school boasts an excellent reputation and strong ties to the local community. Even without extensive assistance, around 85 percent of Cal Poly students have accepted a job offer by graduation; three months out, 100 percent of MBA alumni are employed.

Top employers of Cal Poly MBA graduates include Northrup Grumman, Raytheon, Rantec, General Dynamics, Sun MicroSystems, Deloitte Consulting, Qualcomm, IBM, Agilent Technology, Amgen Inc., Lawrence Livermore Labs, Pacific Gas & Electric, USDA, Dept of Veterans Affairs, KPMG, Pratt & Whitney, Morgan Stanley, Boston Scientific, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Sandia National Lab, Lam Research, Columbia Sportswear, Adelaida Cellars. The mean base salary for MBA graduates is $100,000.

Life is good at Cal Poly. Located on a hilltop overlooking San Luis Obispo, "the college campus is gorgeous" and the surrounding town is beautiful, friendly, and student-orient- ed. No wonder many students say "the location" is among the Cal Poly's greatest assets. Graduate students have access to the school's excellent recreation center, health center, and library, and they may even choose to live on campus. Within the business school, the Graduate Students in Business Association (GSBA) organizes social gatherings for students and faculty, as well as fundraisers and professional development events.

Cal Poly offers just a few graduate programs; therefore "the undergrads overwhelmingly outnumber the graduate students" on campus. Fortunately, "the Graduate School of Business students have their own Room/Lounge with a fridge, microwave, tables, com- puters, and whiteboards"—a nice enclave for the more mature crowd. At Cal Poly, most MBA candidates are "young, career-driven" professionals, principally from technical or engineering backgrounds.