Georgetown University - McDonough School of Business

Those hoping for a foundation in ruthless business practices will not find it here. McDonough fosters a “collaborative spirit when it comes to both learning and practicing business.” In fact, “the Georgetown MBA program was the first institution to implement a business ethics course as a requirement for graduation.” The school “pushes integrity across all levels,” the result being a “high caliber of business professionals” among the graduates. Some students hope to see more “emphasis on sustainability/green trends in coursework.”

Georgetown has “an excellent reputation for being academically rigorous, diverse, and high quality,” and regarding the business school specifically, students consider McDonough the “highest caliber school in the region,” a school that will “afford me better opportunities than other programs in this area.” Students enjoy that the “smaller program size is more intimate compared to other large business schools.”

A newly designed MBA Curriculum launched in the Fall of 2012 to replace the former modular system; it is filled with both classroom and experiential learning, and provides greater rigor, greater emphasis on quantitative and analytical skills, and a focus on principled leadership. One student in particular recognizes this fact yet remarks that “at the end of a course, I still come out learning more than what I bargained for.”

Employers who have hired McDonough graduates include: Citigroup, Booz Allen Hamilton, Credit Suisse, Merrill Lynch, AES, America Online, International Finance Corporation (IFC), 3M, American Express Company, Avaya, Bank of New York, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ford Motor Company, and JPMorgan Chase.

However, McDonough students do find time to relax. There is a “very social atmosphere with many social activities planned for students.” “Post-class happy hours” take place, though most say that school activities are preferred, including “clubs, student govern- ment associations, and community service projects.” Living in or around the D.C. Metro area offers ample things to do outside of school. “Wine tours, sports and activities on Capitol Hill” and more are regularly on the agenda, as well as volunteering with school and local organizations, music clubs, museums, and more. Even with all those oppor- tunities, the “intense school spirit” present throughout the Georgetown student body means that for many it is school first, even when it comes to leisure time.One student sums it up: “Students are engaged in campus life, however [they are] mostly focused on business school events and activities.”