Academics
The small MBA program at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management is a good fit for new graduates and early career professionals hoping to ramp up their business acumen and gain valuable experience in the real world. Academically, the MBA curriculum is well rounded, covering a wide breadth of subject areas, while also placing “emphasis on finance, supply chain, entrepreneurship” and accoutning. A great place to get your feet wet in the world of business, there is an “experiential component featured in many of the classes,” as well as myriad “opportunities given to MBA students to participate within different organizations, whether as an intern or as a consultant to a large reputable firm.” A current student adds, “These academic consulting engagements added depth to many of the courses through projects that provided and often required innovative and hands-on approaches.”
Whitman professors are generally “productive and efficient,” with “excellent academic backgrounds” in their fields of specialization. When it comes to leading a class, however, students say their skill set varies: “There are professors who are great, know their fields, and can quickly apply lessons to what is going on around the world.” On the other hand, “many of the older faculty lack presentation skills. Lectures can be very dry.” The upshot is that, across the board, professors are supportive and “willing to help on projects outside of the classroom.” In fact, thanks to the “very small class size,” “you can get to know your classmates and your professors on a personal level.” At the same time, students love the fact that Syracuse offers all the “resources of a large institution,” including a “beautiful new building” for business students, replete with “up-to-date technology.”
In addition to the traditional MBA, busy professionals have the option of enrolling in MBA@Syracuse, the well-regarded online MBA program (formerly known as iMBA) “which combines actual on-campus learning via weeklong residencies, along with online course work.” Residencies are also hosted off-campus in major business centers around the world, and weekly live classes are hosted online. The online MBA program has been re-launched as in partnership with 2U, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based software as-a-service solutions for leading nonprofit colleges and universities. According to those in the program, it “provides the same educational experience as the full-time MBA (same curriculum, professors, etc.), but has a much more flexible format.” In addition, the school offers a “great JD/MBA program with lots of connections in NYC,” as well as a joint MBA/MPA program in conjunction with the U.S. Army.