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Academics

The combination of academic innovation, strong industry ties, and a relaxed California environment make UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business a top pick for future SoCal professionals. The school’s first-year MBA curriculum covers business fundamentals like finance and marketing while maintaining “a strong emphasis on innovation and international business” throughout disciplines. In the second year, students tailor their education through an impressive selection of elective courses in areas ranging from brand management to new product development. A student tells us, “I started with an interest in finance, and gradually discovered an affinity for strategy and technology. Because Merage does not put you on a track, I had the chance to get exposure to finance but the freedom to switch my focus late in my first year.” Class work is augmented by ample hands-on “opportunities outside of the classroom,” including business-plan competitions and nonprofit consulting projects, as well as the ten-week field project course, through which students consult for a regional company. Study abroad programs also receive top marks. A current MBA candidate attests, “My four months living in Budapest, Hungary was life changing and gave me an incredible perspective on international business and cultural differences in the workplace.”

With only 100 students in each incoming class, the “intimate learning environment” is a signature of the Merage program. The small class size makes it easy to “build personal relationships with everyone at the school, including professors and staff.” At Merage, “the professors really want to see us succeed and make themselves available to all students to answer questions or talk about their research.” The staff and administration is also “world-class”: “The career center and programming support staff are excellent and always available to meet,” and administrators are “extremely quick to respond and act to just about anything.” Of particular note, the dean is “outstanding,” “communicating his vision for our school and supporting students through has vast connections and experience in business.” Between students, “the program requires a lot of group work,” which encourages networking both in and out of the classroom. Fortunately, Merage maintains an unwaveringly “cooperative environment.” Here, “students want to see each other succeed, as evidenced by the large groups that study together prior to tests, or the peer feedback we receive in preparing for group presentations.”

Contact & Visit

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Taylor Martini
Associate Director, Recruitment and Admissions

Address
4293 Pereira Drive
Suite 4500
Irvine, CA 92697-3125
United States

Phone
949-824-4622

Fax

Email
mba@merage.uci.edu

Admissions

Applicants: 916
Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average Undergrad GPA 3.44
Years Work Experience: 5.2
Average Age: 29





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