MBA programs focus on key areas of leadership and entrepreneurship that help candidates hone important, in-demand professional skills. A master's degree in business administration opens up avenues for aspiring managers and leaders in a business organization and puts them on the fast track to achieving their professional goals.
Full-time campus MBA programs
There are three campuses that rank among the top five global index for full-time MBA degrees and courses.
- Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB)
Stanford offers a general management degree wherein applicants can select their electives for all semesters. One may opt for combination studies that focus on accounting, finance, economic analysis and policy, general and interdisciplinary management. Popular electives also include marketing, organizational behavior, political economics, strategic management, operation, information & technology. With an acceptance rate of just 7.2%, applicants must score in the range of 600-790 in their GMAT entrance (median is 732) and submit two essays along with their application. Work experience is preferable and there is no age limit for application. The semesters are divided across spring, winter, and autumn seasons each year. Students are at liberty to change their electives in the second year of the program after completing the specified number of credits. - Harvard Business School (HBS)
Harvard ranks at the top position for post-graduate studies. HBS is the first choice of application for most international students aspiring to apply and study in B-schools that boast a global ranking. With an acceptance rate of 12%, applicants must have a GMAT score in the range of 620-790 (median is 730). Prior work experience in major industrial sectors makes it easier for applicants to choose an elective as HBS does not offer distinctive majors. However, students can opt for electives similar to Stanford’s curriculum with a few changes in the core subjects. HBS also offers a financial aid in the form of their annual scholarship award for eligible candidates. The grant will help pay part of the tuition fee for the two-year full-time MBA program. - The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
In comparison to Stanford and Harvard, Wharton Business School offers a much more flexible MBA curriculum. MBA programs focus on three core sectors of study including finance, entrepreneurship, and technology. With an excellent placement advantage and great job prospects for selective industries, the Wharton School has an acceptance rate of 12%, and the average GMAT score is 732 for international students. One of the main benefits of studying at Wharton is the flexibility of choosing from 18 available majors in the first year. Students can even opt for double majors for their post-graduation and explore over 200 electives for their individual semester credits.
Online MBA programs
Working professionals and international students looking to study from home can explore the following online MBA programs that offer a diverse curriculum.
- Bloomington Kelley School of Business – Indiana University
With flexible study schedules and great networking opportunities, working professionals can learn from the same experienced faculty that teach at the university. Moreover, the concepts are explained using real-world business examples. The coursework is designed to accommodate daily routine at home and work keeping in mind that the average age group of working professionals who enroll is 33 years. The average GMAT score accepted by the university is 666 with a decent acceptance rate of 66% across a diverse working professional group. Most applicants here already have eight to nine years of work experience that helps with their candidacy as well. - Kenan-Flagler Business School (University of North Carolina)
The experienced faculty at the University of North Carolina teach a diverse group of students with a balanced course material. Those who are well versed with the concepts owing to industry work experience and freshers alike can benefit from the easy learning curve. Apart from the core curriculum, students who enroll for the full-time online MBA program can choose from 125 additional electives. University of North Carolina accepts a median GMAT score of 697 for applicants. The average work experience of the dynamic group is 10 years across core industries.
