The Martin J. Whitman School of Management’s undergraduate business program is ranked No. 43 by Poets&Quants for Undergrads, the leading online publication for undergraduate business education news. The website released its second annual Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2017 ranking Dec. 5, calling it “the most comprehensive assessment of undergraduate business programs.”
Poets&Quants for Undergrads ranked the Whitman School’s undergrduate program at No. 43 nationwide.
Poets&Quants for Undergrads compiled the 2017 rankings based on a representative survey of 6,288 recent graduates and school-reported data. Students were surveyed on aspects of admissions standards, academic experience and employment placement. According to John A. Byrne, founder and editor-in-chief, Poets&Quants for Undergrads, the data for this exclusive ranking does not exist together anywhere else in the world.
“This is the most thorough data-driven study of undergraduate business education ever undertaken,” says Byrne. “At a time when parents and students are confronting ever-increasing tuition bills and levels of debt, the return-on-investment of a degree is more important than ever. We measure those returns and it’s no wonder that more parents are encouraging their children to major in business. The best business schools are a no-brainer investment because they are reporting record or near-record starting salaries and job placement for their graduates. What we’ve produced is an invaluable resource for students trying to make smart decisions about where to get the best education for a successful career.”
Undergraduate education at the Whitman School is about far more than traditional academic preparation. It offers unique opportunities in and out of the classroom that build a rich, individualized educational experience full of real-world preparation and success. With majors in accounting, finance, management, marketing, supply chain management, real estate, entrepreneurship and retail management, students begin business classes in their first year and take 12 classes, taught by accomplished research faculty and seasoned practitioners, by the end of their second year. This allows many to pursue a double major within Whitman or a dual major with the Newhouse School, College of Arts and Sciences or School of Information Studies, significantly increasing their marketability to potential employers.
In addition to a rigorous educational experience, students gain the skills and experience employers seek, such as leadership and communication, through the Goodman IMPRESS program. Using gamification and a four-“house” competitive model, students earn points while building skills for career success.
Half of Whitman students study abroad, and 100 percent complete at least one internship. Additional experiential learning opportunities are provided through student clubs, career exploration trips, client projects, a student business start-up incubator, 11 Bloomberg terminals and the $4 million student-run Orange Value Fund.
The Whitman School’s dedicated Career Center team helps students explore and prepare for careers, as well as internships and job placement. Ninety-one percent of the May 2017 graduates who were seeking a job were employed within 90 days of graduation with a median starting salary of $60,000.
