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 Editor’s Desk
QS TopMBA Career Guide The world’s leading MBA programs seek to provide students with the skills they’ll
need to thrive in their subsequent careers and this means taking stock of modern
Editor
developments in business. For this reason, MBA programs don’t stay still; they evolve to
Tim Dhoul
encompass new subject areas deemed critical to your future success.
Production Manager
Nicola Chambers Big data is one such subject area and is the lead feature in this edition of the TopMBA
Editorial Layout Career Guide. In a separate feature, we consider the importance of another field
Ed Winder inexorably linked to technology and which you can now study at MBA level –
Design Consultant & Profile Design cybersecurity.
Jake Costain
Of course, before looking ahead to course options, one must first gain entry to your
Front Cover Design
chosen MBA program. But, fear not, our admissions section covers everything from the
Dave Myers
application essay to the GMAT and even the notion of improving your application after
Feature Writers you’ve submitted it.
Nicole Willson
Mike Grill Our recruitment section is equally extensive and begins with a look at what characterizes
Karen Turtle MBA hiring in two important, yet distinct, markets - Canada and Dubai. We then hear
Visnja Milidragovic one graduate’s thoughts on the merits of joining a startup after completing the degree,
Soumik Ganguly before profiling some big-name employers of MBA graduates as well as two MBAs who
Rich Cohen found success in the internships they undertook during their studies.
Steve Fortin
Ryan Hickey We kick off this edition, however, with a range of different perspectives on the MBA and
Joern Meissner business education as a whole. We hope these features can give you a greater sense of
Jaren Nichols whether the qualification’s right for you and what it is that you would most like to get
Managing Director out of pursuing the degree. After all, these will remain essential considerations no matter
Nunzio Quacquarelli where modern developments in business take tomorrow’s MBA programs.
Sales Enquiries
James Vandermeer Good luck!
james@qs.com
Tim Dhoul
UK Sales Office
Editor
1 Tranley Mews
TopMBA Career Guide
Fleet Road
London NW3 2DG
Tel. +44 207 284 7200
email: sales@qs.com

Published by QS Quacquarelli Symonds

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 3

Contents
MBA Viewpoints
Perspectives on key points of consideration surrounding the
MBA degree, led by the opinions of faculty and alumni
8. How MBAs Win Friends and Influence People
Evaluating the power of networking at business
school, and some tips on how to reach out and connect
effectively.
10. One-Year or Two-Year MBA: Is There a Simple
Answer?
Your circumstances are likely to dictate which format
suits you most, says McGill Desautels’ Steve Fortin.
12. What Innovation in Business Education Looks
Like
A look at the forces challenging business schools
to innovate, with the Kellogg School’s first chief
innovation officer.
16. The Female Deans’ Perspective
Female leaders in business education from the UK,
France and Canada discuss their experiences.
22. Rockets and ROI: Stanford MBAs Aim to Keep
Learning
Two Stanford MBA graduates highlight the value of the
b-school learning environment and continuous learning.
26. A Tale of Two Liberal Arts MBAs
Two alumnae with backgrounds in the liberal arts talk
through their MBA experience.
4 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
MBA Program Options & Trends
Are you looking to develop new skills during your MBA and
perhaps even to graduate as a specialist in a certain area?
32. MBAs with Cybersecurity Expertise Urgently
Needed
Cybersecurity is a field with which today’s MBAs ought
to be familiar, says Oxford Saïd’s Dr David Upton.
36. Using Big Data to Turn MBAs into Data-Savvy
Managers
Our cover story looks at how top business schools are
incorporating big data and analytics into their curricula.
42. Why MBA Marketing Courses Are a Must
How developing marketing skills and knowledge at
business school can benefit your post-MBA career.
46. The Continued Rise of the Real Estate MBA
Why MBA specializations in real estate are going from
strength to strength.
Admissions Advice
Make sure you’re giving your MBA application every chance
of success
52. Got Career Goals? Research Your MBA Program
Options First
Things to think about before you dive into your MBA
application.
54. Write an MBA Application Essay That Gets You
Shortlisted
Some tried and trusted MBA application essay tips from
school admissions directors.
58. GMAT Scores Needed for Admission to an MBA
in the US
GMAT averages and ranges achieved by the latest MBA
classes at 20 top schools in the US.
MBA Recruitment
Career Insights:
It helps to know what you want to get out of your MBA
before you enroll – be that a preferred working location
or company type
80. The MBA Recruitment Landscape: Canada
84. The MBA Recruitment Landscape: Dubai

60. 7 GMAT Myths 88. MBA Career Risks and Startups

Separate myth from reality before you start preparing 90. The Benefits of Language Skills for an
for the GMAT in earnest. International MBA Career
63. Beat the GMAT with QS LEAP
Take GMAT preparation onto a synchronous and Employer Profiles:
interactive platform with QS LEAP. MBA employers discuss their MBA hiring plans
and opportunities, as well as what they look for in
65. Three Tips to Improve Your MBA Application candidates
After Submission
96. PwC’s Strategy&
How can you improve the ‘standing’ and the strength of
your application after you’ve sent it in? 100. UPS

106. Mars, Inc.

QS Research
An introduction to QS’s latest MBA research reports: 108. Dell
66. QS Global 250 Business Schools Report 2017

70. QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2016/17 The MBA Internship Experience:
Past participants tell us what it was like to undertake
an MBA internship at…
QS Scholarship Winner Profiles 112. Pfizer
We hear from a selection of 2016’s QS Scholarship Winners:
116. VMware
72. Seeing and Seizing Opportunity, with Sivaranjani
Kumar

74. A Momentous International Move, with Zenko

Kawabata

76. Career Success and Giving Can Work in Tandem,

with Carlos Gomez

Where to Study: Regional Guides and School Profiles

120. North America 157. Middle East & Africa

126. Western Europe 158. Latin America

128. Eastern Europe 160. Asia

147. Oceania

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 5

PRIMARY RESEARCH REPORTS
International higher education specialists QS Quacquarelli Symonds survey thousands of
institutions, employers and applicants each year in order to produce leading primary research
into the higher education sector. Most famous for the QS World University Rankings®, the QS
Intelligence Unit produces a number of influential MBA research reports each year.

Which are the world’s best

business schools for a full-time MBA?
1

0
The QS Global 250 Business Schools Report 2017 identifies the
bal 25 S
QS Glo
CHOOL top business schools at which to study a full-time MBA in
INESS S
BUS
T 2017 every major region of the world. Its method of assessment
REPOR
s
school

ing the
world 's top 25
0 bu siness
focuses on two core missions of all business schools: 1) to
Unlock
produce highly employable graduates and; 2) to produce
thought-leading research for the benefit of individual
students and the global economy.
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GIC MB
QS MA
CING: THE Y
INTRODU EMPLO
YABILIT
TS FOR
QUADRAN ELLENC
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EXC
EARCH
AND RES

Follow us
Read the report today: TopMBA.com/QSG250

J&S_2016_Cover copy.pdf 1 13/12/2016 13:40

Find out which industries plan

to hire the most MBAs, and how
m
much they plan to pay!
MBA.co
QS Top

JOBS RY
Primary research revealing upcoming MBA recruitment
levels and salaries as reported by MBA employers around
& SALA
TREND
S REPO
RT 201
6 /17 the world. This leading report contains unparalleled data
and expert analysis on which industries will offer the
highest compensation and hire the most MBA graduates
in the coming years.

Read the report today: TopMBA.com/JS2016

What is an MBA from a top

North American business school worth?
Using data from 85 leading institutions in the US &
Canada, QS’s inaugural MBA ROI report for North America
investigates how long it will take you, on average, to recoup
your investment in an MBA degree, the salary increase you
QS Return on can expect, and what the total return after 10 and 20 years
Investment Report
North American might look like. A separate ROI report for an MBA taken in
Full-Time MBA 2015
Unlocking the value of the
Europe is also available.
world’s top business schools

Nunzio Quacquarelli, MBA Wharton, MA University of Cambridge

Daniel Kahn, BSc, BA University of Salford
Benjamin Clayton, BA University of Cambridge
Read the report today: TopMBA.com/MBA-ROI-NA-15
Business School Profiles

North America
University of Connecticut, UCONN School of Business 122
Florida International University, Chapman Graduate School of Business 123
University of Miami, School of Business Administration 124

Europe
University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Business School 130
University of Manchester, Alliance Manchester Business School 131
Amsterdam Business School 132
Cass Business School 133
ESADE Business School 134
Hult International Business School 135
IE Business School 138
Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Professional School of Business and Technology 139
Leeds University Business School 140
LUISS Business School 141
Mannheim Business School 142
MIP Politecnico di Milano 143
Oxford Brookes University Business School 144
Westminster Business School 145

Oceania
La Trobe University 148
Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) 149
Melbourne Business School 151
Monash Business School 152
University of New South Wales, AGSM 153
The Deakin Graduate School of Business 155

Asia
Fudan University, School of Management 162
Singapore Managment University 163
MBA Viewpoints
How MBAs Win Friends
and Influence People
Business school offers MBA candidates a distinct networking advantage. Here’s how you can
reach out and connect effectively.
By Karen Turtle
“Sometimes idealistic people are put off
the whole business of networking as
something tainted by flattery and the
pursuit of selfish advantage. But virtue
in obscurity is rewarded only in heaven.
To succeed in this world you have to be
known to people.” This powerful quote is
attributed to Sonia Sotomayor, one of the
youngest chief justices of the US Supreme
Court and a woman who grew up in a
housing project in NYC’s South Bronx
before becoming the first Hispanic judge of
the highest court in the country.
Today, it is estimated that as many as 85%
of jobs are filled through networking - a
staggering percentage.1 Networking is
one of the key motivations behind many
candidates’ decision to study an MBA,
with almost (if not) every business school
across the globe promoting the size its
MBA alumni community. MBA classmates
8 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
and alumni play a central role in helping
their peers get that prized insider view into
numerous aspects of professional life, with
many being sufficiently well positioned
so as to be able to provide an enviable
connection to a particular organization.
In a world where social media sites such as
LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook dominate,
and where everyone is clamoring to
be heard, it is important to know how
to cut through the din and stand out.
Networking at business school gives you
that opportunity, and is an occasion to
develop meaningful relationships that,
very importantly for your future, build the
necessary trust that can get you places.
Networking at business school is the sort
of opportunity that, if underplayed, can be
poorly wasted. Below are a few tips that
could ultimately help you land the position
that tops your wish list.
Identifying your network
As curious and clinical as it might seem,
setting out a strategy by which you can
draw up a list of carefully categorized
contacts really works. You already have
your classmates in your midst and the
relationships you build here might nourish
you spiritually, but could also help your
future career. These people will likely be
natural social network add-ons. Members
of the business school faculty are also
very much connected. Engage with your
professors, and be clear on your career
ambitions so that they can guide you
towards the right people to talk to. Always
note down who’s who and why they’re
important to you.
You then have that invaluable MBA alumni
network to reach out to. Most business
schools offer an MBA alumni directory
where you can locate individuals by their
name, profession, company, position or
class year (as examples). Draw up a list of
contacts that you can eventually split into
groups dependent on who, for example,
represents a particular industry or
company, is a warm contact, or is someone
you still need to get in touch with – and
always remember to write down which
characteristics make each person valuable
and why.

Putting together that critical two-

minute elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is a statement that

gives someone a very brief overview
of your background and objectives.
Before you begin drawing up your own
personal soundbite, which should last
for somewhere between 60 seconds and
two minutes, make sure that you ‘know
what you want to be known for.’ You may
already have the good fortune of having
this clear in mind, or it may involve eight
cups of coffee and a hard think. For others,
it could take a retreat to Kathmandu, or
even an entire lifetime, so don’t be too
hard on yourself. Plan what you want to
be known for now and in the immediate
future.
Structure the flow of your elevator pitch,
beginning with a statement of your
current profession (not your job title,
but what it is that you do), followed by
an outline of your expertise, then give
a concise summary of the organizations
you’ve worked for, as well as where you
aim to work in the future. Make sure
you illustrate your strengths and what
makes you unique; your personality, the
skills and expertise you’ve acquired, the
accomplishments you’ve had (provide
evidence of these), or distinctive
experiences that compel the listener
to lean in because they recognize your
potential. Draw up an elevator pitch that
can be delivered in person, and rehearse,
reform and tailor slightly different versions
of it so that you can adapt variations of
your presentation to fit your audience.
Also, have versions ready that can be sent
out via email.
Reaching out
Now that you have an idea of who you
want to reach out to and what you want
to say, it’s essential that you get the ball
rolling. Try contacting one or two alumni
per week, by phone or by email. Many
MBA alumni are happy to provide an
informational interview, be it to give you
that valuable insider view or to help you
in your quest to land that ideal internship.
You can gain very useful knowledge
on how each person got to where they
are, what steps they took, and how they
developed and plan to further develop
their career. Don’t treat these meetings as
pure transactions, but as an opportunity to
build meaningful relationships.
There will also be plenty of networking
events open to you as well. Try to fit
several networking events into every
month, and aim to make at least one
connection per event. The result will be
a significantly more interesting calendar,
with dinners, corporate presentations,
cocktail receptions, case preparation
sessions and coffee mornings to liven
up those hours spent poring over course
textbook materials.
A little Carnegie to conclude
Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and
Influence People offers timeless advice for
those wanting to grow their careers and
build strong ties with the diverse people
they meet along the way. It’s clear that
it is the savvy communicators among us
who are those most likely to succeed in
climbing the ranks. Essentials such as
noting (down) every person’s name is a
must, for as Carnegie points out, “names
are the sweetest and most important
sound in any language.” Listening to your
interlocutor is also key - this means no
brazen outpourings of ‘me-isms’. Carnegie
states that, “you can make more friends
in two months by becoming interested in
other people than you can in two years
of trying to get other people interested
in you.” Other helpful and time-immune
Carnegie quotes include:
“There are always three speeches, for
every one you actually gave. The one you
practiced, the one you gave, and the one you
wish you gave.
“Your purpose is to make your audience see
what you saw, hear what you heard, feel
what you felt. Relevant detail, couched in
concrete, colorful language, is the best way
to recreate the incident as it happened and
to picture it for the audience.”
Networking, therefore, is not just about
climbing the social hierarchy, it is also
about daring to reach out and build
solid and enduring friendships, and it’s
about learning from others and giving in
return. Most importantly, networking is
an experience that has the potential to be
altogether edifying.
1. http://louadlergroup.com/new-survey-reveals-85-of-all-
jobs-are-filled-via-networking/

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 9

MBA Viewpoints

One-Year or Two-Year MBA:

Is There a Simple Answer?
While illuminating the merits of a full-time two-year MBA, Steve Fortin, academic director
of the MBA program at McGill Desautels points out that your circumstances are likely to
dictate which format suits you most.
By Steve Fortin

There are now hundreds of MBA equivalent of talking about a car - one to another. In the same way that there
programs available worldwide. needs more specific details to really is often little in common between a
Evaluating an MBA today is roughly the understand how one program compares small sports car and a large SUV, MBA

10 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

programs come in many variations.
Indeed, there are many comparative
factors to consider, including a
program’s standing in global rankings,
academic design, specializations, entry
requirements, delivery mode, or, most
relevant to this discussion, its duration.
MBAs have become diversified products,
catering to segmented clientele’s needs.
Upon exploring whether a two-year MBA
program is superior to a one-year program,
there is, unfortunately, no simple answer
to suit all circumstances.
Internships and career changes
The first argument in support of a
two-year MBA program pertains to the
job market. Even within a two-year
program, students are under pressure,
as they juggle academics with career-
prep workshops. Most programs begin in
August and employers arrive on campus
as early as September to recruit, both
for summer internships and full-time
jobs. Many students tell us that they are
unsure of the field in which they wish
to specialize, yet are asked to commit to
a job search within a chosen industry
almost immediately.
In a two-year MBA program, such as that
available from the Desautels Faculty of
Management at McGill University, this
issue is less problematic. Specifically,
students complete internships first
and are then provided with additional
opportunities to engage with employers
the following autumn. Moreover, some
students accept full-time jobs with the
same employer, usually during the last
two weeks of their summer internship.
Most remain in the same industry, but
move laterally to a different employer
and/or to a different job category. Finally,
some realize that the chosen industry was
not for them and move to a different one
altogether, typically seeking a different
field of specialization in their MBA. Given
the duration of the program (the actual
duration at McGill averages 20 months,
although it is possible to complete it in
18 months) students will have one more
round of campus recruitment and a full
eight months of courses left, making
such transitions possible and easy to
make. We have found that students enter
the next round of recruitment better
prepared, more aware of their strengths
and weaknesses, as well as their goals and
aspirations.
“A two-year MBA program allows
more time to build a strong
foundation”
The second argument in support of a two-
year MBA program relates to academics.
To acquire in-depth knowledge, one needs
flexibility in order to build a schedule, as
well as to digest and integrate content.
While knowledge can often be acquired
relatively quickly, developing competency
requires more time. One needs to read,
apply the material, build presentations,
study, write exams, and experience the
use of the material in real life.
One aspect that most professors will
likely agree on is that the faster one is
forced to learn something, the faster
this material will be forgotten. This is
why everyone advises against waiting
until the night before an exam to cram!
A two-year MBA program allows more
time to build a strong foundation, as well
as to consider and select options within a
given field. For example, we often cover
the basis of a field in mandatory courses,
which are then followed by several
electives. More time allows for more
informed choices, and more informed
choices translate to a more adapted
education.
The third and final strength of a two-
year MBA program is its resilience
to errors. Students may not be aware
of the different choices that exist in
management education, or on the
management job market. If a student
begins his or her studies in marketing
and either struggles academically or
lacks interest, there is time to reorient.
As mentioned previously, if a student
completes an internship and does not
appreciate the practical aspects of a field,
there is still time to change direction.
Finally, it is also noteworthy to mention
that a key advantage of an MBA is the
networking opportunities that it brings.
However, it can be more challenging to
build lasting relationships over a more
condensed period of time.
Value of one-year vs. two-
year MBA may hinge on your
circumstances
To summarize, the value of a two-year
MBA program over a shorter one is
essentially a matter of, “it depends”.
As a rule of thumb, the more removed
an applicant is from the world of
management at the time of admission,
the more he or she should contemplate
the two-year degree. The strength of
a two-year program is the additional
time that it affords to build expertise,
explore the job market, and validate
both academic and career choices. In
my opinion, ideal candidates for such a
program would be international students,
as well as those seeking a career change,
such as engineers, lawyers, teachers,
artists and others who are interested in a
management career and/or in relocating
to a different country.
However, the closer one is to the world of
management, the stronger the argument
in favor of a one-year MBA. Those
looking to move up in their career are
the target clientele. Career climbers are
less likely to feel the need to acquire
knowledge of the job market, or to build
strong foundations in management. Thus,
students who meet this profile will likely
be well-served by a one-year degree.
This is why, after all, MBA programs of
varying durations exist in the first place,
as they are built to adapt to different
clienteles and their respective needs.
Nevertheless, as the saying goes, the
proof is often in the pudding. While
Desautels MBA students can complete
their degree within 18 months, few opt
to do so. Indeed, this is probably the
strongest argument of all: When given a
choice to go faster, our students choose to
take more time!
Steve Fortin is academic director of the MBA
program at the Desautels Faculty of
Management, McGill University.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 11
MBA Viewpoints
What Innovation in
Business Education
Looks Like
Kellogg’s first chief innovation officer, Betsy Ziegler, gets to the heart of the forces
challenging business schools to innovate in order to stay relevant.
By Visnja Milidragovic
“Expectations about business education
are changing.” These are the words of
Betsy Ziegler, a year into her tenure as
Kellogg School of Management’s first chief
innovation officer (CIO). The creation of
her role last year can be seen as one step in
Kellogg’s response to the changing needs
of students – and, indeed, the corporate
world as a whole.
More than half of academic and industry
leaders surveyed by IBM Education believe
that today’s higher education fails to
meet the needs of students, and nearly
60% believe it fails to meet the needs of
industry.1 However, “business schools
teach two things better than anyone else
in the world,” according to Ziegler, which
sets them apart from other faculties.
12 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Those two things are how to build strong
organizations and how to leverage the
power of markets.
Yet, in an analysis of around 500 business
schools in the US, Ziegler recently noted
that MBA tuition fees were rising at a
faster rate than post-MBA salary levels
(+4.5% per year on average versus +1.6%,
respectively). Plus, a recent survey by
GMAC found that 53% of two-year
programs in the US had witnessed a drop
in the number of applications they had
received this year compared to last. So,
how can business schools ensure they
are adapting and continuing to deliver
on these strengths to stay relevant? The
answer lies at the heart of Ziegler’s raison
d’être: Innovation.
The rising importance of
innovation in business in the ‘post-
digital era’
We’ve entered the ‘post-digital era’, says
a 2013 Deloitte report entitled CIO as
Chief Innovation Officer – (as opposed to
chief ‘information’ officer).2 This era is
characterized by ubiquitous technology,
with IT infiltrating businesses beyond
mere doing, to the level of their being.
Innovation in business has, according to
the report, become integral for not only
the effective operation of a business but
for its actual survival. As a result, there
has been more importance assigned to
innovation, “as a legitimate and vital
business process,” explain the authors.
By extension, this is just as true for those
who instruct on business processes; the
business schools.
We’ve arrived at the doorstep of a market
defined by, “instant, pervasive access to
goods and services, tailored to individual
needs, [and] often facilitated by asset
sharing and distributed supply chains,”
Ziegler explains. This, then, is an on-
demand economy and one which alters
traditional learning as well as corporate
environments and markets, arguably
increasing the speed at which business
schools must innovate.
The most successful schools, according
to Ziegler, are those that are proactive,
experiment, and take risks to fulfil their
purpose of equipping the next generation
of leaders with the skills they’ll need. At
leading business schools such as Kellogg,
this means staying abreast of trends in
business, in order to innovate around the
changing needs of the market.
After all, time is ticking. Two years ago,
UC Berkeley-Haas’s dean, Rich Lyons
boldly stated that, “half of the business
schools in this country [US] could be out
of business in 10 years, or even five.”3
Ziegler’s take is that, “the institutions that
stand the best chance of success will be
those that listen to the market.” So, what’s
the market saying?
Business education needs to
innovate by meeting individual
needs of a diverse market
When Ziegler took up the post of CIO
at Northwestern University’s Kellogg
School in September of last year, she
published a list of major trends affecting
business education. Technology, to a large
degree, was a common thread, which has
given rise to increased mobility (virtual
or otherwise), and opportunities for
harnessing technologies to make business
education not simply more relevant
to business, but more relevant to each
individual based on their specific needs
and aspirations.
When asked what has changed in the
last year, Ziegler says, “not the trends.”
Instead, it’s, “how schools are confronting
the trends by increasing experimentation
and collaboration.” To Ziegler, as the
original title of an article she penned
on LinkedIn explains, ‘business schools
must practice what they preach and
teach’. In it, she explains that this means,
“exploring greater use of technologies
and data analytics that allow for mass
personalization of academic programs;
studying a growing number of alternative
pathways to help people build skills and
obtain jobs; and examining opportunities
to collaborate among institutions.”
Cross-functional thinking for
MBAs, key to innovative problem
solving
One approach Kellogg has taken to
respond to the needs of the market is to
adapt its curriculum (as indeed, we have
seen at other leading business schools), by
feeding off its knowledge of the increasing
complexity of the current business
landscape.
“We’ve evolved our curriculum to be more
cross-functional, based on the idea that
business problems are rarely, if ever, one-
dimensional,” Ziegler explains. In order to
enable students to study at the horizontal,
the vertical, and at the intersection within
this matrix, the school introduced four
‘strategic initiatives’ a few years ago.
These aim to bridge traditional subject
areas (marketing, finance, etc.) with the
skills Kellogg has identified as essential
for an MBA’s future success: Innovation,
collaboration, customer service and public-
private interface.
The idea behind these four lenses is that
they provide a way for students, faculty
and the school’s partners to look at
business problems in a more multifaceted
way, while integrating thinking from
across academic departments to address
emerging business problems in new
ways. For example, as part of the Kellogg
Markets and Customers Initiative, Kellogg
has partnered with other schools at
Northwestern to form a collaborative,
cross-disciplinary investigation into the
subject of trust, a line of inquiry that has
gained a great amount of currency across
both business and society in recent years.
Bridging the gap between industry
and education
Ultimately, this type of collaboration,
with its increased exposure to a variety of
industry and business needs, can surely
only improve the content and delivery of
programs, benefitting both students and
the business education industry as a whole
in the process. It ought also to be good for
business.
Some big companies have long turned
the crank on innovation with creative
approaches to growth and product
development, such as by externalizing R&D
functions, supporting startups and starting
venture funds. Business schools appear to
be doing something similar, by increasingly
looking outward to collaborate with
corporate partners in an attempt to offer
more value to today’s businesses.
Corporations, for their part, are also
increasingly looking to business schools to
help them better prepare their employees.
“Corporate partners not only continue
to recruit MBA graduates, but also tap
higher education resources to help their
employees develop and evolve,” Ziegler
explains, citing Arizona State University’s
collaboration with Starbucks and AT&T’s
employee development partnerships
with Georgia Tech, the University of
Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.4 As AT&T’s
chief learning officer, John Palmer, has
acknowledged, a more cooperative effort
is required between corporations and
education to better, “build the bridge from
business school to business.”5
Ultimately, business schools seek to serve
the business community in their mission to
prepare the world’s future leaders – for the
future. After all, in the words of Ziegler,
“to be successful today, we need more
education, not less” – and whatever form it
takes, business schools can, and should be,
at the forefront.
1. https://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/gb/en/
gbe03676usen/GBE03676USEN.PDF
2. http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/lu/
Documents/technology/lu_cio-chief-innovation-officer.pdf
3. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-03-14/
online-programs-could-erase-half-of-u-dot-s-dot-business-
schools-by-2020
4. https://asuonline.asu.edu/starbucks-and-arizona-state-
university
5. https://news.wharton.upenn.edu/feature-stories/2016/09/
top-5-takeaways-whartons-inaugural-business-education-
online-learning-summit/
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 13
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MBA Viewpoints
The Female Deans’
Perspective
What’s it like to be a female dean attached to a top business school? Four deans from schools
in the UK, France and Canada enlighten us.
Compiled by: Mike Grill
Gender equality remains a central issue
in business and business education.
While some statistics offer hope by
demonstrating that the business world is
improving, albeit slowly, there is nothing
better than hearing from women on the
frontlines when it comes to the world of
business education.
Representing business schools in Canada,
France and the UK, Diane Morgan,
Nathalie Lugagne, Isabelle Bajeux-
Besnainou and Wendy Loretto each have
unique perspectives on teaching and
business school leadership, but they all
have one thing in common: They are all
examples of women succeeding in a realm
that is still dominated by men.
Their differing approaches to closing the
16 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
gender gap bring in ways in which
business leaders and the business school
community alike can help. From the need
to reach male students and faculty
members as much as female, to addressing
problems inherent in workplace culture
and encouraging both men and women to
pursue a wider variety of career paths as a
means of combating the gender pay gap.
“I am one among many examples
of how it is possible for women to
build a rewarding career”
“As dean of the Desautels Faculty of
Management at McGill University,
challenges present themselves in different
forms regularly. However, I believe that
effective leaders, whether they are male
or female, encourage unity among all
constituents and inspire commitment
to a shared vision. Developing a sense
of community at Desautels through
collaboration and open dialogue has been
one of my priorities and has certainly
helped me to overcome obstacles along
the way.
“Over the years, I have held various
positions in higher education, including
professor of finance, associate dean of
undergraduate programs, and now dean of
a top-ranking faculty of management. As
I pursued different career opportunities, I
was also balancing the responsibilities of
being a mother to three children, who are
now young adults. Although difficult at
times, I am one among many examples of
how it is possible for women, or parents in
general, to build a rewarding career, while
also being there for their family.
“In fulfilling my mandate as dean, I
also hope to inspire others who juggle
priorities in both their personal and
professional lives to forge ahead to achieve
their goals, whether they are students,
professors, or leaders of organizations.”
“Why is gender still such a
major issue that substantial
hours of my every working
week are dedicated to it?”
“I love being a dean at Imperial College
Business School. I’m passionate about
the power of education, work at an
outstanding institution and have a role
that allows me to influence and drive many
agendas, one of which is gender equality.
champions of these initiatives alongside
me. And, I know they are out there
because they have been great sponsors
and mentors and are currently great
colleagues and corporate partners.
“Business school’s role in the race to
gender equality is to speed up the rate of
change.”

“However, I often think how much more

productive I could be if I didn’t carry
this extra ‘job’ of being a champion for
gender. What if I just focused on the
business of running a great school? The
primary reason I was hired. Years after
I danced around to Free to Be… You and
Me, a childhood album about the equal
abilities of boys and girls (a project
created in the 1970s by actress, Marlo
Thomas, to expel gender stereotypes),
why is gender still such a major issue
that substantial hours of my every
working week are dedicated to it?

“The most significant thing I can do

Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, dean and
professor of finance, Desautels Faculty of
Management at McGill University
in my role is to make sure men are
thinking about gender equality as much
as I am. All the women’s networking
events, scholarships and clubs won’t Diane Morgan, associate dean of programs
make a lasting difference unless male at Imperial College Business School, and
students, faculty and board members are member of the board at the Forté Foundation

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 17

MBA Viewpoints

“Practices are often

incompatible with maintaining
a healthy work-life balance”
“I find it surprising that we still have so
few women deans. But I feel one of the
greatest barriers to women pursuing the
top jobs is a quasi-macho organizational
culture we’ve developed.

“In our efforts to emulate the world of

business, many schools have created
work environments which encourage
and reward long hours, and frequent
international travel. These practices are
often incompatible with maintaining a
healthy work-life balance, particularly if
you have family care commitments.

“Things have already moved on in the

classroom. It’s no longer about how to
pursue the highest salary. By focusing
on building value and creating fulfilling
careers in keeping with students’ life
ambitions, we’ve managed to make
our MBA at Edinburgh one of the most
diverse in the world. In the 2016/17
cohort, 49% of our students are women.

“But, the way we manage ourselves is

lagging behind and it’s time we put real
thought into making our own working
culture more inclusive. The accreditation
process has never been more thorough or
robust and it really provides a great platform
to start this process of reflection. We just
need to listen to what it’s telling us.”

Wendy Loretto, dean of the University of

Edinburgh Business School

18 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017


“There is a recurring bias among
students against women in
teachers’ positions”
“Being a female dean in itself has not
been challenging for me, as such, but
it has impacted my work-life balance.
What is difficult to manage is the
double career issue. My husband and I
tried as much as possible to alternate
the periods of time where we each
would have projects abroad, or have to
take on new challenging positions, or
accept weekend or evening obligations.
This has been an unstable balance to
maintain all the way through.
“For women embarking on a career in higher
education, based on my experience in the
industry, I’ve found it’s very difficult for
women to manage the tenure period at a
stage in their lives where the biological clock
is ticking (28-38 years old). It is no wonder
that there are, on average, only 25 to 35%
female faculty in business schools around the
world. This issue is not very well handled in
universities and is, very often, underestimated.
“Another bias that female faculty may face
is student stereotyping. Faculty in business
schools are regularly evaluated according
to their research, teaching, and services to successful career paths for male as well as
the school. From these evaluations, it has for female students. We are part of an
been statistically proven within business alumni initiative that spotlights women
schools that there is a recurring bias among leaders, to offer role models to the younger
students against women in teachers’ generations, but more needs to be done.
positions. At HEC Paris, we’ve decided Business schools as a whole must sustain
to raise this issue in internal workshops better efforts in this direction.”
in order to create awareness of such
unconscious biases in evaluation processes.
“In terms of career paths in business
education in particular, I have not
identified any strong bias against women
in deanship positions. On the contrary, as
some rankings criteria take into account
the proportion of women in faculty,
boards, and student body, education
leaders are well aware of the issue.
However, affirmative actions are rarely
taken as opposed to the corporate world
where regulations are more constraining.
“I believe business schools have a major
role to play in that matter. Although 45% of
our graduates are women, there is already a
salary gap of 25% at the very beginning of
their professional lives. The reason for that
lies in the type of career paths women
select, and the fact that they commonly
underestimate their own capacities. We
need to find a way to develop their Nathalie Lugagne, associate dean of
self-confidence but also to foster alternative, executive education at HEC Paris
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 19
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MBA Viewpoints
Rockets and ROI:
Stanford MBAs Aim to
Keep Learning
ROI doesn’t have to be about money alone. Here, two Stanford MBA graduates emphasize the
value of the b-school learning environment and how it has helped shape their outlook.
By Tim Dhoul
Business schools often like to emphasize
that an MBA degree isn’t just about
gaining a globally recognized qualification.
You might find that, in addition to direct
program benefits, they will also talk about
the value of joining a community in which
you’ll find like-minded peers and an
environment that constantly challenges
you to continue learning – about business
and about yourself.
Two graduates of the Stanford MBA class
of 2016 are now running a blog which
serves to illustrate these very facets of
the MBA experience. “We felt there was
no medium that provided such a diverse
perspective on business and life as life
on campus did,” says Daniel (Dan) Kob,
who started rocketMBA with classmate,
Alex Martinian. Together, they now take
time out of their regular post-MBA jobs to
22 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
keep the site furnished with some of the
latest business ideas and approaches to
professional life that they encounter.
“I am a big fan of Charlie Munger and
Warren Buffett, and they both stress the
importance of lifelong learning and being
a ‘compounding machine’ of knowledge,”
explains Alex, whose post-MBA role sees
him working as an analyst researching
stocks in Los Angeles, the city in which he
grew up. “If they are still learning when
they are in their 80s and 90s, then I better
still be learning too,” he adds.
“Knowledge seems to be the best
investment out there,” agrees Dan, who
hails from Germany. Dan was chief of staff
to the executive board of Europe’s largest
magazine publisher before his MBA and
is now entrepreneur in residence with
media company, Bertelsmann, in the US.
“Beyond that,” he adds, “I just love meeting
new people and learning from them. Going
to bed a little smarter and with a slight
change in perspective every day is what
keeps me going.”
Thoughts such as these underlie
rocketMBA’s posts, interviews and
reflections and seem to confirm just how
much Dan and Alex took from their time
at business school – and what they want
to continue taking from their experience
on campus.
In the below, these two Stanford graduates
discuss the impact the program has had on
them, their thoughts on the MBA degree’s
return on investment (ROI) and some of
the more unorthodox places from which
business lessons can be extracted.
How did you find the MBA
experience on the whole? What
kind of impact has it had on your
outlook, be that in the professional
or personal sense?
Dan: I had high expectations about
what I would learn during these two
years, but I got so much more out of it.
All the basics were great – I got a better
understanding of accounting, finance,
marketing and such, but looking back
that’s not what made this experience
special.
My two professional reasons for choosing
Stanford GSB were the school’s extensive
selection of courses in leadership,
communication and coaching on the
one hand, and entrepreneurship and
innovation on the other. I learned so
much that will be valuable for my career
that I wouldn’t have gotten out of just
reading a textbook.
Personally, my time at the GSB was
highly introspective. I got a much better
sense of who I am, what my goals are and
what environments I need to be in to be
happy and successful. The GSB was such
an environment. Being surrounded by
400+ classmates who are not only smart
and driven but also humble and open was
the best part of the experience. I made
friends for life and got so many new
perspectives on the world that I would
not want to have missed.
Alex: On a personal level, the Stanford
MBA taught me how to understand other
people and myself better because the
school stresses interpersonal learning
and feedback. I also really enjoyed
traditional business classes, such as
Jack McDonald’s legendary investment
seminar, and courses in organizational
behavior taught by Carole Robin and
Ed Batista, who are both incredible
professors.
Professionally, it exposed me to a much
broader international perspective.
During the MBA I had the opportunity
to visit Japan, Macau, Hong Kong, China
and Singapore on study trips led by
classmates who were from the region. I
was able to see the countries in a way
I would not have on my own. We also
met local business leaders in each of the
countries, helping me begin to appreciate
the cultural similarities and differences
between doing business in the United
States and Asia.
Daniel Kob (left) and Alex Martinian
Among the faculty and alumni
interviews on rocketMBA is one
with a performing artist and
magician. What do you think the
budding MBA can learn from a
magician?
Alex: Jackson Ridd, the artist we
interviewed, does a fantastic job
highlighting how the skills a magician
uses to perform can be applied to business
presentations as well. We thought it was a
unique angle to explore.
What was the most unexpected
source of a business lesson you
encountered during your MBA?
Dan: I took a few classes in other Stanford
departments mostly to mix it up but
found some of those courses to be great
sources of business lessons. For example,
I took a beginner’s class in acting in the
theater department where we spent most
of the time exploring the impact of body
language, posture and voice on how others
perceive your relative status and power.
I have also taken a meditation class that
taught me how to be more mindful and
calm in high-stress situations.
Alex: Michael Mauboussin, an excellent
professor at Columbia Business School,
stresses the importance of multidisciplinary
learning - the idea that knowledge from
diverse disciplines can be applied to
business and investing. Charlie Munger has
talked about a similar idea with his concept
of ‘mental models’. Therefore, it makes a
lot of sense to me that some of the most
creative solutions to business problems may
come from other fields.
A lot of applicants will weigh
up the potential return on
investment (ROI) the MBA degree
can offer them. Did your MBA
fulfill (or, is it fulfilling) your
expectations in this regard?
Alex: It is certainly an incredibly large
financial investment, and it is up to each
person to decide whether or not it is
worth it. I will say that if you choose
to pursue an MBA, being very clear on
what your goals are is essential. For
me, my three goals were to, 1. Build
leadership skills; 2. Develop a more
international perspective and; 3. Make
friends with people from around the
world. I think the Stanford MBA helped
me achieve all three goals, and I do
believe the ROI was very high for me. I
would certainly do it again if I had the
opportunity.
Dan: Being intentional about why
you specifically want to do an MBA is
certainly good advice. Concerning the
ROI, there are two viewpoints you can
take: One is the direct financial return
as a function of the degree, where you
have to weigh up the cost of attendance
and the opportunity cost with the direct
increase in salary over the years. The
second one is the return in joy you
get out of spending two years in an
incredible environment, developing a
whole new perspective and meeting
some of the most brilliant people you
will ever meet. While this second
viewpoint led my decision, my ROI is
definitely positive in both dimensions.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 23
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MBA Viewpoints
A Tale of Two
Liberal Arts MBAs
Two liberal arts undergraduates discuss how getting an MBA helped further their careers.
By Nicole Willson
“I use my liberal arts degree every day
because it’s a big part of who I am as a
person. It’s a lens through which I see
the world,” says Alison Lindland, a 2008
graduate of Columbia Business School who
attended Vassar College before getting her
MBA. A liberal arts degree can give its
graduates a better understanding of the
world and is a good complement to the
business skills taught in an MBA program.
Conversely, getting an MBA can help
liberal arts graduates identify and access
a greater number of job opportunities
and broaden their business network,
in addition to helping them build their
business, leadership and quantitative skills.
In this article, we look at how an MBA
helped two liberal arts graduates further
their careers.
26 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Using an MBA to take a tech career
to the next level
Alison Lindland is an MBA graduate
of Columbia Business School as well as
the regional vice president of customer
experience at email marketing company,
Movable Ink. Before Lindland embarked on
a career in technology, she had spent most
of her time focused on theater. In fact, as
an undergraduate drama major at Vassar,
Lindland helped produce shows every six
weeks, taking on a variety of different roles.
Most of Lindland’s pre-MBA job roles
were also rooted in the arts. She managed
the first online giving and interactive
campaign for New York City’s Theatre
Development Fund (TDF). Next, she
worked as a senior account executive for
TheaterMania.com, a (venture capital)
VC-backed media ticketing company for
live performing arts. It was during this
time that Lindland started to consider
getting an MBA to further her tech career.
Although Lindland was already using the
creativity and versatility cultivated during
her undergraduate degree in her day-to-
day work, she felt that a world-class MBA
program from a top business school would
help her develop the kind of skills she
would need to advance in her tech career.
She was also keen to expand her network.
Even so, Lindland says that applying a
liberal arts mindset to the business school
experience helped her navigate her way
through the Columbia MBA program. For
example, Lindland says that she worked hard
to get to know her professors personally
– something that wasn’t necessarily the
norm for the majority of her peers. Most of
the students in Lindland’s MBA cohort had
received their bachelor’s degrees at larger
schools and therefore were not accustomed
to having a more informal relationship with
professors. “That wasn’t acceptable to me.
I wanted to get to know my professors and
understand their areas of research, so I just
made it a point to go to their office hours
and build relationships with them,” states
Lindland.
It was through this desire to get to know
faculty members that Lindland landed
an internship at the Columbia Institute
of Tele-Information. While taking a class
in new media, she discovered that her
professor was the chair of a renowned
institute housed within the business school
building. When Lindland discovered
that this institute had no MBA interns,
she took it upon herself to get involved,
spending the final semester of her MBA
program organizing a telecommunications
conference. “It was one of the most
rewarding and valuable experiences of my
MBA career,” Lindland states.
In terms of using the MBA to further
her tech career, Lindland says, “I had a
pretty clear vision of the path I wanted
to take and somehow it’s actually played
out.” She knew she wanted to work for
a big company in order to round out
her technical and business development
skills and, in particular, one that would
allow her to work between Fortune
500 companies and venture-backed
startups. That’s why she took a product
management role in mobile technology at
one of NYC’s largest employers, American
Express, where she later transitioned into
an email-focused business development
role. The job came about, she believes,
as a direct result of attending Columbia,
which has a recruiting relationship with
the company. When describing her first
post-MBA employer, Lindland says,
“American Express was a wonderful
organization to have spent four years
at, cutting my teeth learning about all
aspects of marketing and customer
management as well as how to build a
business case and get investments.”
After spending four years at American
Express, Lindland founded a startup with
a friend from business school. Although
the startup shut down within a year, she
says it was a great learning opportunity
and, along the way, she met the CEO of
her current employer, Movable Ink. There’s
therefore no hesitation when Lindland is
asked whether getting an MBA opened up
more job opportunities – “Absolutely!” she
says. “First and foremost, the tactical skills
you learn while getting an MBA in the
core curriculum is a terrific foundation to a
career in any area.”
The MBA as a means of career
acceleration
Elsie Jamin-Maguire is a manager of new
business models for chemical company,
BASF’s digital transformation project,
BASF 4.0, and another liberal arts
graduate who worked in the arts prior to
her MBA. Before getting an MBA from
Ohio State University’s Fisher College
of Business, Jamin-Maguire majored in
arts administration and French at Sarah
Lawrence College. An early management
experience at that time came with via
Downstage, a drama course which
required students to run a small theater
for a year.
After observing how a theater was
managed, Jamin-Maguire decided she
wanted to switch over to the business
side of theater and took an internship
with a major Broadway producer. After
the internship, Jamin-Maguire stayed on
at the company, initially to help with the
end of the tax year, but then for another
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 27
MBA Viewpoints
three years, during which time she
handled everything from regular payroll
to taking investments for new shows and
handling royalty payments. “For three
years I basically got a hands-on grassroots
approach to how these offices and shows
run for years and years.”
Jamin-Maguire took this knowledge into
her second job on Broadway where she
worked as a director of finance. It was
during this time that she began thinking
about getting an MBA. By the time Jamin-
Maguire was 26, she was already working
in a major leadership role even though her
peers were often in their 40s.
Despite the fact that Jamin-Maguire was
interviewing at all of NYC’s major arts
organizations in order to find her next
role, they were all telling her the same
thing; that she had to wait five years. “I
got the same response from everyone
which was, ‘you’re totally qualified, but
you’re too young. Call us in five years.’”
Jamin-Maguire did not want to wait, so she
decided to go back to school.
She vacillated between getting an MBA
and an MFA, but chose the former since
she felt it would open more doors. “An
MFA was still only in the arts industry. It
wouldn’t have given me as much exposure.
I thought an MBA would give me an
28 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
opportunity to use my skills in different
areas and give me a broader set of skills.”
In addition, Jamin-Maguire noticed that
a lot of the nonprofit leaders she knew
either had an MBA or were in the process
of getting one.
Jamin-Maguire chose to get her MBA
from Fisher because of the fact that it was
a relatively small program within a large
university. Fisher’s location in Columbus,
Ohio, also meant that she would have
access to the arts. However, simple
economics also played a factor here, since
she says she would have found it difficult
to afford an MBA while also paying NYC
rent prices.
During her first weeks at Fisher, Jamin-
Maguire began meeting students from
different backgrounds. While she had
worked in theater since she was 16 and
had started her MBA program with a
singular mindset, her outlook began
to change once she was presented
with a lot of opportunities she hadn’t
previously considered, including
working in business development for
BASF. Fisher is one of three to five core
schools from which BASF recruits. She
decided to work there in order to have
a broader range of work experience as
well as a better understanding of how
corporations work.
Jamin-Maguire also opted to pursue a
role in business development as opposed
to continuing in finance, a discipline that
she felt was, “too narrow,” to hold her
interest every day. In addition, the Fisher
MBA alumna was keen to progress into a
general management role, something that
is emphasized in BASF’s two-year MBA
rotational program. Jamin-Maguire’s role
has given her experience in new areas,
such as innovation and digital technology
as well as opportunities to travel and work
with global teams.
Liberal arts college vs. the MBA:
Differing experiences
“I think everything is different about
attending a small liberal arts college
versus a large MBA program,” states
Lindland.
At Vassar, Lindland had classes with as
few as four people, whereas Columbia’s
MBA classes have no fewer than 66
students (the size of her cluster). While
larger class sizes can be daunting,
Lindland says, “you can still learn in
important and meaningful ways.” So as
not to be overwhelmed by differences
as pronounced as this, Lindland advises
liberal arts undergraduate students to
focus on what it is they want to get out of
their MBA experience.
The biggest difference, in Jamin-Maguire’s
opinion, is that a liberal arts degree
provides graduates with a broader
perspective, in terms of ways of thinking
and approaches to the world as a whole.
Indeed, she notes that there is huge variety
in the way in which liberal arts students
plan to use their degree after graduation.
By contrast, Jamin-Maguire believes
MBA programs are more targeted in their
teaching, saying, “it’s giving you specific
skills to survive in the corporate world.” In
addition, students come out with at least
an overview (depending on the elective
courses they select) of specific disciplines,
such as economics, accounting and
marketing.
Adjusting to an increased emphasis
on quantitative skills and more
tests
Another major difference between an
MBA and a liberal arts program is the
MBA’s emphasis on quantitative skills.
Lindland, who had not taken math since
high school, says that she had a, “larger
learning delta,” than those in her cohort
who had, for example, studied statistics
at undergraduate level. At the same time,
however, she says there were a lot of
opportunities to improve her quantitative
skills and, since she had more to learn,
she ended up getting more for her money.
Supplemental tutoring, on-campus and
virtual classes, forming a study group
with other students in her cohort as well
as preparing for the GMAT, are all things
Lindland identifies as helping develop her
quantitative skills.
A, “huge wakeup call,” is how Jamin-
Maguire describes her first semester, as
she transitioned from discussion-based
learning to test-based learning. While
most of her classes at Sarah Lawrence had
not required exams, exam results counted
for a large part of her overall grade as an
MBA student at Fisher. Faced with what
she calls a, “fire hose of information,”
Jamin-Maguire felt that she had to go back
to the mindset she’d had during her high
school days when she was studying for
her advanced placement exams. She also
found help through a study group which
she formed with like-minded students in
her cohort.
Using MBA networking to connect
with those in different industries
While at Columbia, Lindland was able
to take advantage of the program’s MBA
networking opportunities to open up job
opportunities. “The network is terrific and
very, very helpful,” she says, adding that
fellow members of a cohort are keen on,
“helping each other rise together.”
Jamin-Maguire was also able to use her
MBA to expand her network. “My Sarah
Lawrence friends are near and dear to my
heart, but they are all in the arts. They’re
all in film and television, which is great,
but it’s a very narrow field if you decide
you want to go in a different direction.”
Getting an MBA gave Jamin-Maguire the
opportunity to meet people from all over
the world and who hold experience in a far
wider variety of industries. She says that
her MBA network is a, “genuine network,”
since she feels she can call these people
and ask about their families as well as to
ask them for career advice. “It’s a really
nice blend of both worlds, I would say.”
An MBA can also teach liberal arts alumni
how to find business resources from
within their liberal arts network. During
Lindland’s time at Columbia, she was
heavily involved in starting a group called
Columbia Ventures Community which
seeks to bring together stakeholders from
across the university in order to support
people in technology. Lindland then took
that model to Vassar where she discovered
dozens of accomplished graduates who
were focused on careers in tech and who
were also clearly interested in connecting
with likeminded peers. “Taking that MBA
networking mindset and applying it to
my liberal arts cohort was a win-win,”
Lindland states.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 29
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MBA Program Options & Trends

MBAs with Cybersecurity

Expertise Urgently Needed
Every MBA should understand cybersecurity, says the co-director of a cyber risk program
available at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.
By Karen Turtle

Cybersecurity became a hot topic in 2016 restricted domain of IT specialists, but is a Upton. The truth of the matter is that
with the US government accusing Russia form of education that needs to instead be business leaders are not yet fully aware, or
of hacking Democratic Party emails and of applied more generally. are not taking the time to understand the
interfering with its presidential election. risks posed by cyber-attacks. Upton points
Cybersecurity fears were not allayed TopMBA.com spoke to Dr David Upton, to the scarcity of qualified people on the
when, in a single month, sites such as operations management professor and technical side as well. 2016 stats indicate
Twitter, Netflix, CNN, the Guardian and co-director of the ‘Cyber Risk for Leaders that there are one million cybersecurity
Reddit were brought down by widespread Programme’ at the University of Oxford’s positions left unfilled globally, a number
internet disruption, the result of a new Saïd Business School to gain an insight that is only projected to rise.2 “Managers
kind of malware that infects computers into why a course in cybersecurity can in companies who know how to manage
and turns them into a remotely controlled present itself as a very valuable asset to [cybersecurity risks] are even scarcer,”
network of ‘bots’. We appear to be MBAs in particular. Upton explains.
entering an era where science fiction
meets a new science reality. Saïd Business School on Cybercrime is said to have cost the
cybersecurity: Business leaders UK economy around US$13.7 billion
With an increasing number of reports of must understand the true nature of in 2015, a figure Upton believes to be
cyber-attacks entering the public domain, cyber risk underestimated. “But government is not,
there has been an incremental awareness and cannot, be the defender against all of
of the need for this type of threat to be “The scale, nature and growth of the this activity. It is businesses that are on
managed reliably, not just by governments problem is not well understood,” says the front line. And there are many recent
but also by businesses, universities,
and, well, everyone. One illustration of
how a gross lapse in business oversight
can turn into a large-scale debacle was
provided by the cyber heist of the UK’s
Tesco Bank in which 9,000 customers
are believed to have lost a total of £2.5
million (c. US$3.1m). Security specialists
are said to have repeatedly warned the
bank of vulnerabilities in their mobile app
software, advice that senior management
allegedly ignored.1

We are living in an increasingly tech-savvy

world where almost anyone anywhere
has the potential to become a hacker,
and many governments, businesses and
universities appear to be combining forces
in an attempt to thwart the impending
scale of the threat. The UK chancellor,
for example, announced a government
initiative to inject £1.9 billion (c.US$2.4
billion) into cybersecurity research and
innovation, as part of the country’s official
‘National Cyber Security Strategy’. Many
education leaders also understand that
cybersecurity training can no longer be the

32 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

examples pointing to poor management as
the source of the problem,” says Upton. The
cyber-attack on Tesco Bank is one such
instance of probable mismanagement.
The components that make a
cybersecurity management
program
Saïd Business School’s program on cyber
risk shares two valuable tenets with its
MBA cohort, according to Upton; (1) that
cybersecurity is primarily a human, and
not a technical problem, and (2), that it is
the responsibility of company leaders to,
“determine, not only the actions, but also
the ‘tone-at-the-top’,” in their dealings
with cyber risk.
Saïd Business School first tackles what
Upton calls, “the drivers of the problem,”
in its coverage of cybersecurity in the
MBA program. Drivers would encompass
such things as internationalization, social
media, the high-reward and low-risk
aspects, cloud computing, and the Internet
of Things. MBA students then cover
topics which include insider threats and
cybersecurity strategy, human engineering,
and the technology of cyber threats. “We
teach the management of these problems
using a case-based approach, in which we
use real, and current examples, to teach
future business leaders how they should
manage cybersecurity,” says Upton.
The future of cybersecurity
Upton points out that, to date, “cyber-
attacks have not had a significant impact
on companies’ stock prices.” However,
he also indicates that this is very likely
to change dramatically, together with
the attitude of senior managers who will
need to take the imminent threat posed by
cybercrime into hand accordingly.
“The growth of the Internet of Things,
the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by
attackers, and the increasing technological
and tactical skill of the adversaries will
demand yet more capacity from senior
managers,” affirms Upton. The internet
disruption that brought down Twitter,
Reddit and CNN was directly related to
The Internet of Things with hackers now
being able to enter offices and homes
through any appliance connected to the
internet, ranging from smart kettles and
air conditioners, to printers and laptops.
And since the threat posed by the level
of interconnectedness between ‘things’ is
so great, we are, Upton explains, “more
likely, in the future, to see legislation that
demands all products and services sold to
meet a minimum level of cyber-safety.”
Education itself will need to change in
a number of regards. While a course in
cybersecurity today is usually an elective,
this type of program seems likely to become
a required element in an MBA’s core
curriculum. Upton enforces the real need
for future MBAs to understand the extent
of the implications posed by cyber risk,
offering the example of a merger between
two companies as an illustration: “How
should one manage the potential holes
created when alien IT systems are glued
together?” he asks, adding, “this kind of
issue will become increasingly important to
any manager.” With the view that education
must keep up with the ‘prevailing issues’
and must produce managers that are, “able
to lead adroitly in this arena, either as part
of the board, or in the senior leadership of
companies,” Upton strongly signposts the
real need for MBAs to take the plunge and
become cyber savvy.
Businesses will embrace MBAs
with cybersecurity knowledge
By 2017, it is estimated that the
cybersecurity market will be worth US$120
billion, with projections that US$1 trillion
will be spent between 2017 and 2020
(globally).3 These are merely the most recent
figures, however - as awareness continues
to increase, more funds are likely to be
directed into this area, adding to the level
of opportunity for MBAs who possess that
very valuable insight into cybersecurity.
Saïd Business School offers its MBA
students UK Government Communications
Headquarters (GCHQ) accredited core and
elective modules in cybersecurity risk, and
is one business school among a growing
number adapting their curricula to the
evolving digital landscape. Other GCHQ-
accredited institutions offering MBAs classes
in cybersecurity include Warwick Business
School and Coventry Business School. In the
United States, universities such as the George
Washington University, Stanford, MIT Sloan,
Harvard and Colombia either offer electives
in cybersecurity or dual degrees which
combine a master’s level specialization in
cyber risk with an MBA.
The more revenue corporations lose
through cyber breaches, the higher the
demand for cyber-qualified business
managers will be. MBA candidates who
study cybersecurity as part of their MBA
today are going to be those that have a
very distinct string to their bow, one which
will likely be a huge asset to them in the
near future.
1. https://www.ft.com/content/ec81f30a-a82b-11e6-8b69-
02899e8bd9d1
2. http://www.consultancy.uk/news/12572/ibm-and-the-
wmg-cyber-security-centre-launch-cyber-security-module
3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-charles/the-biggest-
cybersecurity_b_12733608.html
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 33
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MBA Program Options & Trends
Using Big Data to Turn
MBAs into Data-Savvy
Managers
A look at how business schools are incorporating big data and analytics into their curricula,
with NUS Business School, the University of Georgia and UC Berkeley-Haas.
By Nicole Willson
As more companies look to incorporate big
data into their business strategy, the more
we find its inclusion, within data science,
in the MBA curriculum. While much has
been said of the need for skillsets offered
by STEM subjects, there’s also a demand
for data-savvy managers. Read on to learn
how leading business schools in the US
and Singapore are using data analytics
coursework to prepare their graduates for
the workplace.
Why are more business schools
adding data science and big data to
the curriculum?
Big data is becoming the standard in
business, which is one of the main reasons
why more business schools are adding data
science and big data to the curriculum.
Berkeley-Haas lecturer, Gregory LaBlanc,
feels that big data is gaining a foothold in
MBA programs because it is, “permeating
every aspect of business.” This includes
functional areas from finance and
operations to marketing – areas that
LaBlanc says have all been, “fundamentally
transformed by developments in big data.”
One of the reasons more businesses are
embracing big data is because it can lead
to bigger profits. “Organizations have
discovered that data-driven decision
making has become more profitable.
The research has come out in recent
years to support this and it’s a trend
that companies are adopting,” explains
Rick Watson, a management information
systems (MIS) professor at the University
of Georgia’s Terry College of Business.
Adding big data to the curriculum is
also another way in which business
36 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
schools are responding to changes in the
technological and business landscape. “The
explosive growth of the internet, and the
proliferation of smart devices, cameras,
microphones, sensors, RFIDs and so on,
has led to the tremendous growth of – and
affordable, easy access to – large quantities
of fast-moving, unstructured datasets,
commonly referred to as big data. Aided by
the data and a host of new technologies,
managers are able to glean strategic,
tactical and operational insights that
yield quicker and more effective business
decisions,” states Ashok Charan, associate
professor in marketing at NUS Business
School.
There’s also student demand for big data,
as evidenced by the fact that LaBlanc’s
data science and strategy class is usually
full. “It’s not so much that the students’
bosses are telling them to learn data
science. They know that this is the way of
the future,” explains LaBlanc.
How data science is incorporated
into the curriculum at UC
Berkeley-Haas
At Haas, the data analytics curriculum
begins not with electives but the first
course of the MBA program – ‘Data
Driven Decision Making’. In this class,
LaBlanc says that students learn how to
use data in all aspects of decision making,
as well as statistical techniques and how to
make inferences based on the data in their
possession.
A further data analytics course at Haas,
‘Data Science/Data Strategy’, teaches
students how to incorporate data into
their business strategy. “The class is
not designed to convert our MBAs into
data scientists,” states LaBlanc. Instead,
the goal of the class is to give students
enough data science knowledge to be
able to incorporate it into their business
strategy and know how to manage teams
of data scientists in order to enhance
corporate capabilities. The first part of
the class covers techniques while the
second part covers applying data science
to corporate strategy. The latter part of
the class features industry speakers from
both traditional businesses, such as Wells
Fargo, UPS and PG&E, and technology
companies, such as Cloudera, LinkedIn and
Facebook, to discuss ways to apply data
science across different functional areas
and industries.
Haas’ third major data science course is
an elective in which students receive a
big data set from a company and work in
teams to solve a real problem for a client.
Half of the students in the class are MBAs
and half are data scientists from other
schools at UC Berkeley.
Data science is incorporated into other
Haas classes as well. For example, the
‘Analytics for Workforce, Workplace and
Wellness’ class looks at how workplace
incentives can be designed on the basis
of analytical data. In the past, companies
lacked empirical evidence as to how
workplace incentives like yoga classes
or meditation rooms helped boost
productivity. Big data is now transforming
HR, however, since it can offer evidence of
the effectiveness of workplace incentives.
Companies like Google are paying
attention to this data, for the simple
reason that the quality of environment and
culture a company can offer has emerged
as a point of competition for the most
talented hires.
In addition, LaBlanc feels that data science
has transformed several of Haas’ core
courses, such as those in finance and
organizational management. “It’s not just
about these courses that have the word
‘data’ in them. It’s about the approach.”
Eventually, LaBlanc thinks the day may
come when data strategy disappears as a
specialization, because it will be a standard
that is incorporated into most courses.
Data analytics courses at Terry
College of Business
Terry College of Business at the University
of Georgia encompasses a data analytics
class in its core curriculum. The course
covers data modelling and SQL (structured
query language) in order to give students
an understanding of how databases are
designed as well as how SQL is used to
query databases. Watson includes SQL
as part of the course because it is, “still
very much a commonly used language for
extracting data.” The course also discusses
data management using the R language,
a broad programming language which
can be used for data visualization and
manipulation, text mining and dashboards.
‘Energy Informatics’, also taught by
Watson, is another course available at
Terry that incorporates analytics, looking
at how information systems can be used
to improve energy efficiency. Other data
analytics courses available to Terry MBAs
include ‘Business Process Management’
and ‘Business Intelligence’.
One of the major focuses of Terry’s data
analytics research and coursework has
been digital data streams (DDS). Unlike
historical analysis, in which the focus is
on gathering big pools of data and storing
them in a warehouse, digital data streams
allow you to tap into a stream of data
before it gets to the warehouse. “If you
really want to accelerate decision making,
you want to tap into the data as it’s
generated,” states Watson.
One example of digital data streams
being used by businesses could be a car
insurer who monitors the weather. When
an upcoming hail storm is detected, the
company can go into its database, pull up
a list of customers living in the affected
area and send them a text advising them
to cover their car and protect it from the
coming storm. This use of analytics saves
the customer from having to deal with
the hassle of getting their car fixed and
saves the insurance company the cost of
a claim.
Data analytics at NUS Business
School
NUS Business School’s approach to
data analytics has been to change pre-
existing courses more often than to create
dedicated data courses. “There are a few
new courses but the key difference is that
the content of existing courses has been
altered and enhanced to reflect the new
environment,” states Charan.
NUS Business School’s marketing courses,
for example, have been changed in order
to bring in analytics. Some NUS courses
have also been renamed to reflect these
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 37
MBA Program Options & Trends
changes. For instance, Charan teaches a
course called ‘Market Analytics’, formerly
known as ‘Market Research’, and says that
it now, “encompasses well-established,
conventional research and analytics as well
as newer technologies.”
In order to provide students with direct
experience of working with analytics,
NUS Business School uses a marketing
simulator called Destiny. This simulator
is used across most of NUS Business
School’s program offerings, including
the MBA, EMBA and MSBA (Master of
Science in Business Analytics) programs.
The simulator is said to allow students to,
“become proficient in the use of market
knowledge and financial data for day-to-
day business decisions.”1
NUS Business School also has several
initiatives focused on staying ahead of big
data initiatives in order to better prepare
students for the workforce. One of these
is the Business Analytics Center (BAC),
the product of a collaboration between
38 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
IBM and NUS’s business and computing
schools. BAC offers the university’s MSBA
program which Charan says has become,
“hugely popular,” since its launch three
years ago. Charan feels that the master’s
program, “fills the vacuum that once
existed in the area of specialized business
analytics, and is very tightly connected
with the industry.”
Applying data analytics to the
workforce
“The market has a high demand for people
who can do analytics,” reasons Terry’s
Watson. Since a data analytics class is
part of Terry’s core curriculum, all of the
school’s MBAs can take knowledge from
the course into their summer internships
and many will get valuable work experience
with analytics during this period.
Watson says that many of the school’s
MBA graduates get jobs that involve data
analysis because there’s a high demand for
employees with SQL and R language skills.
This is evidenced by the fact that Watson
received several ‘thank-you’ emails this
summer describing how students are
applying the concepts learned in class to
solving real business problems. “Employers
want graduates who can actually do
something, not just talk about generalities,”
Watson explains.
At NUS, the MSBA graduates are usually
the ones who land jobs which directly
involve data analytics, but most of the
business school’s management students
will work in jobs where it is important to
have a general understanding of analytics.
“Rather than get soaked in the technologies
and the analytics processes, the business
students need to know how to interpret and
apply the knowledge, and feel comfortable
in taking business decisions based on this
information,” states Charan.
While IBM, Coursera and Microsoft
have data analytics programs designed
for data scientists, LaBlanc feels that the
real challenge will be finding data-savvy
managers. He also feels that, contrary to
what McKinsey said in its 2011 report, there
are solutions to the problem of finding data
scientists, with for-profit companies like
General Assembly and Galvanize, “creating
data scientists by the thousands,” through
courses and other offerings.2 In addition,
a lot of the work data scientists do can
be automated through machine learning.
“The real bottleneck going forward will
be in data-savvy managers. That’s where
the real premium is going to be. If you’re
a data-savvy manager, you’ll be able to
add so much more to the organization
than someone who only has general
management skills,” states LaBlanc. General
management skills are still important,
however, since data-savvy managers need
to redesign the culture of an organization in
order to embed big data into what he refers
to as the, “corporate DNA.”
One MBA who is using his business
school education to become a data-
savvy manager is Jason Lars Bergquist, a
part-time MBA student at Berkeley-Haas
who works full time in the customer
experience group of video game company,
Electronic Arts (EA). Bergquist says that
the data science courses he has taken at
Haas have given him an understanding
of what data can be used for. “The most
important thing is to understand what
data science can and can’t be used for. If
you don’t spend a lot of time specifically
thinking about it, it’s just a black box
where it’s hard to understand what the
real benefits are.” While he feels that a
PhD is needed to carry out the highest
level of analytics work, Bergquist says
that a manager still needs to be able to
ask the right questions, understand the
approach and know when analytics tools
are going to be useful.
Bergquist currently uses analytics at his
job to identify customers’ usage patterns
and the monetization aspects within EA’s
games. He is working with the company’s
customer-service group to draw
conclusions about customer sentiments,
such as where they are having pain
points. The information gleaned from this
data analysis will be used to improve the
gaming experience for EA’s customers.
EA is looking at using naïve Bayes, a
technical method for analyzing text and
speech data that Bergquist learned about
as part of his Haas coursework. Control
charts are another thing Bergquist has
learned about in class and that he now
uses in his everyday work in helping to
understand the scope of a problem within
EA’s games. The high-level strategy
information Bergquist has acquired from
attending lectures by speakers from
companies like Google has also been
incredibly valuable. “Talking to people
with experience and thinking about
data analytics on a day-to-day basis is
incredibly powerful for recognizing the
utility of these tools and understanding
how to administer their use and
execution.”
1. http://bizfaculty.nus.edu/site/bizakc/Destiny/index.php
2. http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/business-
technology/our-insights/big-data-the-next-frontier-for-
innovation
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 39
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MBA Program Options & Trends
Why MBA Marketing
Courses Are a Must
Pursuing marketing at the MBA level could open doors to c-suite positions, says University
of Virginia Darden School of Business professor, Kimberly Whitler.
By Visnja Milidragovic
With a marketing career spanning 20
years and encompassing management
positions with Procter & Gamble (P&G),
David’s Bridal and PetSmart, professor
Kimberly Whitler now teaches the core
marketing course to first-year MBAs at the
University of Virginia Darden School of
Business as well as an elective in strategic
brand positioning. Here, Whitler offers
her perspective on why marketing skills
are a must for post-MBA career success,
particularly for graduates who seek to rise
to the c-suite level of an organization.
What are some reasons that students
should pursue marketing in general
– and particularly, at the MBA level?
As background, marketing at the MBA
level is very different than that at the
undergraduate level. Companies recruiting
for marketers at the MBA level pay well
over US$100k and are looking for general
management marketers— marketers that
can create, build, fix, develop and grow
businesses. As such, MBA marketing
courses prepare graduates for jobs in general
management marketing (GMM), which can
lead to c-suite level roles at top firms.
A key priority for MBA students should also
be to identify a career that provides a wide
launching pad. GMM does this better than
most opportunities out of an MBA program
as the training is valuable and portable,
providing students with more options as
they progress through life.
Part of your research focuses on
studying the role of c-suite level
executives. In this context, can
you elaborate on the opportunities
available to MBAs specializing in
marketing, in terms of post-MBA
career progression?
GMM training prepares students for
42 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
work in important areas such as strategic no matter where you end up in a firm.
thinking, conceptual thinking, analytical Third, believe it or not, most consultants
thinking, leadership, problem solving, etc. will end up in demand-generation
These skills are portable across industries consulting positions — because a big
and roles, which is why so many GMMs challenge firms have is to drive demand.
from top firms are valuable and hired into So, if you are entering consulting,
new industries and roles.
At companies like Johnson & Johnson,
General Mills, E & J Gallo or P&G, GMMs
are responsible for the profit and loss of
the business — setting strategies to achieve
business objectives and then leading a
cross-functional team made up of sales,
finance, accounting, operations and other
divisions to deliver the plan. MBA-level
training in general management marketing
prepares a graduate to step into a CEO
role at some point, arguably better than
any other career path. For example, Meg
Whitman [an MBA graduate], who worked
at P&G at one point, ultimately became the
CEO of eBay and now of Hewlett Packard
Enterprise.
Whether or not MBA candidates
are aspiring marketers then, there
is much to gain from applying
themselves in this industry in
order to secure future leadership
positions. Why is this?
Great question - right now, one of the top
challenges CEOs and boards of directors
are facing is how to drive growth. Which
function in a firm is largely responsible for
driving growth? Marketing.
So, the first reason is that if you have
any desire to end up in the c-suite,
you will need to understand how to
leverage marketing competency to drive
demand. Second, GMM is not about
digital advertising, but about strategic
positioning. How do you strategically
position your firm, or your brand, to
outperform rivals? This skill is beneficial
be prepared to consult on marketing
problems.
In your opinion, what are the top
skills marketers should have who
want to future-proof their career
in changing times?
I’m going to start with a non-obvious
answer — the ability and desire to learn.
Marketing is changing so fast that only
those with a thirst for new knowledge will
be able to keep up.
Beyond learning, I think the foundational
skills are: Strategic thinking, conceptual
thinking, analytical thinking and problem
solving. Then there is technical knowledge,
such as digital literacy, technology
literacy, finance literacy, etc. Many people,
including students, might prioritize
technical knowledge, but don’t work on
mastering the fundamentals — how do
you problem solve in a principled way, for
example?
You also have an MBA (from the
University of Arizona). How did
the degree help you in your own
marketing career?
I always thought I wanted to be a lawyer
or go into finance. Those were my two
priorities. However, the mentorship,
advice and counsel of one faculty member,
Dr Chris Puto [now president of Spring
Hill College, Alabama], changed my
life. Dr Puto helped point me in the
direction of GMM. Up until that time, I
thought marketing was about making
advertisements, which didn’t interest me.
When he helped me understand general
marketing management, he changed the
trajectory of my life. The degree helped me
get my foot in the door at P&G.
And last but not least, if you had to
‘pitch’ marketing as a career, what
would you say?
The work is fun, challenging and rewarding.
I recall my first year at P&G as an MBA
intern. It wasn’t work. I was jumping from
an analytical project to a new product
introduction to a positioning question, and
on from a current business challenge to
an advertising campaign. I was learning to
argue persuasively, communicate effectively
and think expansively. I was around really
smart people who wanted to make an
impact. Quite frankly, my friends in other
fields were miserable. I couldn’t believe I
was getting paid to learn to run a business
and to help improve the lives of consumers
around the world. The work itself is
rewarding.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 43
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MBA Program Options & Trends
The Continued Rise of the
Real Estate MBA
A number of leading business schools now offer MBA specializations in real estate. UCLA
Anderson, the University of Miami School of Business and Rutgers Business School help us
understand why.
By Nicole Willson
Real estate is an important part of the
finance sector and overall economy,
which is one of the reasons why more
business schools are creating real estate
MBA programs. Rutgers launched its real
estate MBA program in 2014 and UCLA
Anderson’s Ziman Center for Real Estate
received a US$1 million grant to further its
research efforts the following year. Read
on to learn about recent developments
in the real estate MBA space as well as
potential career paths open to graduates.
Real estate MBA programs
continue to grow
While some schools, such as Columbia
Business School and UC Berkeley-Haas,
have included real estate in their MBA
program for decades, several business
schools have added real estate initiatives
within the past decade. In a 2013 AACSB
survey, 15% of schools reported having
graduate or undergraduate real estate
programs, an increase of 30% on what
was available the previous decade. The
University of Miami launched a real estate
concentration in 2012, for instance. Two
years later, in 2014, Rutgers launched its
Center for Real Estate, which is headed up
by Morris Davis.
Prior to the creation of the Center for Real
Estate, Rutgers Business School provided
little real estate coverage in its curriculum.
Now, real estate is an MBA concentration
complete with minimum requirements
and elective courses. While the fledgling
program does not have many electives just
yet, Davis says those already on offer are
well-staffed by industry experts including
some of New Jersey’s top real estate
developers. Rutgers’ real estate program
also has an advisory board of experts and
CEOs who review the curriculum, as well
46 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
as an Emerging Leaders Council made
up of up-and-coming professionals who
are involved in much of New Jersey’s
real estate activity. Currently, Rutgers is
the only business school that covers the
Northern New Jersey real estate market,
and they have plans to expand their
coverage to the New York area.
Beyond the creation of new programs,
one of the biggest developments in the
real estate MBA landscape has been the
creation of a new program to fuel faculty
research at UCLA’s Ziman Center. Founded
in February of last year with a US$1
million grant from the Gilbert Foundation,
the Gilbert Program has provided the
center with a funding stream for research
in areas of real estate, finance and urban
economics. The Gilbert Program has been
a, “game changer,” states Stuart Gabriel,
director of UCLA Anderson’s Ziman
Center for Real Estate, and one which
allows Ziman to conduct a, “myriad of
research activity not available previously.”
Research is an important component of
UCLA’s real estate MBA program since
Gabriel seeks to provide students with
timely and compelling information. Real
estate is also an ever-changing field –
data changes and methodologies evolve,
leading Gabriel to caution that, “you can’t
bring last year’s information,” into the
classroom.
The value of real estate
The rise of the real estate MBA raises two
questions. Why does real estate deserve
to have its own MBA specialization?
Secondly, why are more schools adding
real estate programs to their curriculum?
Real estate’s importance as a major
economic sector justifies its status as
an MBA specialization. “Real estate
encompasses both the major lifetime
purchases of households in the United
States as well as very significant
institutional and private investment
activity,” states Gabriel.
Similarly, the University of Miami School
of Business views real estate as an,
“accepted asset class in the investment
world,” according to one of the school’s
finance professors, Andrea Heuson.
Commercial real estate investment has
become so important to institutional
investors and foreign capital providers,
“that anybody who is working in the
investment field should be exposed to
how real estate is analyzed,” adds Heuson.
While there are many parallels between
corporate valuation and real estate, there
are enough differences between the two
fields to justify treating real estate as a
separate specialization.
Real estate has become an increasingly
sophisticated activity, one that, as Gabriel
points out, involves, “methodologies that
are at the frontier of research activity in
the academic sector but not yet always
well diffused in the professional sector.”
Gabriel feels that having an understanding
of, and exposure to, treatment and analysis
in real estate gives MBAs the opportunity
to improve their capacity to contribute to
the real estate workplace.
Why more business schools are
creating real estate MBA programs
The creation of job opportunities is also one
of main the reasons that schools are adding
real estate programs. “Municipal markets
– cities like Charlotte or Washington DC
– all have great universities. All of those
universities find that real estate is a good
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 47
MBA Program Options & Trends
employment avenue for their students. They
always want to place their students,” states
Miami’s Heuson.
In addition, real estate is a localized
market which varies by city, therefore,
the real estate market you learn about
can rest heavily on the location of your
MBA program. According to Heuson, “If
you want to understand the South Florida
market, it doesn’t help to go to Stern in
New York. You just aren’t going to learn
the local nuances unless you’re actually in
school there. It’s a location thing. I think
that’s what’s prompted big, important
schools to say ‘hey, we need some real
estate classes because it’s becoming an
important part of our local economy and it
helps to place students.’”
The market-driven nature of MBA
programs is another reason behind
real estate MBA specializations at
business school. “MBA programs
understand that there’s student interest
in this specialization and there is
student placement opportunity in this
specialization,” states UCLA’s Gabriel.
48 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
How real estate MBA curricula
respond to changes in the market
The biggest changes to the real estate
MBA curriculum Heuson has seen at
the University of Miami have come as a
result of the financial crisis. A particular
influence was the new terminology and
job roles that came about during that time
period as well as the idea that real estate
investments do not always work out. For
example, distress debt wasn’t mentioned
in classes prior to the crisis because, up
until then, loans weren’t made with the
expectation that they would have to take
the property back. “The opportunistic side
of the market has come to the surface
and we need to cover that in our classes,”
states Heuson.
UCLA Anderson has also changed their
real estate curriculum in response to the
economic crisis. “Our curriculum has
recognized the importance of understanding
all of the real estate antecedents and
implications of the financial crisis, so we
have a course that seeks to understand
all of the capital markets issues and
related securitization issues, as well as the
rebuilding and policy associated with the
financial crisis,” states Gabriel.
Entrepreneurial activity in real estate has
been another inspiration for curriculum
change at UCLA Anderson, since a course
has been created in response to new
entrepreneurial ventures in the sector.
Anderson has also offered new opportunities
around affordable housing development that
fuses real estate development activity with
interest and concern about the availability of
affordable housing.
Learning how to use ARGUS, a software
system which performs real estate
valuations and cash flow analysis, is a
required component of the real estate
curriculum at both Rutgers and the
University of Miami. Heuson feels that
software has changed the real estate
workspace because it allows people to
perform real estate valuations at their
kitchen table and to obtain sophisticated
results. At Rutgers, every student spends
two to three weeks studying how to use
ARGUS, since Davis feels that it is a, “huge
résumé selling-point,” for graduates.
Real estate career paths for MBAs
Well-trained UCLA Anderson graduates
can use their degree towards a number
of real estate career paths including
investment banking, technical positions,
mortgage-backed securities and housing.
“Every graduating student with a real
estate specialization from the UCLA
Anderson School of Management has a
choice of a large number of opportunities,”
states Gabriel.
At the University of Miami, the MBAs who
take real estate courses tend to specialize
in capital markets. For example, a graduate
may work on the real estate team for an
investment banking firm or do equity
research related to real estate investment
trusts (REITs). In addition, many finance
students at the University of Miami study
real estate not because they want to make
a full-time career out of it, but because
they want to be prepared if they encounter
it at some point during their career.
Real estate careers are also a good option for
University of Miami graduates who want
to remain in the region of South Florida.
“Here in South Florida, real estate is such a
crucial part of our economy that if you want
to stay in South Florida, you have a better
probability of getting a job in the real estate
field compared to many others.” Heuson
estimates that around 60% of University of
Miami graduates stay in Miami where they
take jobs doing capital market analysis for
a family office, or with a commercial real
estate broker, such as Cushman & Wakefield,
or for a private equity group. By contrast,
MBAs who want to work in investment
banking or in M&As will probably need to
move to New York to find work.
As the program at Rutgers is a more recent
addition to its roster of MBA offerings,
there aren’t quite as many career success
stories yet. However, Davis says that every
student who shows that they are serious
about real estate careers gets placed. In
fact, one of Rutgers’ professors, Kevin
Riordan, specializes in matching real estate
students with job opportunities.
Riordan recently helped Ken Gold, a career
changer with a background in television
production, start on his path towards a real
estate career. Gold originally went into his
MBA thinking he would go into consulting
so that he could earn money to invest into
his side business of real estate properties.
During the last semester of his MBA
program, he decided to take Davis’ ‘Real
Estate Finance’ course in order to help
him manage his real estate interests, and
ultimately ended up switching his career
focus to real estate.
Gold walked into Riordan’s office worried
about his post-MBA career, and says
that Riordan, “talked me off the ledge.”
After Gold’s résumé was sent to Rutgers’
real estate advisory board, he had three
job offers within a week. Gold spent the
summer of 2016 as an intern with Somerset
Development and has an opportunity to
convert this position to one of full-time
employment. One of the major projects
he worked on is Bell Works, which has
transformed Holmdel, New Jersey’s former
Bell Labs headquarters building into a retail,
office and hotel space the size of the Empire
State Building. Gold was also able to attend a
broker meeting where he said he felt like he
was reliving his course in real estate finance,
because everything that came up in the
meeting had been covered in Davis’ class.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 49
 Key people, key firms & key information
for strategic decisions

INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION
GUIDE
2016
2016
EDITION

RE
GUIDE-ANNUAI

- INFRASTRUCTUR
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INNOVATION - TECHNOLOGY SANTÉ
2016
MENT - ÉNERGIE
RT-UP - FINANCE
& INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
EDITIO
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HARDWARE • SOFTWARE • TELECOM • INTERNET • MEDIA • IP • LIFE SCIENCES
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Admissions Advice

Got Career Goals?

Research Your MBA
Program Options First
Everyone has career goals, but before you dive into an MBA program, here are some ideas
and options to think about in advance.
By Ryan Hickey

So, you’ve decided you want to get an
MBA? As you know, getting an MBA can
be really hard work, but the benefits of
having this advanced degree will pay off in
the long run, especially if you have specific
career goals in mind. On average, those
who get an MBA are better prepared to
advance their career, meaning employers
are more willing to put people with an
MBA into management positions and
higher-ranking roles. Likewise, those with
MBAs tend to get paid more than those
without, even when they have less work
experience. And if you are looking to start
your own business or be an entrepreneur,
an MBA is surely your first step.
Don’t get ahead of yourself
MBA programs are hard work and can be
expensive, so it is important to prepare
in advance. This includes putting away
money to pay for your degree, ensuring
you will have enough time to set aside
each day for studying while enrolled in
the program, and studying in advance
of applying to an MBA program so that
you are sure to get accepted into the one
you want. MBA programs have become
increasingly popular, so preparing at least
a year in advance is advisable.
Your financial situation should weigh heavily
on your decision as to when the right time
to get an MBA will be. Full-time MBA
programs can cost anywhere from US$20,000
to US$150,000, depending on where you
want to study and what type of program
is best suited for you. Online programs,

52 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

for example, tend to be more flexible and
cheaper, but they can also be considered less
valuable than traditional programs in the
eyes of certain employers. It all depends on
what your career goals are after graduating.
Ask your professional mentors for advice
before making your final decision.
Study well in advance of taking the
required exams
Acquire a GMAT and/or GRE prep book
and register for one or both of the tests.
The program you want to get into will
determine which test you should study
for more. Some schools require one or
the other, some schools may require both.
Regardless of the test, plan on studying for
four to six months before taking the actual
test. These tests can be extremely difficult
so you don’t want to rush it. Also, if you
take a couple of practice tests and you
feel that you aren’t doing as well as you
should be, hire a tutor. Sometimes simply
learning strategies from someone else can
greatly improve your score and help you
understand core competencies.
Understand what it means to be a
successful MBA candidate
You need to get to know yourself, both
in your profession and outside of it.
Truly understand what it means to be an
effective leader and what you bring to
the table that others might not. Prepare
yourself mentally for a potentially
stressful (but rewarding!) two years if
you are planning on opting for a two-
year, full-time MBA. Take some time
out of your work and personal life for
reflection on your past and your future.
There is no better way to prepare than
to ensure you are mentally ready for the
journey to success.
Speak with your mentors
Along with reflecting on your own
life and career goals, get in touch with
professional, personal and/or academic
mentors, and ask them questions - not
only about what it takes to get an
MBA, but also why it might help you to
achieve your goals. Also, ask them to
give you some insight into what they see
in you, in terms of being a leader, what
skills you have that are unique and even
what skills you are lacking. Mentors
can greatly help ensure your successful
acceptance into an MBA program. Plus,
you will want to have some people who
can write letters of recommendation for
you when the time comes to submit your
application.
Check online for legitimate
MOOCs
MOOCs are Massive Open Online Courses
that are typically intended to help people
who want to obtain knowledge in a specific
field, whether it’s a for-credit course or
not. Some MOOCs are designed for MBA
candidates who want to gain business
knowledge before getting into a traditional
program, and some can even help you
obtain a fully-fledged MBA degree or
certificate. Some are even free, but don’t
take everything a website says at face value.
Be sure that you research what MOOCs
can offer you before signing up and
investing all of your time and/or money
in something that may not help you fulfill
your career goals. For example, if you are
looking to get an MBA so that you can
move up in your company, be sure to ask
your higher-ups if any of these courses
will help you do so. There truly are some
really great online programs out there, just
be sure to do your research. Ultimately, the
path is up to you and will depend on your
specific career goals.
A graduate of Yale University, Ryan Hickey
is the managing editor of Peterson’s &
EssayEdge and is an expert in college,
graduate and professional admissions.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 53
Admissions Advice
Write an MBA Application
Essay That Gets You
Shortlisted
A look at a few tried and trusted MBA application essay tips from TopMBA.com’s long-running
series of interviews with school admissions directors ought to help you write to impress.
By Karen Turtle
“Don’t overthink, overcraft and
overwrite.” This is the statement that
Harvard Business School (HBS) makes
immediately beneath the Class of 2019’s
single MBA essay question. Yet the first
MBA application essay you write is
going to be, without any doubt, the most
difficult (note that the word ‘grueling’
has not been inserted here). Do not be
alarmed if you devote as many as 40 to
80 hours preparing the essay section
of your four to eight business school
applications - dedicating this much time
54 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
can provide a tremendous boost to your
odds in winning a place in your dream
MBA program.
Be the requirement a single MBA
application essay (as in HBS’s case), or as
many as four, help is readily available –
beginning, in this very instance, right here.
Here are some foolproof MBA essay
application tips that should get the ideas
flowing and set you on course for being
pen (keyboard) ready.
Know the rule of thumb - the two
MBA admissions essay themes
As a starting point, it’s good to know
that business schools are, by and large,
looking for two things in the MBA
admissions process; your post-MBA
career goals, and how you fit into their
ethos and culture both professionally
and personally. From the moment you
decide that going to business school
is for you, carry these two themes
with you in your day to day. With the
expectation that you answer these two
topics by interweaving your credentials
as a leader, team player, problem solver
(and so on), MBA admissions directors
also yearn for a candidate that stands
out but who is, most importantly,
themselves. A recurring word used by
admissions directors in the TopMBA.
com’s admissions Q&A series is
‘authenticity’.1
With your business school application
deadline set at a comfortable date in
the future, start jotting down inspiring
quotes, write out thoughts on lectures
you listened to, a book you read,
projects you worked on (consider the
successes, but also the challenges) and
build a list of themes and ideas that
will make your MBA application essay
distinctive. These will be the details
that flesh out and give life to the bullet
points on your CV (and more). The
earlier you begin preparing, the better
and greater the plethora of ideas you
can draw from, and the more relaxed
you’ll be when pen is finally put to
paper (or fingers to keyboard).
There is no mold for the perfect
MBA candidate
Part of authenticity is the admission
of imperfection, which re-raises HBS’s
‘overthink, overcraft, overwrite’ statement.
“One mistake we see applicants make is
tailoring their application to what they
‘think’ the admissions committee wants
to hear, rather than presenting themselves
authentically throughout their application,”
says Melissa Fogerty, Yale School Of
Management’s deputy director of
admissions, for example2. The admissions
committee is not looking for an infallible
superhero, and is therefore more open to
someone who is able to express how they
surmounted challenges, improved upon
a weakness or overcame a failure. Being
able to show your human side makes you
relatable. At the same time, this is no
excuse to take fallibility to extremes and
‘undercraft.’ The basics of accuracy are
required - answer the question(s) asked
(crucial), check your grammar, weed out
spelling mistakes and adhere to the word
count if one has been set.
The sin of repurposing an MBA
application essay
MIT Sloan’s associate director of
admissions, Jeff Carbone says it
straight: “Never repurpose an essay
from another business school.”3 MBA
admissions directors frequently
underline the importance of an
applicant being the ‘right fit.’ It is
imperative that you do your research
and evaluate how you can make
yourself appeal to the institution’s
ethos. Raquel Lison, associate director
of MBA recruitment at Oxford Saïd,
says that, “mentioning other schools’
names in application essays and
applying with a generic letter are big
mistakes.”4 This rehashing of old MBA
application essays will inevitably
trigger a chorus of sad sighs from the
MBA admissions committee and your
essay will find its place at the bottom of
the proverbial stack. As David Simpson,
MBA admissions director at London
Business School, explains, “we want
people who are not just looking to get
into a top program, but who see us as
the school of their dreams.”5 If getting
into a top business school is your
dream, there is no alternative but to go
the full hog and make that dream shine
on paper.
1. http://www.topmba.com/article/tags/qas
2. http://www.topmba.com/admissions/mba-admissions-qa-
yale-som
3. http://www.topmba.com/admissions/mba-admissions-qa-
mit-sloan
4. http://www.topmba.com/admissions/mba-admissions-qa-
oxford-said
5. http://www.topmba.com/admissions/mba-admissions-qa-
london-business-school
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 55
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Admissions Advice

GMAT Scores Needed for

Admission to an MBA in
the US
If you’re serious about winning admission to a top MBA program in the US, then you’ll want
to note the average GMAT scores among 2016’s entering classes.
By Tim Dhoul

What are the GMAT scores you need to
be aiming for in order to win admission to
one of the leading full-time MBA programs
in the US? An analysis of the averages
seen among 2016’s entering classes at 20
top schools has much to reveal.
Average GMAT scores
Students in the MBA class of 2018 at
three business schools in the US hold
a median average GMAT score of 730
among the 20 institutions analyzed
here. Those schools are Wharton, Yale
and Harvard. In case that number isn’t
high enough for you already, an average
(rather than median average) of 737 is
recorded at Stanford GSB.
While only two schools here have
median or average scores in the 720s
this year (MIT Sloan and the Kellogg
School), there are seven in the 710s. In
addition, Michigan Ross isn’t too far off
the 710s with a recorded average of 708
for its class of 2018, while UT Austin
and Cornell both have averages bang on
the 700-mark this year.
Only three schools recorded an average
GMAT score beneath 700 this year (not
counting Goizueta, which did not post an
average). Those schools are USC Marshall
(692), Owen Vanderbilt (691) and the
Kelley School (670). The average of all
averages recorded here is 713, which only
serves to emphasize how many admitted
MBA students in the US are surpassing the
700 threshold. Time to get to work!

750

675

600

525

450

375

300

225

150

75
715

717

712

717

730

700

670

728

710

692

700

724

710

691

708

737

717

730

730

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TA
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ag
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NY
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Da
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o
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llo
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TS
Ke
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MI

Sources: Official b-school websites. Please note that some schools record the median average score while others record the mean average

58 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

Ranges recorded for the class of
2018
If you found that the first section made
for truly terrifying reading, then it’s
important to bear in mind that while the
annual average GMAT score can give you
an indication of what an admissions team
might be after, most business schools also
publish the range in which most of their
admitted class scored. These can be more
illustrative of the ballpark you need to aim
for.
The standard thing for leading US schools
to do here is to publish the range in which
80% of their admitted class scored. This
information is supplied by 14 of the 20
schools in our analysis, and might make
for more encouraging reading. This
is because only one of the 14 schools
(Wharton) begins its 80% range at the 700
threshold. Scores of 690 or 680 (each of
which are recorded by four schools) are
much more common for the bottom end of
these ranges.
Of course, it is equally prudent to consider
the top end of these same ranges. Among our
sample, a range of 70 points is fairly common
among students enrolled in the class of 2018,
meaning that an 80% range beginning at
690 might stretch all the way up to 760, for
instance. This particular range is posted by
MIT Sloan and suggests that just as many
students scored between its average of 724
and 760 as they did between 690 and 724.
GMAT highs and lows
One of the most common questions
applicants ask about the GMAT is whether
a relatively low score can ruin an otherwise
top-notch application. In response,
admissions staff will often point to the
reason they seek a GMAT score in the first
place – as evidence of your suitability for
the academic rigors of an MBA degree.
However, most will also emphasize that
it’s the full profile of a candidate that
they’re interested in and, consequently, a
strong showing in all other aspects of an
application can indeed compensate for a
lower-than-average GMAT score.
Need proof? One candidate admitted to
Wharton’s class of 2018 was admitted with
a score of 570 – a full 160 points below
its median. Elsewhere, a score of 560 was
good enough for one member of the latest
class at NYU Stern in which, incidentally,
11% submitted a GRE score in place of the
GMAT and 3% submitted both tests.
It seems counterproductive to end this
analysis with a look at some of the lowest
successful GMAT scores seen in the US
this year, so consider instead the highest
score among the latest crop of MBA
students at Goizueta (780) and at Stanford
(790) – and that’s out of a total possible
score of 800. Good luck!
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 59
Admissions Advice
7 GMAT Myths
There are a number of popular misconceptions surrounding the GMAT. Before you start your
test preparation, make sure you can separate the myths from the reality.
By Joern Meissner
It’s easy for a pre-MBA student to
assume that the GMAT is similar to other
standardized tests in form and content,
and it is also tempting to believe what
you’ve read about the GMAT online. In
reality, the GMAT is its own unique test,
and online GMAT resources are often full
of misinformation. Let’s tackle some of
the most common myths about the GMAT
and help set the record straight, which will
allow you to spend less time guessing and
more time preparing.
GMAT myth #1: The GMAT is an
intelligence test
Have you ever wondered if there is a
correlation between the GMAT and IQ?
There is, but correlation is not the same
thing as causation (a famous anecdote
holds that a correlation was once found
between the number of babies born in a
German town and the size of the local
stork population, but this does not mean
that storks deliver babies). There are so
many variables that come into play in the
GMAT that it could not possibly be a true
assessment of human intelligence (if such a
concept can even be objectively defined at
all) for an MBA student.
The GMAT is ultimately nothing more
than a test of your ability to take the
GMAT. The exam does require certain
critical and analytical reasoning skills that
make it quite a challenge, but it is not a
final measure of your intellectual worth.
The standard for GMAT quantitative and
verbal skills is high, and you will need
a lot of time to prepare, but you needn’t
fear a designation of having a ‘low’ IQ.
Some researchers believe that IQ stabilizes
after adolescence and that people do not
have the ability to change their inherent
intellectual capacity, but there is no
evidence that this belief is applicable to the
GMAT. Numerous studies have shown that
60 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
scores can and do improve significantly
with an effective study plan and competent
instruction. In other words, your GMAT
score isn’t predetermined. With the right
test prep materials and resources, you
can be confident that you will reach a
satisfactory score.
GMAT myth #2: The GMAT is a
business test
Another misconception about the GMAT
is that it is a test of business concepts
that MBA applicants are expected to
know. In reality, GMAT exercises ask you
to simplify down to the essentials and
demonstrate quick use of common sense
(business knowledge is not required).
Test writers want to see how closely you
pay attention to the details as you work
your way through a series of riddles and
brainteasers.
Make sure you don’t complicate matters by
focusing on counterintuitive aspects of the
questions, and beware of falling into your
own faulty assumptions or experiences.
Rely on your common sense; because it
might not be as common as you think. Be
encouraged by the fact that you can count
on logic and reason rather than memorized
content. The math on the GMAT is limited
to the high-school level, and quantitative
problems are primarily about how you
apply the GMAT’s foundational common-
sense principles.
GMAT myth #3: You should focus
on getting the specifics right
Although it’s important to answer as
many questions correctly as possible, you
should never forget the broader context
of the exam (and the GMAT actually
gives heavier penalties for unanswered
questions than for incorrect answers).
Managing your time to make sure you
complete all GMAT questions and sections
is a favorable strategy in itself - don’t
miss out on any opportunity to answer a
question, even if you have to guess.
Difficult questions do carry more weight
than easier questions, but spending too
much time on a challenging problem may
ultimately cost you more points than
timely answers to three easier questions.
The bigger picture is the highest score you
can achieve, and speed is just as important
as accuracy.
GMAT myth #4: A month is enough
to prepare for the GMAT
Procrastination is never helpful. The more
you delay studying at a consistent pace,
the more likely it is to hurt you. At least
two to three months of full concentration
are necessary in order to see substantial
score improvements.
The GMAT is a skills test, and skill
development takes time. A window of
one month is quite simply insufficient.
Test takers who score 700 or above often
commit to 200 hours of work, rationed
over four to six months. You may find
it tedious to plan that far ahead, but the
GMAT is too important to your business
school application to give anything less
than full effort.
GMAT myth #5: Practice the
hardest questions; disregard
everything else
If you haven’t exercised for a while and
you want to get back into shape, you
wouldn’t try to run a marathon right away.
The same concept applies to GMAT prep.
Assess your current level of stamina
and aim for something slightly higher.
Large score increases result from several
small gains. The hardest questions are
often outliers, and there’s a good chance
that you will get some of these wrong
no matter how rigorously you prepare.
The best preparation approach is to
incrementally increase the difficulty
level by working on questions that are
slightly above your current capability.
Spending too much time on the toughest
questions might not be all that helpful,
as this strategy can take time away from
the less-challenging majority of GMAT
questions. Find the areas where you
are inconsistent and work on building
those skills. Gradually increase the level
of difficulty, making sure to do so by
manageable amounts.
GMAT myth #6: Low GMAT scores
hurt even if you achieve higher
scores on other test attempts
Top business schools focus on an
applicant’s highest GMAT score, not
the averages (they will usually ask a
prospective student which GMAT scores
he or she wants considered). Even if you
take the test again and score lower, this is
generally not a problem. Don’t view a low
GMAT score as the final verdict on your
GMAT performance; see it as a starting
point for score improvements.
Some top business schools might
actually question your ambition if you
only take the test once, and it’s common
for people to take the GMAT up to three
times. If your application is accepted,
your highest score will be incorporated
into the class average, and this is the
data that schools report publically.
Consider your highest GMAT score as a
true reflection of your talent and abilities
and view lower-scoring test attempts as
mere steps to that goal.
GMAT myth #7: If you see an
easy question on the GMAT, it
means you answered the previous
question wrong
Everyone who takes the GMAT knows
that the difficulty level of verbal and
quantitative problems is determined by
your answers to the previous questions,
but you shouldn’t concern yourself with
this while taking the test. You need to
focus on answering the question in front
of you correctly, and your answers to
previous questions are now irrelevant
to that task. Remind yourself that the
GMAT is sophisticated enough to reveal
your true score level at the end. The test
also includes experimental questions for
research purposes, which may account
for up to 25% of the total. You therefore
shouldn’t assume that you missed a prior
question just because the next question is
easier. Furthermore, the concepts of ‘easy’
and ‘difficult’ are subjective and variable
(what’s easy for you may be inordinately
difficult for someone else). Carry on and
stay on track.
Take your GMAT preparation as a
challenge and an inspiration
As stressful as the GMAT is, you can
manage and reduce anxiety if you take
your GMAT preparation as a challenge
and an inspiration. Your GMAT score can
enhance your career even after you’ve
graduated from business school. The
GMAT measures a number of skills with
a high degree of relevance in the business
world, such as how well you perform
under time constraints and how well you
infer the information most important to
problem solving. Top business schools
rely on the GMAT to measure analytical
and reasoning skills, and this is ultimately
because these skills are essential for life
after business school.
Dr Joern Meissner is the founder of
Manhattan Review, providers of Manhattan
Review GMAT Prep.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 61
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Admissions Advice
Beat the GMAT with
QS LEAP
QS LEAP aims to change GMAT preparation forever by moving towards a synchronous
online learning environment.
By Soumik Ganguly
Online test prep has traditionally
focused on isolated personal learning,
via asynchronous learning mechanisms.
This focus has meant that global test prep
products have had a somewhat limited
scope, as these are learning methods
that generally require application over a
prolonged period of time. But, this means
there’s space for disruption from a larger
and hybrid design framework – and
that’s where QS LEAP, our free test prep
platform, comes into the equation.
Learning can take place in two ways
– synchronous and asynchronous.
At school, we engage in synchronous
learning, a learning environment where
everyone participates at the same time.
Asynchronous learning takes place in
isolation, at a pace and over a timescale
largely determined by the learner (though
there may be an upper limit). A distance
learning program is a good example.
When preparing for a test like the
GMAT, candidates are largely limited to
asynchronous learning platforms and
resources. Most of these are designed
around the idea that people learn in a
linear way. However, neither learning nor
the GMAT are linear, therefore there is
plenty of scope for something better.
That something better is QS LEAP. How
does it work? Well, this is what it offers:
• Guided and adaptive test prep and
learning modules, which are linked to a
customized personal study schedule
• Access to the preparation progress of
other candidates from across the globe,
on a real-time basis
• Access to GMAT prep experts
• Feedback and advice from other
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QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 63
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64 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

Admissions Advice
Three Tips to Improve Your
MBA Application After
Submission
Worried that your MBA application wasn’t up to the required standards? These three tips
can help improve your application even after it’s been submitted.
By Rich Cohen
Once an MBA application deadline has
passed, many business school applicants
will be anxiously waiting to hear whether
they’ve been accepted, waitlisted or
rejected. Most people would believe that
their part in the process is now over and
that everything now rests in the hands of
the various MBA admissions committees in
question. However, considering the highly
competitive nature of the application
process at most schools, and the length
of time that it takes to review all of the
applications that are received, you might
actually be able to improve your ‘standing’
and the strength of your application even
after you’ve already sent it in.
1. Boost your GMAT scores if they
are low
First, it’s never too late to retake the
GMAT. As long as your application is in
on time, most schools will accept ‘updated
information’ that is relevant to the
admissions process – and that includes a
more recent (and hopefully better) GMAT
score. The GMAT is one of the few pieces
of the MBA application that you have the
potential to improve relatively quickly.
Under GMAC’s current retesting policy, test
takers can now retake the GMAT 16 days
after a prior attempt - just keep in mind that
you’re allowed a maximum of five attempts
in a 12-month period, though. Assuming
that you have not used all of your attempts
up, you have the opportunity to take
the GMAT at least once more before the
MBA admissions committee will be done
reviewing all of the applications received.
If you have a clear sense of the areas that
you need to work on, investing in some
new practice materials and putting in some
extra study time could help you to replace
a competitive GMAT score with a fantastic
GMAT score.
2. Request an interview if it isn’t
offered
Second, you have to remember that MBA
admissions committees look for strong
overall applicants who also have a strong
desire to attend that specific school.
An interview is a standard part of the
application process at certain schools, but
not at all of them. By simply requesting an
interview (and then ‘nailing it’ if you are
granted one), you have the opportunity to
prove how interested you are in attending.
Most applicants will just send in the MBA
application, so going those extra couple
of steps to stand out has the potential to
significantly improve your chances at
getting an invite.
3. Update schools with any new
accomplishments
Third, if you achieve any sort of
noteworthy accomplishments in the time
after you’ve sent in your MBA application,
then you should absolutely communicate
that information to the schools to which
you’ve applied. If you’ve earned a
promotion, finished a significant project
or received an award, then that additional
recognition can help to solidify how
fantastic an applicant you are. In the event
that you do have something noteworthy
to report, you should contact each school’s
MBA admissions department to find out
how best to forward that information. Be
mindful to respect the ‘process’ though –
schools will almost certainly want to know
your updated information, but you have to
make sure not to come across as pushy or
bothersome about it. Be professional in the
information that you provide and in how
you provide it.
Rich Cohen is the cofounder of
EMPOWERgmat, an immersive on-demand
GMAT course system.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 65
QS Research

The QS Global 250

Business Schools Report
2017
An introduction to QS’s latest guide to the world’s leading business schools for full-time
MBA study.
By Tim Dhoul

Based on the responses of 12,125 MBA

employers and 8,376 academics in the
fields of business and management, the
QS Global 250 Business Schools Report
2017 aims to identify the 250 institutions
at which you’ll find the world’s best full-
time MBA programs.

Business schools featured in the report

can be found in all major regions of
the world and in 36 different countries,
highlighting the number of options at
the disposal of any prospective MBA
student, no matter where in the world
they are currently based. The image
below shows the spread of business
schools featured in the report, by region.

66 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

 100

90

80
Top-Tier Employability Global Elite
70 Quadrant Quadrant

60
Employer Score

50

40

30
Superior Top-Tier Research
Quadrant Quadrant
20

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Academic Score

Assessing the world’s top full-time
MBA programs
Business schools offering full-time MBA
programs are included in the report on the
strength of their international reputations
across two indicators - employability and
research excellence. These are two critical
points of consideration for any prospective
MBA student conducting their due
diligence when researching schools and
programs of interest.
top quadrant category, the Global Elite
Quadrant. Almost half of these are
based in North America and a third
can be found in Europe, as one might
expect. However, 15% of the Global
Elite are located outside of these
regions, showcasing the qualification’s
development outside its two most
established heartlands.
in which schools with stronger global
reputations for academic excellence than
for employability are placed, showcase
the academic esteem in which many of
Asia-Pacific’s top business schools are
held.

However, a school with a strong

international reputation in employability
won’t necessarily enjoy the same academic
standing, and vice versa. For this reason,
the QS Global 250 Business Schools Report
2017 presents its findings in an innovative
new format. In this, each institution holds a
position in one of four quadrant categories
(depicted above), based on the individual
scores for employability and research
excellence they attain. In addition, and
as is traditional to the QS Global Business
Schools Reports of years past, institutions are
compared against those which operate in
the same regional context. The Top-Tier Employability Quadrant
is where schools with stronger global
Highlights from the Global 250 reputations for employability than for
quadrants landscape The Top-Tier Research Quadrant, research excellence are positioned. In this
meanwhile, is dominated by business quadrant, we find a heavy concentration
There are 45 business schools around schools based in one region – Asia- of schools based in North America, with
the world which feature in the report’s Pacific. The results for this quadrant, many of the remainder to be found in

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 67

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QS Research

Europe. These are the two regions in which

the MBA employment market is perhaps
best established and, therefore, it’s no
real surprise to find a higher number of
employability ‘specialists’ here.

Business schools whose scores denote

solid reputations for both employability
and research excellence without hitting
the top-tier threshold scores in either
reputational aspect are in the Superior
Quadrant. It is here that a 62% majority of
all 250 schools in the report feature.

The question now is which individual

business schools place in which quadrant
for the strength of their full-time MBA
programs? To find out, and to learn more
about the report’s methodology, you can
download a free copy of the report at
www.topmba.com/QSG250.

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 69

QS Research

The QS TopMBA.com Jobs

& Salary Trends Report
2016/17
The global outlook provided by QS’s latest report into post-MBA job opportunities and salary
levels highlights the resilience of the qualification when it comes to employment prospects.
By Tim Dhoul

Each year, the finest minds in the QS

Intelligence Unit together with lowly
wordsmiths from TopMBA.com turn their
collective analytical gaze to the state of
the global employment market for MBA
graduates. In the resulting report, there’s
a look at changes to the number of the
positions on offer to MBAs in every
region of the world and the type of MBA
salary levels one might expect to look
forward to on successful completion of the
qualification.

Basing its findings on the responses of

4,093 companies that actively hire MBAs
across 102 countries, the QS TopMBA.
com Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2016/17
finds that post-MBA job opportunities
available to graduates across the world
rose by 13% between 2015 and 2016. This
is not far short of the long-term average
of 15% growth seen in QS’s reports since
1990 and is almost identical to the 14%
figure recorded in its 2015/16 edition.
Above all, during what are uncertain
times in many parts of the world, this
continued growth highlights the resilience
of the qualification when it comes to the
employment prospects it can provide.

Where have MBA employment

prospects received the biggest boost?

Central to the positive global picture in

this year’s report has been the rise in MBA
job opportunities across North America,
Asia-Pacific and Latin America – regions
which remain home to the three biggest
markets for MBAs; namely, the US, India
and Brazil.

While North America looks to have built

firmly on the foundations of the recovery

70 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

it witnessed last year, Latin America’s
ascent follows a difficult year. In particular,
we have seen a renewed zeal for hiring
from employers in Brazil as the country
prepared for, and hosted, the Summer
Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, drawing the
world’s attention along the way. Asia-
Pacific, meanwhile, continues to defy
predictions of a slowdown to its capacity
to provide an increasing array of MBA job
opportunities. China and India underpin
a significant share of Asia-Pacific’s recent
growth in this respect, but employment
prospects for MBAs are also on the rise in
less heralded markets for graduates, such
as Pakistan and Malaysia.
The scene in Europe is more mixed.
Growth in Western Europe has been
modest, yet has managed to outstrip
predictions made in 2015. Eastern Europe,
led by Russia, has had a much better year
of growth but one which, conversely,
doesn’t quite fulfil last year’s high
expectations. The Middle East & Africa,
meanwhile, strikes perhaps the report’s
only truly negative note, with extremely
sluggish growth. Difficult years for
recruiters in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
have been most keenly felt here. At this
juncture, it’s worth considering the extent
to which difficulties afflicting the MBA
hiring market in parts of Western Europe
and the Middle East & Africa can be
traced to their geopolitical context and the
varying degrees of economic uncertainty
that has come with developments in each
of these regions.
Aside from Western Europe and the
Middle East & Africa, the rise of MBA
demand around the world over this past
year has been relatively consistent –
growth figures waver by no more than five
percentage points from the global average
in both mature and emerging markets. This
showcases the qualification’s continuing
appeal among employers, no matter where
in the world you find yourself.
Technology offers consistency in
year-on-year growth of MBA job
opportunities
Globally, it is the finance industry which
supplies the largest number of post-MBA
job opportunities. However, employer
respondents to this report indicate that
there has been a greater rise to the number
of opportunities in the consulting and
technology sectors, the latter of which has,
in fact, seen the most consistent year-on-
year growth figures over the past three
years.
Are MBA salary levels on the rise?
As well as asking MBA employers how
many graduates they have hired over
the past year (and their hiring intentions
for the year ahead) QS also asks what
they pay. From their responses, we can
glean that while MBA salary levels have
remained largely consistent in the most
mature markets of North America and
Europe, there have been notable rises
across those that are less established –
particularly in Latin America.
For a look at which countries paid out the
highest MBA salary levels across 2015/16,
as well as more detailed breakdowns of
changes to the employment prospects for
MBA graduates in regions of interest to
you, please download the report in full
and for free at www.TopMBA.com/JS2016.
Within its pages, you’ll also find some
insights into the skills that employers value
highest and the number of years’ work
experience they seek in their MBA hires.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 71
QS Scholarship Winners
Seeing and Seizing
Opportunity
Sivaranjani Kumar, MBA student at HEC Montréal and a QS Community Scholarship winner
in 2016, discusses the value of contravening India’s widely held career-goal clichés.
By Karen Turtle
A famous, and loosely quoted saying
often attributed to Seneca is that ‘Luck
is what happens when preparation meets
opportunity.’ Sivaranjani Kumar, one of
2016’s QS Community Scholarship winners
and a full-time MBA student at HEC
Montréal is living proof of this maxim;
young, pragmatic, driven and navigating
opportunity and challenges with eyes wide
open.
Originally based in India, Kumar, like
many of her counterparts saw that the
information technology (IT) sector would
be a largely failsafe field in which to work
- India is the world’s largest sourcing
destination for this sector with market
growth in IT and ITES (information
technology enabled service) predicted
to grow exponentially over the next
10 years.1 A bilingual speaker of Tamil
and Hindi, Kumar had worked on her
English language skills to get a position
at Cognizant Technology Solutions, a
company originally founded in Chennai
72 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
which has expanded to 30 offices globally. high and the pace of assignments more
Research and preparedness are key themes akin to that of a sprint. In view of her next
that surfaced in my questions to Kumar career aspiration – to scale the ranks and
and it was her finely tuned awareness of work in management and consulting – she
market demands and of her own goals that describes her MBA experience as, “the
enabled her to build and tailor what she best simulation of a real-world consulting
calls, “a strong profile.” With four years
of working as a programmer analyst and
associate, learning and assimilating the
wizardry of technology, Kumar saw that
she had accumulated the crucial number
of years’ work experience to aim for her
next goal, an MBA program at a reputed,
international university. She states that,
“it was neither too early for me to get into
a business school (without some real-life
work experience), nor was I too far into
the (work) comfort zone.”
‘Timing’ is a word that resonates in
Kumar’s interview - she is strategic with
her planning. To make her international
MBA goal a reality, this QS Community
Scholarship winner did her research. She
read up on business schools online, she
investigated the various ways in which
she could get funding and she met with
schools at events such as the QS World
MBA Tour. Her chats with admissions
directors allowed her to see what she could
expect from schools, but also enabled her
to further design and ‘shape’ the strong
profile she knew top business schools
would expect from her. Kumar’s hard graft
paid off when she won admission to the
MBA program at HEC Montréal. She then
applied for the QS Community Scholarship
and won this too.
MBA program offers “best
simulation” of business realities
Now brushing up on her fourth language
(French) and living over 8,000 miles from
home, Kumar is fully immersed in her new
Canadian life. The MBA program is no
walk in the park, with the volume of work Montréal, Canada
environment.” On completing her MBA
program, Kumar plans to use her neat
accrual of skills internationally, integrating
frequent travel with her love of working
with people.
Scholarship win stemmed from
desire to highlight that career
options aren’t limited
Kumar’s QS Community Scholarship
win was a result earned by the clearly
articulated account of her work with
young high school students in Chennai,
India. Kumar had recognized that she had
been fortunate enough to have had clear
guidance and support growing up, and
that not everyone enjoys the same luck.
In India, Kumar says, “most people only
know of two career options; one is being
a doctor, and the other, being an engineer.
The general opinion is that these are the
only successful fields. This idea has to be
broken.”
With the goal of contravening this broadly
held cliché, Kumar began to research a
range of work opportunities, training
programs and funding options available
to young students upon graduating
high school. Jobs she found included the
multifarious channels into healthcare,
teaching and banking. In collaboration
with the corporate responsibility team
at Cognizant Technology Solutions, she
set about devising a four-step career
preparation program. She introduced this
four-week program at a local government
high school with positive results. “At that
time, I was fresh from college and I was
very excited about my new job. I wanted
these kids to experience the same feelings
I had,” she says. Kumar worked with 25
underprivileged teenagers, tailoring her
coaching to the ambitions of each one.
“By the end of the four weeks, most of the
kids knew what to do after high school,”
she says, before adding that, for her, this
project represented one small step towards
an objective she holds close to heart - a
more diversely educated Indian society.
Kumar plans to continue doing community
work throughout her career, believing
that giving time, even if it’s as little as
four hours a month, is significantly more
valuable than simply donating money
to good causes. The QS Scholarship
committee, meanwhile, was impressed by
Kumar’s mature insight, by her vision to
promote opportunity for others, and by the
fact that she, a role model, practices what
she preaches - pragmatically seeing, and
seizing opportunities for herself.
1. http://www.ibef.org/industry/information-technology-
india.aspx
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 73
QS Scholarship Winners
A Momentous
International Move
2016’s QS ESMT Diversity Scholarship winner, Zenko Kawabata, shares his not-so-typical
career trajectory and his hopes for post-MBA career success.
By Visnja Milidragovic
Hailing from Osaka, Japan, Zenko
Kawabata has traversed continents to
gain international experience in pursuit
of a career in engineering, but has also
dug deep after what many would call a
turbulent start and clear departure from
more typical career paths. At the end of
last year, Zenko also became the recipient
of the QS ESMT Diversity Scholarship,
valued at US$10,000 (US$13,000 in 2017).
Zenko describes his early start in higher
education as quite representative of how
Japanese students often approach their
future beyond high school: Zealously
– and somewhat blindly - studying for
university entrance exams in pursuit
of a coveted spot at one of Japan’s top
institutes. “Everyone is going crazy about
it, so much so that some people start from
as young as seven or eight years old, as if
that is the most important thing in their
lives,” he explains. Even so, Zenko did
well enough to secure a place at Waseda
University, one of the country’s most
74 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
prestigious institutions, where he pursued before eventually moving to Europe, five
a bachelor’s degree in business. However, years ago. “It was the best field of study
a year into his studies, “this ordinary path,” for me to learn the ins and outs of how
as Zenko describes it, ended when he things work,” he says, “and it gives me the
dropped out. opportunity to find a job anywhere in the
world.”
“Dropping out of college in Japan is
considered losing one’s mind,” he divulges. Zenko now lives in Langen, Germany,
However, Zenko’s heart was not set on where he most recently worked for NMB-
this course and looking back, he’s glad he Minebea-GmbH (Minebea) a Japanese-
didn’t delay abandoning a path that didn’t owned metal processing company, as
inspire him to learn and grow simply an application engineer in its aerospace
because of the status quo. After leaving department designing airplane parts. And
Waseda, he was criticized and labelled a how did he land such a role? “Because I was
‘NEET’ (Not in Education, Employment, or
Training), much to his dismay. However,
the time off proved worthwhile for self-
discovery and his fervor for academia soon
returned. This time he felt driven, not by
societal expectations and pressures, but by
genuine aspirations and personal values.
“This period of time made me realize what
is important to me - family, education,
friends and daily interactions. They all
existed in my life previously, but I had not
paid attention to them.” Sounds simple, but
now it was time to get to work.
Starting anew with an
international move…to the US
Zenko’s first instinct was to go back to
school. “As I started my life over again, I
wanted something new and challenging to
get back what I had missed during those
past years.” This time, however, he set
his sights even higher - or rather, farther
– and applied to study internationally,
opting for the appealing location of the
University of Washington.
“Seattle is a city with lots of things going
on and a unique culture that accepts
diversity, and yet is still affordable to live.
Also, it is not so far away from Japan.”
He completed bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in mechanical engineering there,
in graduate school, I could apply for and
get a research internship position (German
Academic Exchange Service or DAAD) in
Germany, and because I had a master’s in
science/engineering, I could secure the job
and get permanent residency in Germany
in only three years,” he explains modestly,
considering the level of prudence and
dedication required for such long-term
foresight and career planning.
Taking flight with an MBA in
Germany
Zenko’s career in aviation engineering has
long taken flight since his slow start back
in his undergraduate years. Now, he hopes
that an MBA, another cog in his master
plan, will give him even more momentum.
Working with different nationalities
in his work and study has seen Zenko
truly embrace the value of diversity,
which ought to position him well to deal
with the opportunities and challenges
that can arise in an international post-
MBA career. One of his major career
accomplishments to date is a testament
to this and indeed, is what saw him win
the QS ESMT Diversity Scholarship. In
his role with Minebea, he was tasked
with the opportunity to develop a
new business which was designed to
break the US’s long-held monopoly
in the Russian civil aircraft market - a
challenging environment considering
Japan’s complicated history with Russia.
“Together with my team, we embarked
on a long and difficult journey to gain the
trust of Russian customers,” Zenko says
about a project which eventually led the
way for the Japanese multinational to
successfully enter the Russian market on
the basis of strong teamwork and careful
communication with a divisive group of
stakeholders.
The experience is one that has added
greatly to Zenko’s understanding of the
realities of working in an international
context. “Some countries, like Russia or
China, have their own ways of managing
and I feel that it is sometimes not easy
to change their business structures to
improve international business dealings,”
he explains. “But I’m optimistic on this
point. Today’s global economy prefers
better management, no matter what.” An
MBA, he claims, “is the key to enabling
this global trend.”
Zenko also hopes that an MBA and what
comes thereafter will better prepare him
to run his own company. Indeed, in five
years, he plans to return to Japan to run
his family business, which specializes
in supplying temporary housing in
emergency situations, such as earthquakes.
Towards this end, he wants to build on
skills in three focus areas while at ESMT
Berlin: Leadership, financial analysis, and
sustainable business development. In the
short term, he hopes to apply these skills
in a post-MBA consulting role, from where
he intends to build out his experience and
further set his career in motion.
In explaining why he chose ESMT Berlin
for his MBA – apart from commonly cited
reasons like location and reputation - Zenko
has an unconventional, yet thoughtful, take
once more: Choosing it on the basis that,
compared to the oldest and most prestigious
institutions in the US, it is a lesser-known
business school. “I like the feeling of not
just being a part of the tradition of a famous
school with a long history, but of growing
and making history together.” Being the
driven individual that he is, Zenko is sure to
follow through on what, thus far, has been a
carefully engineered career plan.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 75
QS Scholarship Winners
Career Success and Giving
Can Work in Tandem
Carlos Gomez, IE Business School MBA candidate and winner of a QS Community
Scholarship in 2016, demonstrates how giving back can propel your career forward.
By Karen Turtle
Meaning, impact, results – the full
significance of these words, drawn from
the concluding statement of Carlos
Gomez’s QS Community Scholarship
application had threaded their way
through the preceding text, painting the
story of a career that has been guided by a
drive to live purposefully.
Gomez grew up in Mexico, a country
where just over 52% of the population
lives below the poverty line.1 Unraveling
the causes of the nation’s economic
trials is a labyrinthine journey through
often conflicting data. However one
force striving for good is Mexico’s long-
established mandatory service requirement
for students enrolled in higher education.
The goal of this government program is to
build awareness of the economic and social
issues facing Mexico and to encourage
budding professionals to incorporate
social responsibility into their working
lives. It was this government program
that successfully kick-started Gomez’s
76 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
involvement in socially responsible and responsibility a consideration at every
environmental enterprises, beginning with point in his career. While employed as a
the protection of coral reefs. Since then, financial services and promotions analyst
he has been spurred on to other social for Best Buy, for example, Gomez also
projects which he continues to incorporate volunteered for the company’s brigade
into his calendar despite the hectic nature
of his MBA study schedule at IE Business
School.
A career in marketing launches
alongside a dedication to good
works
A coral reef project took Gomez from his
university studies in marketing in the
bustle of Mexico City to the idyllic white-
sand setting of Akumal on the Yucatán
Peninsula. To combat potentially dire
consequences for the reef and ecosystem,
which would have a knock-on effect on
the tourist industry and therefore on
the income of local people, Gomez ran a
campaign to get the local community to
use septic tanks to filter their water. “It
was a two-month, intensive project during
the summer of 2009, in which I had to
develop a marketing plan to discourage
people from polluting the water of the
subterranean rivers that ran through
Akumal Bay,” Gomez explains.
Gomez was, in some ways, an opportunist.
By utilizing the marketing skills he had
been taught at university and putting
them towards a good cause, he created an
excellent marketing case to put forward
to 20th Century Fox, where he was soon
hired as a marketing intern. In the six
years that followed graduation, Gomez
steadily grew his expertise in strategic
planning, marketing and communications,
and adapted these skills – post 20th
Century Fox – to the requirements of the
finance and wealth management sector.
Through every juncture and transition of
his career, there was a cause that Gomez
supported on the side, making social Akumal Bay
to support emergency cases such as
earthquakes and fires. He also led Best
Buy’s employment satisfaction committee,
about which he says, “I was able to
combine my professional work with my
social commitment to Mexico and the
company...I executed monthly integration
dynamics, recognition awards between
areas and co-workers, and an action plan
so every employee could carry out their
desired career and development plan.”
While still a financial services analyst,
Gomez added Fundación México Vivo to
his list of causes, helping the charity fund
projects that support people with AIDS
and other STIs.2 He carried this charity
work to his next position at American
Express where he chose, alongside his
new director, to again work towards
promoting employee satisfaction within
the company. With a healthy six years
of work experience now under his belt,
Gomez applied and got accepted into the
MBA program at IE Business School in
Spain, opting for a specialization in market
research and consumer behavior. Now
living in Madrid and over 9,000 km from
home, Gomez continues his work with
charities alongside his studies and is also,
perhaps unsurprisingly, an ambassador for
his MBA class.
Leaders should complement
professional life with social impact
Gomez sums up his experience to date
with the following; “I think that we always
have to complement our professional life
with social impact. From my perspective,
future leaders have not only to focus on
being successful, but also on changing how
the world works. Giving something back
to society can open our eyes to what’s
going on and to the fact that people have
different needs. Understanding that we
are all different but that we each need to
share the same space and work together is
elemental.”
Gomez, one of 2016’s QS Community
Scholarship winners and a student at IE
Business School reports a successful career
in large part due to his choice to embrace
the ethics of social responsibility alongside
a dedication to formal career progression.
Meaning, impact, results; three words
Gomez embraces, and three words that can
arguably help pave future triumphs.
1. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-
factbook/fields/2046.html
2. http://mexicovivo.org/new/
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 77
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MBA Recruitment: Career Insights
The MBA Recruitment
Landscape: Canada
How does Canada’s MBA job market differ from that of other countries? Learn about the
work visa system, regional differences and employment trends.
By Nicole Willson
Post-MBA jobs in Canada are similar
to other countries when it comes to the
types of roles on offer, but there are some
differences. For example, the Canadian job
market is smaller than the US job market.
Work visas, which can allow international
students to stay in the country for three
years following graduation, are another
important difference. To learn more about
MBA recruitment in Canada, from the
overall landscape to regional differences
and employment trends, TopMBA.com
spoke to career services directors from
UBC Sauder, Ivey Business School and the
Rotman School of Management.
Distinct characteristics of Canada’s
job market
“I’d say in that terms of the MBA jobs,
it’s not that much different than any of
the other markets. All of the typical MBA
jobs in terms of consulting and finance are
here,” states Martina Valkovicova, assistant
dean at UBC Sauder School of Business’
careers center.
While this means that all the traditional
big players in MBA hiring will be in
evidence, there may be slightly fewer
positions on offer, when compared to
those available in the US. “In terms
of generalities, the headline would be
‘Canada’s a smaller market’. So, the typical
MBA hiring organizations that have global
recruiting periods are picking up smaller
amounts of students than they would from
the US,” states Sharon Irwin-Foulon, career
management director at Ivey Business
School.
Indeed, one thing that distinguishes
the Canadian job market from other
markets is its prominence of SMEs
(small and medium-sized enterprises).
Canadian companies tend to be on the
smaller side. According to the Business
80 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Development Bank of Canada, 90% of its
exporting companies have fewer than
100 employees.1 Out of Canada’s 1.1
million SMEs, only 1.6% are medium-sized
businesses and over half (55%) of SMEs in
Canada have fewer than four employees.
Work visas and employment
prospects for international
students
Another difference is the type of work
visas available to MBA students. “The
major differentiator for Canada is the
unique progressive immigration and
employment visa. I think Canada has
a really good system for international
students, whereby they can get a work visa
much easier here than in other countries.
I think that’s a contributing factor as to
why so much good talent wants to do their
MBA in Canada,” states Valkovicova.
MBA students can get a work visa that
lasts up to three years after graduation
and, in some cases, international students
are able to become permanent residents.
“The three-year work permit puts many
of our students on the path to permanent
residency in Canada,” states Erin Miller,
careers director at the Rotman School
of Management, adding that, “being an
international student is not a barrier for
employment in Canada.” Indeed, there
is a relatively equal split of placements
for international and domestic students,
according to Miller.
It’s a similar situation at Sauder where
Valkovicova says she doesn’t see a huge
difference in hiring between international
and domestic students. Use of career
services plays a big role in student success,
however. “All of the Canadian MBA
programs place a big emphasis on career
services. The career services for MBA
programs are usually top notch. Every
MBA gets their own coach. As long as
international students use the services and
everything that’s being provided for them,
I don’t see any reason why they shouldn’t
land a job,” she states. Participating in
MBA internships also helps international
students find post-MBA work as many
interns will ultimately be offered full-time
positions.
The chances of international students
landing a post-MBA job in Canada also
depend on the school they attend. As at
Rotman and Sauder, Ivey’s international
students land jobs at close to the same
rate as their domestic counterparts.
However, Irwin-Foulon attributes this
fact to the quality of talent represented
in Ivey’s graduating classes as opposed
to the Canadian MBA job market in
general. “We’re a small program. We’re
pretty choosy on our international
candidates. As much as international
candidates say, ‘I’m going back to my
home country’, we admit based on what
we believe a person’s marketability
and adaptability for this market is,” she
explains.
Sauder’s Valkovicova agrees that the
quality of the international candidate pool
is a, “big factor,” in recruitment, while
adding that, “all of the MBA programs
in Canada have really good, continuous
relationships with employers. A lot of the
companies come to recruit from specific
programs.”
MBA recruitment in Canada by
industry and location
When it comes to MBA jobs in Canada,
Miller says there are three key markets:
Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver. The
type of MBA job you get may vary
between these three cities and within the
provinces in which they are found.
Vancouver

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 81

MBA Recruitment: Career Insights
Toronto lies within Ontario, which is
known for finance jobs. Indeed, Toronto
itself is home to Canada’s largest
financial services sector with around
350,000 people employed by 12,000 firms,
according to an infographic produced by
innovation and networking hub, MaRS.2
The prominence of finance in Ontario is
also reflected by the number of Rotman
MBA graduates (the majority of whom
take jobs in the Toronto region) who land
roles in financial services – 41% among
its class of 2015, making it the leading
industry, according to the school’s
employment report. Finance was also the
top industry at Ivey (based in London,
Ontario) accounting for 37% of jobs
among its graduating class of 2015.
Canada’s financial services industry
has grown to encompass emerging
opportunities in fintech. “Our leading
financial services employers are making
significant inroads in the fintech space
and many of our students who were not
Toronto
82 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
previously interested in this industry are
turning to financial services as a result
of this disruption in the sector,” says the
Rotman School’s Miller.
In British Columbia, there may be fewer
fintech companies yet there are more
SMEs in general. “A lot of students
choose it (British Columbia (BC)) because
of the current economic growth. BC is
considered one of the provinces that will
lead economic growth for the next two
years in Canada,” states UBC Sauder’s
Valkovicova. Quality of life is another
reason MBAs want to work in BC, since
Vancouver tends to perform well in
rankings of the best cities in which to
live.
At Sauder, the top two industries for its
MBA class of 2015 were technology (19%)
and financial services (17%) but a variety
of industries are represented on the
whole.3 “One thing that attracts students
is the variety of jobs they can be placed
in. We are not too specific, but we do
place a lot of emphasis on innovation,”
states Valkovicova. Consumer products,
healthcare and consulting also placed
within the top five industries among
Sauder’s recent graduates.
That the Canadian job market and
therefore, MBA job recruitment in the
country, has its regional specificities
is something that can be overlooked
by prospective students. Irwin-Foulon
says that one of the most common
misconceptions Ivey students have is
thinking that they will find it just as
easy to get a job in an overseas city, such
as Paris. The reality is that recruiting
is regional to a large extent and that
organizations won’t often come to
campus posting job positions in different
continents. Those students set on working
outside of the region therefore need
a slightly different strategy, including
placing more emphasis on a networked
job search.
Growing interest in tech, but oil
and gas jobs are dwindling
As is the case for many of the world’s
leasing business schools, one of the biggest
trends Irwin-Foulon has seen at Ivey is
that more candidates are interested in
working in the technology industry. “The
candidate in Canada is becoming more
interested in technology, innovation and
disruption and the organizations are
slowly moving this way.” However, she
goes on to express her belief that Canada is
a more conservative market from both an
organizational and candidate perspective
in comparison to, say, the west coast of
the United States where there is more of a
startup mentality.
At the same time, however, Canadian MBA
employers are responding to candidates’
interest in innovation. Over the past three
years, recruiters coming to Ivey have
changed the way they brand themselves
during campus visits by changing their
messaging to MBA students. Irwin-Foulon
has observed that recruiters now place
more of an emphasis on how taking a job
at their company will allow MBAs to make
an impact and innovate. While Waterloo,
Ontario used to be considered Canada’s
tech hub, companies are starting to
branch out to other areas, such as Toronto
and Québec, and are starting to see the
benefits of recruiting MBA talent. Over
in BC, Valkovicova is also quick to cite
technology as one of the biggest changes
in the Canadian job market, saying that it
is now, “such a huge part of recruitment.”
Healthcare is another industry that is on
the rise. At Sauder, Valkovicova says there
has been a 26% increase in the number
of students taking healthcare jobs, at
places such as regional health authority,
Vancouver Coastal Health. She adds that
many of the MBA jobs in healthcare come
through governing bodies and this is a
point picked up on by Rotman’s Miller,
when she speaks of a growing, “demand
for MBA-level talent in government,
nonprofit and healthcare sectors.”
However, Miller says that demand for
advisory and consulting talent is also on
the rise, particularly among the so-called
‘Big Four’ firms.
On the flip side, fewer Canadian MBA
graduates are taking jobs in the energy
sector, a trend that we’ve also been seeing
in other parts of the world, including the
US. It seems the future for Canada’s MBA
jobs in energy could go either way at this
stage. While Irwin-Foulon says that some
Ivey students are actively using their
MBA as a means of transitioning out of
the energy industry, there are others who
believe that the oil and gas industry is
booming.
1. https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/business-strategy-
planning/manage-business/pages/10-things-didnt-know-
canadian-sme.aspx
2. https://www.marsdd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/
Ten-Surprising-Facts-about-Fintech-in-Canada.pdf
3. http://www.sauder.ubc.ca/~/media/43F6B0C647424993A
F74F32CA103E2FA.ashx
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 83
MBA Recruitment: Career Insights
The MBA Recruitment
Landscape: Dubai
What makes Dubai’s MBA job scene different? Careers directors from the region offer some
tips on how to navigate the city’s competitive employment market.
By Nicole Willson
Dubai is an attractive employment
destination for a number of reasons, such
as the type of work visas available to
international students and the opportunity
to earn tax-free income. At the same
time, however, Dubai is also home to a
very competitive job market in which
MBAs must communicate their value to
prospective employers clearly. To learn
more about MBA jobs in Dubai, TopMBA.
com spoke to career services directors for
the Dubai campuses of INSEAD and the SP
Jain School of Global Management.
How do MBAs fit into Dubai’s job
market?
Having an MBA does not guarantee
business school graduates a job, but it does
give them an edge in the Dubai job market.
“The level of competition in the job market
in Dubai is fierce so many organizations
advertise that an MBA is preferred for a
lot of roles,” states Henrik Jonson, head
of employer engagement and career
development at INSEAD’s campus in the
Middle East.
MBAs in Dubai compete with many other
skilled and experienced applicants, which
is why it’s important for them to be able
to communicate their value to prospective
employers. The Dubai job market is so
competitive that MBAs sometimes get
passed over for non-MBAs with more
experience. “Even though MBAs are a
strong addition to a candidate’s résumé,
sometimes companies may prefer
candidates with more relevant experience,
especially local experience,” reasons
Priscilla Ayub, senior executive of corporate
relations for the Middle East and Asia at SP
Jain School of Global Management.
Dubai-based MBA graduates from INSEAD
and SP Jain have taken jobs in a wide variety
of fields, from sales and marketing, business
84 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
development, supply chain management and
logistics, to IT and finance.
For INSEAD graduates, the most common
job roles to be found in Dubai’s corporate
sector are related to sales and marketing,
and business development. Of course,
the school also has graduates who land
consulting jobs in Dubai since, as Jonson
points out, consulting is, “one of the most
important sectors that requires an MBA
degree.” The most common job functions
for SP Jain graduates, meanwhile, are
found in the fields of logistics, marketing
and supply chain management, as well as
in consulting.
Hiring practices in Dubai and the
type of MBA jobs on offer
As is the case throughout much of the
world’s MBA recruitment landscape,
Dubai is seeing an increase in tech and
startup jobs. “There is an increased need
for fresher candidates. The digitization
of workplaces and businesses has also
led to companies looking for candidates
in technology and web-based roles,” says
Ayub.
One of the biggest changes Jonson has
seen in Dubai’s MBA job market is the
push towards specialists and away from
generalists. “As the Dubai economy has
grown, companies are now looking for
experts in specific functions and ideally
in the same sector rather than hiring
a generalist with transferable skills.
Companies are not willing to take the
risk and the cost if it does not work out
as planned,” he explains. Jonson also feels
that the concept of finding a ‘cultural fit’
has become more important among both
employers and job seekers in Dubai.
Over at SP Jain, Ayub has observed two
big changes in the types of applicants
that are preferred by Dubai’s employers.
First, there’s, “a conscious effort to look
at younger talent,” and this, she explains,
includes expatriates from a younger age
demographic than have previously been
targeted. Economic changes are one of the
principal reasons for this shift.
“While several companies are facing a
global pinch on their balance sheets,
this is also increasing the need to hire
younger talent even in traditional
industries where the preference has
always been on lateral hiring. Today,
a lot of companies are open to trying
out fresh MBA graduates as interns
initially and later, upon satisfactory
performance, converting them to a full-
time employee once hiring budgets are
approved.” Consequently, Ayub advises
MBAs to be open to the idea of interning
to demonstrate their skills and pave the
way to securing a full-time offer, while at
the same time getting acquainted with a
company’s suitability for their individual
aims and interests.
Tax-free income and other reasons
to choose Dubai
While Dubai has a reputation for luxury
and a high standard of living, not all of
its MBA jobs are well paid - at least, not
right away. “Companies will hire you
for what you ‘bring to the table’ and by
that I mean not only the MBA degree
that you have just earned, but also your
previous experience and track record of
performance. It could very well be that
you will have to work for one or two
years before you reach the salary you
expected after your MBA,” states Jonson.
He recommends that new hires have a
performance appraisal, after six months at
first, and then a year, in order to negotiate
their salary and, as appropriate, bonus
level.
However, one major benefit of working
in Dubai is the ability to earn tax-free
income. “Dubai will always be attractive
for being tax free,” states Jonson. “Tax-free
income is one of the main advantages the
UAE market has to offer,” agrees Ayub.
Quality of life is another reason MBAs
choose to live in Dubai. “Dubai is one
of the most luxurious cities to live in,
offering a high standard of living,” states
Ayub. In addition, Jonson points out that
many MBAs choose Dubai because of its
reputation as a safe place to live.
Job prospects and work visas for
international students
“Dubai is one of the most ideal locations
for international students to land MBA
jobs,” states Ayub. Why is this? For one,
the city is already home to a large number
of expatriates, who make up around 85%
of Dubai’s population as a whole.1 Ayub
says that companies are aware of Dubai’s
diverse makeup and take this into account
when setting their hiring requirements.
In addition, this is an environment that
can make life outside of work easier for
international graduates. “Because of the
multicultural population and culture, the
UAE is also easier to adapt to for people
from all countries,” says Ayub.
Another distinguishing feature of
Dubai’s job market is the type of work
visas available to international students
in the United Arab Emirates. “The UAE
government has done a fantastic job of
making it easy for companies to apply
for work permits and most of it can even
be done online,” states INSEAD’s Jonson.
By contrast, getting a US work visa
can be much more complicated, with
differing types of visas available and
difficulties often encountered in the
process of finding a sponsor. According
to Jonson, European work visas are also
becoming more difficult to obtain and he
believes that ‘Brexit’ may, in particular,
have an impact on the ease with which
expatriates can get jobs in London.
This, in turn, might add to the level of
competition seen in Dubai’s MBA job
market, in Jonson’s opinion.
At this point, it’s worth considering
whether international job applicants
who pursue their MBA in the UAE
find getting an MBA job in Dubai
easier than those who study the degree
in another country. While living in
your target market during an MBA
generally provides an advantage through
knowledge acquired during the program
and networking opportunities, the Dubai
job market is often highlighted for being
particularly relationship-driven. “People
often refer to it as ‘wasta’ – it is not
what you know, it is who you know, so
being able to spend a significant amount
of time networking will increase your
chances of being hired,” says Jonson.
Indeed, Ayub feels that local programs
give MBAs a better understanding of
Dubai’s job market, concluding that,
“when one undergoes a quality MBA
program, a major part of the learning
is to understand the topography of
business climate and practices in
the region. Projects undertaken and
interactions held with peer groups,
professors and industry mentors help
prepare the individual far better if they
are in sync with the job market here.”
1. http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/dubai-
population/
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 85
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your Potential

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MBA Recruitment: Career Insights
MBA Career Risks and
Startups
Working at a startup can be mortifying, but taking some post-MBA career risks can also be
hugely rewarding.
By Jaren Nichols
Potential hazards are going to come up
wherever you are at in your post-MBA
career. If you are currently thinking
about getting an MBA, you’re probably
already evaluating the upsides of
accelerated growth and a steeper career
trajectory against the costs of time,
money, and forgone opportunities of other
advancement tracks available to you.
However, make sure you also carve out
some time to evaluate the career risks
you’ll be exposed to once you graduate.
Employment opportunities that await
an MBA graduate on the other side of
business school can seem like a golden city
88 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
just around the proverbial river bend, but
don’t be blind to risks that are known to
MBA graduates who have been seasoned
by what post-MBA life has to offer.
Prior to selecting my golden city after
Harvard Business School (HBS), I was
very fortunate to have the opportunity to
work with some great companies in the
[San Francisco] Bay Area (Google, Nest
and Dropcam, to ‘namedrop’ a few), so
I have been able to see what it’s like to
work at large companies and it can be
really great, but it isn’t completely void
of career risk. At bigger companies, your
boss and your team play an oversized
role in whether you get company-wide
visibility and on a fast-tracked promotion
schedule.
Working for a small company certainly
has its own set of risks, but the balance
of those risks shift from being primarily
outside your control to inside your control.
Rick Ruback, an exceptional (and very
candid) HBS professor, spoke with me after
one lecture and highlighted this point:
MBA students overestimate the risk of
building a successful small company and
underestimate the risk of getting stuck in
middle management. I couldn’t agree more.
Small companies, by definition, have a
lower headcount so you can have a bigger
impact as an individual contributor.
Speaking specifically to startup life, I
can tell you that I wear a lot of hats.
At InsideSales.com [a tech-orientated
platform for sales acceleration], I focused
on one goal; now, I’m a team of one with
lots of goals, like increasing revenue,
modeling underwriting standards, and
guiding a maturing product through a
minefield of accounting compliance issues.
You are not just getting a lot more
experience in the same period of time.
You also have a lot more upside because
the company you work for is a big factor
in the trajectory of your success. At a
small company, all revenue growth can be
attributed to specific people and changes.
Companies with significant market share
don’t have room for that kind of growth
- vested options have almost a 0% chance
to become life-changing. Mediocrity at
scale is a much grimmer fate than failing
fast and taking all your education and
experience to the next opportunity. In
short, if you are confident that you have
the skills to deliver at the highest level, the
real MBA career risk is not working at a
growing startup.
Assuming that you’re sold on the potential
upsides of working at a startup, you are
still going to need to go into the interview
process with eyes wide open. Here are
some points to consider as an MBA who’s
trying to land a job at a promising new
startup:
1. Research the team: Pay special
attention to who is already on the team.
What are their backgrounds and how
did they end up working together? Does
anyone have an MBA or understand what
that education can bring to a company that
is looking to become more established?
2. Don’t take yourself too seriously:
Startups are going to be a little less formal
than your corporate interview process so
you should be ready to go with the flow. If
you did your homework on the team, your
small-talk game should be on point.
3. Signal an ability to get stuff done:
Great startups are full of really talented
people who are looking to add strong
contributors in areas that no one else on
the team has the time or ability to execute
well. By the time you leave that first
interview, it should be clear that the ‘M’ in
MBA stands for ‘master’, not ‘manage’.
As someone who now interviews potential
candidates at ZipBooks, a venture-backed
accounting software startup, I can tell you
that MBAs have a lot to offer startups.
ZipBooks is about as true a startup as you
get and, because of its size, each employee
has an outsized impact on the success of
the company. Having worked at many
different large companies, I can tell you
from personal experience that fixing
problems early and often before capital
investment and headcount start throwing
up institutional barriers is pretty satisfying
work. At ZipBooks, our career success is
tied tight to the company’s success; we like
being in control of where we’re going and
knowing that each team member plays a
critical role in getting us there.
So make your list, do your SWOT
analysis [a method by which strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats can
be evaluated], and pull apart the business
model of your prospective target. Hunt for
the obvious red flags that would put you
in a situation in which your MBA career
would be out of your control and then
put success in your own hands. Choose a
company that will highlight what you do
best and where doing your best will make
your company a success.
Jaren Nichols is a Harvard MBA who
currently works at ZipBooks, an accounting
software startup. His previous experience
includes Nest, Inside-Sales.com, Accenture
and Google.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 89
MBA Recruitment: Career Insights
The Benefits of Language
Skills for an International
MBA Career
Foreign language skills could be your ticket to an international career, as MBA employers
increasingly see themselves participating in a global market.
By Visnja Milidragovic
It has become a significant advantage in
business to speak more than one language,
as MBA employers find themselves
participating in an increasingly global
market that requires cross-cultural
understanding and communication
skills. In fact, QS’s annual surveys of
MBA employers show that international
awareness and language skills are among
the most-valued attributes sought among
those who hire MBAs. As such, it may be
advisable for MBA prospects, regardless
of which language(s) they have grown up
speaking, to consider an MBA experience
that will help them expand their language
skills. Bilingual candidates, on the
other hand, may want to seek out MBA
programs whose mandatory language
requirements they already meet, in order
to leverage this advantage in admissions -
and later, towards working in new markets
and building an international MBA career.
Start local and then use language
skills to expand your horizons
Whether it’s simply by immersing
yourself in a foreign culture, or through
taking an MBA program with mandatory
requirements to study a second (or even
third) language, pursuing an MBA in
a destination that will expose you to a
new language could be your ticket to
employment in a new market - or at least
one very important part.
Speaking the dominant language of
business in that new destination may not
simply be enough right out of the gate, of
course. Factors like visa restrictions and
local competition can limit MBAs with
no local experience post-graduation, or at
least make it more challenging to secure
90 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
work. However, expanding language skills
can form part of a longer-term career
strategy that increases your chances of
success in new markets. Managing director
of INSEAD’s MBA program, Minh Huy
Lai, advises students to follow, “a two-step
process,” whereby MBAs first leverage their
degree to secure a role with a multinational
company in their own home country, before
creating a career move to a new destination
within the same company and one for
which their language skills are sufficient.
“The benefits of developing language skills
during your MBA are delayed, but can pay
off in the long term,” Lai explains.
That second or third language may just be
the line on your résumé that enables you
to move to your target market. Employers
may consider language skills essential for
roles that involve cross-border operations
or other types of collaborative work
between the firm’s international offices,
clients and teams. Lai cites citizens of
India and Brazil as perfect examples of
candidates who can follow this route to
carve out successful careers in the US, or
other markets seen to be more competitive
for international students. This may work
particularly well when applying to firms
in destinations that frequently conduct
business with their home country, or for
multinational firms they already have
experience working for locally, says Lai.
UK and US employers need
more language skills to remain
competitive
From the employers’ perspective,
there are long-term benefits to hiring
multilingual employees – and this
includes MBA employers in the West.
Given the current market atmosphere
produced by the internationalization
of commerce across the world, one
language just doesn’t seem to cut it
for long-term, global-scale business
operations. In fact, a recent study of
UK-based business leaders, together with
a survey of US-based hiring managers,
shows that many companies are finding
it hard to operate globally because they
can’t find new staff with the requisite
language skills.1 “While English is
becoming the lingua franca worldwide,
the local languages and cultural styles
are continuing to dominate the world
of business,” explains Nitish Singh, a
professor at Saint Louis University, in
the foreword. Stressing the importance
of “cross-cultural competence”
(intercultural skills and language) for
competitive advantage in this global
networked economy, Singh adds that,
“companies need to become more adept
at localizing their communications and
offerings to meet diverse linguistic and
cultural expectations.”
Advice to MBAs: Expand language
skills to increase employability
Concerned with the needs of the UK
specifically, a 2013 British Council report,
Languages For the Future, identified a
clear language deficit in the UK when
considering factors such as trade, the
language needs of UK business, and
emerging, high-growth markets.2 The
report identified Spanish as the top
language of the future for the UK, as well.
There was also recognition for Mandarin
as the most widely spoken language in
the world, which coupled with the growth
of the Chinese economy (overtaking the
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 91
MBA Recruitment: Career Insights
US two years ago), has clear implications
on the movement of people, jobs, goods
and services.
While global trends might dictate which
languages are in higher need in the job
market, language study choice is often
guided more by a student’s own cultural
affinity and career plans, explains Lai.
With 53% of INSEAD’s recent MBA
graduates changing countries after
graduation, the school’s graduates seem set
on ensuring that there’s an international
focus to their careers.3 In describing which
third language INSEADers typically
choose to study, Lai points to a wide set:
Mandarin, French, German, Portuguese,
Spanish and Arabic. “Out of a class of
about 600 candidates, only five did not
fulfil the language requirement,” says
Lai. The fact that this has to be done in
addition to the core curriculum and in a
timeframe of 10 short months (the length
92 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
of the program), may indicate that cultural
affinity is a major factor – which, truth
be told, can also dictate the direction of
career plans. From an industry point of
view, some are more forgiving than others,
while finance and top-tier consulting firms
will almost certainly require local language
skills. “Private equity firms in China, for
example, prefer Chinese speakers,” Lai
says, adding that McKinsey and Bain
are the same – selecting candidates with
language skills apt for the location in
which they are based.
MBA foreign language study
opportunities: Where to study
One way to integrate language study
into your MBA is by choosing a program
that requires the learning of a new
foreign language to graduate. Most of
the world’s top business schools offer
MBA programs solely in the English
language. However, some programs have
higher prerequisites in the language
department, most notably in Europe
and China, as these destinations use
secondary languages such as Spanish,
French, and Mandarin more actively
when conducting local and international
business.
For example, international MBA students
enrolled at HEC Paris need to complete
French language courses as part of their
curriculum. Over in the UK, London
Business School (LBS), while requiring
no foreign language for admissions,
requires students to attain ‘level 2’
(limited working proficiency) on the ILR
(Interagency Language Roundtable) scale
in a second language in order to graduate.
INSEAD, which also teaches its MBA
exclusively in English, perhaps offers
the largest challenge - and opportunity
- for language advancement: It requires
practical knowledge of a second language
for admission as well as basic knowledge
of a third by the time students finish the
program.
MBA students wishing to develop
language skills on their own, may want to
consider other destinations that provide
the opportunity for language immersion.
For example, though EU Business
School requires only English-language
proficiency for its MBA programs, each
of its four campuses (Munich, Barcelona,
Geneva and Montreux) offers its own
distinct cultural environment. Similarly,
while IE Business School doesn’t require
Spanish fluency, it does offer an intensive
four-week language program for anyone
wishing to work on their language skills
prior to starting the program.
In China, although proficiency in
Mandarin is not an essential prerequisite
for entry into most MBA programs,
learning the local language is essential for
success in the program and for a career in
China (the reason many students pursue
study there to begin with). As such, it
is common for top business schools in
China to offer local language training
as part of the MBA experience. CEIBS,
for example, requires students with no
existing knowledge of Mandarin to attain
basic competency through a one-month
immersion course.
Some students may also want to consider
a dual degree through leading Western
institutions that will give them exposure
to both markets. For example, MIT
Sloan offers an MBA in conjunction
with Tsinghua University in Beijing,
Fudan University School of Management
in Shanghai and Lingnan University
in Guangzhou; Chicago Booth has
partnerships with HKUST and CUHK
among others; and ESADE offers a dual
MBA degree with Peking University’s
Guanghua School of Management in
Beijing.
The time seems ripe for MBAs to take
heed of the increasing need for foreign
language skills when searching for jobs
in specific markets – and those in the
UK and US, as we’ve seen, should not
be discounted from this. Studying in a
destination in which students are exposed
to new languages is one way of ensuring
they develop the kind of language skills
they may need to employ in the future to
make their career ambitions a reality.
1. http://www.conversis.com/ConversisGlobal/media/
ConversisMedical-Images/Conversis-Global-Talent-
Report-Download.pdf
2. https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/
languages-for-the-future-report.pdf
3. https://www.insead.edu/sites/default/files/assets/dept/
recruit/docs/mba_employment_statistics.pdf
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 93
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MBA Recruitment: Employer Profiles
MBA Employer Profile:
PwC’s Strategy&
PwC’s Strategy& campus recruiting lead, Seema Malveaux, discusses what the global
strategy consulting company looks for when hiring MBAs.
By Nicole Willson
PwC’s strategy consulting group,
Strategy&, was formed in April 2014
as a result of PricewaterhouseCoopers’
acquisition of Booz & Company. Its name
aims to reflect strategy’s significance to
the company’s brand and, indeed, the
ability to connect strategy to impact is
a central part of the company’s value
proposition, according to Strategy&
campus recruiting lead, Seema Malveaux.
In this interview, Malveaux discusses
what distinguishes PwC’s Strategy&
from other consulting firms, as well as
what the company looks for in its MBA
hires.
Why do MBAs want to work for
PwC’s Strategy&?
They come to be part of a pioneering
legacy. They come to work with the
brightest minds. They come to solve the
most challenging strategic problems in
business today. But mostly, they come
for the people. It’s a unique culture, full
of supportive and collaborative people.
If you want to work on real challenges
and deliver real impact, then PwC’s
Strategy& is for you.
What distinguishes PwC’s
Strategy& from other consulting
firms?
There are two things that differentiate
PwC’s Strategy& from other firms. First,
it has a unique value proposition that
connects strategy to impact. Being able
to collaborate with our clients, help them
define their identity and develop their
strategy, change their organization and
how they do business, and drive real
and meaningful change means we don’t
just work for our clients, we walk the
transformation path with them.
Second, and maybe it is a cliché but
96 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
it cannot be overstated: Our people.
Strategy& recruits highly qualified talent
in the marketplace and we also have
all the authentic, inclusive, collegial,
confident, curious and supportive people
that a consultant could ask to work with.
They are the type of people you want on
your team helping you tackle the tough
issues - regardless of where or when, such
as in the airport lounge when your flight
gets delayed. When you are working on
challenging projects, with challenging
timelines, you need to know that there
is a support network around you that
wants you to succeed. Strategy& brings
that to every individual who works here.
I have been in client service for nearly
17 years, seven of which have been with
Strategy& (formerly Booz & Company)
and my success has been inextricably
linked to the people who have worked
with me and supported me. I have stayed
with this company because I believe in the
leadership and coworkers who are invested
in my success and in whose success I am
invested.
Could you please describe the
Strategy& internship program?
What types of projects do MBAs
get to work on as part of the
internship?
The goal of our internship program is to
give our interns a feel for consulting at
PwC’s Strategy&. We put our interns on
client-facing projects and in roles they
would be performing if they were working
for us full time. Our MBA interns are put
into senior associate roles. We want them
to walk away with a feel for the team
atmosphere, working the hypothesis-
driven approach, conducting complex
analysis and modeling, defending the
analysis to partners as well as developing
recommendations, and writing and
presenting. We provide mid-term feedback
so they understand how they are doing
and where they can continue to develop,
as well as real-time feedback from
engagement managers and teammates to
help them correct their course and learn.
Of course, we also want them to have fun!
From team dinners to intern events, we
want them to get to know the people they
work with, as well as the other interns in
their office. This will give them a feel for
our culture and their fit. And it will show
them that consulting is about finding a
balance between work and fun.
What are common job roles for
MBAs at PwC’s Strategy&?
PwC’s Strategy& hires MBAs at the senior
associate level. They work closely with
clients and PwC’s Strategy& teams to
identify, clarify and resolve complex issues
critical to a client’s strategic and operating
success. Senior associates develop core
consulting skills, while also learning to
become strong managers. Within the firm,
we also ask our senior associates to work
on proposals, articles and white papers to
help us bring leading-edge and impactful
ideas to the marketplace.
How much travel should MBA
hires expect to do?
We tell candidates to expect a standard
3-4-5 schedule - three nights away from
home, four days at the client, working five
days a week.
What steps should students take in
order to make a good impression
during the interview process?
Be prepared to work a case, but not in a
standard way, from memory. When we
present a case, we want to understand
a candidate’s ability to problem solve,
PwC building, Madrid

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 97

MBA Recruitment: Employer Profiles
think through the elements of the case,
deconstruct it and then approach the
answer in a measured and logical way.
All this to say that we want to know that
you are actually thinking through the
problem and not just applying the same
frameworks you have learned and use.
Take your time, think about the problem,
ask questions, make assumptions and
show us that you are really internalizing
the questions and figuring out the
answer.
And bring the fire! We want folks who
have an executive presence, who don’t
just communicate well, but leave an
impression. Know why you want to
work for our firm, why you want to
be in consulting and why you are a
good fit. Then, present yourself with
the enthusiasm and passion we want
to bring to our clients. Communicating
with impact - That is what makes a good
impression.
98 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
In your experience, what are the
most common mistakes MBA
graduates make when applying for
jobs?
I think MBAs talk a lot about the
importance of fit, but may overlook how
critical it is when considering all the other
elements of an offer. Building a career is
challenging - it takes time and challenges
your thinking. What makes it rewarding
is to know that you are working in an
environment that fits who you are - your
priorities, goals and personality. Being able
to choose the company that feels right can
often mean the difference between a long
and successful career and a stint.
The other mistake I see is MBAs
eliminating careers because they are
planning too far ahead. I go back to
Sheryl Sandberg on this one - don’t leave
before you leave. So many people, not
just women, who would make amazing
consultants don’t choose this career
because they assume it will prevent them
from having a personal life or a family. But
you don’t know that until you are in it.
If I had that mindset, I never would have
pursued consulting in business school.
And 17 years, a husband and two kids
later, I might never have found the life and
career I have.
Think about what you want, think about
what you need and follow your passion
- and don’t let anyone else define success
for you. Never assume that a decision you
make today will keep you from achieving
your goals 10 years from now - take the
leap, because for all you know, it may be
the very thing that gets you there.
What does Strategy& expect from
its new MBA hires? What can they
do to increase their chances for
advancement down the road?
We expect intellectual curiosity and rigor,
passion and enthusiasm for the work and a
desire to learn and grow. We expect people
to have a point of view and who are going
to bring the best of their minds to our
clients, think differently and challenge how
clients think. We expect proactive people
- folks who aren’t waiting to be told to do
something, but who see an opportunity
and who get to work and drive change.
We also expect people who connect,
those that don’t just focus on the title, but
the person. The ones with passion and
compassion, with IQ and EQ, the ones who
are focused on the work - these are the
ones that succeed.
What are some of the most
common misconceptions that
MBAs have about PwC’s Strategy&
and the professional services
industry?
There is a misconception that Strategy&
does a lot of implementation and
execution work. We are not a technology
integrator - we are not going to ask you
to sit down and implement an enterprise-
wide software application. We are a firm
that defines the strategic direction and
helps our clients realize their goals. If
that includes redefining an organization,
reevaluating the business’ lines,
developing market-winning capabilities,
then we are going to work with our clients
to get them there.
How do you think hiring needs
at Strategy& will change in the
future?
We will always want smart, curious,
enthused and authentic candidates. That
will never change. Sure, the market shifts,
and we may need specific industry or
functional skills that are in greater demand
(at that time). But, at the core, we want
people who will become outstanding
consultants, managers, corporate citizens
and leaders. That will never change.
Is there anything I didn’t ask
about that MBAs should know
before applying to jobs at PwC’s
Strategy&?
I truly believe that our ability to connect
strategic challenges to impact, to build the
types of capabilities that transform not
only how a company does business, but
the market in which it operates, is one of
the most powerful things in the world.
And we live that every day. What my time
in client service has taught me is that
whether I am conducting a minor analysis
or redesigning an entire operating model,
what I do matters to my client. And,
therefore, I have the privilege of impacting
my client in ways, big and small, in
everything I do. That is powerful and it is
real. If you want to work with a group of
people who will challenge you, help you
grow, make you smarter and better at your
job every day, this is the place for you to
hang your hat. PwC’s Strategy& is where I
choose to hang mine.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 99
MBA Recruitment: Employer Profiles
MBA Employer Profile:
UPS
UPS’s director of talent acquisition discusses why the global logistics giant is hiring more
MBAs than it ever has before.
By Nicole Willson
Founded in 1907 as an on-foot delivery
service, UPS now delivers 18.3 million
packages each day but, while many
people view it purely as a package
delivery company, UPS’s director of talent
acquisition, Matt Lavery, feels that it could
also be considered a, “tech company with
trucks.” Case in point: The company spends
a billion dollars a year on technology.
UPS’s MBA recruitment efforts are also
tech-focused since two of the company’s
biggest recruitment areas are data analysis
and IT. In order to help bring in fresh
ideas and new skillsets, UPS is hiring
more MBAs than it ever has before. In
this interview, Matt Lavery (ML) and PR
manager, Dan McMackin (DM), discuss the
corporate culture at UPS as well as what
the global logistics giant looks for in its
MBA hires.
Why might MBAs choose to work
at UPS?
ML: MBA candidates are interested in
the vast array of opportunities we have to
offer, combined with the upward mobility
that exists at UPS. Regardless of the
position you start in, we are constantly
looking to groom top talent to be future
leaders within the company. There’s lots
of room for both upward and sideways
mobility.
Why is UPS hiring MBAs?
ML: We’re hiring more MBAs than
ever before because we’re finding that
the middle and upper echelons of our
company couldn’t be filled with internal
talent in the way it had before. Plus, the
business climate has changed to the extent
that we need to bring in people mid-career,
especially in the area of marketing. We’ve
engaged with top MBA programs to bring
new thoughts and ideas in so that we have
100 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
a good mix of internal employees as well
as views from outside our organization.
Sometimes we get inside our little bubbles
at UPS and we don’t look at what’s going
on outside the company. That’s why we
need fresh perspectives to keep us current
and get us where we want to go.
DM: I think it’s fair to say that for a long
time UPS was almost strictly promotion
from within. We’ve learned that we
have to broaden our approach to staffing
because of the way the world is trending.
Analytics is a big thing here, for example.
It’s trending everywhere.
ML: BIA (business intelligence analysis),
marketing, crunching numbers, looking
at trends, looking at ways to be disruptive
in the workplace, to get our brand and
our message and our groups out there in
different ways – these are definitely some
new thoughts and ideas. A lot of MBA
students are doing those kinds of things in
college as projects and bringing them to
our organization.
What is UPS’s involvement with
technology?
DM: An MBA student might not
automatically think that a company
in the transportation industry would
need advanced analytics or some of the
technology we use. We spend a billion
dollars a year on technology. There’s folks
that quip that we’re a technology company
that has trucks.
ML: Our technology footprint is pretty
large: In New Jersey, we have five
buildings; we have some buildings in
Maryland and Louisville; we have a couple
of locations in the Atlanta area that are
solely or partially dedicated to technology.
It’s definitely a very important emphasis in
our organization.
What kinds of technologies do
MBAs interact with at UPS?
ML: Some of it is homegrown. A lot of
the technologies that MBAs use are based
on customer solutions that we develop on
our own. When we talk about technology,
it’s about how we create benefits for
our customers and employees, and by
doing things in a quicker, faster and more
efficient manner.
We are currently working on a project
called ORION that’s really innovative
in how we deliver packages throughout
the US. We’ve had MBA students work
on that project. The goal was for us to
save fuel, time and make our delivery of
packages far more efficient than it ever
has been. Technology played a huge role,
but we built it all in-house. It wasn’t
something we bought; we developed it on
our own.
A lot of the MBA students would be
identifying problems that need to be
solved and coming up with concepts to
solve them.
Which business schools does UPS
recruit from?
ML: We recruit at various business
schools across the country including: UNC
Kenan-Flagler Business School; University
of Virginia, Darden School of Business;
Emory University, Goizueta Business
School; University of Notre Dame,
Mendoza College of Business; Vanderbilt
University, Owen School of Management.
Those aren’t the only schools we hire
MBAs from, but they are the schools we
have relationships with. We do outreach
on a regular basis to new schools. We go
to some schools for certain avenues, like
sales, marketing or IT, and also find that
we are running into candidates in those
arenas at some of the fairs we go to. So,
we’re taking a holistic rather than narrow
approach.
You mentioned that students
come in with experience working
on projects as part of their MBA
program. Is that something
you look for when evaluating
candidates?
ML: UPS partners with the schools
mentioned above to work on projects
with students while they are in the MBA
program. That is one of the things we look
for, but it’s not the sole thing that sells us.
The Ethisphere Institute has named
UPS one of the world’s most ethical
companies for several years in a
row. What does corporate ethics
look like at UPS?
ML: We can look at it three ways: Our
goal is to treat our people ethically (good
wages/benefits, work-life balance), our
customers and their shipments ethically
(starting with our founder, Jim Casey,
we’ve always realized the importance
of the trust placed in us to handle other
people’s goods, which is why integrity
is such big a deal at UPS), and the
environment ethically - sustainable
business practices are super important
since we have such a large footprint
around the world.
So, those are the three areas of focus:
our people, our customers and the
environment. Jim Casey really set that
standard here at UPS. He was the founder
of UPS, but he started offering shares
and made the company employee-owned
when he could have taken it in a different
direction. He saw the value of sharing his
success with his employees. Even to this
day, our management force still receives
stock in the company as part of their
yearly bonus. It’s certainly something
that’s carried through from the infancy of
the company to today – that ownership of
the company should be shared among its
workers and that its success (and failures
for that matter) should also be shared with
everyone that’s involved.
DM: When it comes to the environment,
we have a large footprint around the
globe – a lot of trucks, a lot of people,
a lot of moving parts, a lot of impact
on the environment. We have a huge
focus on sustainable business practices
and sustainability in general. Every
department in our company looks at
ways we can be resource neutral and/or
be sustainable as an organization. We put
out a sustainability report in 2016. If you
look at the level of detail in the report,
it’s heavily scrutinized from injuries and
accidents to C02 emissions and water use.
It’s all certified and verified. There are
third parties who help us figure out where
we should set our goals.
What are some common job roles
for MBAs at UPS?
ML: UPS offers a variety of roles that align
with an MBA such as marketing, finance,
accounting, customer solutions, and
others. Specific areas of focus, meanwhile,
include but are not limited to: Customer
technology; international finance and
accounting; public relations; marketing
strategy; digital marketing; data analytics.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 101
MBA Recruitment: Employer Profiles

Could you please provide
an overview of UPS’s MBA
recruitment and hiring process?
ML: UPS partners with MBA programs at
various schools by sponsoring networking
events and participating in speaking
engagements at the schools. Often, UPS
managers that are alumni of a particular
school will participate in these events.
Given their mutual connection with the
MBA program, the managers and students
immediately have a common bond.
These events allow the UPS team and the
students to get to know each other on a
more personal level, while allowing UPS to
promote current and future opportunities.
Students are encouraged to check out
the positions listed on our website and,
if selected as a qualified candidate for
the position they apply to, they are then
taken through the interview and selection
process.
Do you usually look for specific
quantitative or technical skills?
ML: In some cases, yes. It’s one thing to
crunch a number and it’s another thing
to take it and have an application and a
meaning for it. You’re taking the quantitative
number and making a causation to it for
something qualitative. That’s really what
we’re trying to get out of those analytics,
so that some of the things we’ve looked at
in the past that were immeasurable, or hard
to measure, can become measurable. Or in
some cases, it’s making things that weren’t
predictive more predictive.
What steps should MBAs take in
order to make a good impression?
Conversely, what are some
common mistakes MBAs should
avoid when contacting recruiters?
ML: Steps to making a good impression
include:
• Researching the company they are
interested in and identifying areas of
interest.
• Being able to articulate the experience
they bring to the table and how they
will add value to any company that hires
them (their ‘elevator pitch’).

Some of our job postings will say ‘MBA

preferred’ – particularly for a lot of our
professional job listings. For the six main
MBA hiring areas (of focus) mentioned
in the last question, we do work with the
specific schools we mentioned earlier. The
majority of people we’re trying to make
connections with fall into two cases. In
the first case, we’re still trying to work on
involvement in the internship to hiring
the MBA student. In the other case, we’re
working with a current MBA student in
the classroom or at an event to get a little
knowledge about them before we make a
hiring decision. We are going to make a
significant investment in that person as an
MBA hire, so we want to make sure we do
some due diligence beforehand.

What do you look for when

evaluating a candidate’s résumé
and work experience?

ML: In addition to looking for someone that

has the specific skills we are looking for
in a position, we look for results that were
accomplished in the information provided
on a résumé. We want to know what sets
them apart from the other candidates that
have the same skills and experience as they
do. A results-oriented résumé helps show
the value they will bring to the position,
and ultimately, the company.

We’re looking at what candidates did in

projects. During the interview process,
we will give them some projects or mini-
projects to talk about their results that
way.

102 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

• Doing a self-evaluation to know what
they will and will not be open to in
order to land a job with an organization
(i.e., relocation, rotating assignments,
starting out in a more junior position
initially, etc.).
Common mistakes are:
• Not being able to give an ‘elevator pitch’
in a comprehensive, yet, succinct way
that is appropriate for the conversation.
• Relying solely on the recruiter to tell
them where they would be the best fit.
Instead, the candidate should research
the company to help the recruiter
‘connect the dots’ on where they feel
they align and would be happiest.
DM: If you’re a college kid, you should
come in here like you know the place
a little bit. If applicants read the
(aforementioned) sustainability report,
for example, no matter what function
they wanted to work in, they would
come in with some knowledge which
shows they care. The transportation
industry is pretty niche – not everybody
wants to work in the transportation
and logistics world. Taking the time to
research the company shows that you
care enough and probably want to work
in this area.
What does UPS expect from its
new hires? What can they do
to increase their chances for
advancement down the road?
ML: We expect our new hires to have an
appetite for learning; not just about their
new role, but also the business and how
their role affects the big picture at UPS.
Applicants can increase their chances for
advancement by: Participating in cross-
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 103
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104 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

MBA Recruitment: Employer Profiles
functional assignments; demonstrating
willingness to relocate and/or accept
an international assignment; utilizing
career development discussions with their
management team; continued learning;
consistently producing successful results.
What do you mean by cross-
functional assignments?
ML: A lot of our MBA students need to
solve problems where you need different
functions to help you with the problem.
So, if you come up with a solution, you
need to have the contacts within our
organization to make it happen. So, it’s
working with those other functions on
solutions that you potentially develop.
There could be other meanings as far as
training goes or with rotations. We may
give someone a rotation into IT or customer
solutions. Someone may come in from
marketing, but we want to give that person
a more rounded approach or some ideas
about other parts of UPS. So, we’ll give them
some cross-functional, on-the-job learning
about those areas to make them better at
what they’re doing for the first function they
were hired into. Sometimes, it can be hard to
come up with solutions in other areas until
you actually experience some of those things
in other departments. It gives you a more
diverse perspective and opens up your mind
to other opportunities and options.
Are there particular international
locations that MBAs tend to work
in more than others?
ML: Our regions outside the US are
headquartered in Singapore, Brussels and
Miami (for the Americas outside the US).
We also have other locations where we
may have opportunities including Toronto,
the Middle East, Dusseldorf, London,
Taipei and Pune. Those are the most
common international areas where we
would send an MBA.
When we say ‘relocate’, in many cases
that relocation will take place in the US.
International relocation would still be an
option, but it wouldn’t be as common as
it is within the US. There are international
assignments though. I was just on an
international assignment for 18 months
in Brussels and came back within the last
year. So, it’s fairly common.
What are the biggest misconceptions
MBAs have about UPS?
ML: That we are just a package delivery
company with limited opportunities
outside of operations. We have over
400,000 employees around the world
and a tremendous number of positions
that range from package handler to
meteorologist (and everything in
between). Two of the biggest areas of
focus that we are consistently looking
for are data analysis and information
technology.
In terms of MBA jobs, do a lot
of MBAs still think the jobs are
mostly for operations?
ML: Operations as far as package
delivery, yes. They look at it as “UPS
delivers packages. What would I work
on?” There’s a whole lot that goes into
how that person ended up on that route,
at that time of day, with that package.
They have to expand their minds and say,
“It is package delivery, but there’s a lot
that goes into making sure that it’s done
in the most efficient, best way possible.”
DM: We’ve got every function – from
finance, human resources and sales, to
tax and accounting, legal, automotive
and engineering. It’s a 60-billion-dollar
outfit, so you would have to.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 105
MBA Recruitment: Employer Profiles

MBA Employer Profile:

Mars, Inc.
“One of the things we hear on campus is that MBA students don’t realize the breadth and
depth of opportunities available within the company,” says Manuel Muñoz, talent manager at
Mars, Inc., in this employer profile.
By Nicole Willson

More than a manufacturer of M&M’s,
Mars, Inc. is one of the world’s largest
food companies. It is also not your typical
MBA employer, and that’s not just because
they are in the candy, gum and pet food
industries. For example, the top three
schools from which Mars recruits aren’t
necessarily the ones you’d expect. In
addition, the recruiting process consists
of only two interviews, with an additional
assessment day for those applying to its
rotational program.
For an MBA who starts life at the company
in its rotational program, “there is no
one-size-fits-all entry-level position for
MBA graduates coming in,” states Mars’
talent manager and specialist in university
relations, Manuel Muñoz. The rotational
program, which Muñoz says is, “not for
the faint hearted,” allows MBAs to work
in a variety of job roles and functions,
requiring them to deal with lots of
complexity and change. In this interview,
Muñoz discusses Mars’, “humble and
hungry,” work culture as well as what the
company looks for when hiring MBAs.
a future with an organization people can
identify with.
What are common job roles for
MBAs at Mars?
The great thing about our rotational
program is that there is no one-size-fits-
all entry-level position for MBA graduates
coming in. Our current rotational
program design taps into the features
of what the future career, or careers,
will look like for many millennials. That
is, a diverse range of functions, roles,
segments and potentially geographies,
and involves loads of complexity and
change. MBA students also have the
opportunity to join our business via
the successful completion of a summer
internship, typically in the marketing
function, where they are able to work
with some of our billion-dollar brands.
Which business schools do you hire
from and why?
We look for schools that match our culture
and that have a strong track record for
producing associates with successful careers
at Mars. For our business school recruitment,
we’ve found success with Michigan State
University’s Broad School of Management,
Rutgers Business School and the University
of Michigan Ross School of Business among
others. These aren’t your typical top three
business schools, but over time we’ve found
that the students on campus are exactly what
we’re looking for, and fit in seamlessly with
our humble and hungry culture.
Could you please provide a
brief overview of Mars’ MBA
recruitment process?
Through our recruitment process, we
aim to better understand a candidate’s

Why do MBAs want to work for

Mars?

MBA candidates want to work at Mars

because our associates, as well as many
candidates, can personally identify with
our brands and mission. By drawing the
connection between the brands people
love and an exciting, impactful career path,
we appeal to candidates in a different way
from many consulting and technology
companies. We’ve been around since
before many of our millennial candidates’
grandparents were even born, and we
have also been around longer than most
technology companies. We are a trusted
company, and it is appealing to envision

106 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

leadership capabilities as well as what
makes a candidate tick. Our process
is strategic and streamlined – it’s
typically only two interviews long,
with an additional assessment day for
our rotational program. We want to
know more about a candidate but also
have them learn about our business and
culture by engaging directly with our
associates.
What do you look for when
evaluating a candidate’s résumé
and experience?
When interviewing candidates we really
hone in on their behavioural skills and
leadership capabilities. Ultimately, we look
for learning agility as well as candidates
that will fit into a culture which is very
open, collaborative and relationship-based.
What opportunities do MBAs have
for advancement?
While many associates are drawn to our
company’s mission and sustainability
efforts, we want them to recognize that
they can have a career that makes an
impact on society as well as money. We
recognize the desire among associates,
especially younger generations, to have
new experiences for both their personal
and professional growth. That’s why
we enable them, through programs like
the Graduate Leadership Development
Program, to transition into different
roles within Mars, if desired, that can
put them on a path to a new career or
the opportunity to live in a different
place.
What are some common
misconceptions MBAs have about
working at Mars?
One of the things we hear on campus
is that MBA students don’t realize the
breadth and depth of opportunities
available within the company. Students
instantly recognize our iconic brands,
like M&M’s, but don’t realize that Mars is
one of the world’s largest food companies
and the global category leader in pet care,
chocolate and gum.
What should MBAs do to make a
good impression? Conversely, what
are some mistakes MBAs should
avoid when contacting recruiters?
When we conduct interviews we look for
candidates that are genuinely interested in
our company, and that are going to be the
right fit for our open, collaborative culture.
A common mistake candidates should
avoid is not being able to successfully
articulate why they want to work in a
specific function and, just as important,
why they want to work for our company.
Is there anything else MBAs should
know before applying for jobs at
Mars?
Our rotational programs aren’t for the
faint hearted; participants need to be
comfortable handling the ambiguity and
complexity that comes with working in
different parts of the business across three
years. We carefully select those who enter
the program to ensure that successful
applicants will have every opportunity to
join, stay and grow within Mars.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 107
MBA Recruitment: Employer Profiles
MBA Employer Profile:
Dell
Why does Dell hire MBA graduates, which business schools do they target and what do they
look for in their new hires? This interview reveals all.
By Nicole Willson
Dell is a technology company that hires
MBAs for the fresh ideas they bring to
the business. It is also a company which
aims to let its MBA hires grow and move
through rotations to different business
functions. Despite its large size, Dell’s
senior manager for talent development
(university relations and diversity manager
for North America at the time of this
interview), Maria Crabtree, says that the
company runs like a, “large startup,” that
encourages innovation and creativity. In
this interview, Crabtree discusses what
Dell looks for in its MBA hires.
108 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Why does Dell hire MBAs?
Our goal at Dell is to hire individuals
that have recently gone through
educational training, such as MBAs,
because they are full of fresh ideas. We
often look for MBAs that have received
training in specific areas, such as
supply chain or marketing. By hiring
MBAs with expertise in specific areas,
we know that we’re bringing in team
members that have had the appropriate
training necessary to add value and
succeed.
Why do MBAs want to work at
Dell?
Dell is known as a top technology
company and from a marketing
professional’s standpoint that is huge.
But we also put a big emphasis on hiring
new graduates. In fact, Michael Dell has
committed to making sure at least 25%
of all new hires come from universities,
which is part of Dell’s 2020 Legacy of
Good plan. In fact, 32% of our external
hires in 2015 were people who had just
graduated from a university.
MBAs joining our team are usually given
fairly senior-level roles where they will have
the opportunity to contribute and make an
impact immediately. There are also plenty
of opportunities to grow and move within
Dell − someone can join the company doing
supply chain, and then switch to something
completely different. It’s part of our culture
and a reason why people stay at Dell for a
long time. Look at it this way − I’ve been at
Dell for 10 years and I’m considered a newbie!
What are the most common job
roles for MBA graduates at Dell?
There are many teams that MBAs can join
at Dell. For example, they could be hired
into senior non-management roles within
marketing, supply chain, business operations
or services. In operations, students are
brought into supply chain management roles.
Whereas, marketing hires are brought into
product marketing and marketing operations.
What do you look for when
evaluating a candidate’s résumé
and experience?
We love meeting people who are
passionate about solving challenges and
really want to improve the customer
experience. On a résumé, we look for any
previous experience in the specific field
that they are applying for.
For instance, on the marketing side,
we look for people who have been in a
marketing role prior to getting their MBA
(this could encompass anything from a
full-time job to an internship). That way,
we know that they’ve gone through all
of the basic training and have the skills
necessary to join our team. Seeing their
previous experience also allows us to think
of specific questions to ask during an
interview.
How many MBAs intern at Dell?
Of these interns, how many leave
with full-time job offers?
It’s hard to put a number on it. Our goal
is to hire 100-120, but it doesn’t mean the
number can’t be larger.
We strive to offer a full-time role to all
interns that perform well. To see if an
intern is a fit for the company, we give
them a real-time project that will allow
them to show their abilities and make an
impact. We also look at how they engage
with team members – collaboration,
honesty and trust are key.
How many MBA students do you
typically recruit each year from the
US? How about globally?
Globally, we hire approximately 200 MBA
students. About 100-150 of those are hired
in the US.
Which business schools do you
recruit from and why?
We proactively recruit from over 15
MBA programs. Our intention is to look
for candidates in both local and non-
local schools [Dell’s headquarters are in
Texas]. Some examples of schools are:
UT Austin, Texas A&M, ASU (Arizona
State University), BYU (Brigham Young
University), Duke, Howard, MSU
(Michigan State University), Morehouse
College, Penn State, Rutgers, UTK
(University of Tennessee, Knoxville),
Berkeley, University of Michigan, UNC
(University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill), University of Virginia Darden,
Northwestern, and Purdue. We also look
at the ranking of the MBA program at
each particular school and the number of
graduates that come out of their program
each year – the bigger the number, the
better. Although we reassess schools every
year, we do also like to return to schools
where we’ve had great success with
recruiting.
What steps should MBAs take in
order to make a good impression?
Conversely, what are some
common mistakes MBAs should
avoid when contacting recruiters?
We notice when candidates do their
research about the company. To make
a good impression, graduates should
read up on the company and our recent
announcements. Knowing what’s going
on in a company is huge. Also, just being
able to communicate effectively what they
are interested in and what their long-term
goals and areas of interest are is great.
A common mistake is exactly the reverse –
not knowing what you want and not doing
your research on us before interviewing.
What are the biggest
misconceptions that MBAs have
about Dell and the tech industry?
From my experience, recent graduates
in general associate large companies like
Dell with strict processes. But really,
Dell operates like a large startup and
encourages all team members to leverage
technology in innovative ways that will
make a difference in the world.
Now that the Dell and EMC merger
is complete, does this mean both
companies will follow the same
MBA hiring approach?
Absolutely, the new company brings
together our best approaches for attracting
and developing talent, and we are really
excited about the future of our MBA hiring
program.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 109
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MBA Recruitment: The MBA Internship Experience
MBA Internship Profile:
Pfizer
A finance manager at pharmaceutical firm, Pfizer, discusses how his internship experience
put him on the path towards working in Dubai.
By Nicole Willson
What is it like to work in the finance
department of one of the world’s largest
biopharmaceutical companies? Ian Buggs
is Pfizer’s financial reporting and analysis
manager for Africa and the Middle East.
In this interview, Buggs discusses his
internship dos and don’ts, Pfizer’s MBA
rotational program and how he ended up
working in Dubai.
Which business school did you
attend and what (if applicable) was
your specialization?
I’m an extremely proud alumnus of the
Tepper School of Business at Carnegie
Mellon University. I finished in 2011.
While I was there, the curriculum had
very much of a general management
approach, but I was focused primarily
on finance and accounting. I also had
some additional concentrations in
economics and marketing. I was also
a member of the Consortium for the
Graduate Study of Management. That’s
how I got involved specifically with the
Tepper School.
112 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Why did you decide to intern at
Pfizer?
I had a background in finance prior to
getting my MBA. When I came back into
business school, I took the opportunity
to kick all the tires in all the industries. I
figured at that point, I owed it to myself to
explore all of the options.
As I went through the process and had a
couple of offers in different industries, it
all came back to healthcare. That was my
motivation for looking at my post-MBA
experience and what I wanted long term.
Going from there to Pfizer, I think that
the potential for its two-year post-MBA
rotational program was very attractive to
me. In addition, Pfizer’s status as the one
of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical
manufacturers made the company very
appealing to me. I saw that they had the
global reach.
I often told people (and still tell people)
that I really wanted to be a small fish in
an ocean. Pfizer’s a very large company
that provides a lot of different points
of exposure and opportunity. I felt
that was a strong selling point for me
as well as the international prospects.
After meeting people that had done
international assignments during
the interview process as well as my
internship, I was able to be connected
with folks who were currently doing
international assignments. That was
always very important for me. So,
seeing that as an opportunity and that
it was encouraged within the finance
organization was something that
certainly drew me to the organization.
I said to myself, “this is a place where
I can get the industry experience, the
technical experience,” as well as that
global and international feel that I was
really looking for.
How did the application process
work?
I applied online. I had made some prior
connections at various other conferences
with the MBA recruiting staff. I was
contacted for a phone interview by one of
the finance leaders.
After having the phone interview, I was
recommended to come into Pfizer for the
in-person, face-to-face interviews. I was
able to have three different interviews
that day. It was nice to be able to tour the
facility and meet the people. After that,
they made their decision and sent out
offer letters for the internship. All that
happened fairly quickly. I think we had
those offers in hand by late January or
early February.
Which department of Pfizer did
you intern in and what kind of
projects did you work on?
Within the last six years, Pfizer has
undergone quite a few changes in its
structure, but at the time I was working
to help support its North American
established products business. I was
working in the finance team in order
to support them on their gross-to-net
analysis and returns analysis. The work I
did involved looking at the revenue piece
to understand where we have our pluses
and minuses. The work incorporated
lot of complex data analysis - which my
origination within the Tepper program
helped with – but my primary focus
there was supporting the North America
leadership team in receiving proper
analytics that would enable them to make
decisions around their growth activity,
including where there are opportunities
and how they could better leverage how
their products were going to market.
I also delivered finance training to
non-finance managers. I built and gave
a presentation to the commercial team
in order to help them really understand
the finance drivers of the business and
how they could best utilize the types of
reporting and output we were giving them.
I was able to deliver that to the entire
leadership team.
Outside of the normal day-to-day work of
supporting the North America team, Pfizer
MBA interns are also given a summer
project. Every summer, the second-year
rotational employees pick a topic and
then the interns do a case study. The case
study I did at the time was to develop
an emerging market strategy for Pfizer.
Every intern was partnered with another
intern. You do analysis to provide a
proposal whether it’s through acquisitions,
divestitures, specific assets, companies, and
so on. Then, we presented those findings
to the individual who was running the
program as well as the other interns and
their managers for the summer.
What were your impressions of
Pfizer’s corporate culture?
You’ll hear a lot of people who intern
at different companies say that they’re
surrounded by a lot of smart people, but I
really felt that was the case. Not only was
I surrounded by smart people, but I was
surrounded by people who cared about my
development and my learning.
With any internship, there’s the joke that
you’ll be making coffee or copies for folks.
At Pfizer, however, I felt that I was really
able to get into the work. People trusted
me to take on large-scale projects. I didn’t
just hand work over to someone else who
would take credit for it. Instead, I was able
to present the work that I did and answer
questions.
I was also very happy with how willing my
Pfizer colleagues were to meet with me not
only within the finance organization but
also the commercial organization. Even the
global president of the business unit that I
was supporting hosted me in his office for
a breakfast one morning as an opportunity
to chat with me and get to learn more about
my interests. Those types of experiences
where you get one-on-one contact – not
just within your function but throughout
the company – were very important. It
showed me that they were investing in
the development and getting to know the
people coming into the organization, even
those coming in as interns.
What did you enjoy most about
your MBA internship?
There were two things. On the personal
level, it was living and working in
Manhattan. I had certainly visited and
come to see friends there, but it was
different to live there for a summer and
experience it. Having the exposure to NYC,
especially because the office is located in
the heart of midtown, was excellent. Even
just walking to the office in the morning or
walking home, you’d find yourself in the
middle of the Big Apple. For me, that was
a lot of fun.
From the work perspective, the highlight
was learning how Pfizer was impacting
the lives of millions of people around
the world through all the therapies they
provide to doctors and patients. You get
to see some tangible aspects of the work
you’re doing and how you can influence
that. Even as a finance person who is not
selling or marketing Pfizer’s products, I
feel as though I’m part of what the vision
and mission of the company is. That was
something that was very enjoyable for
me. I didn’t feel as though I was just there
for summer work. I felt as though I was
brought in as a true Pfizer colleague.
What were some of the challenges
you faced during your internship?
The major challenge is navigating the very
large organization that Pfizer is. Learning
more about the company as well as the
people and processes, makes it easier.
When you’re only there for three months,
however, you have to learn that very
quickly.
While that certainly was a challenge, to
some degree, I knew what I was getting
into. Getting the answers you need in
order to navigate the organization happens
through open communication with your
manager as well as with the folks that are
helping to run the internship program.
Of all the things that you
accomplished during your
internship, what’s the one thing
you’re proudest of?
I’d say the offer letter in the end. That’s
one of the things that I was working
towards, because I was very much keen
on getting the offer and coming in for the
rotational program. In the end, that’s what
MBA interns work towards – that’s the
feather in the cap. When I got that call
saying that I was given a full-time offer,
that capped it all off.
I’d also say the work leading up to it.
For example, when my boss commented
on my work, she said that she’d never
seen someone so analytical. The fact that
she was very happy with the amount of
effort and time that I put in to provide
some coherent analytics that she and her
team could use even after I was gone was
certainly something I was happy to hear
by the time I left.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 113
MBA Recruitment: The MBA Internship Experience
You mentioned Pfizer’s rotational
program. Was that your next step
after the internship?
Yes. While there have been occasional
exceptions where someone has come in
as a direct hire, the primary purpose of
the internship is to hire into the rotational
program. It’s a two-year rotational
program with four different rotations.
That opportunity was certainly one of the
main draws as to why Pfizer’s internship
program was so interesting and compelling
for me.
How did you end up working in
Dubai?
I would say the stars aligned. When
you come out of the rotational program,
Pfizer doesn’t place you in a job. One
of the things I really appreciated was
that through the course of the two years
rotating through the company and doing
your own form of networking, they give
you the flexibility to really build what the
next step in your career will be.
As I came to the end of the rotational
program, I was looking at opportunities
within the organization. I decided to
extend that internal look internationally. I
went through the job boards and saw that
there was a job posting that matched my
level coming out of the program. I applied
114 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
and got the job. About a month after
accepting, I was on a one-way plane trip
to Dubai.
I’ve always had an interest in living and
working abroad. I didn’t think that the
opportunity would come as quickly as it
did. I figured I’d probably have to put in
anywhere from five to 10 years before
someone would say, “yes, Ian needs to
get that international exposure.” The right
timing, the right place and this was a part
of the world I’d traveled to before on my
own, so it wasn’t entirely foreign to me. I
thought that this would be a really great
place to live and extend my career, and
support the company. That’s why I ended
up here. I started in Dubai in July, 2013.
I’ve been here for three years now.
What advice do you have for MBAs
who are interested in interning at
Pfizer?
I have had the opportunity to coach and
network with a lot of students. The main
thing I advise them to do is to figure out
what you want and what you don’t want
to do. Sometimes that’s just as important
as saying you specifically want Pfizer, or
that you specifically want (to work in)
healthcare.
What makes a candidate successful in
expressing their interest in Pfizer is the
ability to demonstrate, from a finance
perspective that you do have some
analytical and technical capability. That
doesn’t mean that you have to have been a
finance person in the past, but showing that
you are somewhat numerate does help.
Communication skills are certainly
important. You’ll see communication skills
emphasized on any job requirement or
job spec. Communication is important
when you’re dealing with international
teams, matrix organizations, and even
people who are on your team but not in
the same office. Communication is key,
both how you communicate and what you
communicate.
Of course, you also need to have an
understanding of Pfizer; its products, its
position and its marketplace. I would
advise internship candidates to develop
a one-page cheat sheet for any company
they are interviewing with. Who’s in the
executive leadership team? What’s the
stock price? What are some recent news
tidbits that would be interesting either to
ask questions about or discuss? How does
the company develop its talent? Showing
those levels of interest while going
through a recruiting process shows any
company that you’re interested not just
in quick soundbites, but you’re looking
one level deeper into how the company
operates, what the company is trying to
accomplish and how you can be a part of
that.
Were you expected to know what
was going on in the healthcare
industry with, say, regulations and
trends in addition to having that
company information?
Not necessarily. Especially in a finance
role, it’s good to understand or at least
know about the high level. No one was
grilling me on the Affordable Care Act
(often referred to as Obamacare) or
anything of that nature, mainly because
while the United States is certainly a large
portion of Pfizer’s business, it’s not the
entire business. As you can see, I’m living
and working in Dubai. The business that
we do here has nothing to do with the
Affordable Care Act. While it’s good to
understand those rules and regulations,
once you get into the broader healthcare
world, things that are of importance in the
US may have no impact or bearing on the
types of business we do in the part of the
world in which I work.
Based on your experience, what
are some dos and don’ts for
interning at Pfizer?
The ‘dos’ kind of go hand-in-hand with the
‘don’ts’; for example, do show up to events
that Pfizer sponsors. They have various social
events, volunteer events and also speeches
that senior leaders give to the interns. It’s
very important to take a step away from
the day job that you’re doing to continue to
engage the broader Pfizer community.
Do take the time to utilize what I call
‘intern privilege’ where a lot of folks are
very interested to speak with you, and give
you insight and input. That’s something
I found to be very beneficial throughout
the course of my internship. It’s not just
about your function. You can speak to
people in other groups to get a better,
broader understanding of the organization.
Get involved in Pfizer. What was also
important for me was that I was also able
to get involved in some of the affinity
groups, specifically our Pfizer African
American Leadership Network where I
could build some additional bonds and
connections within the company.
From the work standpoint, do check in with
your manager at least once a day. I sat on a
different floor from my boss, but I made sure
to check in with her at least twice a day just
to check what needed to get done and also
show the output of my work. I wanted to
make sure that by the time I got to the end of
my internship, there weren’t any surprises
about my performance. I was able to get
real-time feedback. If there were some things
I needed to correct, I could do that quickly. If
you let things float until you get to the end
of the assignment, then you get sideswiped
by unexpected news. Develop a new,
meaningful relationship with your manager
just to understand what they expect of you
as well as what you’re expecting to get out
of the assignment. That can help you build
skills that will make you that much stronger
when you get to your permanent position.
The ‘don’ts’ are the inverse of some of the
dos. In line with the ‘do’ show up to things,
don’t pass on those opportunities to network.
Don’t treat the internship as though it’s truly
a summer vacation. Make sure you show up
on time. Show up earlier than your manager.
Leave after your manager.
Don’t leave anything on the table. Give
the full effort, because people need to
see that you’re willing to put in the
time and the work in a variety of places.
As I mentioned, you’ll have the Pfizer
internship. You’ll have your day job. But
you’ll also have that side project and case
study that you need to work on. You have
to be able to manage. Don’t leave things
until the last minute. Speak up if you’re
running into any issues or problems that
are not allowing you to get your work
done. It could be that you don’t understand
something or there’s a system or process
that may be hampering your productivity.
So, my list is more concentrated on the
‘dos’ but the ‘dos’ could also become
‘don’ts’ if you flip it the other way.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 115
MBA Recruitment: The MBA Internship Experience

MBA Internship Profile:

VMware
An MBA student discusses her experience working as an intern in VMware’s human
resources department and on the company’s new employee experience revamp.
By Nicole Willson

What’s it like to intern at VMware? Attri
Farahzadi spent her summer working on
the cloud software company’s employee
experience revamp as a graduate intern
in human resources. In this interview,
Farahzadi discusses her experience
working at VMware, from the project she
carried out to the company’s culture and
social events for interns. She also offers
advice for any other MBAs or prospective
students who might be looking to make
the most out of their internship.
Which business school do you
attend and what have you been
specializing in while there?
I did my undergraduate degree at the
University of Arizona in Tucson and
then I entered my Masters of Business
Administration (MBA) at San Jose State
University’s Lucas Graduate School of
Business. So, I’m right in Silicon Valley,
at the heart of it all. I joined a two-
year MBA program and my focus is in
organizational behavior. I’ll be graduating
in May, 2017.
Which department did you intern
in and what kind of projects did
you work on?
I was working under the global business
enablement team (GBE) under HR
operations. The specific project that I
worked on this summer is the company’s
new employee experience revamp. My
primary focus was on the onboarding
phase of that revamp - the experience
before a new hire gets to VMware, as
well as that initial phase right before they
start their orientation. What does that
experience look like for them? How do we
improve that experience?
Part of what my project looked at was
manager enablement; what managers are
doing to improve employee experience.
I developed an onboarding toolkit for
managers so that they knew what to
do to prepare for their new hires – for
example, what they’re doing to get their
new employees excited about coming to
VMware.

116 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

Why did you decide to intern at
VMware?
There are a few reasons. Initially, my
interest was based on the reputation
VMware has. When I started talking to
people who worked at the company and
went through the interview process, I
realized it was the core of what I wanted.
The core of what I really enjoyed was
the people there and the culture. It said a
lot about the type of environment that I
would be working in. I was meeting people
who were really intelligent yet, at the
same time, down to earth, open, warm and
welcoming. They wanted me to succeed.
Then, as I was hearing more about the
internship, I started to get this feeling
that it wasn’t your typical internship.
I’ve been to places where you could do a
project and it just kind of felt like busy
work. With VMware, however, they
didn’t tell me my project until later on
because they were saying, “there are a
few different things we’re working on,
we’re going to figure out which ones
are a priority and get back to you.”
So the project I worked on was really
valuable for them, because it wasn’t just
something for me to do and went public
on its Intranet. That was another piece of
it, knowing that my work would actually
be implemented if I did a good job. That
was a huge thing.
How did the application process
work?
I applied through the career website
they have at my school. I will say that
the interviewing process was very quick.
They do a great job and have a very fast
turnaround. I was really impressed by the
team there and that’s what made me more
comfortable about accepting the role.
I got an email back the week after I
applied. I did a screener phone call and
spoke with my recruiter a few times. She
made arrangements for me to do video
interviews with the team that I would be
working with, to make sure it was a good
fit for both of us and to get to know them
a little bit.
Then, they brought me on campus to
do an in-person interview with the
vice president of the team I would have
been working with (I actually ended
up switching teams at the last minute).
While I was there, I got a company tour
and met with the manager I was going
to be working under. I happened to be
there for an HR conference. The senior
VP & chief people officer, Betsy Sutter,
was there as well as all the VPs, all the
managers – everyone from top-down
was there. So, if you could imagine going
in for a final interview and actually
coming back a few days later to meet
with all these different people – that was
an amazing experience for me. Being
able to meet Betsy Sutter before I had
even started was a huge highlight for me.
How many people can say they met the
chief people officer of the company they
were interning with before they started?
That was a big highlight for me.
I got offers from a lot of other big
companies. They were very, very
reputable companies and I was going
back and forth, but I think that initial
experience I had at VMware, going
through the hiring process, how quick
the turnaround time was and the very
high-touch process steered me toward
VMware.
What were your impressions of
VMware’s corporate culture?
It was very warm and welcoming. I’d say
those were the two big things. Like I said
before, you have really intelligent people.
Naturally, that can be intimidating at
times, but I think what’s interesting about
VMware is that there is a culture of, “leave
your egos at the door,” and you can see
that that’s something that really happens.
At the end of the day, we all have the same
goal and we work together to achieve that.
What did you enjoy most about
your internship?
First, the special events...I would be an
idiot not to say that. It’s great to have
a work-life balance. You do your work
during the day but you’re also invited to
these different Friday bashes that VMware
has every other week. It’s cool because
there’s always a theme associated with it.
While I was at VMware, there was a Star
Wars-themed event and a dog-themed
event. It’s also very kid-friendly in the
summer. People bring their families. These
were really cool events to go to. You’re
networking with your colleagues, but it’s
on a more social level.
There’s also a group called Women
Connecting Women (WCW), which
connects all female interns with a woman
in a different field. (Working in human
resources) it was really cool how they
connected me with a marketing employee,
as my background and undergraduate
degree is in marketing. She was a
hotshot who was super high up and very
knowledgeable. I would meet with her on a
bi-weekly basis.
At the same time, the intern program
would host different events for us. We
did a lot of intern events like going to
Angel Island (an island in San Francisco
Bay), a barbeque, paint night, and
brunch. The company also held specific
events for the female interns, such as
a pilates class and a cooking class. So,
there were lots of really cool stuff going
on and always things for us to do. There
was never a point in time where you felt,
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 117
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118 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

MBA Recruitment: The MBA Internship Experience

“oh, there are too many events,” or, “oh, are, what you’re capable of and what mistakes, but at the same time, I fell
there are not enough events.” It was a you’ve accomplished, whether that’s forward. In those situations you need to
perfect balance. through social platforms or sharing what make sure you learn quickly and don’t
you’ve done with managers. That helped make those mistakes again. If you make
What were some of the challenges me. It was really good for me to get great a mistake, own it and learn from it, then
you faced during your internship? feedback from managers and let them see move on. You don’t have enough time to
what I was doing. dwell on it. I’d say those are the three big
Keeping the project moving given the ones: Being open and honest; celebrating
amount of time I had was my only You will make mistakes along the way, accomplishments; and falling forward.
difficulty considering how many people just like in any internship. I made a few
were involved. Internships are typically
three months long, so when you get a
project that you’re really passionate about,
you really want to make sure that you
complete it and that you’re able to have
enough time to show up, show off and brag
about it. The hard part was making sure I
kept the project moving. There were a lot
of different people and different teams that
my project touched. For example, I needed
to coordinate the time to speak with
people and do in-person interviews and
get feedback on projects from our global
leads, for which time differences were also
a challenge. I needed to be strategic about
how I spent my time to ensure the project
was running smoothly.

What advice do you have for MBAs

who are interested in interning at
VMware?

This is a little generic, but make sure

you’re open and honest about what you
want during your internship. You’re there
for one specific reason, but I think part
of the culture at VMware is to explore.
The company wants to make sure you get
a firm understanding of what VMware
is about and spend about three months
absorbing as much information as you can.

With that said, if there’s something else

that interests you, speak up. If there’s
something that you’re working on that
you’re not a huge fan of, make sure that
your manager is aware of that and find
opportunities for yourself. Explore the
company and its different parts. It’s a
huge company, so there are more than
enough people that will be willing to
set up a coffee chat or a WebEx (online
conference call) to talk to you about their
role and what they do. Establishing those
relationships early is going to help you
later on in your project, in your internship
and hopefully your career.

Celebrating your accomplishments is

also important. You’re only there for a
limited amount of time. Because VMware
is such a large company, you really want
to make sure that people know who you

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 119

Regional Profile

The MBA in
North America
The US and Canada continue to offer prospective MBA students established employment pros-
pects and sizeable financial returns, with a particularly strong array of study options for those
looking at the full-time, two-year format.

By Tim Dhoul

The US remains the world’s most popular
destination for MBA study, according to
QS’s research into the aims and ambitions
of applicants. Canada, meanwhile, is the
third-most popular study location under
consideration.
There’s no real reason why this shouldn’t
be the case – after all, this is where the
qualification is most established. Harvard
was the first school anywhere in the world
to offer the degree (in 1908) and Canada’s
Ivey Business School was the first to offer
it anywhere other than in the US (in 1948).
In 2017, these two North American nations
(we include Mexico and Central America
in our section on Latin America) are
home to the world’s largest employment
market for MBA graduates (the US) and
its fifth-largest market (Canada). Both are
still growing, too. The number of new job
opportunities on offer to MBA graduates in
North America rose by 16% between 2015
and 2016, according to the QS TopMBA.com
Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2016/17.
Financial rewards and ROI
As well as the opportunities, there are
the financial rewards. Employers in the
US and Canada told us they paid new
MBA hires an average of US$100,714 and
US$92,500, respectively, in base salary
across 2015/16. These figures were the
second and third-highest found on offer

120 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

from MBA employers around the world in
the aforementioned jobs and salary report.
Graduates of the region’s very best schools
might find that they can expect to earn
even higher salaries than this average. For
example, Chicago Booth’s class of 2016
walked away from the MBA program with
an average starting salary of US$125,000.
While many prospective MBA students
today are motivated by more than mere
money alone, these salary figures are
important if only because of the investment
- in program fees and foregone salary – one
must make to enroll in a top program. The
increase in salary you can expect to look
forward to on graduation is a critical aspect
of your subsequent return on this investment
(ROI). We’re not just talking about a hike in
salary, pre to post-MBA, here. In QS’s 2015
MBA ROI report for North America, our
researchers estimated that a graduate of an
MBA taken in the US or Canada stood to
earn a return of US$0.5 million a decade on
from the completion of their degree, and a
staggering US$2.57 million after 20 years.
To put it simply, it’s difficult to see why
applicants wouldn’t at least consider
studying in one of the US or Canada…and
this is before you sit down and consider
the number of reputable business schools
scattered across the region from which you
can choose.
Study options and the competition
for places
A total of 107 institutions based in North
America feature in the QS Global 250
Business Schools Report 2017 – a guide to
the world’s best places at which to study
a full-time MBA. Of these, 22 are in the
report’s highest category - the Global Elite
Quadrant – for what their programs can
offer students, in terms of employability
and research excellence.
Of course, even with as many options as
these, competition for a place on one of
the highest-ranking programs is fierce. For
example, only 23% of those who applied
to join NYU Stern’s latest class were
admitted, while the equivalent figure at
Harvard Business School was even lower
than this, at 11%.
MBA prospects are ambitious people,
however, and the level of competition is
unlikely to put off any talented applicant.
Still, differing ambitions and circumstances
call for differing study choices and, for
many, there will be other compelling
reasons to opt to study an MBA in a
region other than North America. These
reasons might well revolve purely around
practicalities, such as the length and cost of
study – something which can be a bone of
contention even with the subsequent ROI
in mind. After all, MBAs in North America
are still commonly those of the two-year
variety and, at their most expensive, can top
the US$200,000 threshold.
Then again, if you’re looking at two-year
programs, you’re sure to have noted the
extra time the format allows to delve deeper
into your future career options and take
greater advantage of all that life at business
school has to offer. You might even be able
to set yourself up with a full-time job offer
well in advance of graduation through the
successful completion of an MBA internship
in the summer between your first and
second year of study. While one-year and
part-time formats are also available in the
region, it is the full-time, two-year format
in which you’ll find the strongest array of
choice on offer from business schools in
North America.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 121
North America
School of Business
UConn School of Business
Program Type: MBA/MS in Nursing
Full-time MBA MBA/Master of Social Work
Part-time MBA Specialization by Function:
Executive MBA Business Analytics
Joint Degree Programs Offered: Digital Marketing Strategy with a
MBA/MS in Business Analytics specialty in Marketing Analytics
MBA/MS in Financial Risk Financial Analysis and Investments,
Management with specialties in Portfolio
MBA/MS in Human Resource Management, Real Estate, or Health
Management Care Finance and Insurance
MBA/Juris Doctorate (Law) General Business
MBA/MD (Medicine)
MBA/DMD (Dentistry)
MBA/PharmD (Pharmacy)
MBA/MEng (Engineering)
MBA/MA in International Studies
The University of Connecticut’s (UConn’s)
flagship Full-time MBA Program emphasizes
a practical and comprehensive business edu-
cation driven to meet market trends that truly
integrates business fundamentals, innovative
experiential learning and immediately appli-
cable skills. This carefully blended curriculum
differentiates you – as a UConn MBA graduate –
in the marketplace and uniquely positions you
for long-term career success.
The UConn MBA Program’s impact on our gradu-
ates’ success is evidenced by U.S. News & World Re-
port’s latest reporting UConn MBA being ranked #48
nationally (2016) and that we are consistently ranked
in the top 30 for public universities in the US.
Return on Investment (ROI)
The return on investment (ROI) of UConn’s MBA
degree is among the best in the country. As Con-
necticut’s flagship public MBA program, we’re able
to offer affordable tuition rates compared to private
programs. This, coupled with competitive starting
base salaries averaging over $100,000, is what drives
our exceptional ROI.
Student Profile
Amber Almezy
The full time MBA program
at UConn has been a great de-
cision for me at just the right
time, both professionally and
personally. I was able to leverage 6 years of work
experience back into the classroom, which allowed
for a deeper understanding of key business con-
cepts and strategies.
The staff, faculty and career development team
helped me gain the confidence I needed to prepare
for my summer internship in a graduate leader-
122 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Full-Time Course Information:
Start Date:
August
Program Duration:
21 months
16 months for seasoned professionals
looking for smaller career turns
Tuition Fee:
$35,588/year – 2016/2017
Entry Requirements:
Min. GMAT/GRE Score: N/A
Min. TOEFL Internet-Based
Score: 90
Min. IELTS: 7.0
Min. Years of Work Experience: 2
A Career-Centric Curriculum
The Full-time MBA is a two-year, 57-credit program
designed for professionals seeking both short-term
skills to succeed in a new functional role, and long-
term capability to effectively lead and manage the
complexity of business organizations in a dynamic
global environment. Last year, we introduced a new
curriculum providing you with immediately applica-
ble functional and analytical skills, as well as global
and cross-functional perspectives. Following a mar-
ket-driven approach, the new program focuses on:
1. Four Core Concentrations Starting in Spring
»» Financial Analysis and Investments, with spe-
cialties in Portfolio Management, Real Estate or
Health Care Finance and Insurance (STEM)
»» Business Analytics (STEM)
»» Digital Marketing Strategy with a specialty in
Marketing Analytics (STEM)
»» General Business
2. Required Courses in Shorter Modules
»» 7-week and 3-week modules
3. Front-Loaded Course Work
»» Prepares for internships in new
functions or industries
ship program and advance my career. The full time
program in particular gave me the opportunity to
completely focus on learning and have an intern-
ship in both a new function and industry than my
previous experience at GE. Furthermore, UConn’s
small classroom size allowed me to get to know
my classmates on a more intimate level. I am con-
fident that several of my classmates are colleagues
and friends for life.
It is clear that the decision of the School of Business
to relocate the Full-time MBA Program to down-
town Hartford, Connecticut was a wise one and
Application Fee: USD $75 Contact:
Part-Time Course Information: Laine Kingo, Senior Admissions
Start Dates: Officer
August, January, May Full-Time MBA Program
Program Duration: University of Connecticut
36 – 72 months School of Business
Tuition Fee: 100 Constitution Plaza
USD $825/credit or $2475/course Hartford, CT 06103
Executive Course Information: United States of America
Start Date: Tel: (860) 728-2440
August Fax: (860) 728-2499
Program Duration: Email: MBA@uconn.edu
20 months Web: mba.uconn.edu
Tuition Fee:
USD $78,000/year – 2017-2018
4. 16-month, 57-credit “accelerated” path
»» for seasoned professionals looking for
smaller career turns
5. Increased Focus on Strengthening Commu-
nications Skills
»» a 3 credit course: Communicating for Impact
6. Extensive New Coursework in Various Busi-
ness Disciplines
»» including Sustainability in the Global
Business Environment
7. Milestone Requirement
»» for demonstrated understanding of US capital
markets and business institutions
SUMMER INTERNSHIP – A Milestone to Move
You Forward
Over the summer, students fulfill the MBA degree’s
Internship Milestone. MBA students work one-on-
one with their dedicated career coach from the Ca-
reer Development Office throughout the year on pro-
fessional development, and their internship search
and post-MBA career strategies. MBA candidates
can secure a summer internship in any number of
industries and companies, or in one of the School’s
experiential learning accelerators.
has proved advantageous for close proximity to key
employers. The quicker commute for information
sessions with alumni and recruiters is a distinct ad-
vantage in Hartford.
UConn’s Full-time MBA Program not only has a
strong quantitative curriculum, but the Program
also focuses on the “soft skills” and has helped me to
tremendously increase my presentation skills. Great
coaching and continuous practice is immensely
powerful and the core communications course was
impactful evidenced by me and my classmates’
transformation through the year.
 North America

Florida International University,

Chapman Graduate School of Business

Program Type:
Full Time MBA
Part Time MBA
Distance Learning MBA
Executive MBA
Joint Degree Programs Offered:
MBA+MIB (Intl Business),
MBA+MSF (Finance), MBA+MSIS
(Info Sys), MBA+MALACS (Lat
American Studies), MSF+MSIRE
(Real Estate), MSF+MIB,
MSIRE+MIB, MSIRE+Hospitality,
MBA+MSHRM (Human Resources),
MBA+MSHRM, MBA+JD
(Juris Doctor)
Strategic Negotiations:
Business Analytics
Marketing Channel Strategy
Marketing
Specialization by Function:
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Finance
General Management
Health Care Management
Human Resource Management
International Business
Business
Information Systems
Health Informatics & Analytics
International Real Estate
Full Time Course Information:
Start Dates:
August
Program Duration:
12 months
Tuition Fee: Distance Course Information: Contact:
USD ($) 35,000 / Total Program Cost Start Dates: Prisciliana Berrios, Senior Manager,
Entry Requirements: Rolling Graduate Recruiting
Min. iBT-80 Program Duration: Florida International University,
Min. GMAT Score–500 18 months Chapman Graduate School
Min. TOEFL Computer Tuition Fee: of Business
Based Score–213 USD ($) 45,000 (non-Florida 11200 S.W. 8th Street — CBC 200
Min. TOEFL Paper Based Score–550 residents) / Total Program Cost Miami, FL
Min. IELTS–6.5 Executive Course Information: 33199-0001
Min. Years of Work Experience–0 Start Dates: United States of America
Application Fee - July Tel: + 1 (305) 348-7398
USD ($) 30 Program Duration: Fax: + 1 (305) 348-7204
Part Time Course Information: 22 months Email: chapman@fiu.edu
Start Dates: Tuition Fee : Web: business.fiu.edu
January and August USD ($) 65,000 / Total Program Cost
Program Duration:
10–24 months
Tuition Fee:
USD ($) 48,000 / Total Program Cost

Strategically located in Miami, Florida Inter-
national University (FIU) has the advantage
of being at the center of it all: growth in Mi-
ami is booming, the geographical positioning
of South Florida has facilitated a flourishing
ocean, air transportation and logistics indus-
try. It truly is the crossroads of the Americas.
This ideal setting blends culture, urbanism and
ethnicity with the business headquarters for many
multinational corporations, giving way to a dynam-
ic environment that is characterized by technology,
international commerce and banking, travel and
tourism, and entrepreneurship.
International Master’s of Business Adminis-
tration (IMBA)
Created with this cosmopolitan reality in mind,
FIU’s 12-month, accelerated IMBA is a true re-
flection of cultural diversity as students, faculty
and staff are, in fact, international in nature. To be
competitive in today’s workplace you have to think
globally. Students come to FIU from all over the
world and are taught by professors from Australia,
Mexico, Germany, China, India, Greece, Chile, Leb-
anon, Finland… and also Texas, Michigan, Alabama, Small Business Development Center
Ohio and the rest of the U.S.
The Florida SBDC at FIU provides individualized,
The 1 year, full-time IMBA is completed in four no-cost, one-on-one business consulting to exist-
quarters. Classes are held at our state-of-the-art ing small and medium-size businesses, as well as to
College of Business Complex facility. All courses, pre-venture entrepreneurs and start-up businesses.
including a foreign language–Spanish, Portuguese,
SBDC consultants are experts in finance, market-
Chinese or Advanced Business English–are taken
ing, government contracting, international market
during the fall, winter and spring quarters, leav-
development and more.
ing students the summer quarter to do a business
internship or take specialization courses at FIU or Career Management Services
study abroad with academic partners in places like
A strong asset to the Chapman Graduate School
Spain, Argentina, France, and even China.
is the Career Management Services Center. It was
The average age of our International MBA stu- created to strengthen ties with corporate partners
dent is 25, and approximately 45% of our candi- throughout Florida and the U.S., provide skills de-
dates are women. In the last three years alone, velopment and assist students and graduates during
over 30 countries were represented in FIU’s Inter- the career development and placement process.
national MBA classes.
Entrepreneurship
The Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepre-
neurship Center is quickly becoming a recognized
international leader in entrepreneurship research,
education, and outreach.

Student Profile
Matthew Miller brought as an international city, coupled with the Choosing FIU for the intense 1-year curriculum
IMBA Graduate incredible faculty and cohort work, benefited my and the diverse student body gave me an education
career substantially. The Career Management Ser- outside of the classroom that few schools could
Matthew Miller IMBA Graduate
vices in the College of Business helped launch my compete with. I now have contacts from all over the
“The IMBA at FIU was the best
career in Product Management in Insurance even world. The IMBA truly facilitated a global program.”
decision I could have made both
when the economy had turned sour and most com-
personally and professionally.
panies were not hiring.
The exposure that Miami

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 123

North America

University of Miami

Program Type: Mergers & Acquisitions Full Time Course Information: Executive Course Start Dates: Contact:
Full Time MBA Accounting Start Dates: January Dr. Loubna Bouamane
One-Year MBA General Management January, August October Director of Recruiting and
Executive MBA Management Science Program Duration: Program Duration: Admissions
Global Executive MBA Marketing 20 months 20 months University of Miami
Executive Healthcare MBA Operations Management Entry Requirements: 221 Jenkins Building
Real Estate MBA Computer Information Systems Min. GMAT Score–500 5250 University Drive
Joint Degree Programs Offered: Real Estate Min. Years of Work Experience–0 Coral Gables, Florida
MBA + JD Specialization by Industry: Application Fee: 33146
MBA + MD Banking / Financial Services None ($) 0 United States of America
MBA + MSc (Engineering) Consulting Tuition Fee: Tel: 305-284-2510
Specialization by Function: IT / Telecommunications USD ($) 44,400 / Year Fax: 305-284-5905
International Business Retail / Consumer Goods Email: mba@miami.edu
Finance International Business Web: www.bus.miami.edu/grad

The University of Miami School of
Business Administration:
Whether you’re an emerging entrepreneur, invest-
ment manager, or international business associate,
the University of Miami’s MBA program is designed
to put you at the forefront of tomorrow’s global
companies. With an MBA class size of approximate-
ly 100 students, the University of Miami School of
Business Administration offers dedicated personal
attention to each of its students from the faculty,
staff, and career services center. The UM MBA expe-
rience gives graduates what they need to effectively
lead in today’s rapidly changing marketplace.
Diversity & Recognition:
Miami, one of the most culturally diverse cities in
the world, is considered the gateway to the Amer-
icas. Home to more than 1,100 multinational head-
quarters or divisions, the region offers unparalleled
professional growth opportunities for MBA stu-
dents. UM MBA students represent more than 30
countries and more than 20 U.S. states. The oppor-
tunity to immerse yourself in this kind of diverse
learning environment sets UM apart among MBA
programs of this size. UM MBA program accolades
include: Top-50 MBA Programs in U.S. (Economist,
2015; Bloomberg BusinessWeek, 2015), #1 MBA
Program, Highest Percentage of Minorities (among
top-100 ranked schools; U.S. News & World Re-
port, 2014), #1 Executive Education Program for
Latin America, U.S. (América Economia, 2014), #8
MBA Program for Hispanics, U.S. (Hispanic Busi-
ness, 2014), #16 Full-Time MBA Program, U.S.
(América Economia, 2015).
MBA Program Overview:
The University of Miami MBA program delivers
a rigorous academic experience while developing
principled global leaders who will impact the world
by creating, building, and improving organizations
of all types. Students learn how to lead with the
highest standards of ethical, social, and environ-
mental responsibility. As a University of Miami
MBA student, you’ll learn from world-class faculty,
through professional mentorship and company in-
ternships. And you will become part of one of the
largest alumni networks of any business school,
representing more than 100 countries.
The full-time MBA program is innovative, flexible
and career-focused. Concentrations are offered
in Accounting, Computer Information Systems,
Finance, International Business, Management,
Management Science, Management Science
Consulting, Marketing, Real Estate, and Merg-
ers and Acquisitions.
Entrepreneurship Program:
The University of Miami School of Business Admin-
istration has been committed to fostering student
entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thought lead-
ership for more than 60 years. The School offers a
robust entrepreneurship curriculum, supports pro-
grams to nurture student-run businesses and pro-
vides a research environment where entrepreneuri-
al thinking flourishes.
Career Management:
At UM, your career planning extends throughout
your two years in the program. Whether you have
committed to a clear career path or you plan to
consider a variety of options, our career services
team will help guide your progress. From summer
internships to placement at top international com-
panies to honing your soft skills, the Ziff Graduate
Career Services Center will work with you from
day one of the program to help you accomplish
your professional goals.

Student Profile
Sean Murtagh, MBA ‘13 looked at schools around the country and ultimate- ing me to accept an associate position in investment
ly decided on the University of Miami because of management with a Fortune 100 company.”
“After spending six years in Phil-
its solid curriculum, excellent faculty, and location
adelphia working for a regional
in a global business hub. The finance concentration
bank, I decided to return to busi-
I pursued at UM’s School of Business equipped me
ness school to pursue my MBA. I
with the tools necessary to advance my career, lead-

124 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

 North America

Top Companies Recruiting from Miami

3M Company Kelloggs
Accenture KPMG
AT&T L’Oreal
American Airlines Louis Vuitton
American Express Lucent
Bacardi USA, Inc. Mastercard
Bank of America Mattel
Chevron Corp. Merck
Citigroup MGM Mirage
Cole Haan Microsoft
CITRIX Systems Moet-Hennessy
Colgate-Palmolive Co. Morgan-Stanley
The University of Miami Graduate Admissions Team (fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French) Credit Suisse Motorola
DaimlerChrysler Nike
Dell Inc. Novartis Pharmaceutical
Diageo Perry Ellis
Deloitte Consulting Proctor & Gamble
Disney Target
DHL Tyco
Ernst & Young UBS Int’l
General Electric UBS Private Wealth
Goldman Sachs Vanguard
Home Depot Visa Latin America
IBM Whirlpool Corp.
JP Morgan Chase Wyeth
Johnson & Johnson

QS TopMBA 2014 annual rankings: Miami ranks in top 25 U.S. MBA programs • Miami ranks #6 (just between Shanghai and Paris) in 2015 Global Cities Wealth
Report • More than 40 countries and/or islands are within a 2 hour flight from Miami • More than 1,100 multinational corporations have headquarters or Latin
American divisions in Miami • 55 foreign consulates and 40 binational chambers of commerce, and 25 foreign trade offices are located in Miami • Miami is home
to more than 60 international banks and 100 alternative investment companies

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 125

Regional Profile

The MBA in
Western Europe
Western Europe’s leading business schools are spread across many of its constituent countries,
offering applicants a wealth of choice for study location. The region’s MBA employment market
also outperformed its forecasted growth amid testing times last year…

By Tim Dhoul

There aren’t many who would say that
2015/16 was anything other than a
challenging year for much of Western
Europe. However, the region still
managed to perform better than we had
anticipated in our annual survey of the
world’s MBA employment markets. In
the QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary Trends
Report 2016/17, employers in Western
Europe attested to a 4% rise in new MBA
job opportunities – two percentage points
higher than the forecast given in the
preceding edition.
Central to outperforming this forecast
was the rise in jobs available to MBAs
in industry and outside the ‘big three’
avenues of MBA hiring that are consulting,
finance and technology. Indeed, the finding
that MBA jobs in industry had risen by
7% across 2015/16 in Western Europe gave
further evidence of the number of different
sectors in which employers seek to harness
the skills of an MBA graduate.
Within the region, the strength of hiring
witnessed in the UK was a clear highlight,
although it should be noted that much of
the report’s data will date to before the
country’s referendum over its EU status
in the middle of 2016 and the ensuing
uncertainty generated as a consequence.
To a lesser extent, employers in Spain
also had a decent year. However, the
region’s overall growth is tempered
by disappointing years for Germany,
Switzerland and, in particular, Ireland.
The forecast for 2016/17 is again a modest
one, as recruiters await the potential
impact of the UK beginning its process

126 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

of disengagement from the EU and the
start of election years in both France and
Germany.
Salaries above the US$100k
threshold
The average total remuneration for MBAs
across Western Europe remains above the
US$100,000 threshold – higher than those
seen in any other region of the world, bar
North America.
Of course, employers in some Western
European countries pay more than
others. When looking at the five most
popular MBA study destinations among
MBA applicants (according to QS’s
research into applicant preferences), it’s
worth noting that three countries – the
UK, France and Switzerland – currently
pay over the average base salary seen
across the region as a whole. Spain and
Germany, meanwhile, currently pay a
little below the regional average. Even
so, Germany and Spain do still feature
among the world’s top 20 for the size of
salaries on offer to MBA graduates and
Germany is only just outside the top 10
in this respect.
Study options and ROI
When it comes to study options, Western
Europe has more than its fair share of
prestigious business schools – names
respected around the world, such as London
Business School, Oxford Saïd and Cambridge
Judge in the UK; INSEAD and HEC Paris in
France, IMD in Switzerland, SDA Bocconi in
Italy, and many, many others.
Indeed, one distinct advantage of
considering MBA study in Western Europe
is the great number of countries in which
you can find reputable programs. Nine
different countries have representatives
in the region’s top 20 business schools for
employability and/or its top 20 for research
excellence, according to the QS Global
250 Business Schools Report 2017: The UK,
France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands,
Switzerland, Denmark, Germany and
Finland – enough choice to satisfy even
the most demanding of applicants, you
would hope!
In stark contrast in to North America, the
one-year, full-time MBA is the format you
can expect to see more of when looking at
programs on offer across Western Europe.
The shorter program length is one of the
reasons why you might find cohorts that
carry a few more years’ experience than
in the US. Opting for the shorter format
of a full-time MBA also has financial
implications – as anyone who has used QS’s
MBA ROI reports for North America and
Europe to help them calculate the potential
return on their MBA degree will be able
to tell you. A spoiler alert for those who
haven’t – shorter programs invariably allow
graduates to recoup their initial investment
in the degree (tuition fees plus salary
forgone) quicker. Whether or not this is
the clincher for you will, of course, depend
on your unique set of circumstances and
what it is that you’re hoping to achieve by
enrolling in an MBA program.
After all, there are many more factors to
consider than those of a purely financial
nature that can influence what you get out
of the qualification – study environment,
school culture, access to networks, course
options and internship prospects being just
a few among them. You’re only going to do
an MBA once in your life, so it’s important
to ascertain which features matter most to
you. What’s clear, however, is that those
who opt for programs in Western Europe
can take advantage of the wealth of choice
available throughout the region.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 127
Regional Profile

The MBA in
Eastern Europe
Between 2015 and 2016, Eastern Europe saw a significant rise in demand for MBAs. The region
can offer affordable study options, and where else would you stand to receive a better insight
into its growing opportunities?

By Tim Dhoul

Eastern Europe is a great place to study an
MBA if you want to carve out a successful
career in the region1 – employers there
are less likely to look outside of Eastern
Europe when hiring MBA graduates than
employers in any other region of the
world, bar Latin America, according to
respondents to QS’s annual survey of those
who hire MBAs.
Presumably this is because their focus –
for the time being at least – is to expand
within Eastern Europe. This requires
senior managers that possess a thorough
understanding of the region’s regulations,
practices and its culture for doing business.
You might find these insights harder to
come by at a business school in the US,
where academics have lamented the
lack of research interest shown towards
Russia since the Soviet Union’s demise,
for instance, or even at an institution in
Western Europe where programs seem
more likely to offer guidance on the
proliferation of business opportunities
available in Asia, bypassing Eastern
Europe in the process.

128 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

While Eastern Europe can’t match Asia
for its current level of growth in MBA
job opportunities, based on the results
of the QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary
Trends Report 2016/17 the region’s market
is showing extremely healthy signs
of progress. Employers in the region
reported a 9% rise in opportunities
available to MBA graduates in 2015/16,
up from 4% growth in 2014/15. A
recovery to Russia’s MBA recruitment
levels after a dismal showing in 2014/15
has been central to the region’s overall
uptick, while Kazakhstan posted
healthy growth for the second year in
succession. These two countries are in
the world’s top 20 for the sheer volume
of job opportunities they have to offer
MBAs and are likely to remain lynchpins
of the region’s future growth.
Alongside the growth in jobs, has been
a rise in salary levels paid by MBA
employers across Eastern Europe. From
last year’s average of approximately
US$62,000, total remuneration is now up
to US$72,100. While this is undoubtedly
a welcome rise, it isn’t large enough to
prevent the region from becoming home
to the world’s lowest MBA salaries.
Yet, salaries must always be taken in
the context in which they are offered
and the relatively low cost of living in
Eastern Europe and, indeed, the further
variety one finds in this respect between
individual countries, complicates
comparisons made with an average taken
for the region as a whole.
Where to study in Eastern Europe
Your MBA-level options in business
education might be a little more limited in
Eastern Europe than in Western Europe
at the present moment in time, but this
is changing as the degree’s value to
employers in the region gathers pace.
Even so, the affordability of existing
options is notable. A one-year MBA
program starting full time in the academic
year 2016/17 was available for just €15,500
(c. US$17,000) at CEU (Central European
University) Business School in Budapest,
Hungary, for example, while tuition for
the September 2017 intake of the one-
year MBA at Greece’s ALBA Graduate
Business School has been set at €19,750
(c. US$21,000). Both schools featured in
QS’s latest guide to the best full-time MBA
programs available around the world,
the QS Global 250 Business Schools Report
2017 and come with accreditation from
reputable body, the Association of MBAs
(AMBA); accreditation being an important
consideration for prospective students no
matter where in the world they wish to
study their MBA.
Eastern Europe won’t be the right
destination for everyone – no destination
is. But, for those seeking to gain an
insight into the region and the emerging
opportunities therein, as well as that all-
important foothold in the job market, it is
well worthy of your attention.
1. For the purposes of offering a regional analysis that stands
as distinct from the experiences both of Western Europe
and Asia, Eastern Europe is defined here as encompassing
an area stretching from Central Europe to Central Asia,
taking in much of Southeastern Europe along the way.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 129
Europe

University of Glasgow
Adam Smith Business School

Program type: Program Duration: Entry Requirements: Contact: Tel: 44 (0)141 330 6300
Full Time MBA 12 months 2:1 Honours degree or non-UK Victoria Livett -Frater, Email: business-mba-enquiries@
Specialization by Function: Tuition Fee: equivalent and a minimum of three MBA Program Administrator glasgow.ac.uk
Finance UK and EU £15,750 years’ managerial work experience University of Glasgow Adam Smith Web: www.glasgow.ac.uk/mba
Marketing International £23,350 Min IELTS: 6.5 Business School
Strategy Please note that fees are subject Application Fee: Gilbert Scott Building
Specialization by Industry: to change. GBP £25 per application University Avenue
Banking / Financial Services Scholarships: Glasgow, Scotland
Consulting Government 10 x £10,000 scholarships are G12 8QQ
Public Sector available for applicants who United Kingdom
Course Information Start demonstrate academic excellence
Dates: September www.gla.ac.uk/scholarships/
mbascholarships/

The Adam Smith MBA is a major investment
in your future. Anchored in the intellectual
tradition of the eminent Glasgow graduate
Adam Smith, the ASBS learning community
provides high-quality, contemporary thinking
in a practical business setting.
The Adam Smith MBA has been transforming man-
agers since 1976. It is structured to enhance both
professional and academic development. The core
courses equip candidates with a broad knowledge of
business that is followed by elective specialisation
in Finance, Strategy or Marketing. The Adam Smith
MBA will empower you with the skills, tools and
theory needed to be a successful manager and leader.
World-class teaching
The academics at ASBS are invited to consult and
conduct research with organisations around the
world, giving them first-hand insight into how
organisations work. Teaching on the Adam Smith
MBA incorporates this experience and is at the cut-
ting-edge of business knowledge.
International learning community
When participants enter the Adam Smith MBA
Programme, they join an international communi-
ty built on a foundation of Scottish hospitality at a lows candidates to work within a real company and
triple-accredited international school; and are wel- put theories into practice.
comed from all over the world to learn from each
Previous participating organisations include Am-
other and to gain a truly international perspective.
azon UK, BAE Systems, Clydesdale Bank, Lynnet
Drawing directly on Adam Smith’s heritage, the Leisure Group, Exprivia and Telefonica, as well
MBA experience is enhanced by history and in- as small to medium size enterprises and char-
novation; by traditions of scholarship and creative itable organisations.
energy; and by the combination of leading-edge
Projects have included creating business plans,
research and practical achievement. The Program
reviewing training provisions, conducting mar-
matches this ancient tradition with exposure to
ket analyses, improving productivity, pro-
contemporary business practice. The international
ducing a distribution analysis, and allocating
aspect lends a broader perspective to the challenges
resource management.
facing future leaders and managers.
Careers
Robust industry links
At the Adam Smith Business School, we aim to
The Adam Smith Business School is associated with
enhance the employability of MBA students and
many major public and private sector organisations,
graduates. Graduates will benefit from the pro-
such as BAA, Arup, IBM, BBC Scotland, PWC, BT,
gramme’s strong emphasis on real world business
and many more blue-chip companies. These links
issues and sustainable futures, as well as having ac-
directly benefit our students through networking
cess to a dedicated MBA Careers Manager for up to
events and consulting projects.
two years after graduation. Organisations that have
Consulting in practice hired ASBS graduates include American Express,
Amazon, Morgan Stanley, Pepsi, TSB, JP Morgan,
As part of the Strategic Management assessment,
British Gas, General Motors, IBM, and many others.
students take part in team consultancy. This is an
important element of the Adam Smith MBA that al-

Student Profile
Jonathan Hegan, MBA throughout the year, helping participants build a network with successful practitioners, local pro-
Class of 2014 store of memories, experiences and skills that last fessionals and alumni.
a lifetime. Recent events include a team-building
Based on feedback from our stu- “There is no doubt that this is a difficult course, it is an
trip to picturesque Gleneagles, a tour of Glengoyne
dents and alumni, we know that MBA after all; however, if you are willing to commit
Distillery with a presentation from their business
the ASBS experience is chal- to it, and have the desire to learn and develop, then
team, outdoor events at Go Country Adventure
lenging, rewarding and makes a lasting impact on this course will deliver for you. I know this to be the
Park, Burns Night, ceilidh dances; and international
their lives and careers. case for myself, with personal development particu-
celebrations such as Chinese New Year and Diwali.
larly obvious since returning to the workplace.”
The University and the Adam Smith Business School
The School also offers regular guest speaker eve-
offer a range of social and team-building activities
nings, allowing participants to learn from and

130 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017


The University of Manchester
Alliance Manchester Business School
Singapore
Dubai
Program Type: Program Duration:
Full-time MBA 18, 15 or 12 months Full-time MBA
Part-time Global MBA 24 months Part-time Global MBA
Part-time Kelley-Manchester 24 months Part-time Kelley-
Global MBA Manchester Global MBA
New Intakes: Tuition Fee:
September 2017 Full-time MBA GBP (£) 42,000 Full-time MBA
July 2017 Part-time Global MBA GBP (£) 28,665 Part-time Global MBA
July 2017 Part-time Kelley USD ($) 65,000 Kelley-Manchester
Manchester Global MBA Global MBA
The Manchester MBA is an experience of a
lifetime that will change the way you do busi-
ness,  forever. At Alliance Manchester Busi-
ness School we offer a range of accredited and
unique MBA programs to  suit your career
goals and professional situation. 
Full-time MBA
The Manchester Full-time MBA not only gives you a
thorough grounding in business theory, it also gives
you the opportunity to put it into practice from day
one with live consultancy project work and intern-
ships with high profile, multinational corporations.
Our unique, hands-on programme gives you more
client-facing hours than almost any other MBA
programme – nearly six months’ worth – so you
can test theories immediately in real world situa-
tions and won’t feel completely removed from the
commercial environment. You will gain interna-
tional experience through project work, the inter-
national exchange programme, and the chance to
take an elective course or study tour at one of our
Student Profiles
Katey Neate, Vice President
in Risk Management,
BNY Mellon
Global Part-time MBA, 2012
“The quality of teaching staff is
very high and the practical experience is fantastic.
Being able to tailor the modules to suit your
interests and needs means you don’t need to commit
to learning that won’t benefit you. The flexibility
of the course, and the fact that it’s not classroom
based, makes it the perfect option for those who
aren’t at a point to have time out of their careers.
“The much-vaunted Manchester method – teaching
through doing – teaches you that people are more
important than books, which, from speaking
with my contemporaries who’ve completed an
Shanghai
São Paulo
Entry Requirements: Contact:
Full-time MBA - three years Alliance Manchester Business
professional experience School
Part-time Global MBA and Part- The University of Manchester
time Kelley-Manchester Global Manchester Business School West
MBA - three years of professional Booth Street West
experience with a degree, or eight Manchester
years without a degree M15 6PB
Application Fee: GBP (£) 0 United Kingdom
global centres in Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sin-
gapore and São Paolo.
The Manchester MBA will take you out of your
comfort zone from day one and encourage you to
think, question and find solutions to complex, glob-
al business problems. We offer personalised careers
support starting before you arrive in Manchester
and in 2015, 87% of graduates looking for work had
accepted an MBA level offer of employment within
three months of graduating. 
Global Part-time MBA  with a combined legacy of nearly 150 years of inno-
The two year Manchester Global part-time MBA is
designed to fit around work and personal commit-
ments. World class teaching is delivered in blocks at
residential workshops, with online activity to enrich
the learning experience. Workshops provide a min-
imum of 24 hours face-to-face contact per course.
You can tailor your MBA to suit your personal goals
and interests by selecting electives from the follow-
ing themes; Entrepreneurship and innovation,
MBA course elsewhere, is a pretty unique output.
Completing the Global MBA has contributed both
directly and indirectly to my career progression.”
Uday Senapati, Head of
Technical Operations,
Mulliner, Bentley Motors Ltd
Global Part-time MBA Class
of 2013
“My employer sponsored me to do a part-time
MBA and was a junior manager when I started the
program. The MBA helped me progress to a senior
management position within my department while
I was studying and I now head up a different part
of the business. It also offered fantastic networking
opportunities with a truly global student base. I
attended a workshop overseas, which was a great
Europe
Manchester
Hong Kong
Tel: +44 (0)161 275 6414 (Full-time
MBA) +44 (0)161 275 7212 (Part-
time MBA’s)
Email: mba@mbs.ac.uk
(Full-time MBA)
global@mbs.ac.uk (Part-
time MBA’s)
Web: www.mbs.ac.uk/mba
Finance, HR Management, Leadership and man-
agement practice, Marketing, Projects and Tech-
nology. There is international flexibility within the
programme; you can attend workshops at any of
our global centres. 
Kelley-Manchester Global Part-time MBA
Our joint MBA with Kelley School of Business in
the United States also allows candidates to study
and work at the same time. The programme brings
together two of the world’s leading business schools
vation in business and management education. This
pioneering new programme will be taught using
a blended format of online study and face-to-face
classes, at both the Kelley School in Indiana, USA
and at Alliance Manchester Business School cam-
puses across the globe. You’ll experience British
and US style business and management education,
earning you two degrees from two top ranked
schools in two years.
insight into a completely different culture and way
of conducting business.”
Cesar Luna Victoria, Class of 2015
Associate – Markets and Securities, Citibank
Full-time MBA
“I decided to study an MBA because I wanted
to switch careers from corporate law to finance.
Alliance MBS’ project-based approach, as well as
the amazing, up-to-date and continuous careers
support, allowed me to gain enough experience
and understanding of the finance sector to obtain
an internship with Citibank. This turned into a
full-time offer - all during the first year of the
program. Choosing Alliance MBS was the best
decision I ever made.””
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 131
Europe

Amsterdam Business School

Programme type:
Full-time MBA (12 months)
Part-time MBA (24 months)
Start date:
September
Tuition fee:
€ 33,900 (full-time MBA)
€ 36,900 (part-time MBA)
Specialisation:
Leadership
Strategy & Operations
Finance & Accounting
Contemporary Management Issues
Entry requirements:
Bachelor’s degree from a Research
University or equivalent
Min. years of work experience: 3
GMAT: 600
TOEFL: 100
Class size:
25 full-time, 25 part-time
Employment percentage (3
months after graduation): 96%
Average exit salary:
€ 73,000
Average work experience:
6 years (full-time MBA)
10 years (part-time MBA)
International students:
96% (full-time MBA)
84% (part-time MBA)
Application deadline:
30 June 2017

Are you considering an MBA to enhance your
career within your company, expand your
entrepreneurial horizon, or explore different
career switches while sitting in a class with
peers? A 96% job placement rate and a small
class-size of around 25 students enable you to
connect to your future! The Amsterdam MBA
programme is designed for ambitious profes-
sionals and graduates who wish to pursue a
career in the international business world. The
Amsterdam MBA students are intelligent, dar-
ing, motivated and hardworking. They bring
rich experiences of day-today professional ex-
pertise to the programme, providing a unique
opportunity to share and learn. Their dedica-
tion and drive in the classroom set them up
to become confident, inspiring and passionate
leaders of the future.
University of Amsterdam
The Amsterdam Business School (ABS) is part of the
University of Amsterdam. ABS offers an inspiring
international learning community, where students
can develop their capacities to optimum effect. We
foster independent minds with an impact on inter-
national business and society at large by conduct-
ing high quality academic research on innovative
and socially relevant themes, and by offering re-
search-based teaching that meets the highest inter-
national standards. We are committed to advancing
the understanding of business and its role in socie-
ty, and to leveraging synergies between our School
and its institutional and corporate environment.
Why the Amsterdam MBA?
»» The Amsterdam MBA is located in the heart of
Amsterdam, a vibrant and multicultural Euro-
pean hub combining long-standing business
tradition with entrepreneurial spirit.
»» The programme is a network-oriented MBA in a
multidisciplinary and international environment
with close linkages to the Amsterdam business
community and international partners.
»» It is a team-oriented MBA programme with
small and interactive classes of around 25
students per cohort, and led by inspiring in-
structors with in-depth industry experience and
world-class academic reputation.
»» We offer a customised MBA programme includ-
ing personalised development plans, an exten-
sive range of electives and trainings tailored to
individual career ambitions are offered.
»» The Amsterdam Business School is among
the less than 1% of business schools world-
wide with ‘triple crown’ accreditation from
AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS.
Curriculum
The curriculum of the Amsterdam MBA consists of
four clusters that address key challenges for future
leaders in business and society: (1) Leadership, (2)
Strategy & Operations, (3) Finance & Accounting,
and (4) Contemporary Management Issues. In ad-
dition to having a profound knowledge of general
management issues related to an organisation’s
strategy and operations, top managers require ex-
ceptional leadership skills, a profound understand-
ing of the financial side of their business and an
in-depth knowledge of emerging trends that sus-
tainably impact both the economic landscape and
the broader society. The rich academic history of
the University (385 years old this year) combined
with contemporary courses like Big Data, Business
Analytics and FinTech courses will make this MBA
your best choice to enhance your career. Visit our
website to explore the full curriculum.
Career prospects
96% of our students found a job within three months
after graduation. Average salaries increased by 24%
compared to pre-MBA levels. Typically, graduates
go on to careers in areas in which a thorough un-
derstanding of the complexities of international
business is essential. Our personalised career ser-
vice helps students make sound career choices and
assists them in areas such as writing cover letters,
preparing a professional CV and interviewing tech-
niques. Our MBA students have been very success-
ful after their graduation. Whether your goal is to
accelerate your career within your sector or posi-
tion to switch to another industry, to set up your
own venture, or to take over the family business,
the resources and expertise available at our MBA
Careers Office will send you on your way. The MBA
Careers Manager will work with you throughout
the programme to prepare you for re-entry to the
job market and assist you in creating your own
career opportunities. The MBA Careers Manager
collaborates with top companies like ING, Philips,
Google, Uber, Booking.com, Adidas, Nike and Shell.
Interested?
For questions related to your admission or general
information about the Amsterdam MBA programme,
please contact our admissions team at admis-
sions-MBA@uva.nl or WhatsApp +31 6 2138 0175.

Student Profile
Kumar Nisheet “One of the biggest strengths of the Amsterdam
Full-time MBA MBA programme at Amsterdam Business School
candidate 2017 and a major factor in deciding to study here is the
small size and diversity of its class. It favors inter-
action, not only between professors and students,
but also between students themselves. The lectures
are challenging, promote critical thinking and in
the process help the students build a robust skill set
applicable to many career paths.”

132 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

 Europe

Cass Business School

Program Type: Entrepreneurship Entry Requirements: Program Duration: Contact:

Full-Time MBA Full-Time MBA Information: Min. GMAT Score: 600 24 months MBA Recruitment & Admissions
Evening Executive MBA Start Dates: Min. IELTS: 7.0 Entry Requirements: Cass Business School
Modular Executive MBA September Min. Years of Work Min. Years of Work 106 Bunhill Row
Executive MBA in Dubai Program Duration: Experience: 3 Experience: 5 London EC1Y 8TZ
Specialisation by Function: 12 months Application Fee: Min. IELTS: 7.0 (if applicable) United Kingdom
General Management Tuition Fee: GBP (£) 100 Tuition Fee: Tel: +44(0)20 7040 0286
Leadership GBP (£) 41,000 Part-Time MBA Information: GBP (£) 47,000 Email: cass-mba@city.ac.uk
Finance Start Dates: Web: cassmbalondon.com
Strategic Management March/September

Whether you are planning to transform or
accelerate your career, our range of MBA
programmes are designed to help you realise
your potential. Each programme is designed to
develop your business skills and experience,
providing you with the confidence, knowledge
and networks to achieve your career ambi-
tions. Taught by leading faculty, our Full-time
MBA is an intensive 1 year programme, the Ex-
ecutive MBA is offered over 2 years in a range
of formats: modular and evening in London or
block format in Dubai. The structure delivers
core business skills with flexibility to focus on
areas of personal interest.
About Cass Business School
Cass Business School is amongst the top one per-
cent of Business Schools worldwide. Always aspir-
ing to excellence, we constantly seek new ways to
serve our students and the global business com-
munity. With a considered and successful balance
between theory and practice, we attract people
from all over the world and our global connections
ensure that our students are immersed in an inter-
national environment.
Why choose the Cass MBA tunities to network and connect with the talented
workforce and business leaders that inhabit it.
Our students come from are variety of back-
grounds and industries; they are open to learning Real world learning
and ready to challenge conventional thinking.
You will be immersed in real world business issues
Our programmes are designed to help you exceed
from day one, where you will encounter stimulat-
your potential. To prepare you for your next ca-
ing challenges and unique learning experiences.
reer challenge you will explore the many facets of
This is your opportunity to join a diverse com-
business such as, strategy, consulting, marketing,
munity of equally enthusiastic and focused pro-
management, finance and entrepreneurship in ad-
fessionals, taught by an international faculty in
dition to the key soft skills needed in todays’ com-
the heart of London.
petitive environment.
A global Experience
Rankings
International exposure is important in a competi-
We’re ranked by the Financial Times as the top 1
tive global market. The International Consultancy
year Full-time MBA in London, best MBA global-
Week, along with our international electives give
ly for corporate strategy and best value for money
you the opportunity to make powerful connections,
MBA in London. Our Executive MBA is ranked 5th
while putting the theory learnt in the classroom,
in UK and 14th in Europe
into practice in an international environment.
Location Our international electives include experiences
in China, Chile, Cuba, Dubai, Iceland, Israel and
Our location is a clear advantage for your study
Palestine, Las Vegas, South Africa, Silicon Val-
and career search. Situated between the financial
ley (US) and Vietnam.
district and Tech City, no other European business
school has as many Fortune 500 companies on its
doorstep. The city also provides countless oppor-

Student Profile
Cara Macklin, and teaching, the extra-curricular activities and ex- with an amazing cohort, from over 30 countries
Northern Ireland periencing first hand business in countries globally. worldwide. When working on group projects to-
Full-time MBA alumna 2016 gether, I have gained so much knowledge of other
I learnt a huge amount both academically, but more
Director, Macklin Group industries as well as my ability to work as part of
importantly softer skills such as leadership, project
Care Homes & Malone a very diverse team.
management, networking and presentation skills
Lodge Hotel
which are critical for success in any business. Every You will be taught by sincere and expert academics,
I wanted to do an MBA because I was at the stage day you are doing many different things and I have who are passionate about your development and
in my career, where I had developed as much as I learnt so much about myself and how I work. helping you to get the best experience you can. The
could and I wanted to really challenge myself and Cass MBA is challenging but the opportunities you
The diversity of experiences outside the class-
do something different. When choosing an MBA I get are phenomenal. You will be challenged beyond
room have been vital, including visiting business-
looked at the top business schools in the UK. Cass what you ever thought possible.
es in countries such as China, Israel & South Af-
was an easy first choice due to the quality of its staff
rica. I was pleased to have shared the experience

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 133

Europe

ESADE Business School

Programme Type: Specialisation by industry: Entry Requirements: Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) MBA for Executives (Asia/
Full Time MBA Banking/Financial Services GMAT or GRE Score (Average Information: Europe) Information:
Executive MBA Consulting GMAT – 670) Start Dates: June Start Dates: December
Global Executive MBA Retail/Consumer Goods Min. TOEFL Computer Based Programme Duration: 14 months Programme Duration: 15 months
Multinational MBA Technology Score – 250 Tuition Fees: US ($) 145,000 / Total Tuition Fees: EURO (€) 59,000 /
MBA for Executives (Asia/Europe) Industry&Manufacturing Min. TOELF Internet Based Score Programme Cost 2016/17 Total Programme Cost 2017/18
Specialisation by Function: Full-Time MBA Information: – 100 Multinational MBA Information: Contact:
Entrepreneurship Start Dates: September Min. IELTS – 7 Start Dates: October Admissions Office
Finance Programme Duration: Flexible Min. Years of Work Experience – 2 Programme Duration: 19 months ESADE Business School
General Management (12,15 or 18 months) Application Fee: EURO (€) 135 Tuition Fees: US ($) 75,000 / Total Av. Torreblanca, 57
Human Resources Tuition Fees: EURO (€) 62,700 / Executive MBA Information: Programme Cost 2016/17 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Marketing/Sales Total Programme Cost 2016/17 Start Dates: January E-08172 Spain
Operations/Logistics/Production Programme Duration: 16 months Tel: +34 935 543 511
Innovation Tuition Fees: EURO (€) 59,000 / Fax: +34 935 746 594
Business Analytics Total Programme Cost 2016/17 Email: mba@esade.edu
Consulting Web: www.esade.edu/mba

With campuses located in Barcelona and Ma-
drid, ESADE Business School is one of the
world’s top ranked business schools with more
than 50 years in management development,
offering a wide range of MBA and Executive
Education programmes.
Full Time MBA
Reputation
ESADE is well accustomed to being at the fore-
front of business education since opening in 1958
and was one of the first schools to achieve Triple
Crown accreditation. ESADE is currently placed 6th
best business school in Europe and the Full Time
MBA 17th in the world.
A Tailor-Made Experience
Our Full Time MBA allows you to customise your
MBA experience in 12, 15 or 18 month according
to your objectives. By choosing the 15 or 18-month
track, students have a wide selection of exchange
and internship options to choose in order to meet
their own personal and professional goals.
With partnerships with the European Centre for
Nuclear Research, CERN, companies within the
ESADE Creapolis ecosystem as part of the Action
Learning Consulting Project, specialised business
labs focused on Marketing, Family Business, In-
novation or Entrepreneurship. Thanks to them,
students can adapt the MBA programme to their
personal objectives.
International experience
Very few experiences prepare students for the glob-
al business arena quite like the ESADE MBA, with
94% international participants of some 48 national-
ities, global study tours, treks and exchanges to top
universities around the world and the opportunity
to learn the languages of business.
One-to-One Attention
As a select programme, we deliver unmatched
personalised attention before, during and after the
MBA. Career Services works closely with partici-
pants helping develop and manage the entire job
search process through one-to-one advice.. As a
comparatively small business school, you will also
be able to stand out in front of leading companies
that recruit on campus. Around 80% of all job place-
ments are internationally located (outside of Spain).
Experience Barcelona
Barcelona, voted the number 1 most attractive city
for MBA students in Europe, combines business
with leisure in a way few other cities can claim
to. A European entrepreneurial business hub and
gateway to Europe with incredible energy and
international diversity, and both sea and moun-
tains on its doorstep.
Executive Education
ESADE also offers a wide selection of highly-ranked
programmes, including the Executive Masters, the
Multinational MBA, the Global Executive MBA
(GEMBA) and the MBA for Executives (Asia/Eu-
rope), all of them for professionals with considera-
ble working experience and an international profile.
Given today’s competitive international talent mar-
ket, professionals are increasingly worried about
the uncertainly surrounding their future. ESADE’s
MBA programmes are a unique experience open
to a select number of highly diverse participants,
designed to harness your passion for business as a
means to opening professional opportunities.

Student Profile
Carl Abillama, Lebanon 15 or 18 months. By opting for the 15-month my career path in Free Business and Innovation,
(Full Time MBA programme, I was able to spend 12 unforgettable something that ESADE is renowned for. The city of
Class of 2015) months at ESADE and participate in the Exchange Barcelona was also part of my choice, as an active
Regional Marketing Programme at UCLA Anderson University. The and diverse city with incredible weather. My time
Manager at UBER international diversity at ESADE was also an im- at ESADE allowed me to work with incredible
There were many reasons for portant factor in my decision, as I wanted to create people and cooperate in a team setting.
choosing to study at ESADE. Firstly, flexibility: the basis for an extensive worldwide network for
I was able to choose between studying in 12, the future and I knew that I wanted to continue

134 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

 Europe

Hult International Business School

Programs: ðHult
ð is ranked in the top 1%
Global One-Year MBA of business schools worldwide
Global Executive MBA by The Economist and
6 Locations: Bloomberg Business
Boston ð17th
ð Best International MBA by
San Francisco Bloomberg BusinessWeek (2016)
London ð60th
ð Best MBA Worldwide (The
Dubai Economist, MBA rankings 2016)
Shanghai ð50th
ð Best EMBA Worldwide (The
New York Economist, EMBA rankings 2015)
Employment statistics: ð19th
ð Best Executive Education,
$110,000 – Average MBA salary Customized Programs, Ashridge
three years after graduation Executive Education at Hult
(excluding bonuses) (Financial Times, 2016)
Rankings and Awards: Global One-Year MBA (Full-Time):
ðWinner
ð of the MBA Innovation Start Date: September 2017
Award–Association of MBAs Program Duration: 12 months
(AMBA) (2014) MBA Total Program Fee:
USD 75,000 (San Francisco)
USD 73,000 (Boston)
GBP 49,900 (London)
AED 265,000 (Dubai)
Scholarships: Range of scholarships
and financial assistance available.
Please contact the school
Global Executive MBA (Part-time):
We also offer a Global Executive
MBA over as little as 18 months
on a part-time basis (about 4
days a month).
MBA & EMBA Application
Fee: USD 150
Application Deadlines:
Rolling deadlines between
Oct and Jun.
Admission requirements:
ðThree
ð or more years of relevant
work experience (Average work
experience : MBA = 6 years,
EMBA = 11 years)
ðBachelor
ð degree or equivalent
ðGMAT
ð or GRE (contact us to see
if you qualify for a waiver)
ðEvidence
ð of English proficiency,
if it is not your native language
Global student body and
alumni network:
Students from over 150 nationalities
and over 17,000 alumni worldwide
Europe:
London +44 207 341 8555
Lucerne + 41 41 417 4575
Info.europe@hult.edu
Middle East:
Dubai +971 4 427 5800
Info.mea@hult.edu
South Asia:
Mumbai +91 22 4266 4322
Info.india@hult.edu
Asia:
Hong Kong +852 2111 2399
Shanghai +86 21 6133 6588
Info.asia@hult.edu
North America:
Boston + 1 617 746 1990
San Francisco +1 415 869 2900
Info.northam@hult.edu
Latin America:
Miami +1 305 648 9746
Info.latam@hult.edu
To learn more: hult.edu
To apply: hult.edu/apply

Gain a uniquely global perspective by circling
the world with Hult’s Global One-Year MBA as
you experience up to 3 Hult locations in one
year, including San Francisco, Boston, Lon-
don, Dubai, New York, and Shanghai. Gradu-
ate with a global network in place by studying
alongside students from over 150 nationali-
ties, and networking with leading employers
from around the world.
Uniquely global
For the global generation, the new way to learn
about the world is to experience it. Only Hult allows
you to complete your MBA while immersing your-
self in up to three of the world’s most influential
cities, including Boston, San Francisco, London, Du-
bai, New York, and Shanghai. Plus, graduate with
a global network in place by studying alongside
students from over 150 nationalities—you never
know where your next contact, investor, or business
venture will come from.
Specialists in helping international students
find international jobs
Each year, we help thousands of students achieve
their global career potential. Working one-on-one
with our dedicated career development teams, last
year Hult graduates secured employment at 800
companies in over 60 countries. During your pro-
gram you’ll benefit from coaching on crafting a per-
sonalized job search, high-stakes interview prepa-
ration, and workshops on salary negotiations and
developing a personal brand.
Put theory into practice
You can’t learn business by just sitting in a class-
room. That’s why Hult’s unique curriculum teaches
you theory and gives you opportunities to practice
new business thinking by tackling issues facing
some of the world’s most innovative companies
through the Hult Business Challenge. Students
choose either the Corporate Track, where they’ll
solve a current problem facing a leading corpora-
tion, or the Entrepreneurial Track, where they’ll
develop a startup idea of their own.
Dual degree option
Time is your most valuable asset. That’s why our
ambitious curriculum allows you to earn an MBA in
just one year, and then have the option to specialize
and earn a second Master degree in a further six
months. That means you can earn two degrees in
the time it would take to complete only an MBA at
many traditional business schools.
Global Executive MBA – part-time program
Hult also offers a part-time Executive MBA for
experienced professionals who want to expand
their global careers without taking time out from
work. Complete your part-time degree over long
weekends to maximize the use of your time. Our
innovative curriculum allows you to enhance your
core business knowledge, improve your leadership
skills, and experience business culture in multi-
ple global cities, including San Francisco, Boston,
London, Dubai, and Shanghai. Plus, with flexibili-
ty to customize where, how, and what you study,
you can seamlessly integrate your education into a
busy work and home life.

Student Profile
Juan Camilo Villegas
Co-Founder, Linio
Colombia, Class of 2012
Juan wanted to take his career
international. After Hult, he
co-founded one of the largest on-
line retail stores in Latin America.
“I visited all of the major MBA schools in the U.S.
While they were all amazing, the profile of the
students were the same—they all looked alike,
and had the same interests in consulting and
investment banking. I wanted a school with a to make the business sustainable over time. They
more diverse background, and that’s what made were struggling a lot in Colombia as suppliers
Hult stand out for me. and vendors were losing trust in the company, but
brought me on board to rebuild and restructure the
I used to work for the biggest retailer in Colombia,
company. I joined as the CFO of Colombia and com-
but I wanted to work globally on something more
pletely turned around the company in six months.
entrepreneurial. I went to Hult to get international
Shortly after that, investors called me and offered
exposure, and chose the San Francisco campus for
me the position of Managing Director.
the city’s entrepreneurial spirit.
Linio is now the biggest online retail store in Lat-
Shortly after graduating, I found Linio in its early
in America, and I’m proud to have been part of
stages. It was doing very well in terms of growth,
the co-founding team.”
but was lacking in internal processes and controls

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 135

Looking for attractive
scholarships for engineers?

APPLY NOW: WWW.INGACADEMY.DE/STIPENDIEN

Get your information about professional development, exciting events and selected education institu-
tions who present their programmes at the education fair here! Or you might just get started online
and apply for one of our attractive scholarships offered by reputable business schools and universities.
Europe

IE Business School

Program Type: Global MBA Information: Executive MBA Information: Tuition Fee: Program duration:
International MBA (Full-time) Start dates: Start dates: EURO (€) 75,000 / Total 12 months
Global MBA (Part-Time) April April Program Cost Tuition Fee:
Executive MBA (Part-Time) September September IE Brown Executive MBA USD ($) 74.900 / Total Program Cost
Global Executive MBA (Part-Time) Program duration: Program duration: (Blended) Information: MBA Entry Requirements:
IE Brown Executive MBA 15 months 15 months Start date: Min. TOEFL Computer
(Part-Time) Tuition Fee: Tuition Fee: March Based Score–100
International MBA (Full-time) EURO (€) 44,700 / Total EURO (€)55,200 / Total Program duration: Min. Years of Work Experience–3
Information: Program Cost Program Cost 15 months ieGAT, SMU Admission test,
Start Dates: MBA Entry Requirements: MBA Entry Requirements: Tuition Fee: GMAT or GRE
September Min. TOEFL Computer ieGAT or GMAT 130,000 USD / Total Program Cost
January Based Score–100 Min. Years of Work Experience–10 Executive MBAs Entry
Program Duration: Min. IELTS–7 Global Executive MBA (Blended) Requirements:
1 year Min. Years of Work Experience–3 Information: Min. Years of Work Experience–10
Tuition Fee: ieGAT, GMAT or GRE Start dates: Min. Years of Managerial
EURO (€) 65,000 / Total May Experience–3
Program Cost October IE-SMU MBA Information:
Application Fee: Program duration: Start dates:
EURO (€) 125 15 months September

Europe’s IE Business School is one of the
world’s leading higher education institutions.
A pioneer in business education, IE educates
tomorrow’s business leaders with an entrepre-
neurial spirit which is inherent throughout
our institution. As we were founded by entre-
preneurs in 1973, we value the importance of
creating and promoting new business ideas.
Although IE’s MBAs, offered in full-time and part-
time formats, differ according to class profile, they
are united in IE’s commitment to entrepreneurship,
diversity and innovation. The MBA programs, in-
cluding the International MBA, Global MBA, Exec-
utive MBA, Global Executive MBA and IE Brown
Executive MBA, have been met with worldwide
acclaim, and have been featured highly in the
Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Forbes, FT and Econo-
mist business school rankings.
Complementing IE’s extensive portfolio of Master
degree programs, the Executive Education division
offers training courses for executives through its
seminars, conferences, forums, corporate training
programs and consulting, building on IE’s commit-
ment to providing outstanding education and train-
ing across the various phases of your career.
The IE campus is located in the center of Madrid
and allows students the opportunity to experience
everything this great city has to offer. Madrid boasts
a long list of museums, parks and gardens, palaces,
modern and historic architecture, as well as hav-
ing a great nightlife and being a very modern and
friendly city. In addition, with more than 90 nation-
alities represented on campus at any given time, the
IE Experience is a truly international one.
Visit us on the web at www.ie.edu/business-school

Student Profile
IE Business School’s students are characterized by their diversity and commitment to entrepreneurship. Every year, we welcome students from more than 90
countries around the world, each bringing their own experience and opinions, enabling stimulating debates in our classrooms. In addition, as IE was founded by
entrepreneurs, we look for students who want to drive change either within their organizations or through their own ventures.
Here is a brief breakdown of the most recent graduates from each program:
Program Avg. Age Avg. Work Exp. % Women % International Sectors
Industry, Energy & Construction, Financial services, Consulting,
International MBA (Full-time) 29 5 30 92
Consumer goods, Telecommunications among others.
Energy & Mining, Consulting, Banking & Financial Services, Consum-
Global MBA* 30 5,5 31 96
er Products, International Organizations among others.
Pharmaceutical and Healthcare, Energy, Mining & Natural Resources,
Executive MBA* 35 10 24 97 Banking & Financial Services, Consumer Products, Telecomm, Con-
sulting among others.
Manufacturing, Consumer products, Energy, Telecommunications,
Global Executive MBA* 36 14 30 96 Public Administration, Real Estate, Technology, Financial Services,
Nonprofits & Social enterprises among others.
NGO, Government & Public Services, Telecomms & High tech, En-
IE Brown Executive MBA* 37 14 30 96 ergy, Consumer Goods, Legal, Consulting, Pharma & Biotechnology,
Financial Services, Communications among others.
Financial services, Industry, Energy & Construction, Consumer goods,
IE-SMU MBA 31 5 43 97
Consulting, Telecommunications among others.

138 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

 Europe

Professional School of Business & Technology

Kempten University of Applied Sciences

Program type: full-time MBA, Course Information: Entry Requirements: ðEnglish

part-time MBA
Specialization by Function:
General Management Track,
International Sales Management,
Organizational Transformation,
Supply Chain Management
Specialization by Industry: All
industries
Start Dates: March and September,
Application Deadline: 30 June
(winter term), 30 December
(summer term)
Program Duration: 15-18 months
(full time)
Tuition Fee: Euro (€) 16,900
Scholarships: no
scholarships available
ðDegree
ð certificate (minimum
of 210 ECTS or a four years
Bachelor program; Applicants
with an undergraduate degree
score less than 210 ECTS have to
take an additional Special Track.)
ðtwo
ð year working experience
(acknowledgement from your
employer or an older job
testimonial)
ð certificate (TOEFL test
min. score 80 or IELTS language
test min. band 6,5)
ðað short motivational letter
(describing your motivation for
our MBA program and your
future career plans, e.g. working
in Germany)
Contact: Professional School
of Business & Technology -
University of Applied Sciences
Kempten, Bahnhofstraße 61, 87435
Kempten, Germany
Tel: 0049-831-2523 9585
Fax: 0049-831-2523 337
Email: weiterbildung@
hs-kempten.de
Web: www.hs-kempten.de/
weiterbildung

Location
The Professional School of Business & Technology
is the competence center for postgraduate studies
at Kempten University of Applied Sciences and is
located at the foothills of the Bavarian Alps.
Kempten is part of the wider Munich area and in
the heartland of the German automotive and ma-
chinery industry. This region knows no unemploy-
ment and is the economic stronghold of Germany.
It is a region people from within Germany and from
all over the world are migrating too, because of its
striking career and life opportunities.
Kempten, with its 66,000 inhabitants, is the admin-
istrative and commercial center of the Allgäu re-
gion and a vibrant town, Kempten is surrounded by
magnificent alpine scenery and next to the famous
Neuschwanstein Castle.
MBA International Business Management &
Leadership
The MBA International Business Management &
Leadership is the only program in Southern Germa-
ny that has been accredited with the international
EPAS certificate of the EFMD (European Founda-
tion for Management Development), which makes
it Bavaria’s top MBA.
With up to an intake of 50 students per year it is
also one of the largest MBA programs in Germany
and has been successfully carried out for 14 years
now. The learning still takes place in small groups
with a size between 15 and 30 persons to allow a
personalized learning experience and individual ex-
changes with the lecturers.
The program provides in-depth knowledge of in-
ternational management. It’s outstanding feature
is the focus on leadership development. It devel-
ops the personal leadership competencies of each
participant in a sustainable way. Its structured
approach to develop leaders is unique in the in-
ternational MBA market.
You can choose between the General Management
Track or three special tracks:
»» International Sales Management
»» International Supply Change Management
»» Organizational Transformation in a global world
The program is carried out completely in English.
A study module abroad, in South Africa is an in-
tegral part of the course. Additionally lectures are
enriched by the experiences of international lec-
turers. In contrast to most other programs in Ger-
many, international students share classes with
German MBA students.
Job opportunities
After your successfully completed MBA studies you
are prepared to work in Germany and you have the
possibility to get an issuance of a residence permit
for the maximum of 18 months for the purpose of
finding a job or establishing a business in Germany.
Due to its strong local business which is in constant
demand for Engineers and IT specialists and its
proximity to the booming Munich area, Kempten is
the ideal location in Germany to start your career.
Assistance
The Professional School of Business & Develop-
ment offers you assistance with your visa process,
accommodation in Kempten and all administrative
requirements for your relocation.

Student Profile
My name is Laura. I am a Bra-
zilian engineer. After getting
my bachelor degree, I started
working in a consultancy com-
pany in Brazil as a trainee. As a
consultant I had the opportunity
to develop my career working in different projects,
sectors, industries and countries. I focused my fu-
ture career to be a leader in a mulitnational and
multicultural company.
After working six years as a consultant in Brazil,
Latin America and Europe, I decided to invest my
time in studying and developing my leadership
skills. That is the reason why I decided to start
my MBA Program. Europe was my focus be-
cause of the quality of universities and the mult-
icutural environment.
I found Kempten University the most interesting
for me. Studying in Germany is a nice opportu-
nity to learn about a new culture, improve the
networking and gaining contacts with the best
companies in the world.
The program offers a very flexible schedule over 1.5
years. The region is also very attractive because it
is close to important commercial centers in south-
ern Germany. The program is focused on leadership
skills and it is also possible to choose a specialized
field: Supply Change Management, Sales or General
Management. The lectures are concentrated on the
weekends, so it gives you the opportunity to study
and work at the same time. The financial investment
is not so high in comparison to other programs and
the cost of living there is also affordable.
After finishing my program, I would like to spend
more time in Europe working on improving my
acquired skills and knowledge, developing my
career as a leader, and then go back to Brazil and
use my background to improve the competitive-
ness of companies there.

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 139

Europe

Leeds University Business School

Program Type: Leadership IT / Telecommunications Full Time Course Information: Contact:

Full Time MBA Marketing Media & Entertainment Start Dates: September MBA Admissions Office
Executive MBA Operations Management No Industry Specification Program Duration: 12 months Leeds University Business School
Specialization by Function: Organisational Behavior Non–Profit Organisation Tuition Fee: GBP (£) 26,500 Maurice Keyworth Building
Accountancy Personal Development Oil & Gas Entry Requirements: The University of Leeds
Brand Management Strategic Management Pharmaceutical / Bio-Medical Min. GMAT Score - N/A Leeds, West Yorkshire
Change Management Information Systems Print Media Min. IELTS - 6.5 LS2 9JT
Decision Science Specialization by Industry: Public Sector Min. Years of Work Experience - 3 United Kingdom
E-Commerce / Business Automotive Publishing Application Fee: GBP (£) 0 Tel: +44 (0)113 343 4908
Economics Banking / Financial Services Real Estate Executive Course Information: Email: mba@lubs.leeds.ac.uk
Entrepreneurship Construction Retail / Consumer Goods
Start Dates: October Web: business.leeds.ac.uk/
Finance Consulting Venture Capital & Private Equity the-leeds-mba/
Program Duration: 24 months
General Management Education
Tuition Fee: GBP (£) 21,000 / Total
Human Resource Management Environment
Program Cost
Information Management FMCG–Fast Moving
Innovation / Knowledge Consumer Goods
Management Government
International Management/Business Hospitality

Are you looking to accelerate your career
or enhance your entrepreneurial skills? Do
you want to build your professional net-
work of connections across the globe? Then
choose The Leeds MBA.
Our MBA Program
This top global MBA programme (Financial Times
Top 100 Global MBA Ranking, 2016), combines aca-
demic rigour with practical leadership development
challenges that mean you’re ready for senior man-
agement-level positions as soon as you graduate.
Our core program covers the broad fundamentals of
business management. You gain an understanding
of the key components of business – marketing, ac-
counting, finance, operations and human resource
management. Alongside these subjects you will
explore how to manage and lead people in organ-
isations. A key aspect of The Leeds MBA is the live
challenges that will stretch your thinking and your
abilities. We encourage you to develop your knowl-
edge and links with the corporate world through
our business speaker events and international study
tours. The MBA culminates in your Individual Pro-
ject – this can be a consultancy project, an entrepre-
neurial project relating to a new business venture or
a research dissertation.
Choose Leeds
Leeds University Business School boasts a growing
number of international accolades which reflect
the excellent teaching and learning experience the
School has to offer and our commitment to your
future career. We are a triple accredited, world
ranked and award winning business school, our
MSc International Business is ranked 64th in the
world (Financial Times Masters in Management
Ranking 2016) and our research is top 10 in the UK
(REF 2014). We are also a faculty of the University
of Leeds, which is currently the UK’s University of
the Year (The Times Good University Guide 2017).
Leeds is the largest centre for financial services in
the UK outside of London and many national and
international companies, such as Ernst & Young,
Asda-Walmart and KPMG, are either based in Leeds
or have major operations here. The University hosts
a specialist Confucius Institute dedicated to Chinese
business and commerce and the South Asia Busi-
ness Centre, which promote the interest of Indian
and South Asian businesses and students in the UK.
Leeds is a thriving, lively place to live and study.
You can benefit from dedicated student support
from the International Student Office to help make
your transition to Leeds as smooth as possible.
Your Career
Our dedicated MBA team supports you during your
MBA and beyond. We recognise you are an indi-
vidual with your own aspirations and goals. Our
experts work with you to create your own person-
al and professional development plan, combining
business awareness and building your networking
skills to prepare you for the global job market.
Make Connections
With over 21,000 Business School alumni in 136
countries, our alumni team help you keep in touch
with news, careers information and events both in
the UK and overseas, as well as our extensive links
with industry and professional networks.

Student Profile
Name: Rasheed Ahmad and blend of practical and theoretical work par- the MBA are now weapons in my armour to fight
Nationality: Indian ticularly fascinating. challenging situations.
Program: Full-Time MBA 2013
Given my previous work experience, a lot of things I now work as an Information Security and Risk
Employer: Accenture, London
in the MBA were new to me but I was able to ex- Consultant at one of the top consulting firms in
I chose Leeds because of the multicultural envi- cel in them, which has given me the confidence to London. I am responsible for managing the risk ap-
ronment and team activities which would give re- do new things in life. All the skills of professional- petite of clients and ensuring compliance to legal
al-time exposure to management, decision making ism, time management, project management, con- and regulatory standards.
and critical thinking. I found the choice of modules sulting and decision making that I learned during

140 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

 Europe

LUISS Business School

Rome, Italy

Masters taught in English
Master in Business
Administration (MBA):
27,000 EUR
Master in International
Management: 14,000 EUR
Master in Big Data Management:
14,000 EUR
Master in Corporate Finance:
16,000 EUR
Master in Tourism Management:
14,000 EUR
Master in Management
and Technology – Major in
Energy Industry:
14,000 EUR
Master in Management and
Technology – Major in Digital
Ecosystem:
14,000 EUR
Master in Management and
Technology – Major in Risk
Management and Insurance:
14,000 EUR
Contact:
LUISS Business School
Villa Blanc, Via Nomentana 216
00162 Rome (Italy)
T: (+39) 06 85225689
T: (+39) 06 85225577
T: (+39) 06 85225064
T: (+39) 06 85225890
recruitmentluissbs@luiss.it
www.businessschool.luiss.it
www.mba.luiss.edu

LUISS Business School, accredited by EQUIS,
is the School of Business and Management of
LUISS Guido Carli University. The School is
based in Rome (Italy) and it has a worldwide
recognition as a knowledge hub for postgradu-
ate studies in Italy.
LUISS Business School is fuelled and surrounded by
innovation, creativity and opportunities.
Here you will learn from and have access to world-
class faculty, guest speakers and industry leaders.
Whether your ambition lies in starting a business,
changing a large organization, or transforming
your world, LUISS Business School has the connec-
tions to your future.
The full programme portfolio includes: MBA; Spe-
cialized Masters, Executive programs, Custom
programs for companies.
Our courses are completed by:
»» CAREER SERVICE: it offers career planning,
counselling and training, supports students
in defining their career goals and facili-
tates job opportunities
»» SEMINARS and CONFERENCES given by lead- Location
ing professors and highly qualified professionals
LUISS Business School is placed in the heart of
»» ADVENTURE LAB where students work on an Rome (Italy) and a stone’s throw away from one of
entrepreneurial project, facing the challenges of the city’s most beautiful parks, and it is the ideal
developing new ideas for doing business place for a once in a lifetime learning experience.
»» DIGITAL SKILLS LAB to prepare students to Rome is a cultural melting pot; his historic centre
work effectively with heterogeneous real-world is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, wel-
data, training them to become experts in ex- coming yearly about 12 million visitors from all over
tracting useful insights for business the world. Capital of the Country and seat of the
Italian Government, it is an inspiring vital business
»» EXCHANGE PROGRAM: it offers students the
hub where create easily a network of relationships.
opportunity to complete courses in qualified
international business schools
»» SOFT SKILLS LAB to develop managerial, rela-
tional and entrepreneurial skills
»» SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT LAB to
solve real problems encountered by ONG, social
entrepreneurs and institutions in their effort
to bridge the business economy and social and
environmental development.
»» FIELD PROJECT: during the final months,
participants work directly with companies or
institutions in order to carry out projects in
functional or entrepreneurial areas

Student Profile
We target outstanding candidates from different ac-
ademic and professional backgrounds, who would
like to enrich their business knowledge gaining an
amazing perspective of global management issues,
and experience life-changing insights.
We are looking for candidates with internation-
al and intercultural sensibility and high potential
in developing managerial competencies, will-
ing to acquire better qualifications in order to
boost their careers.
Admission Requirements
Students with an undergraduate degree coming
from all over the world and from all academic back-
grounds. A Bachelor is minimum requirement for
our masters; applicants for the MBA program must
also have at least 2 years of work experience. Ad-
mission is based on selection test outcome, academ-
ic records and professional experience.

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 141

Europe

Mannheim Business School

Program Type: Tuition Fee Full-Time: Executive Course Information: Tuition Fee: Contact:
Mannheim MBA: EURO (€) 36,000 / Total Start Dates: EURO (€) 47,500 (Mannheim Ms. Nilgün Vatansever, EMBA
• Full-Time Format Program Cost April (Mannheim EMBA) EMBA) / Total Program Cost programs/
• Part-Time Format Program Duration Part-Time: October (ESSEC & Euro (€) 49,500 (ESSEC & Ms. Gabriele Silver, Full-Time MBA/
Executive MBA: 24 months MANNHEIM EMBA) MANNHEIM EMBA) / Total Ms. Antje Siebler, Part-Time MBA
• Mannheim Executive MBA Tuition Fee Part-Time: May or November (MANNHEIM & Program Cost Mannheim Business School L5, 6
• ESSEC & MANNHEIM EURO (€) 39,500 / Total TONGJI EMBA) EURO (€) 42,500 (MANNHEIM 68161 Mannheim
Executive MBA Program Cost Program Duration: & TONGJI EMBA) / Total Germany
• MANNHEIM & TONGJI Entry Requirements: 18 months (Mannheim EMBA or Program Cost Tel: Tel: + 49 621 181 3721, 3724
Executive MBA Min. GMAT Score–600 ESSEC & MANNHEIM EMBA) or 3756
Full-Time/Part-Time Course Min. TOEFL iBT Score–105 18-42 months (MANNHEIM & Fax: + 49 621 181 1278
Information: Min. IELTS–7.0 TONGJI EMBA) Email: info@mannheim-business-
Start Dates: Min. Years of Work Experience–3 school.com
September Web: www.mannheim-business-
Program Duration Full-Time: school.com
12 months

Mannheim Business School (MBS) is the
umbrella organization for management
education at the University of Mann-
heim and is consistently ranked as the best
German business school.
It is the first German institution to be accredit-
ed by AACSB International, AMBA, and EQUIS.
Its outstanding faculty, which includes members
from many partner institutions, ensures that the
participants attain world-class education and the
latest management know-how. Furthermore, the
internationality of the student body, the diversity
of the classes, and soft skill courses strengthen the
personal development of the participants and pre-
pare them for positions in international top man-
agement. Mannheim is situated in the heart of the
German and European economy: 50% of Germany’s
most important companies are located within 250
kilometers of Mannheim and business hubs such as
Frankfurt and Stuttgart can be reached easily.
Mannheim MBA (Full-Time and Part-Time)
The Mannheim MBA is a comprehensive general
management program targeted at international high
potentials with at least three years of postgraduate
work experience. The program is offered in a full-
time (12 months) and a part-time (24 months) for-
mat. Participants of the Mannheim Full-Time MBA
can choose among five tracks: the program can be
completed entirely in Mannheim (“German Track”),
with a stay at a prominent North American or
Asian partner institution (“Transatlantic/Eurasian
Track”), or with up to two terms at top internation-
al business schools (“European/Global Track”). The
Mannheim Part-Time MBA is designed for young
professionals who wish to pursue an MBA without
leaving their jobs. Team spirit is a key element at
Mannheim Business School, which is why two of
our most outstanding elements put an emphasis on
this subject matter: the Social Sustainability Project
and the Business Master Project.
Executive MBA (Part-Time, 3 Formats)
Mannheim Business School’s Executive MBA pro-
grams comprise of different formats to enable par-
ticipants to ideally align their work, personal and
educational responsibilities. The curricula ensure
that they are equipped with the skills required for
leadership positions. Participants acquire an inte-
grated and systematic perspective on international
business matters and improve their personal skills
through coaching sessions, joint projects, and by
studying with people from diverse cultural and
professional backgrounds. Two formats are offered
with renowned international partner institutions:
the ESSEC & MANNHEIM Executive MBA is the re-
sult of a long and successful co-operation between
ESSEC Business School (Paris/Singapore) and MBS.
For the MANNHEIM & TONGJI Executive MBA,
Mannheim has joined forces with the School of
Economics & Management of Tongji University
(Shanghai) in order to provide an EMBA program
with a strong Sino-German focus that responds to
the growing demand for managers who can suc-
cessfully navigate the challenges of both cultures.
Current Rankings
Mannheim Business School is listed in the top 30
of at least one of the major rankings worldwide
– Bloomberg Businessweek, Financial Times, and
The Economist – with its MBA, Executive MBA,
and Customized Programs. In the Financial Times
Global MBA Ranking 2017, MBS has maintained its
position as best institution in the German-speaking
countries. It did particularly well with global top 5
positions in the categories ‘aims achieved’, ‘inter-
national mobility’, and ‘employed at three months’.
In the current Financial Times Executive Education
Ranking for Customized Programs, MBS has been
ranked #11 worldwide. This extraordinary success
was in particular due to the excellent assessments
by corporate clients: in seven out of a total of ten
categories (e.g. faculty quality, value for money,
program design), MBS was listed among the five
best institutions worldwide.

Example Class Profiles

Mannheim Full-Time MBA Mannheim Part-Time MBA Executive MBA
Class size: 60 Class size: 42 Class size: 35
Average age: 30 Average age: 31 Average age: 38
Average work experience: 5.5 years Average work experience: 5 years Average work experience: 12.5 years
Internationality: 26 nationalities Internationality: 16 nationalities Internationality: 17 nationalities
Diversity: 33% female, 67% male Diversity: 25% female, 75% male Diversity: 30% female, 70% male

142 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017

 Europe

MIP Politecnico di Milano

MBA Programs: Program Duration: Tuition Fee: Flex EMBA (Italian) Course Contact:
International Full Time MBA 1 year EUR 30000 Information: International MBA &
International Part Time MBA Tuition Fee: Executive MBA Part Time Start Dates: Master’s Office
Executive MBA EUR 32000 with Company (Italian) Course Information: April MIP Politecnico di Milano
Flex EMBA Sponsorship of EUR 5000 Start Dates: Program Duration: Via Lambruschini 4C
Distance Learning MBA (i-Flex) Entry Requirements: June Minumum 2 years maximum 3 years 20156 Milan, Italy
POLIHUB Start-Up District: University degree or equivalent Program Duration: Tuition Fee: Tel: +39 (02) 2399 2820
MBA at MIP is a unique from an accredited institution 2 years EUR 30000 Fax: +39 (02) 2399 2844
opportunity for budding Min. Years of Work Experience 3 Tuition Fee: Distance Learning MBA (i-Flex) Email: infomasters@mip.polimi.it
entrepreneurs to present a new Application Fee: EUR 30000 Information: Web: www.mip.polimi.it/en
business idea to business angels, EUR 150 Executive MBA Evening (Italian) Start Dates:
investors, venture capitalists & International Part Time MBA Course Information: October
start-up incubators. Course Information: Start Dates: Program Duration:
International Full Time MBA Start Dates: November 2 years
Course Information: October Program Duration: Tuition Fee:
Start Dates: Program Duration: 2 years EUR 30000
September 2 years Tuition Fee:
EUR 30000
MIP: Where Technology Meets Management »» CNN Expansion 2016: MIP is among the study abroad tour to the Silicon valley, USA.
best business schools of the world in
Founded in 1979 as a Consortium between the Po- One of our most prominent collaborations is with
the Mexican rankings
litecnico di Milano and many Italian institutions and MIT Boston, USA with participants awarded a de-
several leading public and private industrial groups, Global degrees for a global village gree from both the institutions: Master of Business
today MIP is a non-for-profit consortium limited Administration (MBA) from MIP and Master in
MIP’s full-time MBA is highly international: 70-80%
company. MIP and the Department of Management, Supply Chain Management and Logistics from MIT
of the class is composed of international students.
Economics and Industrial Engineering together Center for Transportation and Logistics.
Thanks to the international exchange partner uni-
make up the School of Management of Politecnico
versities, international visiting Professors are host- MIP’s Career Development Office is one of a kind.
di Milano, which is involved in all the many aspects
ing a vast number of MBA classes each year. The Students are given the unique opportunity to work
surrounding research and education in the fields of
program is structured in a four phased timeline alongside key stakeholders within important organ-
management, economics and industrial engineering.
starting from management basics and completing izations, challenging themselves in real-life busi-
MIP enjoys a privileged relationship with its share- with the final project work in a leading internation- ness situations. Activities, such as Business Semi-
holder companies as well as many important for- al company. Thanks to the innovative digital learn- nars, Company Visits and Project work, take place
eign multinationals. Indeed, such partnership is ev- ing platform, students are able to attend the Basics throughout the program and allow students to put
ident throughout the MBA Program due to regular in Digital. The Management Bootcamp will allow immediately in practice what they learn in class.
collaborations with the professional community. candidates to put into practice what they have Small class sizes allow personalized attention and
learnt theoretically in the previous phases and get Career Service representatives work with candi-
Accreditations and rankings
into direct contact with experienced managers and dates and organizations to understand the require-
»» FT European Business School Rankings 2016:
top level executives to learn how to solve complex ments of each and find the most suitable matches
»» School of Management ranked number 42,
real world problems inside companies. The focus is for in-company projects and placement.
»» Full time MBA ranked 42.
on 4 fundamental elements: analytical approach to
»» School of Management is EQUIS accredited Personal development is key and students receive
problem solving; innovation and technology; inter-
»» MIP is also accredited by the Associ- assistance throughout the program and recruitment
personal and soft skills; and collaboration with our
ation of MBA’s (AMBA) process in the form of professional personalized
extensive company network engaged at the very
»» Ranked by QS amongst the best Business School counselling and off-campus activities designed to
early stage of the MBA program through spon-
worldwide for employability in 2017 enhance soft-skills.
sorship. Participants are able to attend a one week

Class Profile
Alessandro, Canada – MBA 2010 Amedeo, Italy – MBA 2012 David, El Salvador – MBA 2014
Supply Chain Manager EMEA, LVMH, France Senior Brand Manager, Ferrero Group, France Commercial Development EMEA, Alfa Romeo at
Tomas, Argentina - MBA 2015 Joel, USA–MBA 2012 FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Italy
Global Supply Manager at Tesla Motors, USA Strategic Account Executive at Nike Southern Djurdja, Serbia–MBA 2014
Andre, Brazil – MBA 2011 Europe, Italy Store Development Manager at KARL LAGER-
Team Leader Sales, Amazon, Italy Helena, China - MBA 2011 FELD, Netherlands
Fabio, Italy–MBA 2011 Principal at The Boston Consulting Group, Hong Kong Varun, India - MBA 2015
Senior Manager, Ernst & Young, Switzerland Lucia, Italy–MBA 2013 Supply chain and PM professional, Sandisk, USA
Elena, Bulgaira- MBA 2016 Operations Manager America–Moleskine, USA
Brand Manager, Eli Liliy, Italy

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 143

Europe
Oxford Brookes University Business School
Program Type: Program Duration:
Flexible MBA–Choose to study 30 months
modules part-time online 21 months for ACCA members
or on-campus Tuition fee:
MBA Course Information: GBP (£)15,140
Start Dates: GBP (£)10,800 fee for ACCA
March members with credit for
September Accounting & Finance module.
The Oxford Brookes Global MBA
Connect. Collaborate. Create.
The Oxford Brookes Global MBA offers exceptional
flexibility, providing you with a world class educa-
tion in a format that suits your work and personal
life. It’s designed for experienced globally connect-
ed professionals, giving you the confidence to reveal
your leadership potential and entrepreneurial flair.
On a practical level, our virtual learning platform
connects you with an MBA community from over
80 countries, providing access to assignments,
research and the latest business thinking.
Whether working virtually or during study
visits on campus, you will be immersed in an
environment that asks much of you and requires
collaboration and openness.
From the start, we’ll encourage you to think
creatively, solving problems and spotting
opportunities for your own development. You’ll
learn to trust your judgement, whatever the
world throws at you.
Student Profile
Raimundo Burguera
I am now managing director and
founder of Innohub, a venture
builder and venture capital fund
in Mexico and Elitech, a digital
innovation holding group.
As an entrepreneur I have developed technology
companies and I also act as a strategic technology
adviser to the Government of Gibraltar, providing
consultancy on new business start-ups and devel-
144 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Entry Requirements: Contact: Tel: +44 (0) 1865 485800
Min. IELTS–6.5 and a minimum of MBA Enquiries Email: mbaoxford@brookes.ac.uk
6.0 in reading and writing Oxford Brookes University Web: www.mbaoxford.com
Min. Years of Work Experience–3 Business School
Wheatley Campus
Oxford
OX33 1HX
United Kingdom
Why choose the Oxford Brookes Global MBA: Flexibility to choose and create your MBA
»» AMBA-accredited and ranked 5th in the world
Your MBA journey is a personal one. We make it
by QS Distance Online MBA rankings, the
a priority to connect with on a personal level and
Oxford Brookes Global MBA offers you a
our team are highly approachable. As you develop,
world-class education.
your MBA can be adapted to grow with you because
»» It is the most flexible MBA program around,
every individual is unique and their approach to
offering you a creative study format which will
work and learning is different.
suit your work and personal commitments,
wherever you are in the world. With a wide variety of study options available online
»» Everyone knows that one of the key attractions and face-to-face on campus you have the flexibility
of an MBA is the opportunity to establish global to create an MBA that’s as individual as you are.
networks. The Oxford Brookes Global MBA
AMBA-accredited and ranked 5th in the world by
will help you forge a wide range of professional
QS Distance Online MBA rankings, ours is a unique
contacts across different industries, institu-
MBA that will inspire you to become one of a new
tions and geographies.
generation of business professionals.
»» Collaboration is a cornerstone of the Oxford
Brookes Global MBA. Through a combination of Join us at an MBA Online information session or
project-based assignments, one-on-one coaching Open Day. Register now at www.mbaoxford.com
and individual personal support we will help
Connect, Collaborate and Create:
you develop strategies to work with and lead
It’s the Oxford Global Brookes MBA
diverse groups of people from different business
functions, geographic areas and social and www.mbaoxford.com
cultural backgrounds.
oping products to deliver public services online. The professors are really accessible and open
to new projects and I have been able to lever-
My MBA has given me a 360-degree perspective –
age my networks from the MBA on technology
it has helped me take a much more holistic view,
consultancy projects.
focusing on issues like strategy, process, operations
and human resources. When you study an MBA you work with profes-
sionals and there is a synergy. Doing business is
The whole module on leadership and the practical
about collaborating and getting people on board
experience was really interesting for me. It has
and the MBA Community at Oxford Brookes has
helped me to lead teams and manage people and I
been tremendously helpful in doing this.
now manage teams of more than 45 people.
 Europe

Westminster Business School,

University of Westminster

AIM FOR THE BOARD

TAKE YOUR PLACE
THE WESTMINSTER MBA
Programme Type: Full Time Course Information: Entry Requirements: Part Time Course Information: Contact:
Full Time MBA Start Dates: Min. GMAT Score: If required to Start Dates: A.Acharya@westminster.ac.uk
Part Time MBA (block mode September take, the score we need is min 600 September
delivery) Programme Duration: Min IELTS (If English not first Programme Duration:
Joint Degree Full-time: 1 year language): 6.5 overall, 6.0 in Part-time: 2 years (block delivery)
Programmes Offered: Tuition Fee: each element Tuition Fee:
N/A £23,500.00 Min. Years of Work Experience: £23,500.00
Specialisation by Function: 3 at managerial level
N/A Application Fee:
Specialisation by Industry: n/a
N/A

Aim for the board. Take your place.
The Westminster MBA.
Westminster Business School’s AMBA accredited
MBA delivers a uniquely board-focused experience.
Designed exclusively for aspiring board directors
and anyone looking to work with, for and on the
boards of a range of organisations.
A curriculum developed around 10 attributes of a
professional director including leadership, stew-
ardship, strategy and mentoring offers an unparal-
leled career development opportunity for ambition
business professionals.
Immerse yourself in 4 real board scenarios; corpo-
rate, entrepreneurial, not-for-profit and internation-
al. Experiment with controlled risk and observe the
outcomes free from repercussion. Tailor your learn-
ing journey over 1 full-time or 2 years part-time.
Study in Westminster Business School’s pur-
pose-built, high tech board environment in Central
London, Europe’s business capital.
All of our degrees are professionally focused and
prepare students for their chosen careers. In ad-
dition to the professional development provided
directly through the Westminster MBA, our on
campus Business Experience Team (BET) provide
mentoring and internship opportunities to MBA
participants. Our Career Development Centre is
also able to provide career support for up to three
years post graduation.
Participants of the Westminster MBA also en-
joy various opportunities to travel/study abroad
through our International Study Trip and number
of projects they would participate in during the
programme. Earlier this year our students were en-
gaged in trips to Vietnam, Uganda and Italy. West-
minster Business School has a very diverse,interna-
tional population with students and academics from
over 150 countries, reflecting London’s demograph-
ic variety. Recently the University of Westminster
has been voted the most international uni-versity in
the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand.
Our campus, situated in central London, has en-
joyed £20 million redevelopment and students have
access to state of the art facilities including our
Financial Market Suite, which uses the Bloomberg
platform and now we are designing a purpose build
boardroom for our MBA programme. Our London
location also provides strong links with the busi-
ness and government communities enabling us to
bring practitioners and experts into the classroom
on a regular basis.
About the School
Westminster Business School, University of West-
minster, is one of London’s leading centres for
professional business education. The School offers
a wide range of undergradu-ate, postgraduate (in-
cluding the Westminster MBA) and professional
programmes in Accounting, Finance and Econom-
ics, Business and Management, Human Resource
Manage-ment (HRM), and Marketing.

Student Profile
Miranda Brawn Esq MBA
Since graduating from the West-
minster MBA in, Miranda Brawn
has become an award-winning
business, legal and diversi-
ty leader. Her career to-date has, amongst other
things, included investment banking, working as
a Barrister, and acting as Board Director and Ad-
visor for a range of organisations. Her various ac-
colades include being elected a Fellow of the Royal
Society of Arts (RSA) for her work in diversity and
philanthropy, and being named one of the top 30
most inspirational women by Brummel. Miranda
has also appeared in the CityAM Top 20 “Women in
the City” Powerlist and has been the recipient of the
BE Mogul award, given to the most successful and
influential black business people in Britain. Miran-
da currently works at Daiwa Capital Markets and
has recently founded the Miranda Brawn Diversity
Leadership Foundation.
Speaking about her Westminster MBA experience
in a recent interview, Miranda said: “My experience
of studying for my Master of Business Administra-
tion (MBA) degree helped to broaden my mind and
give me a different perspective. At the time, I was
the youngest to graduate with a MBA degree in my
year, hence it was a steep learning curve for me.
My studies provided me with the fundamental busi-
ness concepts and academic tools that have enabled
me to succeed in a business environment. There are
huge benefits gained from investing in business
and management training. The study groups and
residential trips were enjoyable and gave me the
opportunity to network with others while learning
from their experiences.”

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 145

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Regional Profile

The MBA in
Oceania
Australia and New Zealand are two countries in which QS research finds generous remuner-
ation packages on offer to MBA graduates. They also happen to score highly in quality of life
considerations.

By Tim Dhoul

Long considered part of the Asia-Pacific
region by QS (and, indeed, numerous other
organizations) when treated as a separate
region Oceania channels its focus on the
countries of Australia and New Zealand.
Employers in each of these two countries
have traditionally paid out hefty paychecks
to MBA graduates, according to the annual
QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary Trends
Report. While the world’s highest average
MBA salary was reported by employer
respondents based in New Zealand in the
2015/16 edition, this honor fell to Australia
in the 2016/17 edition. Indeed, the average
base salary of US$108,250 (excluding
any bonus levels) that is currently on
offer from employers in Australia is an
attractive finding for any applicant looking
at the region’s employment prospects.
So, where to study? In Australia, a number
of business schools rank among the very
best Asia-Pacific as a whole has to offer
in the way of reputable MBA programs,
including Melbourne Business School
and the Australian Graduate School of
Management (AGSM) at the University of
New South Wales in Sydney. Although,
your options certainly don’t end there
– a total of 18 business schools based in
Oceania feature in QS’s latest guide to the
world’s best places at which to study a
full-time MBA; the QS Global 250 Business
Schools Report 2017.
Geographic and quality of life
considerations
Graduate mobility is aided by programs
that will often put their vantage point
within Asia-Pacific to good use by
encompassing lessons that the wider
region has to offer its MBA students. For
instance, Melbourne Business School
makes its ‘Doing Business in Asia’ field-
study module, which typically takes
students to Shanghai, a core component of
its program.
All these factors favoring the region come
before giving consideration to the lifestyle
one can find on offer in Australia and New
Zealand. Yes, the region is renowned for its
natural beauty, but cities in both countries
also tend to perform highly in quality of life
surveys where criteria ranging from safety
and healthcare to culture and transport
infrastructure come into play, such as that
performed by Mercer2. Both nations also
feature highly in an ease of doing business
ranking compiled by the World Bank, with
Australia inside the world’s top 15 and New
Zealand placing second only to Singapore
in the 2016 edition3.
It’s therefore small wonder that Oceania
is already a popular destination for
today’s MBA hopefuls around the world.
Australia was the fourth-most popular
country under consideration for study
location among those responding to the QS
Applicant Survey 2015, with New Zealand
placing just outside the top 10. While
you may not always find the same level
of global recognition that an MBA from
the traditional MBA heartlands of North
America and Western Europe can bring,
many applicants would do well to follow
up on any initial interest in the region by
further investigating the options on offer.
1. http://www.otagomba.ac.nz/downloads/30/1/otago-mba-
alumni-survey-key-results.pdf
2. https://www.imercer.com/uploads/GM/qol2015/
h5478qol2015/index.html
3. http://www.topmba.com/why-mba/it-easy-do-business-
mba-students-favourite-study-locations

Of course, MBA graduates of business

schools in Australia and New Zealand are
certainly not limited to careers within
the immediate region. Half of all the
University of Otago’s MBA graduates
between the years of 2009 and 2013 were
found to be working outside of New
Zealand, for example1.
Dunedin, New Zealand

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 147

Oceania

La Trobe Business School

La Trobe University

Program Type: Specialization by Industry: Program Duration: Entry Requirements: Contact:

MBA Banking / Financial Services
MBA (Advanced) Consulting
MBA Online Environment
Joint Degree Programs Offered: Government
MBA / Master of Health IT / Telecommunications
Administration Media & Entertainment
MBA / Master of Financial Analysis Non–Profit Organisation
Public Sector
Retail / Consumer Goods
Start Dates: March and July
MBA – 18 months (full time)
MBA Online – 12 months (full time)
MBA (Advanced) – 24 months
(full time)
Tuition Fee:
MBA & MBA Online: AU ($)53,250
MBA (Advanced): AU ($)71,000
Note: Fees are 2017 indicative for
the total program cost
Min. GMAT Score–N/A
Min. TOEFL Computer
Based Score–240
Min. TOEFL Paper Based Score–580
Min. IELTS–6.5
Min. Years of Work Experience–3
years’ managerial experience
Application Fee: None
CRICOS Provider: 00115M
Andrew O’Loughlin, Director,
MBA Program
La Trobe Business School
La Trobe City Campus
Level 20, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
Tel: +61 (3) 9479 2284
Email: mba@latrobe.edu.au

Taught in state-of-the-art facilities in the heart Program Structure MBA Online

of Melbourne’s CBD, the La Trobe MBA is
aimed at the working professional seeking to
accelerate a career in business. Students will
be learning under the direction of experienced
international professionals from an array of
industries, and with wide-ranging expertise.
This internationally accredited MBA is designed to
equip responsible business leaders with the skills
to develop and sustain competitive advantages for
their organisations. Accordingly, the curriculum
encompasses the UN-backed Principles for
Responsible Management Education (PRME) and
includes a comprehensive personal and professional
skills development component.
Rankings and Recognition
This MBA is the first in Australia to receive the
prestigious European Foundation for Management
Development (EFMD) EPAS accreditation, and it
consistently ranks in the top 10 MBA programs
in Australia. The program was ranked in the top
14 in Asia-Pacific by QS TopMBA and in the
top-four in Victoria in the Australian Financial
Review BOSS ranking.
The MBA and La Trobe MBA Online
programs are comprised of 12 subjects – 10
compulsory core subjects and two electives. The
La Trobe MBA (Advanced) program
comprises 16 subjects – 10 compulsory core
subjects and six electives.
In the personal and professional skills development
subject, students are introduced to the areas
of leadership and teamwork, and engage in
role plays and group activities to gain practical
experience and knowledge.
Students can expand their horizons with one of our
annual international study tours to Asia, Europe,
or South America. These tours engage students in
specialised research and allow networking with
fellow students from top institutions around the globe.
The innovative E-Portfolio encourages students
to reflect on their learning and apply it to their
own context, allowing them to focus their learning
experience in the direction they want.
The Boardroom Simulation provides students with
a real-time simulation experience delivered in
a residential mode.
The MBA Online presents our internationally
recognised course in a fully online format that
puts students in control and can be completed
from anywhere in the world. The MBA Online
provides  real-world experience and is relevant to
today’s business challenges. It also provides students
with a worldwide network of contacts and first-hand
knowledge from global business leaders.
Available Electives 2016
»»Business in Society
»»Business Research Methods
»»Community Development Internships
»»Corporate Governance
»»Entrepreneurship
»»Experiential Learning Project
»»Human Resources Management and
Employment Relations
»»International Management
»»MBA Study Tour
»»Research Projects
»»Management Information Systems and
Knowledge Management

Student Profile
Jennifer Dobell, La Trobe MBA
Assistant Commissioner, People Support Team
Australian Taxation Office
Management isn’t just about ticking boxes; it is
about understanding human context, and the
ability to adapt to new people, new manage-
ment and new technology. Learning where something has come from enabled
me to see where things are going to.
In a practical sense, my MBA has enabled me to
adapt to my environment and to skill myself in gen- I have also met some terrific people and broadened
eral management and leadership. my networks along the way.
Intellectually, I really enjoyed the history of man-
agement and the evolution of thinking and theories.

148 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 


Macquarie Graduate School of Management
Sydney, Australia
Program type: Financial Strategy
Full-time MBA Marketing
Part-time MBA Management Skills
Master of Management Strategy
Master of Social Entrepreneurship Logistics and Operations
Elective streams: Management
Leadership and General Global Perspectives
Management Entrepreneurship
For nearly 50 years, MGSM has helped equip
thousands of graduates with the critical skills
and experience needed to lead and succeed in
our globally connected economy.
As one of Australia’s first business management
schools, we were established to meet the growing
need for postgraduate education as Sydney secured
its position as Australia’s dynamic centre of busi-
ness. Today, we are proud to be recognised not just
as Australia’s premier business school but one of
few with global accreditation by AACSB.*
At MGSM, pathways to leadership are built on
teaching and practice that are firmly grounded
in industry relevance, real-world experience and
transformational thinking. Our progressive and
practical approach equips graduates and corpo-
rate partners to approach business from a new
perspective– a perspective that delivers innova-
tive solutions and sustainable value for businesses
and communities alike.
Student Profile
ALEXANDRA
TZORTZIS 2013
Project Coordinator for the
Executive Office
Johnson & Johnson Medical
Devices ANZ
When I chose to study an MBA my priority was
to focus on developing technical knowledge in fi-
nance and strategy. I wanted to study at an insti-
tution that partnered with corporates and the com-
munity to find ways of creating sustainable value
through contributions that benefit both business
and society. This was particularly important to
me because I wanted to align my study and sub-
Program duration: Contact:
2 year full-time Macquarie Graduate School of
Flexible part-time Management (MGSM)
Tuition fee: MBA AUD$80,000* Macquarie University
MMgmt AUD$71,232* Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
MSocialEnt AUD$57,600*
*Please refer to website for latest
fee information
Just as MGSM welcomes a diverse student cohort,
our highly skilled and experienced faculty repre-
sents a diverse mix of academic expertise and cor-
porate experience. Their expertise and insight are
highly sought by our corporate and learning part-
ners for unravelling business challenges.
For international students, your time in Sydney
promises to be both professionally and personal-
ly rewarding. As Australia’s business hub and the
gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, Sydney provides
the opportunities of a globally-connected, mul-
ti-cultural professional environment to grow your
professional experience and further your career.
At MGSM we offer a range of programs for differ-
ent levels of experience and aspirations. Ranked
#1 in Australia by the Financial Times in 2016 and
2017, our MBA is a flexible and dynamic program
designed to extend, challenge and transform man-
agement professionals. Our Master of Management
is designed to provide deep experiential learning to
sequent qualification with a business school that
shared this philosophy. I chose MGSM because of
its respectable reputation and alumni, specialty in
finance, effective teaching staff with real-world
executive experience, and flexible course delivery.
Even so, what added value to my choice was its
proximity to major healthcare stakeholders such
as Macquarie University Hospital, pharmaceutical
and medical device companies, as well as techno-
logical and telecommunication companies in the
surrounding business park district. This colocation
was significant as MGSM has relationships and con-
nections with these businesses and this was how I
landed my current role.
Oceania
Tel: +61 2 9850 9017
Fax: +61 2 9850 9022
Email: info@mgsm.edu.au
Web: www.mgsm.edu.au
early-career professionals. By developing the skills,
knowledge, experience and business connections
needed to build a career in management, the pro-
gram aims to prepare and fast-track aspiring man-
agers. Partnering with Macquarie University our
Master of Social Entrepreneurship is not just the
first cross-faculty degree at Macquarie, it’s the first
degree of its kind in Australia. Alongside other elite
learning institutions around the globe, we are proud
to be empowering visionaries with the knowledge,
skills and tools that can help them to make a real
difference in society.
Graduates of MGSM can be confident with over
92% of full-time students employed within 3
months of completion*~ and ranking 2nd for post-
MBA salary increase.~
*Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2017
~The Economist Which MBA? 2016
I believe that Johnson & Johnson Medical Devic-
es recognized that the MGSM MBA is not simply
another qualification. As a result of their collabo-
ration with Macquarie University and MGSM, J&J
decided to offer a unique opportunity to someone
from MGSM who could offer a valued contribution
to the business. I feel privileged to be entrusted with
this rare opportunity and excited that I work for an
organisation that is involved in productive corpo-
rate partnerships with the community, steadfast in
their collaborative approach to finding solutions in
healthcare, and committed to women in leadership.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 149
069 L'OPINION AP VanityFair 203x275-POPINI1.indd 1
et
Disponible en kiosque et sur
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Il y a l’information
BEING / Médias Presse et Internet 14 rue de Bassano 75116 Paris SASU au capital de 1 000 euros RCS B 792 109 241 Paris.

01/04/14 15
 Oceania

Melbourne Business School

The University of Melbourne

Full-time MBA Program:
Start date: August
Program duration: One year, full-
time, week days
Tuition fee: AU$85,470*
Part-time MBA Program:
Start dates: January, April, July,
and September
Program duration: Two–
four years
Tuition fee: AU$4,180 per subject*
Executive MBA Program:
Start date: March
Program duration: 18
months (17 x 4-day residential
weekends modules)
Tuition fee: AU$98,500*
Senior Executive MBA Program:
Start date: May
Program duration: 18 months (10
x 9-day intensive modules)
Tuition fee: AU$121,800*
Entry requirements* (Full-time
MBA only):
Min. GMAT Score – 660
Min. TOEFL IBT –102
Min. IELTS –7, with no individual
score less than 6.5
Min. Years of Work Experience – 2
*Entry Requirements vary across
the various programs and can be
accessed at mbs.edu
Contact:
Melbourne Business School, 200
Leicester Street Carlton, Victoria
3053, Australia
Tel: +61 3 9349 8200
Fax: +61 3 9349 8404
Email: study@mbs.edu
Web: www.mbs.edu
*Fees are for the 2017 intake and
reviewed annually.

Melbourne Business School offers a compre-
hensive portfolio of programs, including our
world-renowned and internationally ranked
MBA.* We are a leading provider of manage-
ment education and executive development
in the Asia–Pacific region, with our Executive
Education’s customised and open programs
ranked 35 by the Financial Times (2016).
Jointly established by academia and corporate Aus-
tralia, Melbourne Business School is owned 55 per
cent by the business community and 45 per cent
by the University of Melbourne, Australia’s No. 1
university, established in 1853, and ranked No. 33
globally in The Times Higher Education World Uni-
versity Rankings 2016-2017. Our Board members
include leaders of some of Australia’s most prom-
inent companies, and our School enjoys accredita-
tion from EFMD (EQUIS) and AACSB International.
In a world that is faster, more uncertain and more
global, Melbourne Business School has graduate
programs that meet the needs of business profes-
sionals at critical stages of their careers. Our port-
folio ranges from programs for new graduates and ment or not-for-profit sectors and develop you to
early-career professionals to budding entrepreneurs better manage yourself, your team, your function
and those taking the next step to lead organisations. and your organisation.
Program Types Melbourne Business School programs are offered in
an integrated learning environment. Working with
At Melbourne Business School, the MBA is offered
talented peers from a diverse range of industry, ac-
in a range of study modes (Full-time, Part-time,
ademic and cultural backgrounds, you’ll apply your
Executive, and Senior Executive), we also offer a
knowledge to current business challenges and learn
Master of Management suite and a range of Spe-
how to lead people and organisations to success.
cialist Masters Degrees.
*No. 9 internationally, Bloomberg Businessweek
Our MBA suite recognises that leaders deliver re-
MBA rankings (2016); No. 34 globally, The Econo-
sults through and with others, which is why the
mist Which MBA? (2016); No. 76 globally, Financial
class experience, networking opportunities and ca-
Times Global MBA (2017)
reer support services are an integral, carefully craft-
ed part of our programs. Graduating class of 2017 profile
If you are a business professional, pursuing a deep Average GMAT 705
specialisation in Accounting, Actuarial Studies,
Average age 30
Economics or Finance, you will be learning from
people at the top of their fields. As an emerging Nationalities 23
leader, our programs will give you with the knowl-
Languages spoken 30
edge, research insights and personal-effectiveness
skills to make an impact in the business, govern-

Student Profiles
Dan Code
Program: MBA 2016
I have always had a passion for
working in the non-profit sector.
I was lucky to have had some
exposure to East Africa before completing my
commerce degree and returned to Tanzania after
graduating but felt an MBA would be a great way to
round out my business skills.
It’s a one-year program, so I knew I could
get the skills I wanted without being out of
the workforce for long.
I loved the small class sizes at MBS and the constant
opportunities to work closely with my classmates. I
built great friendships and gained enormous value
from their diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Before starting my MBA, I wanted to make it a
special year, and it really was.
As part of the program, I undertook an internship
with Social Ventures Australia (SVA), a fantastic
organisation that advises the non-profit and
government sectors. It was a great experience that
allowed me to combine what I learnt on my MBA
with my passion for the social sector.
After completing my MBA, I was offered a role
at SVA on a permanent basis. It’s a wonderful
opportunity join an impactful organisation that is
a thought leader in the social sector.
I hope to become a leader in an organisation
that creates positive change in society and
people’s lives. My MBA has given me the ability
to think strategically and make decisions that
balance the myriad stakeholders, involved with
these organisations.

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 151

5:08
Oceania

Monash University

Program Type: Entry Requirements: Contact: Tel: +61 3 9903 4355

MBA
Course Start Dates:
February and August
Program Duration:
Two years
Tuition Fee:
$63,200 AUD (domestic), $69,400
(international)* tbc
Min. GMAT Score–N/A
Min. TOEFL Paper Based
Score–550
Min. IELTS–6.5
Min. Years of Work Experience–
Three years with at least one
year of professional/managerial
experience
MBA Programs Manager Email: mba@monash.edu
Monash Business School, Web: mba.monash.edu
Monash University
Caulfield campus, Melbourne,
Australia

The Monash MBA is a two-year program in-
volving experience-based modules, consulting
projects, and overseas learning and industry
engagement opportunities. Study is under-
taken in a combination of daytime, evening,
weekend and intensive modes to allow partic-
ipants to work while completing the program.
The program takes two cohorts per year, com-
mencing in February and August.
Designed for ambitious young professionals with
minimum of three years’ work experience, the
program takes a strategic and practice-based ap-
proach to management development. The key fea-
tures of the program are:
»» Focus on next-generation problems: the Monash
MBA emphasises new thinking and new
models for the next generation of successful
enterprises. The program features courses on
business models, design thinking, technology
and entrepreneurship.
»» The MBA of management practice: the hallmark
of a successful executive is the proven ability to
strategise and execute. Students graduate with
a portfolio of completed consulting projects in
strategy, commercialisation of technology, start-
up ventures and international business.
»» Global orientation and international experience: dertaking Monash MBA consulting projects in a
the Monash community of students, professors range of challenging sectors provides students with
and business partners comprises people from the opportunity to experience new contexts and
multiple nationalities and cultural backgrounds. demonstrate their proven ability to deliver results.
The program includes the study of global strat-
The Monash MBA is delivered in Melbourne, Aus-
egy, international business projects and study
tralia, which is consistently voted one of the world’s
in overseas markets.
best cities in which to live and study. Our new MBA
»» Leadership and personal development: the
centre at the Caulfield campus of Monash Universi-
Monash MBA provides students with the oppor-
ty comprises lecture theatres, student lounges, read-
tunity to develop critical executive capabilities
ing rooms and breakout facilities, as well as access
and personal style. The Leadership program
to the full range of university facilities.
is integrated into all MBA modules, and uses
cutting-edge technologies and frameworks in a Monash University is ranked 65 in the overall QS
world-class program. World Ranking. Monash Business School’s inter-
national standing is reflected in its ‘triple crown’
Monash MBA subjects are taught in a highly-inte-
accreditation by the Association to Advance Col-
grated process with students, professors and busi-
legiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the European
ness partners combining expertise and experience
Foundation for Management Development (EQUIS),
in classroom, workshop and consulting settings.
and the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
Each module involves a supervised consulting pro-
ject with business partners, providing real appli-
cation opportunities.
The Monash MBA Career Advancement Program
is an integral element of the program. Students’
professional experiences and career goals are de-
veloped in a customised program, guided by the
dedicated Monash MBA career services team. Un-

Student Profile
Tshering Denka (Bhutan)
Monash MBA
current student
I have had terrific opportunities
to study economics in the USA
and public policy in South Korea… The Monash
MBA takes such a global approach to business that I
have been working with classmates from more than
twenty different countries. This experience has im-
proved my understanding of the world, and given
me a much deeper insight into people and organisa-
tions, how markets and institutions work, and how
to manage in complex situations.
And Melbourne itself is such a unique, diverse
and welcoming city – it really is a wonderful
place to live and study.
I feel a responsibility to go back to Bhutan and play
a role in the socioeconomic development of my
country. The MBA has provided me with high-level
business knowledge and skills that will make a real
impact on my work in the future…

152 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 

 Oceania

AGSM @ UNSW Business School

UNSW Sydney

Program Type: Marketing Mining Min. TOEFL Computer Based Contact:

Full-time MBA
Part-time MBA (Executive)
Online MBAX:
MBA (Technology)
MBA (Social Impact)
MBA (Change)
Specialisation by Function:
Change Management
E-Commerce / Business
Entrepreneurship
General Management
Innovation / Knowledge
Management
Leadership
Operations Management
Organisational Behavior
Personal Development
Strategic Management
Statistics
Specialisation by Industry:
Banking / Financial Services
Consulting
Environment
Government
Hospitality
IT / Telecommunications
Media & Entertainment
Non–Profit Organisation
Oil & Gas
Pharmaceutical / Bio-Medical
Public Sector
Retail / Consumer Goods
Venture Capital & Private Equity
Full Time Course Information:
Start Dates:
January
Program Duration: 16 months
Tuition Fee: $81,600 AUD/ Total
Program Cost (Approx.)
Entry Requirements:
Min. GMAT Score : 550
Score : 90
Min. TOEFL Paper Based
Score : 577
Min. IELTS : 6.5
Min. Years of Work
Experience : 2
Part Time Course Information:
Start Dates:
February, May and September
Program Duration: 2.5 – 7 years
Tuition Fee: $81,735 AUD/ Total
Program Cost (Approx.)
AGSM MBA Programs Recruitment
& Admissions
AGSM @ UNSW Business School
UNSW Sydney
Gate 11, Botany Road, Randwick
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia
Tel: + 61 (2) 9931 9490
Fax: + 61 (2) 9931 9205
Email: admissions@agsm.edu.au
Web: www.agsm.edu.au/
futureleaders

AGSM MBA Programs are delivered through
the AGSM @ UNSW Business School at UNSW
Sydney. The AGSM MBA, introduced in 1977,
has been preparing great people to achieve
great things for 40 years by providing a world-
class business education and unequalled net-
working opportunities with the 16,000 strong
network of AGSM graduates and over 220,000
UNSW alumni around the world.
The AGSM MBA is a world-class program, ranked
in the top 100 in the world – Financial Times (UK),
Global MBA Rankings, 2017. Its strong reputation
amongst employers of MBA graduates is founded
on the excellence of the learning experience and
strong industry networks that prepare students for
the rigors of senior management.
With over 270 faculty members at UNSW Business
School, including many internationally recognised
academic and industry thought leaders working at
the cutting edge of their field, the AGSM’s MBA
program nurtures students’ ability to think criti-
cally, communicate exceptionally and put business
strategy into practice. The AGSM MBA concen-
trates on helping students prepare for leadership
roles in business and governments. It’s about re-
al-world learning that combines traditional class-
room teaching with case studies and teamwork
to develop management skills, encourage critical
thinking and sharpen one’s decision-making ability.
Studying in one of the truly great cities of the world,
the AGSM MBA in Sydney offers the perfect com-
bination of a cosmopolitan lifestyle, ideal climate,
interesting culture, natural beauty, friendly people
and geographic location in the heart of the Asia-Pa-
cific, which will really enhance your MBA experi-
ence. During the program, students can also draw
on AGSM’s powerful global business networks
across 30 international partner schools, choosing to
complete an international exchange program with
another leading business school across the world.
Students on the AGSM MBA program are very ac-
tive, organising a wide range of student-led events,
student clubs and working together as a stimulat-
ing and ambitious group. The cohort is kept small
and diverse, with a typical class ranging from 55-65
students and representing a wide range of profes-
sional and cultural backgrounds, bringing a variety
of experiences that make the AGSM MBA truly di-
verse and international.

Student Profiles
Samantha Loring, The opportunity to do a full-time MBA at AGSM is and team member. The AGSM places great attention
MBA Class of 2017 one of my proudest achievements. AGSM is in my on not only business knowledge but also building
Origin: South Africa view the leading business graduate school in Aus- one’s interpersonal and leadership skills.
Before AGSM MBA: tralia and therefore doing a course here gives me
I know that I will walk away from this program with
Business News Anchor and great credibility amongst potential employers both
a room full of friends, who have brilliant minds and
Correspondent, CNBC Asia in the Australian and broader global jobs market.
are going to make a great success of their careers.
and CNBC Africa
I have been sharpening my business skills, building I am beginning to appreciate how powerful these
Current Position: MBA Candidate
new knowledge in areas that were previously for- connections will be.
eign to me and reflecting upon my soft skills and
ways to develop them to be a more effective leader

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 153

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 Oceania

Deakin Business School

BUSINESS
SCHOOL

Program Type: Environmental Sustainability Property and Real Estate Part-time courses will run to an Full time MBA (international)
MBA Finance Public Management equivalent timeframe. Intensive Min. IELTS–6.5
MBAI (International) Financial Planning Research Project units and residentials can help you Full-time MBA/Master of Leadership
MBA/Master of Leadership Healthcare management and Retail Management complete your course faster. Min. IELTS–6.5
MBA–Healthcare Management Human Services Strategy and Planning Tuition Fee: Full-time MBA – Healthcare
All programs are available full-time Management Full Time Course Information Full time MBA– AUD49,800 Min. IELTS–6.5
and part-time, delivered on-campus, Human Resource Management Start Dates: March, July, November (indicative fees for 2017) Min. years of managerial work
online or a combination of both. Innovation Program Duration: Full time MBA (International)– experience (or professional training
Specialization by Function: Insurance and Risk Management Full-time MBA (18 months) AUD54,000 (indicative fees for 2017) equivalent)–3
Accounting International and Community Full-time MBAI (International) Entry Requirements: Contact:
Arts and Cultural Management Development (24 months) Full time MBA 221 Burwood Highway
Business Analytics International Trade and Business Full-time MBA/Master of leadership Min. IELTS–6.5 Burwood
Business Consulting Law (24 months) Min. years of managerial work Victoria 3125 Australia
Corporate Governance Leadership Full time MBA – Healthcare experience–3 Phone: +61 3 9627 4877
eBusiness and Supply Chain Marketing Management (24 months) Email: bl-international@
Management Project Management deakin.edu.au
Renowned for its flexibility and experien- speed up or slow down your study while still com- strength. QS has ranked the online Deakin MBA as
tial learning opportunities, the Deakin MBA pleting your course within the normal time frames. the best in Australia and No.16 in the world.
program is designed to develop your business
Practical learning and real experience Deakin Business School is accredited by AACSB
acumen and equip you with relevant skills,
The Deakin MBA offers a range of practical learning International, the world’s longest-serving glob-
contemporary knowledge and industry ex-
opportunities and blended learning. Experiential al accrediting body for business schools. Only
perience. An active professional network of
units, study tours, business practicums and inten- five per cent of business programs worldwide
alumni and industry partners ensures that
sive ‘residentials’ provide you with powerful oppor- are AACSB accredited.
your learning is applied and grounded in the
tunities for self-fulfillment and development.
reality of business. Deakin University is ranked No.3 in Australia for
Our staff are internationally recognised experts in graduate employability (according to the 2016 THE
Flexible learning
their fields and are supported by industry adjunct graduate employability ranking) and has main-
The Deakin MBA provides a wide range of study
professors who occupy senior leadership roles in tained the highest level of overall student satisfac-
options and offers more than 20 specialisations. Op-
business. These industry adjuncts provide practical tion amongst Victorian universities for the last six
tional components allow you to complement your
expertise in accounting, business process manage- years (AGS 2010-2015).
academic studies with practical learning experienc-
ment, economics, finance, leadership, management,
es to help you progress in your chosen field, or even Start Anytime
people managements, marketing and strategy.
open up completely new career paths! Deakin’s trimester system offers three study periods
Why study at Deakin? each year, enabling you to commence your course at
The Deakin MBA is available on campus, online, via
The Deakin MBA is one of the most highly regarded different times of the year. But we understand that
intensive or residential modes, or can be completed
MBA programs on offer. It is internationally recog- juggling work, life and study can be complicated. In
by participating in Australian and local study pro-
nised and EPAS accredited by the European Foun- a world-first, you can start selected units ‘anytime’.
grams. You can study when, where and how you like,
dation for Management Development (EFMD), and
and tailor your study to fit in with your work and Start Anytime offers you the flexibility to begin
holds a prestigious QS 5-Star rating for program
lifestyle commitments. The MBA also enables you to some units at any time of the year and complete
them online at your own pace.
pursuing a career in the electrical systems’ industry. ‘I want to be involved with challenging roles in an
Student Profile organisation - fields such as strategy formulation,
‘I was selected into the renowned Indian MNC
Chintan Pathak foreign affairs, business development and policy
Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T) – a major technology,
Deakin Master of making. While I’ve always been able to contribute
engineering, construction, manufacturing &
Business Administration significantly to technical discussions, I’d like
financial services conglomerate, with global
(International) to enhance my business knowledge and career
operations for customers in over 30 countries … I
Current student growth,’ he explains.
worked on projects from planning to execution and
Home country: India
also had the opportunity to experience a diverse Chintan researched universities around the world
Despite a catastrophic range of people, situations and systems.’ before deciding that Deakin’s MBA program was the
earthquake in his hometown of Bhuj (in India’s best fit for his career goals.
Now living in Australia, Chintan is completing his
Gujarat) when he was still in secondary school,
final year of a Master of Business Administration ‘A master’s degree from Deakin gives me a deep
Chintan Pathak’s family ensured that the
(International) at Deakin’s Melbourne campus and understanding of the business dynamics, complexities
devastating event didn’t derail his education.
is preparing for his next career move as a business and opportunities within industry. The many
With the support of his family, he went on to development manager. international students help me experience a wider
studying an electrical engineering degree and range of culture, society and business,’ he explains.
http://bit.ly/discoverdeakin

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 155

Regional Profile

The MBA in
the Middle East & Africa
The Middle East & Africa may have had a disappointing year for MBA recruitment in 2015/16,
but salary levels held steady and the region remains full of potential for MBAs.

By Tim Dhoul

The Middle East & Africa is a young
market when it comes to MBA
employment, but one which is already
home to a handful of countries with a high
demand for holders of the qualification.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi
Arabia feature among the world’s top 10
countries in terms of the sheer numbers of
MBA jobs reported to us by actively hiring
MBA employers, while Jordan and Egypt
are among the top 20.
Although the region’s employment
markets had a difficult year across 2015/16
in which the growth of new MBA job
opportunities was limited to just 1%, salary
levels remained largely consistent with the
year prior, according to the QS TopMBA.
com Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2016/17.
The average base salary on offer across
Middle East & Africa currently stands
around the US$65,000 mark, with total
compensation at US$88,700. Those figures
are not too far off the averages seen across
Asia-Pacific.
separate feature in this edition of the QS
TopMBA Career Guide) lies in 17th position
in our list of the world’s most popular
study destinations, as compiled on the
basis of prospective students’ preferences
for the most recent edition of the QS
TopMBA.com Applicant Survey.
Of course, because MBA provision is
relatively new to the Middle East & Africa,
many of the region’s employers will also
look beyond the confines of their own region
for their hires. They are, indeed, second only
to Western Europe for their outward-looking
stance on MBA hiring, with four of the
world’s five external regions on the radars of
at least a quarter of employers based in the
Middle East & Africa.
Despite last year’s underwhelming overall
growth in MBA job opportunities, the
region did see healthy rises from within
its consulting and pharmaceuticals sectors.
Indeed, at some point in the foreseeable
future there is likely to be a transition
from oil to knowledge economies in the
Gulf States as a consequence of dwindling
natural resources. There is, therefore, no
denying the huge potential for MBAs in
the region. We need only look east, to
Asia, for an example of how much can
change in the space of a couple of decades.

Study options and applicant

preferences

By dint of its status as a relative newcomer

to the world of MBA education, the Middle
East & Africa may have to wait a little
longer before its local providers of the
qualification can challenge the world’s
very best business schools, in terms of
their global reputations for employability
and research excellence. However, nine
business schools do feature in the QS
Global 250 Business Schools Report 2017.
Almost half of this number can be found in
South Africa (the region’s most established
provider of the MBA) with the remainder
spread across four countries in the
Middle East and North Africa. In addition,
the UAE (home to Dubai, whose MBA
recruitment landscape is the subject of a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 157

Regional Profile
The MBA in
Latin America
Latin America saw a surge in MBA hiring levels last year and its leading business schools are
growing in international stature.
By Tim Dhoul
MBA hiring was back on track across Latin
America in 2015/16 after recruiters in the
region reported an 18% rise in new job
opportunities available to MBA graduates
in the QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary
Trends Report 2016/17. This impressive
level of growth – the highest reported by
employers of any region in the world last
year – followed a meagre 1% rise in new
MBA jobs across 2014/15.
What changed? Well, last year’s overall
picture of the MBA job market in Latin
America was clouded by losses felt in
Lima, Peru
158 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
Brazil – the most populous nation in the
region and its largest supplier of MBA job
opportunities. Indeed, a major contraction
of market in Brazil masked impressive
growth elsewhere in the region, most
notably in Peru and Mexico.
Brazil leads the region’s growth in
hiring and salary levels
Between 2015 and 2016, however, Brazil’s
market has recovered strongly – no
doubt buoyed by its hosting of the 2016
Summer Olympics – and this has greatly
impacted on the region’s overall growth
figures. Equally impressive has been the
continued growth witnessed in Mexico as
well as expansion to the MBA employment
markets of Argentina and Venezuela, the
latter of which posted the region’s highest
individual growth figure (although here
it should be noted that Venezuela is a
more nascent market and is therefore
expanding from a smaller base). Indeed,
Latin America’s three biggest markets for
MBAs, on the basis of the aforementioned
MBA jobs and salary trends report, are
still to be found in Brazil, Mexico and
Peru. Each of these countries can also be
found among the world’s 20 largest MBA
employment markets, with Brazil sitting
behind only the US and India for the sheer
volume of jobs available to holders of an
MBA degree.
Salary levels on offer to MBAs in Latin
America also saw a hefty increase
between 2015 and 2016. The base salary
average for the region as a whole now
stands at more than US$60,000 and a
little over US$80,000 including bonus
levels. These figures are higher than those
currently reported in Eastern Europe
and not far off the numbers seen in the
Middle East & Africa. Again, Brazil has
been integral to an overall rise in salaries
across the region – employers in Brazil
have upped the base average on offer
to around US$75,000, the region’s most
sizeable on this analysis.
Individual country markets in Latin
America can still prove to be a little on the
temperamental side so, in looking ahead,
the greatest question will be whether
Brazil, post-Olympics, and the rest of the
region can maintain and build on its recent
progress.
MBA programs in Latin America
Those looking to study an MBA in Latin
America will find 10 institutions located
in five different countries in QS’s guide
to the best full-time MBA programs
available around the world; the QS Global
250 Business Schools Report 2017. Perhaps
the surest indication of the progress made
by business education in Latin America
is that two of these business schools
occupy berths in the report’s highest,
‘Global Elite’, category on the strength
of their international reputations among
both employers and academics – Pontifcia
Universidad Católica de Chile and
Mexico’s EGADE Business School.
Despite the rising reputations attached
to Latin America’s best MBA programs,
your study options in the region are
likely to come with a much more
affordable price tag than those offered by
the world’s most prestigious providers
of the degree. The total expenditure for
a 14-month global MBA in Costa Rica
at INCAE Business School, for example,
is estimated to be between US$63,000
and US$73,000 depending on whether or
not you are a citizen of the region1. This
is compared to calculations that run to
more than US$200,000 overall for a two-
year program at a few notable schools in
the US2.
A number of reputable programs in
Latin America also offer links to schools
in the US and Europe. For example,
EGADE Business School’s flagship MBA
(in which most classes are conducted
in Spanish) offers dual degree options
with a number of institutions based
outside the region, including at the
University of Texas at Austin and HEC
Paris. It also offers an English-language
dual degree in conjunction with Belk
College of Business at the University
of North Carolina at Charlotte. These
kinds of study options allow participants
to gain exposure to differing business
cultures and points of view, and will suit
students keen to supplement their focus
on Latin America – in the same way that
exchanges and study abroad segments
allow MBAs the world over to expand
their learning perspectives.
1. http://www.incae.edu/en/master-programs/global-mba/
cost-and-financial-aid.html
2. http://www.topmba.com/blog/full-time-mba-costs-cross-
us200k-threshold-and-other-mba-new-snippets
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 159
Regional Profile
The MBA in
Asia
Asia’s continued growth in employment opportunities demands the attention of any prospective
MBA, but can it also now provide your ideal study destination?
By Tim Dhoul
The increasing demand for MBA talent in
Asia continues to confound expectations.
In the QS TopMBA.com Jobs and Salary
Trends Report 2016/17, MBA employers in
Asia-Pacific reported an increase of 17%
in the number of opportunities on offer
to holders of the qualification. This figure
comes close to matching the 18% rise seen
in the report’s 2015/16 edition and stands
comfortably ahead of the forecast of 13%
made at that time.
Sustained growth in employment
prospects across Asia for MBAs
Much of Asia-Pacific’s sustained growth
can be traced to Asia (indeed, the fortunes
of Australia and New Zealand are covered
Seoul, South Korea
160 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017
in a separate profile for Oceania) where
the rise in MBA hiring over the past year
continues to be driven largely by India
and China. In terms of the sheer number
of jobs available to MBA graduates, China
is now home to the world’s sixth-largest
market, up from eighth last year, while
India remains second only to the US in this
respect.
Yet, China and India aren’t the only
locations in which you’ll find significant
avenues of employment open to MBAs.
Double-digit percentage growth (in
the number of MBA jobs reported by
employers) has also been seen over the
past year in the emerging market of
Pakistan and the established business
hub of Singapore. Notable expansion in
Malaysia and growth to the mature market
of Japan are also not too far off this growth
threshold and shows just how many
countries within Asia can offer an MBA
graduate excellent employment prospects.
When it comes to salary, there remains a
great deal of variation between countries
but, by and large, the trend is towards
a steady improvement. Asia-Pacific as a
whole currently offers MBAs an average
base salary of US$70,900 (or US$90,300
including bonuses) but this includes the
high pay packages currently on offer from
employers in Australia (again, please refer
to our separate profile on Oceania). In
Asia, the average base salary ranges from
a high of US$90,700 in Singapore to lows
teetering around the US$25,000 mark in
Pakistan and Thailand, although one must
factor the differing costs of living into this
equation.
Employers in the region, for their part,
are keen to bring in MBA talent from
outside of the region as well as from
within. Indeed, around one in 10 employer
respondents to QS’s jobs and salary report
actually indicated that they are not looking
to recruit from within the region. The
established business education markets of
North America and Western Europe are
the most commonly targeted in the battle
for leading MBA talent – by 33 and 24% of
employers across Asia-Pacific, respectively.
Institutions in Asia with
reputations to rival the global elite
Outward-looking hiring perspectives
should by no means be seen as a
denouncement of the quality of MBAs
produced within the region. In reality,
Asia’s best business schools are
increasingly well-positioned to jostle
with the North American and Western
European elite.
Three institutions is Asia placed inside
the highest, ‘Global Elite’ category of
the QS Global 250 Business Schools Report
2017, in which schools are assessed for the
strength with which their full-time MBA
programs are viewed around the world,
in terms of employability and academic
excellence. Two of those three are based
in Singapore with the third found in India,
where the most prestigious programs have
acceptance rates that make a mockery of
the level of competition found in the US1.
In addition, a number of business schools
based in Hong Kong, China and South
Korea scored as highly as anywhere in the
world for research strength in the Global
250 report and feature in its Top-Tier
Research category. In short, the options
to study at an internationally renowned
institution are plentiful!
One thing that may still need to change,
however, before MBA programs in Asia
can truly reach their full potential is
the extent to which they can capture
the imaginations of the most talented
prospective students from outside the
region. Only Singapore stood among
their 10 most-favored study destinations,
according to the QS Applicant Survey 2015.
Interest in Hong Kong is on the rise, but
elsewhere the attraction appears somewhat
hampered, with the exception of students
with a natural inclination to seek out
international immersion and adventure.
Others may still be wary of perceived
cultural and linguistic difficulties they
might encounter and will settle instead
for an exchange or study abroad option
through a business school based in more
familiar surroundings.
Program costs in Asia
Perhaps because of this, the price tags
outside of Singapore and Hong Kong –
where costs resemble those in Western
Europe – tend to be set more with the
regional market in mind than the global
one. Indeed, while tuition and fees for an
MBA will set you back the approximate
equivalent of US$75,000 at HKUST
Business School or close to US$80,000
at INSEAD’s Singapore campus, you
can study in India, at the Indian School
of Business in Hyderabad, for the
equivalent of around US$45,000 or at
Peking University’s Guanghua School of
Management in Beijing for a little under
US$30,0002.
The business world has changed to the
extent that Asia now presents crucial lines
of enquiry no matter where in the world
you study. The only remaining question
is whether or not you wish to set yourself
apart by making the region the primary
focus of your degree.
1. http://www.topmba.com/where-to-study/asia/india/grads-
second-tier-b-schools-struggle-find-mba-jobs-india
2. Program costs calculated from advertised prices on school
websites at the time of writing, February 2017.
QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 161
 Asia

Fudan University School of Management

International MBA Program

Program Type:
Full-time MBA
(Offered in collaboration with MIT
Sloan School of Management)
Second Degree Options:
MIT Sloan MSMS Program
Yale SOM MAM Program
York Schulich MBA Program
Specialization by Function:
Finance/General Management/
Consulting/ Marketing/
Entrepreneurship
Specialization by Industry:
Financial Services/ Consulting/IT/
Venture Capital & Private Equity
Full Time Course Information
Start Dates:
End of August every year
Program Duration:
18 months Courses +6 months
Dissertation
Tuition Fee:
RMB 269,800 total program
Entry Requirements:
Hold a bachelor degree or above
Min. 2 years work experience
An acceptable GMAT/GRE score
Or other equivalent tests
Application Fee:
USD ($) 130
Contact:
Fudan-MIT IMBA Program Office
Tel: 86-21-25011446
Email: imba@fudan.edu.cn
www.fdsm.fudan.edu.cn/fdimba
Address: Room 709, Starr Building,
670 Guoshun Road, Shanghai,
P. R. China

Founded in 1905, Fudan University was the
first institution of higher learning in China to
set up a department of business education. The
School of Management (FDSM) has grown into
one of the top-class educational institutions in
China. The School has been awarded the First
Prize for R&D Progress and the First Prize for
Excellent Education Accomplishments, both
on national levels. The school has also attained
both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations.
Fudan-MIT International MBA Program
The program was launched in 1996 through col-
laboration between the Fudan University School
of Management and the MIT Sloan School of Man-
agement. It aims to cultivate professionals with an
international perspective and entrepreneurial spirit,
well-adjusted to the demands of economic globali-
zation in China and the rest of the world. The IMBA
participants who complete all required courses and
a thesis will be awarded a MBA degree from Fudan
University and a learning certificate from the MIT
Sloan School of Management. The program ranked
47th in the global programs by Financial Times.
Why Fudan-MIT International MBA Program
1. Collaboration between two leading business
schools: The close cooperation with MIT Sloan
School of Management is embodied in the fac-
ulty training, visiting professors, curriculum
development, student projects, and complemen-
tary alumni networks.
2. Internationalized faculties: The faculty members
(30-40% are international faculty) of the IMBA Pro-
gram possess both rich academic backgrounds and
extensive teaching experiences in business educa-
tion. Students can also experience lectures by pro-
fessors from MIT Sloan, industry experts and busi-
ness executives, who bring cutting-edge ideas and
real-world experiences into the classroom.
3. Cross-functional Action Learning Program
(iLab): As the most diverse and influential MBA
action learning program, Fudan MBA iLab always
takes the lead. Each year IMBA students partici-
pate in more than 20 iLab projects including Whar-
ton-Fudan GCP, Fudan-MIT China Lab, Fudan-
Tekes iLab, Australia-China iLab, Portugal-China
Lab and local iLab. Through the hands-on practi-
cum, the IMBA students translate the knowledge
into real business wisdom.
4. International student exchange program: As one
of the only four member schools of the PIM
Organization in mainland China, FDSM offers about
100 exchange seats from over 50 renowned interna-
tional business schools to MBA students. Studying
abroad can enhance cross-cultural communication
skills and build up international exposure.
5. Professional career development service: The
Fudan MBA Career Development Office, as the first
of its kind in China, provides students with resources
and professional service in career development and
employment. Career services such as career plan-
ning, workshops and personal consulting help stu-
dents to better plan their career paths and enhance
competitiveness for future career development.
6. Global alumni network: Full-time study builds
strong friendships among the students, which will
extend through the two-year program and beyond.
This alumni network is a lifelong resource for the
Fudan-MIT IMBA Program participants. In addi-
tion, IMBA alumni are invited to become a part of
the MIT Sloan alumni network as affiliate alumni.
7. Best location in Shanghai, China: The Fudan
School of Management is located in Shanghai, one
of the world’s fastest growing business hub, and
the most influential economic, financial, cultural
and technological center in China. While living
and studying in Shanghai, students will have abun-
dant opportunities to learn about globalization and
capital formation in emerging markets along with
an understanding of both Western and Chinese
management practices.
Fees and Expenses
The all-inclusive fee of the two-year IMBA Program
is RMB 269,800, which includes tuition, text books,
action learning projects, seminars, events, disser-
tation. Additional costs will be housing, entertain-
ment, transportation and other personal expenses
such as laundry, dining or travelling fees.
Scholarship Opportunities
The IMBA program offers first year and second
year student scholarship based on student’s GMAT
score, academic performance, leadership potential
and contributions to the program.
Application
Application deadlines on Nov. 15, Jan. 15,
Mar. 15, and May 31 every year. Please
visit www.fdsm.fudan.edu.cn/fdimba to
start your application.

Student Profile
YAO WEN LEON, FOO lenges that are influencing the business community the world as well as the gateway to the rest of China
IMBA Class of 2016-2018 today. Fudan has a unique iLab consulting project with a local insight.
Nationality: Singapore where we worked with international and local Class Profile of 2018
companies to solve a range of issues from market Entering Class Size: 92
The Fudan-MIT International
entry to agility to sustainability. As a top Chinese Average Age: 28
MBA programme was instru-
university with over 100 years history and notable Average GMAT: 650
mental in helping me gain deep understanding of
alumni, the career development office has forged GMAT 80% Range: 630 - 720
the rapidly evolving and dynamic business land-
strong partnerships with multinational and local % Woman: 50%
scape through the lens of diversity of skills and
companies to meet recruitment needs. One of the % International Student: 14%
perspectives from the class. The curriculum was de-
core advantages of Fudan is its geographic position Nationalities: 9
signed to expose us to the toughest business chal-
in Shanghai, one of the top international cities in

162 QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 

 Asia

Singapore Management University

Lee Kong Chian School of Business

Program Type: Program Duration:
MBAs 12 months (Full-Time)
Course Information Start Dates: 18 months (Part-Time)
January (Full-Time) Tuition Fee (before taxes):
July (Part-Time) SGD ($) 59,303 / Full-Time
SGD ($) 61,384 / Part-Time
Entry Requirements:
Min. GMAT Score - 600
Min. Years of Work Experience - 2
TOEFL/ IELTS required only if your
degree was not taught in English
Application Fee :
SGD ($) 100
Contact: Tel: +65 6828 0882
Danny Xue/Joshua Sim Fax: +65 6828 1941
MBA Admissions Email: mba@smu.edu.sg
Singapore Management University Web: www.smu.edu.sg/MBA
Administration Building
81 Victoria Street, Level 10
Singapore 188065

Singapore Management University (SMU) is
located in the heart of Singapore, a world cap-
ital that embodies the dynamic spirit of Asia.
A long-time conduit between East and West,
Singapore is an economically vibrant city-state
and one of the most cosmopolitan global cit-
ies. With Asia contributing a greater share to
the world economy, and Singapore being the
Asia-Pacific headquarters to many multina-
tional corporations, cosmopolitan Singapore
with its affordable, world-class education in-
frastructure and low unemployment rate, of-
fers an exciting educational opportunity for
MBA aspirants and promising career poten-
tial for MBA graduates.
SMU remains Singapore’s only local autonomous
university focused on providing broad-based busi-
ness education. Case studies feature strongly in our
MBA curriculum so as to provide real-world learn-
ing. SMU’s Case Writing Initiative produces case
studies focusing on Asian companies and these sup-
plement case studies on western companies. With
Asia growing as a global economic powerhouse, the
need to understand Asian business practices is get-
ting ever more important.
Accredited by AACSB and EQUIS, the SMU MBA
Programme values quality over quantity with an
internationally-diverse MBA faculty who are also
industry practitioners and not just academics.
SMU also actively engages the business communi-
ty as recruiters, board members, donors, research
partners and guest lecturers and we have built re-
lationships with over 2000 business, providing an
unmatched connection to the business communities
of Singapore and Asia.
The SMU MBA curriculum emphasises leadership,
communication and negotiation skills in addition
to analytical skills. Such expertise is highly val-
ued by companies, even though it receives limited
focus in other MBA Programmes. Class sizes are
optimised to provide lively interactions between
faculty and students. Career services and develop-
ment skills are provided at the outset to direct our
MBA students towards the identification of their
professional interests so they are prepared for their
long-term management careers. Students can ex-
pect to benefit from diversity with an international
mix of students and overseas immersions. The ac-
celerated 1 year Full-Time programme ensures you
minimise your opportunity cost while receiving a
world-class education from faculty selected from
the best around the world.

Student Profile
Kazumasa Watanabe,
Japanese, MBA Class of 2014
(Full-Time)
Deloitte Consulting Pte Ltd.
The SMU MBA is a once-in-a-
lifetime experience for me. Despite feeling out-of-
depth in class discussions and overwhelmed by pro-
jects initially, I perservered at full speed. The result
was that I gained an enlightened mind-set, through
the rigourous curriculum and the hammering-down
of my conventional wisdom by my classmates and
professors. When I ventured into the unchartered
territory of the job market, I found that the SMU
MBA Programme opens the door to tremendous
job opportunities in Singapore. Although I received
job offers from both Singapore and Japan, I am now
working in a consulting firm in Singapore – a po-
sition which I secured through SMU’s Postgradu-
ate Career Services.
Aamani Kanthala, Keeve Tan (Singaporean)
Indian, MBA Class of 2015 Current MBA student
(Full-time) (Part-time)
General Manager (Business Vice-President
Development) Analogics UOB Global Markets
Tech. India Pte Ltd. The case studies and class discussions at SMU help
bridge the gap between theoretical studies and re-
Joining the MBA Programme at SMU is one of the
al-life application. Fervent exchanges and intensive
finest choices I have made. Personally, the pro-
dialogue amongst students as well as the faculty,
gramme has been very enriching in terms of cre-
bring to life every lesson that I have attended. The
ating an in-depth understanding about different
focus on a high level of class participation and in-
domains of an organization, all of which are equally
teraction provokes in-depth thought on the subjects
important and have to be aligned with the busi-
covered. This is the DNA of the SMU MBA pro-
ness structure and strategy. Apart from imparting
gramme that sets it apart from everyone else.
business management skills, the SMU MBA helps
look at business issues from a global perspective.
Professionally, the course has helped me discover
my fascination for Marketing and Public Relations
and the Career Services team has been a good sup-
port to assist me in finding the right opportunities.
This one-year journey has been most intense and
thought-provoking. SMU MBA is undoubtedly the
destination for individuals looking out for world-
class learning experiences to think and act in a com-
plex as well as uncertain management environment.

QS TopMBA Career Guide Spring 2017 163

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