<p>I go to a small liberal arts school in NJ, and I'm looking to transfer to a more reputable business program. I'm originally from Pittsburgh, and I was accepted as a Freshman, so I'd like to look into their program. I've found some stats on Rutgers' school, but nothing really on Pitt. Any information would be great. Thanks!</p>
<p>Here’s some info on the graduate business school, couldn’t find any good/useful information on undergrad business but I do know that Pitt is more reputable for business than Rutgers</p>
<p>University Of Pittsburgh Katz School</p>
<p>Boasting a “good hometown reputation,” ample elective offerings, and a “team-building approach to learning,” the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business is an excellent MBA program for both full-time students and working professionals. Stressing real-world applications of academic theory, Katz professors “are in tune with issues being faced out there, which they incorporate into their classes or target their research towards.” In addition to classroom instruction, “The school is very big on scheduling guest speakers to share real world examples with the students.” “Recently a woman from Deloitte’s consulting section came to speak about being a woman in the business world.”
In 1963, Katz became the first university to offer a 1-year MBA program. Designed for students with a strong background in economics or business, the 1-year MBA continues to draw students. Katz also operates a part-time program, through which business professionals can complete an MBA during the evening. According to students in the part-time program, professors are “accommodating to the needs of part-time students and try to manage the course in a manner that will not overwhelm.” This includes “spreading apart their due dates and exams to make sure students aren’t incredibly overloaded.” Students say, “The high caliber of people who are in the part time program really make the class time so much more contextual and rewarding because we’re directly applying the information we’re learning to work circumstances.” The 2-year, full-time program, on the other hand, is designed for students who need a longer and more thorough introduction to business, and the program incorporates highly individualized coaching and mentoring. Whether studying part-time, full-time, or on the accelerated track, Katz students quickly discover that “the academics are quite challenging”; however, the school maintains a “friendly learning atmosphere,” and struggling students are pleased to find that “professors are always willing to work with students.” </p>
<p>When it comes to the school’s higher-ups, many students report that “the administrative team is very good and are able to help tackle any student issues or problems,” while others feel that “the administration does not value part time students very much.” However, “The arrival of the new dean last year has been the turning point,” marking a new and more positive era in the school’s management, and “creating a new sense of unity” between part-time and full-time students. Other non-academic staff also received kudos from students: “The advisor staff and Admissions Office personnel are almost bend-over- backwards friendly.”
There is “a good work/life balance” at Katz, where the friendly atmosphere and reasonable workload allow students to succeed academically while maintaining a healthy extracurricular and social life. There is always something happening on campus, as “The school has a golf club, ski/snow sports club, various academic clubs and a Student Executive Board to arrange activities to benefit the student body as a whole.” Students in the part-time program find their time is more limited, as most “are busy juggling careers, family, and the MBA.” However, Katz students appear to be comfortable with their hectic lifestyle, as one student explains: “Most are working full-time and understand how busy life can get, but still find time socialize with classmates after class during the week or on weekends.”
On campus, Katz students enjoy a beautiful, three-story building, often a hub of activity thanks to “a small cafe located in the main building. Students come here straight from work to eat and socialize before class.” The surrounding city of Pittsburg offers plenty of restaurants and nightlife, especially for sports fans: “Pittsburgh is a sports-loving community with the Steelers, the Penguins, and the Pirates, as well as all the Pitt teams.”</p>
<p>Rutgers University</p>
<p>A “renowned international business program,” “marketing professors who are well-known in their respective fields,” and perhaps most of all “a top-rated pharmaceutical MBA program” draw a strong applicant pool to the MBA program at Rutgers Business School. Programs are also off e red in Accounting, Finance, and Supply Chain Management. The school’s location “in a metropolitan area with easy access to New York City and Philadelphia” is another one of Rutgers’ prized assets. But for many New Jersey natives, the low in-state tuition is the greatest attraction; coupled with the quality of the program, the cost of attending RBS allows Garden Staters to realize a substantial return on investment here. A full-time Rutgers MBA requires a minimum of 60 class-hour credits. The newly revised full-time curriculum introduced in fall 2007 includes 19 credits of core courses, 6 credits of foundation courses, 3 credits in team consulting, and 32 credits of electives. The part-time curriculum varies slightly from the full-time curriculum but follows the same general approach. Concentrations are available in six primary disciplines, including finance, management and global business, information technology, marketing, pharmaceutical management and supply chain management. Students love the fact that Rutgers offers “terrific professors who know real-life situations and bring that experience to the classroom,” and “an administration that is constantly active and involved.” “Proximity to New York City” and “connections within the pharmaceutical industry” translate into plenty of job opportunities for graduates. The school’s website boasts that the region “has the highest concentration of corporate headquarters for U.S. metro areas of comparable size.” Part-time students appreciate that “the workload is perfect—not too overwhelming, but still substantial. We learn a lot and I feel that we will be well prepared when we graduate.” Rutgers Business School boasts an extremely diverse student body. Women constitute more than one-third the population here—an unusually high proportion for an American MBA program. The international population is substantial: 40 countries are represented among the graduate business student population. Students tell us that their peers “come from greatly diverse backgrounds, both culturally and professionally” and that “although they are competitive, they are always willing to help one another.” Approximately 25 percent of the student body attends full-time. The majority part-timers tell us that “social contact is limited, as people are tired after work and want to go home. We are very busy juggling work, school, and family (those of us who have one). Involvement outside of class is usually limited to one study group per class per week.” Full-time classes are offered at the Rutgers’ Newark campus; part-time classes are available at the two main campuses in Newark and New Brunswick and also at satellite sites in Jersey City, Morristown, and Princeton. New Brunswick is among the nation’s premier health care centers, providing an optimal setting for the school’s pharmaceutical management-related programs. Newark is a large city located about a half hour away from central Manhattan by train. New Jersey Transit makes travel to and from New York City relatively easy, convenient, and affordable. It certainly beats driving in the area.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the information! </p>
<p>I’m at a small, private university this year, but I feel like a business major from a larger, more reputable school would hold more weight in finding a job or applying to Grad schools. Does anyone have any information or thoughts on which types of programs (small schools to bigger names) have more successful alumni in this field?</p>
<p>And in the spirit of the Pittsburgh thread… GO STEELERS :)</p>
<p>Bump, Bump…</p>
<p>Anyone else?? Thanks!</p>