UW MBAs down in ranks

by Pedro Oliveira Jr.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007 00:00

The University of Wisconsin's Master of Business Administration program was ranked No. 32 in the regional category of the Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive ranking of MBA programs Monday.

The 2007 ranking represents a 7-position drop compared to 2006's results, nearing previous marks of 33 in 2004 and 34 in 2005.

UW School of Business Associate Dean of MBA Programs Kenneth Kavajecz said that rankings like this focus in evaluating certain aspects of schools, though not all aspects are examined.

"There are many ways that business schools are ranked — each ranking emphasizing the attributes of the schools," Kavajecz said. "The Wall Street Journal ranking is heavily focused on recruiter opinion."

Kavajecz said despite the ranking, UW School of Business administrators are confident the school's fundamentals are solid.

"While rankings are one aspect of how business schools are viewed, at Wisconsin we remain focused on student quality, student satisfaction and placement success," UW School of Business Dean Michael Knetter said in a statement.

Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management ranked first in the regional U.S. ranking, and Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business was the top-ranked program in the national U.S. ranking.

"Our students benefit from a unique curriculum and world-class learning environment," Knetter said. "They connect with — and learn from — real-world leaders, and join a strong, close community as part of their experience."

According to Knetter, May 2007 graduates' overall satisfaction with the program was 85 percent, and career placement for the same class was 83 percent at graduation and 96 percent within three months of graduation.

In evaluating the schools, the Wall Street Journal surveyed more than 4,000 recruiters in 21 categories including students' previous work experience, faculty and curriculum, the career-services office and others.

The UW School of Business also ranked 27th in a Forbes Magazine national ranking of MBA programs and 29th among all American business programs in a survey by U.S. News & World Report.