Belmont University announced today that its part-time MBA program has achieved a Top 50 national ranking in BusinessWeek’s 2011 report on “Top Part-Time MBA programs.” Belmont’s Massey School program ranked No. 45 in the U.S. between Rollins University (No. 44) and Wake Forest (No. 46). In its region, Belmont was ranked ninth, joining other highly-ranked notables in the South, including Emory University and the University of Arkansas. Belmont’s program was the only Tennessee-based part-time MBA to be ranked.
Nationally, Elon University was ranked No. 1, while, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Nevada, and University of California-Berkeley rounded out the top five. Bloomberg BusinessWeek began ranking part-time MBA programs in 2007 in an effort to recognize the best MBA programs designed specifically for working professionals. Belmont first made the prestigious list in 2009.
“The student satisfaction rankings and curriculum metrics indicate that our Massey professors are doing an outstanding job in delivering a high-quality MBA program,” said Dr. J. Patrick Raines, dean of Belmont’s College of Business Administration. “And to be in the company of this group of national peers is simply tremendous.”
Massey School Associate Dean Dr. Joe Alexander added, “Furthermore, for our business community and employers who long ago embraced Mr. Massey’s vision of a flexible, high-quality part-time MBA program for Nashville, the fact that we are again nationally-ranked by Bloomberg BusinessWeek signifies we have indeed arrived on the national stage.”
BusinessWeek uses a highly comprehensive methodology for its rankings calculations that includes measures of student satisfaction, academic quality and post-graduation outcomes. The magazine surveyed part-time MBA students at all participating schools, including those who had recently graduated or were nearing graduation. To assess academic quality, consideration was given to six equally weighted measures, including average GMAT score, average student work experience, the percentage of teachers who are tenured, average class size in core business classes, the number of electives available and the percentage of students who ultimately graduate. As for post-graduation outcomes, BusinessWeek determined the percentage of respondents from each school who reported their part-time MBA program was “completely” responsible for them achieving their career goals.
The BusinessWeek report singled out Belmont for highest marks in “curriculum,” and the Nashville-based program ranked 19th in the U.S. in overall student satisfaction. The school was also rated highest for “career switchers.”
“This recognition reinforces the quality of a Belmont education,” said Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns. “The Massey School is delivering on its commitment to students and fulfilling Belmont’s mission to provide an academically challenging education that will empower our students to engage and transform the world.”
BusinessWeek’s complete rankings of the “Best Part-Time MBA Programs” is available online and includes expanded content, including the full rankings methodology, interactive tables, in-depth profiles and a discussion forum.
About The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business
The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business offers high-quality graduate business programs designed for working and aspiring professionals looking to advance or switch careers. The curriculum is designed to provide challenging, yet practical content in a flexible format. Programs are designed to stimulate critical thinking and creative problem solving while encouraging strong communication skills and a solid framework for ethical business decision-making. In addition to core coverage in business administration and accounting, the curriculum is uniquely structured around the themes of entrepreneurship and ethical decision-making across the global economy. All students complete a brief international study-abroad experience as part of their studies. For more information, visit www.belmont.edu/business/graduatebusiness.
