Gonzaga University Graduate School of Business

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Rankings & Lists

Students Say - Academics
Jesuit-run Gonzaga University is "ethics-based, family-oriented, and strives to produce people ready for the real world and its challenges, both professionally and socially," all of which appeal to the MBA students in its Graduate School of Business. A "great reputation in the business community," especially for its "great accounting program," and an "awesome flexible curriculum structure" that "is designed with working individuals in mind (with evening and online classes)" also draw area business grads to the program. Gonzaga's MBA curriculum consists of 22 credits in core courses (11 two-credit classes) and 11 credits in electives, through which students may develop a concentration if they wish. Students who did not major in business as undergraduates are typically required to complete a series of foundation requirements prior to beginning work on their MBA. Students report that the curriculum is "broad and covers many aspects of the modern business environment, with opportunities to specialize in finance, economics, accounting, etc." Professors "integrate course material throughout the program" and "rarely present contradicting information" as "the material in the program is well-planned." Students also appreciate that the program "has a very good grasp on current trends in the business world and effectively integrates those trends into the class curriculum." Some, however, wish for "more updated technology and computer labs," while others believe the program would benefit from "more course-end teamwork projects." "Students need to have more opportunities to simulate complex projects and the teamwork needed to solve them," one student notes. Gonzaga's "small size and interactive environment…offers a plethora of opportunities for students looking to expand their horizons." "For those who are entrepreneurial, the Hogan Center offers hands-on experience, as do other business classes such as business consulting, which enables students to try their hand at consulting for a real local business." Gonzaga introduced a new healthcare management concentration in 2007, of which one student says, "There are some bumps, but overall, it is excellent."

Students Say - Admissions
Applicants to the MBA program at Gonzaga must submit two official copies of all post-secondary academic transcripts, official GMAT scores (minimum score of 500 required), resume, two letters of recommendation, and a complete application (which includes three short essays). International students must also submit official TOEFL scores (if English is not their first language) and a financial declaration form. An interview may be required of some international applicants. Work experience is not required, is strongly encourages, and "the majority of students who enter the program have four or five years [of] prior work experience."

Students Say - Campus Life
Gonzaga's MBA candidates include "everything from recent college graduates to ex-military officers to professionals who have families and full-time jobs." Many feel that the population includes too many students "who have just got their bachelor's degree with no work experience and have no valuable input to conversations or the academic environment. The school really needs experienced professionals." Students tend to be "friendly and hardworking," down-to-earth, not stuck on themselves, "real," and, according to one of those ex-military officers, "very energetic and willing to take risks, similar to those that I had taken in life. I like how open-minded they are to the ideas presented and the materials." Students are "fairly isolated from the campus in that our classes start at the end of the traditional day and our building is on one edge of the campus. The great thing, though, is our building is amazing, has everything we need in one place, and the lounge has a fantastic view of a lake beneath and downtown in the distance." Evening classes "allow working professionals to attend classes." One student notes, "I cannot say enough about the flexibility and responsiveness of the MBA program team. From professors to the administrative staff, this experience has been outstanding." Those who choose to engage in campus life tell us that it is "full of opportunities to get involved in fun activities and helpful charities. The basketball games are free for students and are full of excitement" and, as an added bonus, revenue "generated by the basketball team is used to improve the school and the school's reputation." Local charities "love the help from grad students and rely on them for help in creating business plans, conducting market research, and planning marketing activities." Hometown Spokane is "a small town in eastern Washington, cold during the winter, and not all that exciting compared to Seattle, which is four hours away."

Students Say - Careers
The Gonzaga Career Center and the School of Business Administration staff and faculty provide career counseling and placement services to MBAs here, including: Career 301 Seminars covering self-assessment, career planning, resume writing, and conducting a successful job search; mock interviews and interview critiques; on-campus recruiting and interviewing; a career-resources library; alumni events; and internship placement assistance. Students complain, "Gonzaga's only weak point is connecting students to careers after graduation….Due to the small size of both the city of Spokane and of the university, not a lot of major companies recruit at Gonzaga, and a lot more legwork is needed on behalf of the student to find his or her post-graduation path than at some other major universities. Thus, the MBA program may best benefit those who already know where they want to go after they graduate." Employers of Gonzaga business graduates include Avista, Bank of America, Boeing, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Honeywell, Itron, KPMG, Microsoft, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Starbucks. Fifty percent of Gonzaga MBAs go into finance and accounting.

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