University of California - Davis Graduate School of Management

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School Says - General Information
The UC Davis MBA program encourages students to think creatively and integrate the many disciplines of business management into the Â"big picture.Â" At the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, we offer a supportive, cooperative learning environment that encourages you to stretch intellectually. Your classmates at UC Davis will be a select group of todayÂ's brightest, most energetic students. Classes are small and you will have close interactions with faculty members who are internationally renowned experts. This is an exciting time to be at UC Davis and an opportunity for you to grow at one of the best business schools and universities in the country. Nicole Woolsey Biggart, Dean

School Says - Student Body
The Schoolat a Glance

The UC Davis MBA program encourages students to think creatively and integrate the many disciplines of business management into the Â"big picture.Â" At the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, we offer a supportive, cooperative learning environment that encourages you to stretch intellectually. Your classmates at UC Davis will be a select group of todayÂ's brightest, most energetic students. Classes are small and you will have close interactions with faculty members who are internationally renowned experts. This is an exciting time to be at UC Davis and an opportunity for you to grow at one of the best business schools and universities in the country.

--Nicole Woolsey Biggart, Dean

Students

UC Davis MBA students bring to the School a wide variety of academic and work experiences, and the SchoolÂ's personalized focus and Â"hands-onÂ" teaching approach are augmented by this diversity. Because of the strong emphasis on technology management, the School is very attractive to students with backgrounds in engineering and the sciences as well as those with business and economics degrees. Over 32 percent of the fall 2003 entering class will come from undergraduate majors in the humanities and social sciences. The most recently admitted class represents 49 undergraduate institutions.

The average full-time student is 29 years old and has five years of full-time work experience. Women make up 34 percent of the student population, and international students make up 16 percent.

The School encourages applications from international students. To be eligible for admission to the program, international students must take the TOEFL and earn a score of 250 or better on the computer-based test or 600 or better on the paper-based test. If admitted, international students must provide a Statement of Finances for visa purposes, showing at least $41,650 available to cover tuition and fees for their first year.

School Says - Academics
The UC Davis Graduate School of Management has accomplished what many in academic circles felt was impossible for such a small and young MBA Program; it is being ranked among the top 50 in the nation. Conceived just over 20 years ago, the program is recognized for the high quality of its graduates, its world-class faculty, and the excellence of its overall program.

The UC Davis MBA program cultivates each studentÂ's ability to deal successfully with the challenges of a continually changing, increasingly complex global business environment. The programÂ's strengths come from:

A managerial approach to the basic business disciplines

A student/faculty ratio of 10:1

A curriculum that integrates the technological, social, political, economic, and ethical aspects of business

A variety of teaching methodologies, including case studies, lectures, class discussions, computer simulations, team projects, and Â"real worldÂ" applications The program is comprised of 24 classes (72 quarter units). Joint degrees are available in law (MBA/JD), engineering (MBA/MEng), medicine (MBA/MD), and agricultural management (MBA/MS). All students spend their first year in Â"coreÂ" classes mastering the curriculum, which provides a common foundation of fundamental management knowledge and skill. Elective concentrations available in the full-time day program or in the evening MBA Program for Working Professionals are accounting, corporate environmental management, e-commerce, environmental and natural resource management, finance, health services management, information technology, international management, marketing, not-for-profit management, technology management, and general management. Students can also design a customized concentration.

UC Davis encourages students to take advantage of the many opportunities to participate in exchange programs with universities abroad. The invaluable experience at another university gives students a first-hand look at how companies are affected by fluctuations in the global marketplace. Students emerge from this experience with a comprehensive understanding of the Â"big picture.Â"

As more students of diverse interests and backgrounds engage in MBA education, UC Davis is striving to expand the opportunities for students to study abroad. UC Davis has established student exchange programs with eleven renowned international universities. Students can also take advantage of a Â"one-wayÂ" exchange with a number of other universities abroad. Established student exchange programs include Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Instituto Tenologico Antonomo de Mexico (ITAM); Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile in Santiago, Chile; Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Holland; Heinrich Heine Universitat Dusseldorf, Germany; Fundacao Getulio Vargas in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration in Helsinki, Finland; Groupe HEC, Institut Superieur des Affaires (ISA), France; Manchester Business School, England; Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM); and Jonkoping International Business School (JIBS) in Sweden.

To enhance preparation for the job market, the School requires students to participate in a videotaped mock interview with one of several executives drawn from both the public and private sector. This program gives students a unique chance to meet top executives face to face as well as to dramatically improve interviewing skills.

The annual Alumni Day gives current students the Â"inside trackÂ" on up-to-date industry information and career opportunities from alumni and also provides a valuable networking activity.

The School encourages prospective students to take advantage of the Visitation Program. While visiting the School, prospective students are able to talk one on one with current students and professors and can attend a class.

To enhance each studentÂ's learning and networking experience, the School has developed close ties with leaders throughout business and government. They are frequent visitors to campus, serving as guest lecturers in classes, as interviewers in the mock interview program, and as speakers at frequent School-sponsored events. Through these important contacts, students gain access to high-profile companies and establish relationships with potential employers.

The Executive-in-Residence program gives students and faculty members alike a unique opportunity to work closely with a top business leader during the executiveÂ's quarter-long visit to the School.

The DeanÂ's Advisory Council, made up of many of CaliforniaÂ's top business leaders, provides the School with one of its strongest connections to the business community. The SchoolÂ's Business Partnership Program also provides an important avenue for top regional organizations to become involved with UC Davis MBAs. Students are invited to network with these corporate executives at breakfast meetings and special lectures.

School Says - Admissions
Admission to the UC Davis Graduate School of Management is highly selective. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of demonstrated academic achievement, performance on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and interest in professional management. Full-time business experience is considered an asset. No particular area of undergraduate preparation is required, but the University requires the completion of a bachelorÂ's degree from an accredited college or university. The 2003 entering class has an average GMAT score of 679 and an average undergraduate GPA of 3.4.

Fall application deadlines for domestic applicants are December 1, February 1, and April 1. Deadlines for international applicants are December 1 and February 1. The deadline for the MBA Program for Working Professionals is April 1.

Students Say - Academics
The Graduate School of Management at University of Californiaâ€"Davis "maintains the perfect balance between size and quality of institution," students here report. The smaller scale of operations here means that students enjoy "amazing professors who we are in constant contact with and have easy access to" and an administration that "is responsive to student needs. Most students are on a first-name basis with staff." In short, Davis' "small program with good course options" results in a "personal nature of education [that] is amazing compared to many similarly ranked schools." The Davis MBA program exploits its presence within a greater universityâ€"one that excels in the sciences, among other fieldsâ€"to create more opportunities than would typically be available in a program of this size. A "thriving interdisciplinary environment" encourages students to seek these opportunities. One student pursuing "degrees in economics and transportation technology while earning the MBA" notes "close collaboration in these programs with industry and government sponsors (auto and energy, state and federal agencies), [which] has positioned me well for my desired career at the intersection of energy and transportation." Other survey respondents identify business opportunities springing from the university's work in biotech, viticulture (the school has "good ties to the wine industry"), and sustainability and clean energy industries. Students note approvingly the emphasis on social responsibility throughout the Davis curriculum. Davis attracts an "excellent faculty" whose members "are not just academics; they are board members and former CEOs, which makes class work a lot more relevant." Teaching "focuses on case curricula" and professors "integrate a lot of material that is currently happening around us whenever they can." The "very qualified, effective, and communicative" administration "bends over backwards to help the students," helping to ease the stress that invariably accompanies graduate study. On the downside, the relatively small size of the program means that "getting into popular classes can be difficult due to faculty size and course offerings."

Students Say - Admissions
Admissions Officers for the full-time MBA program at UC Davis consider the following factors in assessing candidates: academic potential, professional potential, and personal qualities. Full-time work experience is not required for admission, but most students have at least a few years of work experience. Applicants must submit the following materials: a completed application form (online or hard copy); a current resume; a list of outside activities and honors; three personal essays; official transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate institution attended; two letters of recommendation; and an official GMAT score report. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit an official TOEFL score report or IELTS reflecting a score no more than 2 years old. Applications to the full-time program are accepted for the fall semester only.

Students Say - Campus Life
The Davis MBA program operates out of a "brand new state-of-the-art building" on a "new campus that is clean and high tech." "There are plenty of places to study and I can find access to any needed resource," one student reports. The school's proximity to San Francisco and Sacramento creates opportunities for connections in business and government. Hometown Davis "is a growing midsize city. It is called ‘bike town U.S.A.' because there is no need to own a car (this is rare in California)…. There is a diverse mix of restaurants, including Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Czech, Bavarian, French, European, Indian, American fare, and others." The Davis campus engenders "a good sense of community," according to students. While "full-time students have opportunities to participate in clubs," those who attend part time either "work or have classes during club meetings." Either way, their participation is limited, which suits them. As one explains, "As working professionals, we all have established lives. We have homes. Most of us are married and many of us have children. Because of this school is less central in our lives." Davis MBAs are "great team players" and "friendly people" "with a diverse array of skill sets and career aspirations." Many "care about the environment and the impact they make on the world." "Many are very liberal," which is not that common in graduate business programs, but "then you have about half who are more stereotypical businessminded people."

Students Say - Careers
Students report that Davis' cozy size is a drawback when it comes to job-hunting season. "Even though our small size is one of our greatest strengths, it also hinders us from making an impact with recruiters," a student warns. A "tightly knit alumni network" helps ease the pain a bit. Although that alumni network is relatively small, its members are committed to helping fellow alums find their place in the business world Employers that most frequently hire Davis MBAs include: CalPERS; Blue Shield; Wells Fargo; CalSTRS; Hewlett Packard Company; Agilent Technologies; Intel Corporation; Kaiser Permanente; AT&T; Brocade; Elite Capitol; Ernst & Young; KPMG; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Rabobank International; Deloitte & Touche, LLP; and PG&E. Approximately two in five members of the class of 2009 found work as finance/accounting professionals (median starting salary: $78,500); one in five took jobs in consulting ($64,000) and about as many entered general management ($74,500). Most graduates remain in the area; two in five find work in San Francisco or the surrounding Bay Area, one in five finds a job in the greater Sacramento region, and the rest are split between Silicon Valley and destinations farther afield.

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