University of Portland Pamplin School of Business Administration

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Students Say - Academics
The Pamplin MBA at the University of Portland is structured to suit the needs of its largely part-time student body. A flexible schedule built around evening classes accommodates a student body that typically is also part of the full-time work force of Portland. About 50 percent of the students here have full-time status. The University of Portland MBA Program is a 36-39 hour program. It offers a solid, crossdisciplinary exposure to all key areas of management. The Pamplin MBA begins with a course in statistics and then offers a series of five core classes that cover economics, marketing, finance, and accounting and operations management. The mix of these five courses may vary depending on the experience and background of the student. In addition to statistics and the five core classes, students take a set of values classes; the values perspectives courses introduce students to issues of leadership, understanding cultural differences and developing multicultural skills, and the role of business in society. Students may use electives to establish a concentration in entrepreneurship, finance, health care, marketing, operations technology management, or sustainability. Alternatively, students may also choose electives from a variety of disciplines and graduate with a degree in general management. Students praise the Pamplin School for its willingness to experiment and innovate. The school "has the flexibility to allow students to take classes in any area of business," writes one student, adding that she is "working on earning a CPA and CMA licenses in addition to my MBA. There were no other programs in this area that offered all of this!" Another student approvingly notes that "UP seems to always hire guest professors to offer new classes, such as special ‘Summer only' classes in areas like real estate or nonprofit accounting and management." Participation in JEBNET, "a network of 30 universities nationwide," allows students who must relocate to complete their MBAs at another school without losing credits. Portland business professors "are very good. They all have their doctorates, have decades of professional experience in their fields, know other professionals in their respective fields, and invite these professionals into class to give real-world examples of what we are learning." Students also value the school's "great local reputation." The program is "administered extremely well, with regular communications from the school, including schedules, a newsletter, etc. The same cannot be said for the university at large, unfortunately."

Students Say - Admissions
Applicants to the MBA program at the University of Portland must meet the following minimum requirements: an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0; a GMAT score of at least 500; and an "admission index" of at least 1,100 under the formula [(undergraduate GPA x 200) + GMAT score]. Work experience, though strongly recommended, is not required; applicants with at least three years of post-baccalaureate professional experience are considered optimal candidates for the program. International students must score at least 570 on the TOEFL paper test or 230 on the computer-adaptive version of the TOEFL. All applications to the University of Portland must include a completed application form, a personal statement of goals, official transcripts for all postsecondary academic work, an official GMAT score report, and two letters of recommendation. International students must submit all of the above as well as an official TOEFL score report and a financial statement that indicates they will have adequate support throughout the duration of study. This is required before the I-20 form will be issued to them.

Students Say - Campus Life
"There are no real clubs on campus" for Pamplin MBAs, "and no one seems to care. Because of the schedulingâ€"classes are from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. or 7:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. Monday through Thursdayâ€"it is almost impossible to get out into the community and attend business-related events, or even most school events, since they are scheduled right during the middle of most of our classes." One student observes, "The University of Portland's MBA program is mostly attended by working professionals who are only on campus long enough to go to class and then go home to their families. While there is not really a sense of community with this group, there is a strong sense of pride that we are attending the best MBA program in the city, and one of the best in the Northwest." The average Pamplin student "is about 29 years old. There are a few of us with a couple of years of work experience but the majority of the students have been out for four or five years and there are also others who have been out for eight to fifteen years." The program is "diverse both ethnically and financially, populated by people who are always willing to help while at the same time are very competitive." The city of Portland is among the most appealing in the Pacific Northwest. An arts Mecca, the city also hosts numerous fine restaurants, great shopping, and major-league professional basketball. The city's location provides easy access to numerous locations ideal for outdoor activity.

Students Say - Careers
The University of Portland's Office of Career Services provides career and placement services for the school's undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni. Office staff maintain job and internship listings, company research, and lists of alumni contacts. The office also organizes resume-writing and interviewing workshops, job fairs, and networking events. Students feel that the office, like much of the university, "sees UP primarily as an undergraduate institution and provides services accordingly" and believe that the school "should network better with local companies to get them to recruit on campus." Employers that recruit on campus include Black and Veatch, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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