University of California—Riverside A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management

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School Says - General Information
The A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM) is all about growth. We are the program of choice for students, recruiters, and faculty members who wish to focus on how to identify and evaluate growth opportunities, how to launch and develop, as well as manage and sustain those opportunities. AGSM faces the important growth markets of the future along the Pacific Rim, in Asia , and in South America. All of the growth industries of the future are in our backyard: biotechnology, nanotechnology, information, technology, communications, and health care services. AGSM is also about personal growth; we challenge our students to grow as individuals, as leaders, as managers, and as contributors to community. We invite you to come grow with us.

School Says - Student Body
Diverse backgrounds and experiences are characteristic of students in the AGSM M.B.A. program. The average age of students is 27. Approximately 50 percent are women , and 10 percent are members of minority groups. Approximately 70 percent of AGSM's M.B.A. students are international students. The International Services Center provides special assistance to international students and their dependants. The diverse student population helps create a dynamic learning experience which enhances the overall M.B.A experience and the intellectual environment at AGSM.

School Says - Academics
The M.B.A. curriculum balances the art and science of management, with an emphasis on managing through information, and recognizes the global context of management. The program stresses the essential interdependencies that exist across functional areas, emphasizing the development of superior management skills as well as theoretical foundations.

The curriculum includes six major components including core courses, electives, internship, and a capstone course. Electives are offered in several areas including accounting, finance, supply chain management, marketing and international management. Significant emphasis is placed on teamwork, which is accomplished through study groups and team projects.

The program is designed to accommodate the unique requirements of both career professionals and full-time students. Courses are offered in the evenings to permit career professionals to complete the M.B.A. on a part-time basis. In this way, full-time and part-time students take classes together, enriching the educational experience of both.

School Says - Admissions
Admission is open to eligible students from all undergraduate majors. Admission is based on several criteria, including the quality of previous academic work as measured by GPA for the last two years of undergraduate work, scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), letters of recommendation, and potential for success in the program.

A course in quantitative methods is a prerequisite to the program. Students may be admitted without this course but must meet this requirement during their first two quarters in residence.

Applications are accepted for the fall quarter, only. The application deadline for International students is February 1, and for domestic students, May 1.

For further information, go to http://www.agsm.ucr.edu

School Says - Campus Life
The University library is the focal point of research and study at UCR. The collection includes more than 1.8 million bound volumes, 13,316 serial subscriptions, and 1.6 million microforms.

The M.B.A. program is housed in Anderson Hall. M.B.A. students have access to the latest computing equipment, including PC platforms and powerful UNIX workstations.

Students Say - Academics
Combine the Southern California climate with a "fantastic school" offering "generous financial aid, and it's easy to understand why the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCâ€"Riverside gets such high marks from students. One raves, "I am having the time of my life [and]…feel very privileged to be here." Many MBA candidates here are taking their first steps in the business world, as applicants are not required to have work experienceâ€"which can be a good or bad thing depending on who you talk to. Some feel that the program only offers a "surface-level understanding of business." Other students laud the "challenging" classes, bolstered by the "very accessible" professors who "care very much about their students' learning and understanding of the course material." However, some gripe that a few seem "more focused on research, and not curriculum." The six components of an MBA from AGSM are the core courses, an internship, the communication workshop, the electives, a "capstone course," and a case project or thesis. Though the core courses take up more time than any other single component, students are most enthusiastic about the "wide diversity of electives," which are all seminar size and designed to "encourage participative learning." One student explains, "I love coming to a small school like UCR's AGSM. You get real interaction with professors, and all of the students know each other, which allows for tighter bonds and networks." There are 10 areas of electives, and students are allowed to take up to nine courses from any area, such as accounting, entrepreneurial management, finance, general management, human resources management/organizational behavior, international management, management information systems, management science, marketing, and production and operations management. Most students agree that "discussion is greatly encouraged" in class. A fair number of courses "require presentation with business formal attire" and some "even require group debate." One student notes, "It gives you some pressure, but it's fun." Some lament the feeling that the university "does not attach [enough] importance to our business school," and hope for this to change in the near future. Others, though conscious that the school is a "research-oriented university," wouldn't mind getting more "attention from some professors" who they find to be "mostly researchers and not lecturers."

Students Say - Admissions
At AGSM, students from all undergraduate majors and levels of business experience are eligible for admission. In fact, more than 30 percent of all incoming students come from a background other than business and have little-if any-experience in the business world. According to the school, "There is no minimum GPA or GMAT requirement for MBA admission consideration." However, they also say "Satisfying minimal standards does not guarantee admission, since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available," meaning that you'd best do your best. It is worth noting that because the school doesn't require prior work experience, all prospective MBAs must complete an internship "to ensure your success upon graduation."

Students Say - Campus Life
In recent years, Riverside, California has undergone both something of a renaissance and an influx of people. Gone are the days of quiet orange groves, and in their place resides the veritable capital of the Inland Empire. Whether your tastes run to the great outdoors or to great shopping, students find "plenty of unique hangouts, interesting shopping, and a wide variety of eats to fit anyone's desires (and budget)." Some MBA students feel that they "lack social activities" within the program, though in many instances this could be blamed on the large amount of "homework" these students undertake. That said, as the university (and those that surround it) continue to grow, students can expect more avenues to their social outlets to open. The school itself is housed in a 30,000-square-foot building that features "state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities." MBA students agree that their "computer lab is very nice" and relish that they, as MBAs, "have priority over all computers in the lab." Other students gripe that they're stuck in "a small building that consists of one lecture room and one classroom. Our school has suffered greatly from the previous budget cuts." Still, the building must have something going for it because "MBA students rarely venture onto the main campus at [UC Riverside], unless it's to go to the library or bookstore." Students report that "most people are very nice, and it is easy to meet new people if you try." These "very laid-back and friendly" students have formed "a tight-knit community here because our graduate program is so small." "I pretty much know and am friends with every other MBA student," says one. Due to the proximity of students, there is "a level of competition between students during academic competitions and presentations," but most happily note that "it is healthy and in good fun."

Students Say - Careers
Aside from recent budget cuts, the thing that has most students at AGSM up in arms is the Career Resources Center. As one student says, "The school desperately needs a stronger Career Counseling Center designed just for the MBA students." Another adds, "I really think the school should begin to target the school's alumni more. There are many UCR MBAs in the industry and they could be a real resource and asset to the school." The MBAnow has its own Career Services, which should help alleviate many of the students' concerns regarding "job placement," "internships," and "professional networking."

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