Belmont University Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business

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School Says - General Information
The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business was founded in 1986 through a gift from one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs. Mr. Massey remains as the only U.S. businessperson to ever take three different private companies (i.e., Kentucky Fried Chicken, HCA, and Winners Corp.) public to the New York Stock Exchange. The School was created to offer graduate business programs to Nashville area working professionals and offers both the MBA and MACC degrees in a weeknight, evening format on the Belmont University campus. Belmont is the only private university in Tennessee to maintain AACSB International accreditation in business and accounting. Massey's part-time MBA program was 18th in BusinessWeek's most recent national ranking of part-time MBA programs, and Fortune Magazine recently identified Belmont as one of the top five universities in the U.S. at which to study entrepreneurship.

School Says - Student Body
The typical Massey Professional MBA student has 6 years of business experience, is 29 years old, and works full-time, while completing the degree program in 2 years. The typical Accelerated MBA student has less than 2 years of business experience, is 23 years old, and is focused full-time on completing the degree program in 1 year. MACC students also tend to be somewhat younger as a group, with less business experience and are preparing to sit for the CPA exam. Many MACCs are full-time graduate students.

School Says - Academics
The Massey Graduate School resides within the College of Business Administration, which also includes the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Center for Business Ethics, Center for International Business, and the Scarlett Leadership Institute, each of which houses additional learning opportunities for students. A Summer Accounting Institute option for aspiring MACC students offers non-business undergraduates a fast-track opportunity to begin their graduate accounting course work.

All graduate students complete a brief study-abroad experience course as part of their degree requirements. Trips are scheduled between terms and typically last 8-10 days. Destination options for 2010-11 include Argentina, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and Vietnam.

The curriculum is designed with 2-credit hour courses instead of the traditional 3-credit format. This gives Massey students a greater breadth of curriculum in the core business/accounting offerings, while also assuring a greater number of electives for matching to a particular student career plan. All students also complete a required entrepreneurship course, as well as preparation in business ethics.

Massey alumni appreciate the existence of the "Massey Passport" program that provides a lifetime option for graduates to return to campus and attend graduate business classes for free on a space-available basis.

School Says - Admissions
All Professional MBA applicants are required to complete the GMAT test, submit a personal essay and two recommendations, submit transcripts from all undergraduate coursework, and have completed a minimum of two years of business experience. The experience requirement is waived for MACC and Accelerated MBA applicants. A personal interview is required of all graduate applicants.

School Says - Campus Life
All classes are held in the Jack C. Massey Business Center, which includes a variety of high-tech classrooms, computer labs, a finance trading center, and student support offices. Graduate students also have a separate computer lab workspace, as well as a well-equipped study area.

Students Say - Academics
For Nashville-area professionals looking to jump-start their career, Belmont University's graduate business programs offer a "great value." The professional MBA for working adultsâ€"Belmont's flagship programâ€"offers a "great classroom-based education that is flexible enough for a working student." With all classes held at night, most Belmont students are juggling career and studies; fortunately, "educators understand [students'] work/life demands" and "are consistently flexible when [students need] to balance work and life with academics." Belmont's core curriculum covers a wide breadth of business areas, including basics like finance, business law, and technology, as well as more innovative topics in entrepreneurship and leadership. Neither highly qualitative nor quantitative, "The program is balanced between verbal, interpersonal, and mathematical reasoning abilities." Overall, the program is challenging, and "The pace is so fast that sometimes we are not able to cover some subjects in enough detail." If you do want to delve into details, the MBA offers the "flexibility to customize [your] degree" through areas of concentration in accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, healthcare, marketing, or music business. Of particular note, every Belmont student must also participate in an international trip as a requirement of graduation; destinations range from Istanbul to Seoul to Amsterdam. Working professionals want to learn skills they can apply in the workplace, and Belmont caters to that goal. Here, "The classes are focused on real world topics" and "the learning style is hands-on." In the classroom, "the program is largely case-based, encouraging students to use critical thinking skills and sharpen interpersonal skills," and across disciplines, "The professors encourage classroom discussion." The faculty further promotes Belmont's practical perspective by bringing their extensive business experience to the classroom. Like the students, most Belmont professors are "working professionals and therefore experts in the field they are teaching." At this friendly school, faculty members "give great practical advice" and are "truly interested in helping students learn and grow." At Belmont, classes are uniformly small, with about 20 students in the average classroom. Students love the mix of big-name resources and intimate atmosphere, saying "Belmont has the feel of a small school with the professors and reputation of a top university." A student adds, "It is big enough to offer amenities and benefits of a large school, but small enough to still be a tight-knit group." On this community-oriented campus, "Fellow students, the professors, and the school staff seem to sincerely care about me and each other."

Students Say - Admissions
To apply to the Jack C. Massey School of Business at Belmont, you'll need to submit your undergraduate transcript, GMAT scores, two references, a resume, and a one page statement of your career goals. At least 2 years of work experience is required for the Professional MBA, along with prior course work or competency in basic business subjects, quantitative skills, and communication skills. The new accelerated MBA program is designed for individuals with little or no full-time business work experience. Students average about 6.5 years of work experience.

Students Say - Campus Life
With its evening course schedule, accommodating staff, and practical approach to business, Belmont attracts many "young professionals up on current events and looking to advance their careers." At this school, "people are smart and hard workers, and have big, diverse goals [in] life," offering great opportunities to network in different industries. Between students, "the culture is professional but fun without being too rigid," and, though there is a mix of cultures and viewpoints, "Everyone feels comfortable and gets to express their personal views." "There are numerous activities and clubs to take part in" through the business school, including honor societies and volunteer work. Even if they don't participate in campus activities, "everyone is still very social and friendly," and networking opportunities abound. A student explains, "Courses are structured with many group work requirements, which somewhat supercedes the need for student activity groups, as we are all meeting together regularly." Located on 75 acres in southeast Nashville, Belmont University has a "great urban location" and a comfortable campus environment, boasting modern classrooms and "beautiful flower gardens." Although most Belmont MBA students don't have extra time to take advantage of the resources on campus, they do appreciate the school's "convenient location." At the same time, Belmont has a growing reputation, and students say it's time to "significantly update some of [its] facilities and technologies to keep up with the expansion."

Students Say - Careers
The Massey College of Business Career Development Center serves undergraduate and graduate business students through individualized career coaching, interview training, resume preparation, and job and internship listings. After graduation, the vast majority of Massey graduates (about 85 percent) stay in the Middle Tennessee area, contributing to the school's strong alumni network in greater Nashville. While praising their school's deep ties in the region, students feel that "Belmont could improve more in getting more companies to recruit their students" and by drawing new employers from some of Nashville's overlooked industries, such as healthcare. In recent years, companies that have hired graduates of the Massey College of Business Administration, include BellSouth, Dell, Deloitte & Touche, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Ernst & Young, Pfizer, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Marriott, Sony/ATV, and WebMD. Belmont MBA candidates are predominantly working professionals, and many aren't looking for a new position after graduation (rather, they are hoping to assume new responsibilities at their existing job with the help of an MBA.) However, should they someday be looking to make a change, Massey graduates can count on lifelong loyalty: All alumni have access to services offered through Center for Career Development including a job posting site, career counseling, and various online tools.

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