Stephen M. Ross School of Business

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stephen M. Ross School of Business History

University of Michigan, founded in 1817, is a public, coeducational institution. The 3074-acre campus is located in an urban area in a small, cosmopolitan city. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 40,025. Enrollment figures in the above capsule are approximate.

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business was founded in 1924 and is located on the main campus, in its own building. Courses also are offered at the Commerce Park Study Center in Dearborn; executive education is offered in various non-U.S. locations. The basic educational approach is progressive, combining traditional academics with special developmental programs, including in-company experiential learning and other skills development modules.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stephen M. Ross School of Business Academics

The Ross School of Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Accounting (MAcc), and Executive MBA (EMBA) as well as a doctoral program and dual degrees in 25 areas. Other programs include interdisciplinary programs in environmental management, manufacturing, and nonprofit management, foreign exchange with 14 countries, internship programs, cross-registration in any of the university’s 21 academic units, joint research, overseas in-company learning, consulting projects for local companies and multinationals throughout the world, and a series of executive skills seminars. The strongest areas of study are corporate strategy, general management and leadership development, finance, marketing, organizational behavior, human resource management, and operations. The most popular courses are Corporate Strategy, Industry and Competitive Analysis, Corporate Financial Policy, Strategic Marketing Planning, Creativity in Business, and finance, marketing, and entrepreneurial management courses. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. An ongoing series of events, seminars, and conferences bring leading businesspeople to campus.

Fifty-eight total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 32 elective credits. Required courses include:

• Financial Accounting
• Human Behavior and Organizations
• Applied Microeconomics
• Financial Management
• Operations Management
• Corporate Strategy I
• Marketing Management
• Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP)
• Quantitative Methods in Business Practice
• Principles of Finance
• The World Economy
• Management Accounting
• Managerial Writing

Required courses for the MAcc include:

• Federal Taxation I
• Financial Statement Analysis
• Corporate Financial Reporting
• Advanced Financial Accounting
• Auditing and Assurance
• Graduate Research Seminar
• Choose 1:
• Federal Taxation II
• Advanced Managerial
• Applied Financial Analysis
• Portfolio Management

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by having core courses waived and replacing them with electives or by taking placement exams.

Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time is 2 academic years.

There are 128 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 69 part-time faculty, of whom 80% hold a doctorate. Average number of courses faculty teach is 3; average business class size is 44.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stephen M. Ross School of Business Unique Programs

Library

The Kresge Business Administration Library houses a collection of more than 146,183 volumes, 424,000 microform items, and 587 audio/video tapes/CDs, and subscribes to 1989 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in accounting, finance, international business, and marketing. Students have access to such databases and networks as ABI/INFORM, Amadeus, Bloomberg, Datastream, Dow Jones Interactive, First Call, Gartner Group’s DataPro, Global Access, Hoover’s Online, ISI Emerging Markets, Lexis/Nexis Academic Universe, Reuters, Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage, and others. Other opportunities for research consist of links to the university library’s electronic resources.

Computers

Graduate business students need not have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of a computer lab with 145 workstations; laptop ports in group study rooms, classrooms, and other locations, wireless networks; and more than 66 application software packages.

Career and Job Placement

In spring of a recent year, 230 companies recruited on campus. Ninety-six percent were national corporations. Majors most in demand were finance, marketing, general management, operations, and corporate strategy. Average starting salary of the graduating class was $85,784; range was $40,000 to $125,000. Placement services are extensive, and those available to alumni include access to UMBS career resources, the Global Blue Alumni Network, the Alumni Career Network, and other on-line services. Placement is available through the Office of Career Development, the university placement office, and off-campus searches. Eighty-seven percent of a recent graduating class found jobs within three months of receiving their degree.

International Students

International students must take the TOEFL. International students must score 600 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT). They also must submit a translation of their transcripts and proof of adequate funds to cover 2 years of study. There are special fees for health insurance. Financial aid is available for these students and consists of a limited number of designated scholarships and a guaranteed loan program. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Calendar

The school operates on a 14-week semester basis with both 7-week and 14-week courses. Quarters are 14 weeks long. Graduate programs are offered during the day and evening and weekends.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stephen M. Ross School of Business Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required. Most important admissions factors are work experience, GMAT results, and letters of recommendation. A strong mathematics background is required.

Transfers are not accepted. Minority students are actively recruited through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, a fellowship program for underrepresented minority students, the Toigo Foundation, and Up Close weekend for prospective minority students.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall only. To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, GMAT scores, a nonrefundable application fee of $200 ($180 for on-line applications), 2 letters of recommendation, and 3 essays. An interview is strongly recommended. The application deadlines for fall entry are November 1 (Decision l), January 7 (Decision ll), and March 1 (Decision lll). Students are notified of the admissions decision January 15, March 15, and May 15.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stephen M. Ross School of Business Financial Aid

In a recent year, about 75% of graduate business school students received financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $53,399 annually; maximum $53,799. Stipends and programs for minority students are available through the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, Toigo, and the school. The FAFSA, the school’s own financial statement, and the previous year’s tax return are required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for in-state residents is $35,989 per year. Nonresidents pay $40,989 per year. On-campus room and board costs approximately $10,884. Graduate student housing consists of accommodations for married and single students. Most MBA students live off campus. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stephen M. Ross School of Business Students

Forty-seven percent of a recent graduate business school class were enrolled full time; 99% have had an average of 5 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. Twenty-five percent are women, 24% are minorities, and 27% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 28; ages range from 22 to 44. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 30%, engineering; 26%, business; 21%, liberal arts; and 13%, economics. About 1% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons. In a recent year, 408 graduate business degrees were awarded.