Fordham Graduate Business

Fordham University, Fordham Graduate Business History

Fordham University, founded in 1841, is a private, coeducational institution affiliated with the Jesuits. The 85-acre campus is located in an urban area in New York City. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 15,253.

Courses also are offered in Tarrytown (MBA programs in accounting, finance, management systems, information and communications systems, and marketing). The basic educational approach is a mix of theory and case methods. Students are trained in general management and specific aspects of business.

Fordham University, Fordham Graduate Business Academics

Fordham Graduate Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), MBA in Professional Accounting, Global Professional MBA (GP-MBA), Master of Science in Communications and Media Management (MSC), Master of Science in Information Systems (MSI), Master of Science in Taxation (MST), and Master of Business Administration in Taxation and Accounting (MTA) as well as joint degrees in law (JD/MBA) and in international management (MIM/MBA) with Thunderbird. Other programs include cross-registration with other graduate programs of the university and with Stevens Institute of Technology, foreign exchange with 13 countries, internship programs, and field study programs. The strongest areas of study are finance, accounting, management, and international business. The most popular courses are finance, marketing, and international business. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus.

Sixty-nine total credits are required to complete the MBA, MST, and GP-MBA, including 36 elective credits. Required courses for the MBA, MST, and GP-MBA include:

• Fundamentals of Accounting
• Business Law I
• Fundamentals of Management
• Financial Environment
• Marketing Management
• Information Systems
• Operations Management
• Business Policy
• Math Methods for Business
• Statistics
• Managerial Economics

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements through undergraduate course work or waiver exams for all core courses except Business Policy.

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 18 months; maximum, 6 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2 years; maximum, 6 years.

There are 87 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 41 part-time faculty. Faculty salaries are rated above average for Category I institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 6; average business class size is 30.

Fordham University, Fordham Graduate Business Unique Programs

Library

The Quinn Library houses a collection of more than 50,000 volumes and 4000 microform items, and subscribes to 630 periodicals. Students have access to such databases and networks as Dow Jones News Retrieval, Bloomberg, Lexis/Nexis, Investext Group, Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage, Wall Street Research Net, ABI/INFORM, Business Source Premier, and General BusinessFile ASAP. Other opportunities for research consist of EconLit, SIS Online, and Value Line.

Computers

Graduate business students need not have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of 15 terminals with word processing, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, graphics, communications, forecasting software, and high-speed Internet connections. The Tech Center may be used by students and faculty weekdays and weekends.

Career and Job Placement

In spring 2006, 26 companies recruited on campus. Eighty-two percent were national corporations. Majors most in demand were finance, marketing, accounting, taxation, and communication and media management. Average starting salary of the graduating class was $84,720; range was $50,000 to $180,000. The percentage of graduates finding jobs were:

• national corporations 82%
• regional corporations 8%
• local large enterprises 5%
• self-employment 4%
• local small enterprises 1%

Placement services are extensive. Placement services for alumni include career counseling, cover letter and resume writing, and job search employment listings. Placement is available through the Career Services Office. Ninety-three percent of the most 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) or 100 on the Internet-Based (iBT) version. They also must submit a translation of their transcripts, proof of health consisting of MMR, and proof of adequate funds to cover 1 year of full-time study. There are special fees for health insurance; there is also an international student service fee. Financial aid is available for these students and consists of graduate assistantships. The application deadline for fall entry is April 1.

Calendar

The school operates on a trimester basis. Trimesters are 15 weeks long; summer sessions, 15 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the day and evening and weekends.

Fordham University, Fordham Graduate Business Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.0. Most important admissions factors are management potential, academic accomplishments and ability, and GMAT results. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for a recent class was 1847; 1017 were accepted; 789 enrolled. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited by participation in MBA forums.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, spring, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, GMAT scores, a nonrefundable application fee of $65, 2 letters of recommendation, and 3 essays. The application deadlines are June 1 for fall entry; November 1, spring; March 1, summer. Students are notified on a rolling basis of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is May 15. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year.

Fordham University, Fordham Graduate Business Financial Aid

Stipends and programs available for minority students include fellowships. The FAFSA and the school’s own financial statement are required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for all students is $875 per credit, or $26,250 per year. Books and supplies cost approximately $1200; personal expenses, $5000; and other fees, $296, for an estimated annual total of $32,746. Graduate student housing consists of university-leased housing at a convenient off-campus site. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Fordham University, Fordham Graduate Business Students

Twenty-three percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 99% have had an average of 6 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from the Northeast (55%). Thirty-eight percent are women, 15% are minorities, and 5% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 27; ages range from 21 to 53. One percent enter directly from undergraduate school. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 38%, business; 18%, economics; 10%, liberal arts; 8%, social sciences; 7%, math and science; and 6%, engineering. About 2% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 98% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 452 graduate business degrees were awarded.