Martin J. Whitman School of Management

Syracuse University, Martin J. Whitman School of Management History

Syracuse University, founded in 1870, is a private, coeducational institution. The 200-acre campus is located in an urban area in Syracuse. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 18,734.

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management was founded in 1948 and is located on the main campus, in its own building. Courses also are offered worldwide through the Independent Study MBA program. The basic educational approach is a blend of teaching styles that includes case method and lecture discussion and stresses both qualitative and quantitative methods of decision making. The program is characterized by a cooperative environment stressing teamwork and leadership development. A hallmark of the MBA program is the capstone integrative global entrepreneurship management project course in which students conceptualize and implement entrepreneurial concepts in start-up emerging small-business, corporate, and nonprofit centers.

Syracuse University, Martin J. Whitman School of Management Academics

The Whitman School offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Accounting (MSA), and Master of Science in Finance (MSF) as well as a doctoral program, and a joint degree in law and business administration (JD/MBA), law and accounting (JD/MSA), business administration and public administration (MBA/MPA), business administration and master of science (MBA/MS), and business administration and master of arts (MBA/MA). Other programs include dual degrees with the university’s S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, interdisciplinary programs in media management and in engineering management, and internships in Syracuse, throughout the United States and in London, Madrid, South Africa, Singapore, and Shanghai. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. The Berman Distinguished Lecture series brings business leaders from both large corporations and entrepreneurial ventures. Also, guest speakers in core courses are the norm.

Fifty-four total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 24 elective credits. Required courses include:

• Financial Accounting
• Managerial Accounting
• Economics for Managers
• Managerial Finance
• Leadership in Organizations
• Operations and Supply Chain Management
• Marketing Management
• Data Analysis and Decision Making
• Strategic Management
• Project in Global Entrepreneurial Management

Required courses for the MSA include:

• Law of Business Organizations
• Law of Commercial Transactions
• Seminar in Income Tax
• Financial Accounting Theory Seminar
• Management Accounting Theory Seminar
• Seminar in Audit Theory
• Financial Controls in Business
• Formulating Strategy

Required courses for the MSF include:

• Theory of Finance
• Investment Analysis
• Financial Controls in Business
• International Finance
• Portfolio Analysis
• Securities Markets
• Seminar in Finance
• Applied Financial Management
• Research Methods

Students may substitute core courses through approved petition to the faculty.

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 1 year; maximum, 2 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2<1/2> years; maximum, 7 years.

There are 70 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 24 part-time faculty. Faculty salaries are rated average for Category I institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of credit hours faculty teach is 12; average business class size is 24.

Syracuse University, Martin J. Whitman School of Management Unique Programs

Library

The university’s main library houses a collection of more than 136,964 volumes, 7,255,374 microform items, and 428,740 audio/video tapes/CDs, and subscribes to 20,980 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in marketing, finance, and advertising. Students have access to such databases and networks as ABI/INFORM, Business Source Elite, Lexis/Nexis, Mintel Market Research Reports, Reuters Business Insights, Marketline Business Information Centre, Mergent, SRDS Online Servies, Compustat, and CRSP. Other opportunities for research consist of membership in the Association of Research Libraries. Research centers include the Center for Innovative Management, the Center for Tax Studies, the Employment Studies Institute, and the Robert H. Brethen Operations Management Institute.

Computers

Graduate business students need not have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of 3 computer clusters in the School of Management building with more than 50 PCs, including 8 special-purpose machines with multimedia capability. Wireless network access is provided throughout the campus. Additional technology available to students includes scanners, desktop videoconferencing capability, computerized resume database software, MarkeTrack-MX (real-time stock market feed), and personal productivity and office software.

Career and Job Placement

In spring 2006, 38 companies recruited on campus. Sixty percent were national corporations. Majors most in demand were finance/accounting, operations/production, and marketing/sales. Average starting salary of the graduating class was $63,206; range was $35,000 to $115,000. The percentage of graduates finding jobs were:

• national corporations 88%
• regional corporations 12%

Placement services are extensive, and those available to alumni include a newsletter. Placement is available through a separate placement office for graduate business students and the university placement office.

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 signed documentation from a physician, and proof of adequate funds to cover the first full year of study. All applicants are considered for merit-based aid. The application deadline for fall entry is March 1.

Calendar

The school operates on a traditional semester basis. Semesters are 15 weeks long; summer sessions, 6 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the day and evening.

Syracuse University, Martin J. Whitman School of Management Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required. Most important admissions factors are work experience, motivation, and maturity. A strong mathematics background is required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 469; 168 were accepted; 66 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.3; average GMAT score was 619. Transfers are not accepted. Minority students are actively recruited by attending minority recruitment events and by direct outreach.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall only. Those pursuing the MS degree may begin in the fal or spring.To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, GMAT scores, a nonrefundable application fee of $65, and 2 letters of recommendation. Interviews are not required but are recommended. The application deadlines are May 1 for fall entry; November 1, spring. Students are notified of the admissions decision on a rolling basis. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is April 15. Once accepted, students may defer admission. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis; if a request is approved, the student may defer admission for up to 1 year.

Syracuse University, Martin J. Whitman School of Management Financial Aid

About 54% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $21,614 annually; maximum $45,150. Stipends and programs available for minority students include McNair Scholars and Project 1000 Scholars. The FAFSA, the school’s own financial statement, and the previous year’s tax return are required. The application deadline is March 1 for fall entry.

Tuition for all students is $940 per credit, or $28,200 per year. Books and supplies cost approximately $1160; personal expenses, $14,860; and other fees, $930, for an estimated annual total of $45,150. Many apartments are available on and off campus; some family housing and residence hall rooms are available. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Syracuse University, Martin J. Whitman School of Management Students

Forty percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 92% have had an average of 7 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from New York (56%). Thirty-three percent are women, 13% are minorities, and 22% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 32; ages range from 21 to 55. Eight percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 17% already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 35%, business; 19%, math and science; 18%, liberal arts; 15%, engineering; 7%, social sciences; and 6%, economics. 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, 150 graduate business degrees were awarded.