School of Business

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Business History

University of Wisconsin/Madison, founded in 1849, is a public, coeducational institution. The 933-acre campus is located in an urban area in Madison. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 41,466.

The School of Business was founded in 1947 and is located on the main campus, in its own building, Grainger Hall. The basic educational approach combines a solid foundation in the core areas of business management with a focus on a specific career specialization. Teaching methods include lecture, case study, and experiential learning with an emphasis on group interaction.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Business Academics

The School of Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Business (MS), Actuarial Science (MS), Quantitative Master’s in Finance (MS), Master of Accountancy (MAcc), and Executive MBA (EMBA) as well as a doctoral program, and a joint degree in Law (JD/MBA). Other programs include interdisciplinary programs in 13 specialized areas, cross-registration, work-study programs, international study trips, foreign exchange programs with 8 countries, internships, joint research opportunities, a 3-year evening MBA program, and a 2-year Executive MBA program. The strongest areas of study are applied programs in corporate finance, security analysis, real estate, brand and product management, and marketing research. The most popular courses are in finance, marketing, real estate, entrepreneurship, management, and supply chain management. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. These include Executive-in-Residence, Business Writer-in-Residence, John J. Oros Executive Leadership Speaker Series, IS Speaker Series, Graduate Marketing Network Speaker Series, and Net Impact Speaker Series.

Fifty-two total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 6 elective credits. Required courses include:

• Accounting
• Economics for Managers
• Marketing Management
• Financial Management
• Operations Management
• Data Analysis and Decision Making
• Business Strategy
• Ethics and Social Responsibility
• Managing Behavior in Organizations

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements Core courses must be completed in residence as part of the lockstep cohort curriculum. Graduate level courses completed within the past two years at a “B” level of higher may be transferred as an elective.

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 years; maximum, 2 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 3 years; maximum, 3 years.

There are 87 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 95% hold a doctorate; there are 35 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 3.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Business Unique Programs

Library

The UW Madison Business Library houses a collection of more than 75,965 volumes, 335,251 microform items, and 3454 audio/video tapes/CDs, and subscribes to 1013 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in foreign and domestic corporate annual reports. Students have access to such databases and networks as Compustat, CRSP, Citibase, ABI/INFORM, Proquest, Compact Disclosure, Laser Disclosure, Bloomberg, STAT-USA, Dow Jones News Retrieval, OneSource and others. Other opportunities for research consist of research design and analysis consultation, and access to a network of organizations participating in research projects.

Computers

Graduate business students must have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of 12 Dell Servers running Windows 2003 active directory, serving 190 computers in 6 labs. There are also 5 specialized labs with about 40 machines.These specialized labs are for students majoring in specialty centers. There is a multimedia lab with color output and graphics software. In the regular classrooms, access to a presentation computer is available for student presentations and instruction. Instructional software, word processing packages, spreadsheets, database management systems statistics, and presentation graphics are available.

Career and Job Placement

Majors most in demand by companies recruiting in 2006 were marketing, research, supply chain management, finance, real estate, risk management and insurance, brand and product management, and strategic human resource management. Average starting salary of the graduating class was $82,917; range was $38,000 to $120,000. The percentage of graduates finding jobs were:

• national corporations 75%
• regional corporations 12%
• local large enterprises 5%
• self-employment 4%
• foreign 3%
• local small enterprises 1%

Placement services are extensive. Placement services for alumni include access to alumni database and job board, and on-line career resources. Centers for each career specialization coordinate networking and recruiting. Placement is available through the School of Business Career Center, which serves both graduate and undergraduate business students. Ninety-five 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 and proof of adequate funds to cover the duration of studies. They must purchase health insurance. Financial aid is available for these students and consists of fellowships, scholarships, project assistantships, and teaching assistantships. The application deadline for fall entry is April 18.

Calendar

The school operates on a traditional semester basis. Semesters are 16 weeks long; summer sessions, 3 to 8 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the day and evening and weekends.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Business Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 3.0. Most important admissions factors are work experience, career plans, and essays. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 405; 173 were accepted; 121 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.37; average GMAT score was 661. Transfers are not accepted. Minority students are actively recruited through the Consortium for Study in Graduate Management, a minority fellowship program, and a diversity weekend on campus.

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 $45, 3 letters of recommendation, 4 essays, and a resume. The application deadline is November 15 for fall entry. Students are notified within of the admissions decision 5 weeks of application deadline. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is May 12.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Business Financial Aid

About 77% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $29,560 annually; maximum $46,551. Stipends and programs available for minority students include advanced opportunities fellowships, providing stipends and tuition and fees. The school’s own financial statement is required. The application deadline is February 28 for fall entry.

On-campus room and board costs approximately $9893; books and supplies, $890; personal expenses, $5057; and other fees, $730, for an estimated annual total of $26,480 for in-state residents and $41,918 for out-of-state residents. Graduate student housing consists of a good supply of rooms, apartments, and houses to rent. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Business Students

Sixty-five percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 95% have had an average of 46 months of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from Wisconsin (62%). Thirty-two percent are women, 9% are minorities, and 26% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 28; ages range from 21 to 45. Four percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 19% already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 42%, business; 17%, engineering; 14%, liberal arts; 11%, social sciences; 7%, math and science; 5%, economics; and 4%, computer science and law. About 3% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 97% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 229 graduate business degrees were awarded.