Ross School of Business, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at University of Michigan has a mission to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world through thought and action and driving change and innovation that will improve business and society.  The business school lives by the principles of the “Ross Difference”, which believes in positive business practices, applying solutions to more than just one sector or function, approaching innovation with a boundless method of problem-solving and providing a curriculum based on academic rigor and action-based learning methods. Ross Business School has a world-class faculty that drives and shapes the concepts of innovation.  They conduct pioneering research across the university and provide valuable information to the 95 graduate programmes that are ranked top ten nationally.  The business school receives more research funding than any other public university. Positive business is one of the main focuses of the university. Students learn to inspire a sense of purpose in others, create healthy work environments and achieve extraordinary, life-changing results through their research and collaboration.  The goal of positive business is to teach students to emerge as leaders with the ability to create positive change for their businesses and society.  Also, the school’s action-based based learning method combines theory and practice in the context of real business problems.  This is achieved through leadership challenges, realistic business simulations, extracurricular opportunities and projects based at firms.

The Ross MBA is offered in a full-time, weekend and evening and global format and has a goal to prepare students to lead diverse teams while considering the role of business in society and building an organisational culture of innovation. The Full-time MBA is a two-year programme and covers a broad-based management curriculum alongside a broad range of electives.  Also, a set of collaborative, entrepreneurial and leadership experiences is presented through Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP).  Students are then required to integrate the newly learn analytical tools in teamwork and leadership development projects aimed to simulate life inside a firm.  The second year is comprised of electives and also offers 25 different dual-degree options. Below is a diagram of the programme structure, provided by Ross.

The Evening and Weekend MBA offers a flexible schedule and is designed for the working professional.  The weekend MBA occurs two weekends a month for two years with thematically integrated courses and the evening MBA allows students to customise their schedule and attend classes on evenings, weekends or days.  The evening format also features a Leadership Development Programme and both programmes offers MAPs. Both formats also cover the core courses of:

• Accounting
• Business Economics
• Finance
• Law, History, and Communication
• Management and Organizations
• Marketing
• Technology and Operations
• Strategy

The Global MBA was created to meet the needs of sponsored managers who will lead their companies in the next generation.  The programme has a holistic approach going beyond case studies; it is designed to build a strong foundation of rigorous analytical and quantitative skills and and to teach students how to apply them in action-based team projects and interdisciplinary courses. The programme is 16 months long with no summer break and begins with an introduction to written and oral managerial communications.  The first two terms of core courses are served in Asia over three months, with one month a piece in Korea, Japan and China. The next three months are served in Ann Arbor and then students complete their selected electives followed by a seven-week MAP requirement.  Below is a diagram of the programme schedule, provided by Ross.

The Executive MBA Programme is for students with significant experience and expertise and takes an integrated, results-oriented approach to real-world problem-solving and decision-making.  The 21-month programme is offered once a month through residencies held on Fridays and Saturdays.  The programme also incorporates distance learning via online collaborations, Mediasite lectures, video streams, interactive case studies, team-based simulations and online exams. The programme’s curriculum begins by focusing on the core business essentials and building a solid foundations, focusing on analytics and deepening participants’ expertise.  Then, strategy within the enterprise is addressed with a focus on strategic thinking and cross-functional agility.  Executives then use these skills in the action portion of the programme, applying concepts to practice and bringing rigor to decision-making processes.  Finally, a vision of leadership in the global environment is addressed, leaving executives with critical knowledge on leading organisations, innovation and developing a global acumen.  Below is a diagram of the curriculum, provided by Ross.

Ross Business School also offers Executive Education Programmes in open-enrollment and customised formats that will develop individuals while strengthening organisations.

Although Forbes and US News do not rank MBAs globally, they were included for their impact in the US

• Forbes Rank – 14
• Financial Times Rank – 30
• US News and World Report Rank – 14
• Bloomberg Businessweek Rank – 8
• The Economist Rank – 24

According to Bloomberg Businessweek’s Business School Ranking

• High:  85% job offer three months post-graduation

Stephen M. Ross School of Business 701 Tappan Ave Ann Arbor, MI  48109 United States t: +1 734-763-5796 w: www.bus.umich.edu