Smeal College of Business – Penn State
History
The Smeal College of Business, part of Pennsylvania State University, was established in 1953 and is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The college acquired its current name when Penn State alumnus Frank Smeal ‘42 and his wife Jean provided a $10 million gift in 1990, which was at the time the largest individual donation in the University’s history. In addition to its undergraduate and MBA program located at Penn State’s University Park campus, Smeal offers one postgraduate degree in business in Philadelphia’s metropolitan area: the MBA program for executives, or EMBA.
School Rankings
• U.S. News & World Report: 33
• Bloomberg: 35
• Forbes: 34
• Financial Times: 63
• The Economist: 50
Location
Every other weekend, EMBA students take classes in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, at a conference center just 14 miles north of Philadelphia’s Center City. Students also complete two one-week residencies at Penn State’s main campus in University Park, Pennsylvania, and then spend one week abroad at the end of the program.
Lafayette Hill is located less than one hour away from the Philadelphia International Airport.
Facilities
The EMBA program is housed in the Chubb Conference Center and Hotel in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania. The Center is set amid 300 acres of woodland and features an 18-hole golf course, pool, and athletic courts that are available for student use. The 38 conference rooms in which classes take place feature state-of-the-art technology with high-speed wireless internet, energy-efficient lighting, whiteboards, flipcharts, and markers. Students are required to stay overnight on class weekends at the conference center, which features accommodations with modern furnishings, conveniences, and amenities.
Faculty
The same 22 faculty members who teach the MBA program at the Penn State University Park campus teach the EMBA program in Philadelphia each weekend.
Student Body
There are 58 students in the full-time MBA graduating class of 2020. These students have an average of 5.1 years of work experience prior to enrollment, with an average GMAT score of 657 and an undergraduate GPA of 3.4. About 34 percent of the class is made up of female students, with 30 percent international students.
MBA Degree Offerings
In total, the Penn State Smeal College of Business offers three MBA programs: its full-time MBA, located at the main campus in Happy Valley, an EMBA, and an Online MBA. The EMBA is also offered at the school’s satellite campus in Philadelphia.
Videos
Smeal Executive MBA Class of 2019A highlight photo reel of the Smeal Executive MBA class of 2019 experience. | Smeal Executive MBA Class of 2020A highlight photo reel of the Smeal Executive MBA class of 2020 experience. |