The 5 Best Northeast Part-Time MBA Programs
As applications to full-time MBA programs have waxed and waned in recent years, there is understandably quite a bit of speculation about the future of the degree. While full-time applicants might be dipping in the U.S., the explosion of part-time programs making the business school experience more accessible to a whole new swath of people.
We’ve already taken a look at the best part-time offerings in the Midwest and DC metro, but which programs come out on top when it comes to the Northeastern U.S.?
The 5 Best Northeast Part-Time MBA Programs
The NYU Stern School of Business’s Langone part-time MBA rates as the fourth best part-time MBA program by U.S. News and World Report.
The program features an accelerated option allowing students to opt for a flexible class schedule, as well as evening and weekend courses to complete their MBA in two years without interrupting their work schedule. Current Langone students, faculty, and alumni have access to the Langone Speaker Series, which “… provides a unique platform to deepen conversations about timely events with the decision-makers that are helping shape today’s industries.”
Students can also expect the Langone LAB, a concentrated one-day orientation program that connects incoming participants with classmates, professors, clubs and other opportunities.
The current tuition rate for the NYU Stern part-time MBA is $2,228 per credit. Over the course of the required 60 credits, this total comes to $133,680; which does not include the cost of living on campus for those opting to live near the university.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management, one of the more underrated business schools in the crowded academic metro, offers a customizable part-time MBA to fit the student’s preferred focus, available in one of six areas: business analytics; entrepreneurship; finance; healthcare administration; marketing; and sports management.
Classes can be taken either completely online (Isenberg’s online MBA was first in the country, founded in 2001) or in-person at the Amherst campus. To help expedite the education process, part-time MBA applicants can even choose to take up to two courses during the application process. In addition, the UMass Amherst part-time MBA tuition is among the most affordable in the entire Northeast, at a total cost of just $35,100 ($900 per credit). For the 17th highest ranked part-time MBA program in the entire U.S., the cost saving is hard to ignore.
The Boston College Carroll School of Management’s part-time MBA program, ranked 28th overall by U.S. News & World Report, operates much like the aforementioned Amherst part-time program, with the option to take classes both in person or online. However, the entire program cannot be completed remote, with a maximum of 30 percent of classes available online.
A staggering number of electives are available in the program: over 150 overall. Students can complete the program on a fairly flexible schedule, with the option to complete it in two, three, or four years. In addition, the BC Carroll part-time program is one of the only ones on the list that does not require GMAT/GRE scores for entry.
The part-time FLEX MBA program at Lehigh University’s College of Business and Economics is geared toward working professionals who want more control over the pace of their MBA learning experience. Program formats include part-time, accelerated, and online. The ClassroomLIVE feature offers students the option to attend classes in-person, on campus, or in real-time online.
Students can also opt to get their feet wet with an Executive Certificate as part of the part-time MBA track. Tuition for Lehigh’s Flex MBA program $38,700 for the full 36-credit program, with the current cost per credit hour at $1,075.
Villanova School of Business, the 35th ranked part-time program in the country, offers part-time MBA students two distinct format options: The accelerated “Fast Track” program, and the “Flex Track” program, which offers evening, weekend, half-semester, and online course choices so students can work at their own pace.
Tuition and the length of time to complete Villanova’s various part-time programs varies. The Fast Track program costs $1,190 per credit and takes 24 months to complete, while the Flex Track costs $1,065 per credit and typically takes three years to complete. However, the Flex Track can last as long as seven years.
MBA Jobs: Investor Relations Manager
Between roles in data analytics and public relations, the position of Investor Relations Manager is essential.
Investor Relations Managers are responsible for managing communication between a company’s corporate side and its investors. Due to the increased demands of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, major companies, such as Amazon and Microsoft, are hiring people for these positions to help meet their financial reporting demands.
What is an Investor Relations Manager?
An Investor Relations Manager serves as an intermediary between the public and the company’s senior management. The manager provides the public and company stakeholders with both quantitative and qualitative data, ranging from annual reports to a company’s strategic direction. It also provides management with information from stakeholders and helps deal with crises.
This position has many responsibilities varying from firm to firm. However, the following duties are among the most consistent:
- Data analysis
- Data visualization
- Financial modeling
- Information collection and preparation
- Interacting with the financial department
Investor Relations Manager Salaries
According to Paysa, the average pay for an Investor Relations Manager is $101,349. Salaries range from $88,443 to $112,501. Top earners can make over $125,000.
Career experience plays a significant role in how much one can make. According to Payscale, salaries for mid-career professionals is typically 11 percent higher than average. However, those with no experience make 24 percent less than the average.
Where Do You Start?
Investor Relations Manager candidates usually possess a bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, communications, or economics. Businesses generally require candidates to have years of experience in investor relations, public relations, financial investment, accounting, and legal contracts
Ideal candidates for this position need excellent quantitative data analysis and interpersonal skills. Those who can build relationships and make complicated data easily digestible will excel in this position.
One way to gain these skills is to get a MBA from a top-notch program. The following business schools offer the skills necessary to excel as an Investment Relations Manager:
Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern University’s top-ranked Kellogg School of Management helps students develop both their management and data analysis skills. Here, students will have the ability to expand upon their interpersonal skills and develop relationships with other businesses. These elements are typically critical to their future career.
Johns Hopkins – Carey School of Business
Johns Hopkins’ Carey School of Business offers future investment relations managers a Master of Arts in communication/MBA dual-degree program. Designed for managers in investment relations, media relations, and risk communication, students will be prepared for a career in business and communication.
New York University – Stern School of Business
Located in the heart of global finance, NYU’s Stern School of Business provides students with a program that focuses on management communication. The school’s MBA program covers a wide variety of communication forms and prepares future leaders to find and keep a seat at the table.
Friday News Roundup – Northwestern Introduces New Classes, and More
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories from this week, including new Northwestern classes for its MBA program.
NYU Stern Faculty to Share Expertise on Artificial Intelligence – NYU Stern News and Events
NYU Stern School of Business has announced that select faculty members will be available for speaking engagements, panel discussions or other knowledge sharing on the state of one of tech and business’ greatest forces: artificial intelligence.
According to a recent announcement, leaders in their various fields will be available for comment in articles, or for speaking engagements and discussions on AIs present and future. Information Systems Professor Vasant Dhar, an expert on machine learning in finance, has explored the question of how reliable AI is in the handling of personal finances, as well as AI in big data, healthcare, and education.
Professor of Economics Nicholas Economides, which seems a little too on the nose for an economic’s professors name, is available to share his knowledge on the inequality that tech culture can perpetuate, particularly in California’s IT sector. His research focuses upon how public policy accommodates changes in technology, and how the ebbs and flows of the tech sector affect workers disproportionately to owners and shareholders.
Other topics on which faculty members will contribute their expertise are the ethical concerns behind the use of AI; the possibilities behind AI and crowdsourcing; the legacies of certain innovators throughout history, and a look at how workforce policy has addressed the shifts of the sharing economy.
For more on potential faculty engagements on the topic, read here.
UC Davis Graduate School of Management Professor Weighs in on Stock Buybacks – Yahoo! Finance
University of California, Davis Graduate School of Management professor Paul Griffin recently weighed in on corporate stock buybacks for Yahoo Finance.
A recent op-ed piece for the New York Times by Senator Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders criticized the practice for its marginalization of citizen stock traders in favor of corporations by increasing the value of shareholders’ stock options. In certain situations, however, buybacks have an unfavorable effect on stock prices.
Historically, during buybacks for large corporations such as Xerox and General Electric, stock devaluation has been the unfortunate end result. UC Davis’ Griffin notes, “The initial response generally positive, [shares] get a little bump in price. Then people start thinking more about what’s going on here, how a firm is performing on an economic basis rather than managed number basis.”
Few company’s damaged itself through stock buybacks more than General Electric, which bought $40 billion of its own stock (15 percent of its entire market) share. In 2016, the company’s individual stock price was valued above $30, but now consistently is sold between $7-10 per share.
Among the other companies that have landed in Yahoo! Finance‘s “Hall of Shame” are Viacom, GM, IBM, General Electric, and Sears.
Read here for more on corporate stock buybacks.
New Courses at Kellogg Will Focus on Shifts in Global Business – Northwestern Kellogg News & Events
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management has announced 12 new courses that will explore the evolution of global business trends.
“To address the ever-evolving professional development needs of our students, it is a top priority to continually innovate our MBA curriculum … We’ve incorporated a mix of experiential learning, diverse intellectual perspectives and emerging business topics in our latest course offerings.” says Michael Mazzeo, Senior Associate Dean of Curriculum and Teaching.
Among the new course offerings are Blockchain Technology, Digital Assets and the Future of Finance, Corporate Entrepreneurship: Organization Design for Disruption, Leadership Ethics and Empathy, and The Right Stuff: Principles Behind Successful Careers.
Kellogg’s Curriculum Committee, which is comprised of seven faculty members from each of the school’s department, reviewed and approved the new courses via a detailed process that ensures the relevance and breadth of the coursework. To learn more about the new courses, read here.
Habitat for Humanity CEO Speaks at Fox on the Challenges of Non-Profit Fundraising – Fox School of Business News
Temple University’s Fox School of Business‘ Board of Fellows recently gave a presentation on issues pertaining to non-profit fundraising for an audience of MBA students.
Featured guest speaker Christine O’Connell, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, presented the challenges inherent in raising money for non-profit entities learned from her over twenty years of experience. “There is never enough money,” O’Connell says, “and there is entirely too much need. To put that need into context, 800 people call us a month. We are [only] building twelve houses a year and repairing 100.”
O’Connell focused upon the importance of maintaining strong relationships with donors, and of treating each donor with equal respect. Six figure donations, she believes, should be received with the same level of gratitude as smaller amounts. ““You gotta make a connection with people,” O’Connell says, “… You gotta create empathy, and you have to have people feel and know that they are empowered and that their gift counts.”
“[O’Connell] presents Habitat in such a way where she hones it down and says this is how you can help, by supporting this organization and talking about the breadth and depth of what they do, not just that they do it,” said Ellen Marshall, an advisor for Fox Management Consulting and Strategic Clarity Advisors and longtime fundraiser for non-profits.
Read more on O’Connell’s talk here.
Credit Card Company for Emerging Markets Wins Sloan’s Startup Competition – MIT Sloan News
A credit card company for emerging markets won this year’s “MIT Sloan Accelerate 100K Entrepreneurship Competition.”
The company, Duo, is aiming to help the millions of small and mid-sized Latin American businesses that lack credit. In Mexico, businesses that are less than two years old are not granted credit, which lands many of them in massive amounts of debt.
Duo co-founder Hugo Lopez-Velarde, (MBA ’20), winner of this year’s “MIT Sloan Accelerate 100K Entrepreneurship Competition.”
Duo co-founder Hugo Lopez-Velarde, (MBA ’20) says, “In Mexico, corporate cards are uncommon—often, business owners use personal cards and take on credit on behalf of their businesses … This is the first step for next-generation financial products for companies in Mexico.”
Duo users will not only be free of personal debt, but they will also establish credit history. Duo’s card also boasts an analytics dashboard that will allow business owners to manage spending.
Runners-up focused upon emerging technologies in healthcare. The startup Encora created a therapeutic wearable wristband that alleviates hand tremors in neurodegenerative patients. Hikma Health designed customized data systems for healthcare providers who are treating the Syrian refugee population.
Accelerate 100K’s winner and runners up were chosen based upon audience votes, and will advance to Sloan’s Launch competition this spring. Read more about Accelerate’s winners and about Launch here.
Strong Hiring Numbers Highlight Banner Year for NYC School – New York News
Let’s explore some of the most interesting stories that have emerged from New York business schools this week.
Strong Hiring Proves Employers Crave Stevens’ Blend of Business, Technology Skills – Stevens Institute of Technology SOB Blog
The class of 2018 at the Stevens Institute of Technology’s School of Business recently posted a 98 percent placement rate, earning salaries of $72,480; far above NYC and national averages. The Stevens MBA focuses on how data and analytics are changing the way professionals work and how technology creates new opportunities while solving complex problems.
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Ann Murphy notes, “We enjoy close relationships with managers in financial services, accounting, technology and media, which keeps us ahead of the rapid changes in industry. That real-world input influences our curricula, which helps our students get better internships and the jobs they want upon graduation.”
Seth Kirschner ’18, who majored in Business & Technology before accepting a position as a cyber risk advisory consultant with Deloitte, asserts, “The industry expertise of the faculty at Stevens comes through so clearly in the classroom. You’re learning from professors like Dr. Kevin Ryan, who have patents and years of experience in the telecom industry, or a turnaround strategist like Dr. Murad Mithani, who teaches you how to change a failing company. As a student at Stevens, you’re surrounded by excellence.
You can read more about the Stevens’ Class of 2018 here.
The Social Benefits of Candid Photos – NYU Stern School of Business News
New joint research from NYU Stern Professor Alixandra Barasch finds that candid photos elicit a more favorable response in certain social situations because they are seen as more authentic.
Barasch co-authored a new paper with Wharton’s Jonah Berger entitled “A Candid Advantage? The Social Benefits of Candid Photos,” which uses five experiments to determine how candid photos increase interest in observers in the realm of friendship and dating.
Barasch and Berger’s research finds that more candid, “real” photos are seen as favorable than staged ones, even in professional settings.
Barasch and Berger write, “People often assume that a curated, polished version of the self will generate the most favorable responses—that by smoothing rough edges and presenting one’s best side, others will like and want to interact with them more. But this assumption is not always correct.”
Barasch continues, “In some cases, viewers prefer an unvarnished picture because it seems more genuine. People value authenticity because it feels more accurate.”
You can read more about the research here.
Journalism Class Supports Lehigh’s West Coast Connections – Lehigh College of Business and Economics News
Launched in January 2017, the Lehigh@NasdaqCenter offers immersive learning experiences to six Fellows each year, offering a West Coast campus extension for Lehigh students based in Silicon Valley. This program is just one way in which Lehigh builds an academic bridge from Bethlehem to the innovation ecosystem of Silicon Valley.
Samantha Dewalt, managing director of the Lehigh@NasdaqCenter, describes the interdisciplinary program:
“The media fellows report on programs and events at the center, interview featured entrepreneurs and produce multi-media stories across a range of platforms about the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship. We work together to select projects the students are excited about and ones that will benefit both Lehigh and Nasdaq Center communities.”
Entrepreneur Craig Gordon, ’76, founder and Managing Director, Blueshift Research remarks, “I think this is a great example of Lehigh innovating in a course where there is nothing like it anywhere in the country. The enthusiasm was unbelievable. You want that at any experience you have at any university.”
You can read more about the Lehigh learning experiences here.
Northwestern Kellogg & HKUST Lead the 2018 FT EMBA Rankings
Where should you go to school for your Executive MBA? Good question. While, the answer may not be quite so simple, an official EMBA ranking can help.
There are many things you should consider before choosing the best EMBA program for you including average graduation salary, industry employment, research interests, and more. However, a good place to start is with the 18th edition of the Financial Times Global Executive MBA Ranking. This ranking collects key data from business schools and alumni around the world to come up with a list of the top 100 best programs worldwide.
We’ve collated some of the critical data from the ranking study to give you insight into what’s going on in the world of EMBA programs.
EMBA Graduates Choose Industry and Manufacturing
Compared to full-time MBAs, EMBA graduates are much more likely to work in certain industries like manufacturing. In fact, three times as many EMBAs are employed in industry or manufacturing compared to their full-time peers. The figure accounts for 17 percent of all graduates. In comparison, only 10 percent of EMBA graduates are in consulting roles. And they’re less likely to work in finance, too.
EMBAs Earn More Money
EMBA graduates can also expect to earn more money than full-time MBAs after graduation. The average salary for an EMBA is $220,000 whereas an MBA alumnus can expect to make $146,000. It’s a large gap that’s similar to the salary gap between an MBA and a MiM graduate ($146,000 VS $67,000). Keep in mind, however, that the typical Executive MBA student is significantly older and often has more work experience.
In contrast, full-time MBAs win when it comes to salary boosts before and after earning the degree. MBA alumni generally increase their salary by 107 percent while EMBAs only experience a 59 percent boost.
Top 10 EMBA Programs
This year, the top ten EMBA programs, according to the Financial TImes, includes four joint programs. In fact, these were the top four programs in the world ranking well for post-EMBA salary, alumni leadership positions, and work experience. Each of these programs offer excellent networking opportunities thanks to different cohorts across different campuses, connecting students around the world.
Here’s how all the rankings stacked up.
1. Northwestern Kellogg & HKUST
This joint program ranks first for the third year in a row, and it’s the ninth time in 12 years that it has headed the list—the other three times it ranked second. The program is known for having the highest average salary three years post-graduation, $507,000—$140,000 more than the second-highest salary. It’s also known for having half of its alumni as company leaders three years post-graduation.
No EMBA has dominated the annual FT ranking quite like the Northwestern Kellogg & HKUST join program, earning top billing once again for 2018.
2. HEC Paris, LSE, & NYU Stern
This trium global EMBA program ranks second in 2018, up from fifth the previous year. The program is ranked first in work experience, languages, and international course experience rank. It also ranks highly in average salary ($347,970) with an expected 60 percent salary increase three years post-EMBA.
3. Tsinghua University & INSEAD
For the second year in a row, the Tsinghua-INSEAD dual degree MBA comes in third overall on the FT EMBA ranking. Located in China, Singapore, France, and the UAE, the program is known for its high salary three years post graduation ($365,746), and its high percentage of female students (45 percent).
The rest of the top ten shakes down as follows:
- EMBA—Global Asia: Columbia Business School, HKU, & London Business School
- Ceibs
- HEC Paris
- Washington University Olin Business School
- Shanghai: Jiao Tong University Antai
- IESE Business School
- MIT Sloan School of Management
Surprising Schools
There were quite a few surprises in this year’s EMBA ranking.
- Though HEC Paris has ranked in the top five since 2006 because of its joint program with NYU Stern and LSE, this was the first year the school entered the top ten ranking on its own. The HEC Paris solo EMBA program ranks sixth overall, making it the highest new entrant.
- IESE Business School took home the crown as the top EMBA program for the new criterion corporate social responsibility (CSR).
- The University of Toronto Rotman School of Management EMBA moved up the most places in 2018, rising to 47th place overall—20 places higher.
No school saw a bigger rankings jump than the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management, rising 20 spots in 2018.
FT EMBA Ranking Methodology
To come up with the 2018 EMBA ranking, the Financial Times reached out to a record 139 programs with two online surveys: the first completed by the school and the second by alumni who graduated from programs in 2014. The methodology of the ranking is as follows:
- Alumni were required to provide feedback on salary today, salary increase, career progress, work experience, and aims achieved—accounting for 55 percent of the ranking’s weight.
- Schools provided insight into ten criteria, accounting for 35 percent of the total ranking. Criteria included: gender and international diversity, board members, international program reach, and more.
- Accounting for the final 10 percent of the ranking was the FT research rank, which looks at the number of articles published by a school’s full-time faculty.
And, for the first time ever, this year’s EMBA ranking included a new criterion for corporate social responsibility (CSR). This new criterion took a look at how many of a school’s core courses were dedicated to ethics, social, and environmental issues. Weighting at 3 percent, this criteria replaced the number of Ph.D. graduates per school.
October MBA Deadlines: NYU Stern, Ivey, Lehigh, and More
Douglas Adams once wrote, “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” Prospective MBAs applying for business school can appreciate Adams’ humorous writing, but should do their best to not live by the British author’s procrastinating prose. That’s where MetroMBA comes in! Check out our list of upcoming MBA program application deadlines in our top metros: Continue reading…
