Kent State University’s College of Business Programs Achieve Top Rankings

Kent State University’s College of Business Administration undergraduate and graduate programs recently garnered top rankings in two major news publications.

The business school was ranked 154 out of 382 by the U.S. News and World Report. The undergraduate business programs were ranked solely on a peer assessment survey conducted in spring 2011. To appear in this ranking, the undergraduate business program must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Only 15 percent of business schools worldwide meet the rigorous standards of AACSB International accreditation.

Kent State’s College of Business Administration undergraduate program shares the list with the top ranking University of Pennsylvania, University of California-Berkeley and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Kathryn Wilson, interim dean of Kent State’s College of Business Administration, said the undergraduate program focuses on providing students with valuable learning experience that can be used in today’s competitive marketplace.

“The ranking is important because it speaks to how we compare with other U.S. institutions’ business schools,” Wilson said. “Our managerial marketing major is unique and sought after in that it is one of the few undergraduate marketing programs in the country that gives students hands-on experience through the classroom.”

Adding to its top-notch curricula, Kent State’s College of Business Administration places emphasis on practical learning opportunities including internships and international exposure. The college currently has partnerships that allow students to study in the European cities of Florence, Geneva and London.
The second designation is for Kent State’s Master of Business Administration (MBA)programs, which were recognized in the Princeton Review’s Best 294 Business Schools: 2012 Edition.

“We chose the 294 business schools in this book based on our high opinion of their academic programs and offerings, as well as our review of institutional data we collect from the schools,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review senior vice president-publisher. “We also strongly consider the candid opinions of students attending the schools that rate and report on their campus experiences at their schools on our survey for the book."

Kent State’s College of Business Administration offers both a full-time (FT-MBA) and a Professional (P-MBA) program. The former serves as a way for young professionals to either jump-start their careers or to change career paths. By contrast, the P-MBA attracts high-potential business people from the Northeast Ohio region who seek to propel their career advancement with their current employers, and who pursue their studies while working full-time. Both of these programs are included in Princeton Review’s statistics.

The Princeton Review does not rank the business schools in a single hierarchical list from 1 to 294, or name one business school best overall. Instead, the book has 11 ranking lists of the top 10 business schools in various categories.  Kent State’s school was recognized for solid preparation in accounting and general management.

For more information about U.S. News & World Report, visit www.usnews.com. For more information about the Princeton Review designation, visit www.princetonreview.com.

More information about Kent State’s College of Business Administration is available at www.kent.edu/business.

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Media Contact:
Bob Burford, rburford@kent.edu, 330-672-8516