Wave Magazine Online Jacksonville University News Hub
Jacksonville University’s Master of Business Administration program ranks No. 14 globally, making it a Tier One program in a newly released prestigious international list that closely analyzes “student value” as one of its main criteria.
The 2013 Winter MBA Rankings, released by the International Graduate Forum (IGF) and published in the January 2014 CEO Magazine, examine the worth and effectiveness of MBA programs to potential students by evaluating factors including faculty quality, student-to-faculty ratio, diversity, student work experience, cost, accreditation and class size.
JU’s Executive MBA degree program is also rated as a Tier One program worldwide.
“Year on year, Jacksonville University scores consistently high in both our MBA and EMBA rankings,” said Alexandra Skinner, CEO Magazine Group Editor-in-Chief. “They have become known for not only their highly qualified faculty (85 percent hold Ph.D.s and 78 percent have ‘real-world’ business experience), but also for offering a wide range of flexible programs designed to meet the varying demands of the executive education market. Their dedication to quality has truly paid off, and this year they entered our Global Top 20 Table at No. 14 — an amazing achievement highlighting their commitment to providing high-quality programs, delivered by exceptional faculty at affordable prices.”
The IGF rankings examine business schools accredited by the international Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in business and accounting. JU’s Davis College of Business (DCOB) received AACSB accreditation in 2010, an honor earned by less than five percent of the world’s business schools.
“What is most powerful about being ranked 14th in the world is that one of the main criteria for the CEO Magazine survey is value for the tuition dollar,” said JU Business Dean Dr. Don Capener. “With tuition of $660 per credit hour, JU’s value made it stand out among the finest business schools. The vast majority of our business students graduate with less than $10,000 of debt, and the entire JU MBA program, including fees and books, is less than $26,000. That compares to up to $60,000 for our major competitors, and more than $100,000 for most AACSB-level institutions.”
JU achieved distinction with its competitive tuition rate, student diversity (65 percent white/35 percent non-white), gender breakdown (58 percent female/42 percent male), attractive average class size (17 students) and number of faculty with terminal degrees (41).
“Our strong international ranking in this close-to-market program is another major victory that speaks to the remarkable quality of our students, faculty and programs,” said JU President Tim Cost. “This is recognition that our standards dramatically increase the chances of a JU student landing an excellent job and enjoying outstanding career success.”
Another big win for JU graduate business students: More than 60 percent are supported by their sponsoring companies.
“They recognize what a great value and career enhancer the JU MBA program is for their employees,” Capener said. “We emphasis the whole student, balancing people and management skills with business-specific skills such as the rising use of Big Data and analytics in making effective decisions.”
In recent coverage of JU’s MBA program, CEO Magazine quotes several JU MBA graduates, including Bob Brigham, chief administrative officer of Mayo Clinic in Florida.
“The business tools I learned to use in the MBA program served me well,” he told the magazine. “The skills I received at JU were relevant to the operational challenges I face in healthcare. The leadership coaching and analytical skills I gained in the MBA program helped me to make better business decisions and improve my ability to lead by example.”
For more about the Davis College of Business, visit www.ju.edu/dcob.
About the JU Davis College of Business
The JU Davis College of Business’ accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) represents the world’s highest standard of achievement for business schools. No other private business school in North Florida or South Georgia has the AACSB accreditation. Fewer than 5 percent of MBA graduates come from this top tier. Its MBA program is rated a Tier One program and ranked No. 14 globally by the prestigious International Graduate Forum. JU offers an Accelerated MBA, FLEX MBA, Executive MBA and joint JD/MBA and MSN/MBA degrees. Nearly 100 percent of Davis graduate students complete their degrees, and 80 percent continue on with their Florida-based employers after graduation. More than 50 percent are sponsored and financially supported by their employer in their graduate studies. Jacksonville University will begin a Doctorate in Business Administration in fall 2014. JU has one of the largest MBA programs in the region, and has graduated more than 2,000 students. Its MBA graduates have an overall Mean Base Salary of $62,600, a Financial Services Sector Mean Base Salary of $85,250 and a Southern Region Mean Base Salary of $70,856. JU is a 100 percent-match Yellow Ribbon school. Between JU and the VA, the full cost of tuition is covered for all JU degree programs except Aviation and Orthodontics.