Saginaw Valley State University - College of Business and Management

Saginaw Valley State University, located in University Center, Michigan, just outside of Saginaw, appeals to many prospective students because of its “good reputation,” “large number of international students,” “fair tuition,” and “accredited program.” Factors such as “small class size” and the fact that SVSU is “close to home” are also received well by a large portion of the student body. According to one student, “I was looking for a different perspective than the one I received while getting my BBA at the University of Michigan—one that considers small business.” A solid faculty and administrative staff help provide these different perspectives. Like any other accredited graduate institution, students’ feedback indicates that some professors are “great,” while “others are horrible.” But as one sales and marketing students tells us, “the professors and administration staff continue to teach and learn business practices that shape the students of the MBA program. They have consistently encouraged effective teamwork, communication, entrepreneurialism, and globalization.” “Administration has made things very easy for most MBA candidates,” another student assures us, and overall are “pretty supportive when you have other work requirements,” such as a full-time job in addition to your studies.SVSU offers degree programs and concentrations in accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, leadership/management, and marketing. An elective course in sustainability practices is also offered, which explores and analyzes the use, development, and implementation of alternate energy strategies for sustainable business projects.

Cost-effectiveness is also something many SVSU students praise and makes the school particularly appealing for recent undergrads looking to pursue graduate work without the hassle of relocating. One newly enrolled MBA candidate tells us, “I completed my undergraduate degree in electrical engineering at SVSU and had a good experience while there. Furthermore, the cost of the MBA at SVSU is significantly cheaper than elsewhere.” Compared to the estimated “$80,000 to complete your degree at U of Michigan,” a similar degree from SVSU will run you about “$20,000,” and “both degrees are accredited.”

SVSU’s Career Planning and Placement Office regularly hosts on-campus interviews, career fairs, and resume building workshops. A bevy of internships, available to SVSU students and graduates, are also coordinated through the Office. Among the provided services, students have noted the Office’s concern with testing students’ aptitude to gauge proper career placement, but as one science research major tells us, this prac- tice should be lessened, and the administration should be more focused on “finding you gainful employment.” The general consensus among the students who provided feedback is that career services at SVSU could do with significant improvement. Both “alumni relations and job placement” are particular areas that students have expressed concern over, and according to one student, the career fairs are attended by “companies that aren’t hiring, or they won’t talk to you and just direct you to their websites.”

As a relatively new school within the Michigan state college system, SVSU has a decent- sized campus (750 acres) and a surrounding area with much to offer. As one sales and marketing major puts it, SVSU has a “small-town feel mixed with big-town academics and accreditation.” This does help cultivate an “atmosphere that is ideal for learning and developing professional business skills.” On the whole, the school and its administration appear most concerned with catering to a working and career-oriented student body. One satisfied student informs us that, “SVSU MBA students are all working students; even the international students for the most part have jobs.” While this type of environment is beneficial for most looking to juggle responsibilities and advance their careers, “this offers a challenge for group activities.” For those students with the time and inclination, the school “provides an excellent gym and lots of extracurricular activities. There are also several clubs, such as the International Student Club, Chess Club, and Math Club.”

For MBA candidates seeking a place where they can supplement their working lives with night classes, SVSU is very “accommodating.” Some students have expressed a need for improvement when it comes to international students. One student in particular had this to say: “They should have a specific officer to help us international students to be easier involved in the University culture.” On-campus support offices are also available for various students groups, including minorities, international students, women, and LGBT groups.