University of Wisconsin—Whitewater - College of Business and Economics

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater offers "a great business school" for "anyone on a budget." One current student tells us, "I chose UW-Whitewater for my MBA because of the school's reputation, and they have the courses I want to be able to specialize in marketing." Adopting a two-pronged approach, UW-Whitewater offers students either a traditional in-class MBA or an online-only option, fullor part-time, both at "an affordable price compared to other AACSB-accredited programs." The online program in particular was recently ranked in U.S. News & World Report as one the country's top-twenty-five online MBA programs, and students can complete the program in one year with the proper prerequisites. Whatever one's time commitment or location, there are "two types of grad students" at UW-Whitewater: "The MBA students and MPA (master 's of accountancy) students," both of whom can now take advantage of Hyland Hall, the school's new "state-of-the-art" business building, which has "changed the school 100 percent" for the better. What's more, MBA or MPA students getting their degree online—many of whom have "never stepped foot on campus"—enjoy the convenience of things "like chat groups [that] are not live meetings." According to one online student who lives in Japan, "When you are doing an online degree many students are in different time zones and have difficulty making meetings." Another online student, a self-proclaimed "full-time career woman and mother" shares with us that the online program "fits my lifestyle."

While UW-Whitewater "isn't as famous as UW-Madison," the school does boast "one of the best accounting master 's programs in the nation," and according to many a student, "well-experienced" professors who are "accessible," "have high credentials," and "make themselves readily available outside of the classroom." As one pleasantly surprised student puts it, "I thought that a lot of my professors did not have real-world experience, but a majority of them have twenty plus years." "However," one full-time student offers, "a few should not be in the teaching career because of a lack of understanding."

There is no typical graduate student at UW-Whitewater; it's more of "a mix of students who are older and seeking greater academic qualifications, as well as those students. . . starting an MBA right after undergraduate" work. To add to this already diverse makeup, MBA students have a wide array of concentrations from which to choose, including finance, human resources management, international business, IT management, marketing, technology and training, and operations and supply chain management. Study-abroad programs are also available in France, Czech Republic, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, England, Switzerland, and Australia. The University also offers support services for international and minority students. "While I cannot say that UW-Whitewater is just as good as the expensive schools," one student tells us, "I would recommend this school over and over again to anyone considering an MBA."

The University's Career Services Office offers "numerous programs and presentations" for students, including career counseling, career groups, a resource center and classes, resume and cover letter workshops, career fairs, interview prep, online job postings, on-campus interviews, and related resources. The career office is much more a resource for those students who attend classes on campus, while online-only students may feel left out for obvious reasons. However, one student reminds us, "There are so many ways to participate and always e-mails coming out for job openings and career fairs." But in terms of servicing this growing community of online students, the "Career Services Office seems lost as to how to help students search for jobs and how to help them connect with employers." For those students on campus, other improvement needs are cited, such as a "better mentoring program" and attracting a more diverse set of employers to the school's job fairs, besides Target and Walgreens. All the same, with a mean base salary of $54,000 for recently graduated full-time students, newly minted MBAs from UW-Whitewater aren't doing too badly these days.

There's no two ways to cut it, "Whitewater is remote," but several students assure us that they've "enjoyed living in a small town," which can provide the quiet and seclu- sion many people need while earning their graduate degree. However, with few local employment opportunities, one student tells us, "No one really stays in Whitewater after graduation." Located "about an hour from the capital" of Madison, and not too far from Milwaukee either (from which several students hail), "the town itself is lacking in many ways," with "only one grocery store . . . and one or two clothing stores. Students must travel thirty minutes to a city that has a satisfactory place to shop." Several on-cam- pus clubs and organizations allow students to get involved and apply their new skills and knowledge, but for the most part, UW-Whitewater is a school for commuters or those with full-time day jobs (85 percent of students attend part-time). "Convenience," above all else, is what UW-Whitewater students cite time and again about their school. Commuters have little trouble managing their class schedules, and online-only students praise the fact that they can "take classes from anywhere in the world." There is defi- nitely "a lot of variety" in terms of classes and concentrations, although some students would like to see more "weekend classes for working professionals."