Villanova University - School of Business

For students in either track, the MBA begins with core coursework, including accounting, economics, and management. After completing the core, students choose electives from a “large variety of course offerings,” and have the option of tailoring their degree by pursuing a specialization in analytics, finance, health care management, international business, corporate management, or marketing, or by pursuing a real-estate concentration through the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate. “Elective courses are outstanding,” and include special “opportunities for international travel and learning” through the overseas programs; recent trips have taken students to business capitals like Dubai and Milan. Villanova doesn’t stop there: In addition to coursework, students must complete a consulting project with a local nonprofit company, and another with a global corporation. (Note that “the Fast Track curriculum includes a one-week international trip” as a part of the Strategic Management for Global Organizations class, though overseas programs are optional for Flex Track students.) Finally, “The Leadership Development classes that bookend the program are especially valuable in group work and networking for MBA students.”

The faculty comprises both academics and career professionals, so “some core courses have more academic-oriented professors while some have professors with substantial work experience.” While students might prefer one type of professor to the other, all agree that it’s “a good balance” among the faculty. Just as important, most professors are accessible, friendly, and “really want to help students maximize their potential.” A student adds, “So far, I have nothing but good things to say about the teaching quality at Villanova. I’ve never had a problem reaching a teacher outside of class, and I’ve never had a professor that I didn’t understand.” That said, the Villanova curriculum was recently revamped, and students mention that, “there have definitely been some serious kinks in the administrative side of the program.” Fortunately, “the staff encourages and actually listens to student feedback,” so problems rarely persist.

Those looking to make a career change generally “have to create their own opportunities through networking sites such as LinkedIn, or postings on job sites.” Fortunately, stu- dents note an improvement is already in process: “There is a new graduate career place- ment person who has been very diligent in working with students for positions after their MBA.” In addition, the school offers a number of career-related resources, including corporate information sessions, career coaching, and online resources, and students can also reach out to Villanova’s “strong alumni network.”

At Villanova, “most students work all day and then attend class at night,” which makes for an incredibly busy schedule. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean MBAs never socialize. While some students spend little time at school or with their MBA colleagues, others forge meaningful friendships in the program. “After class, a lot of the students go to the bar together,” and the school schedules various events, including “regular casual happy hours, resume and LinkedIn profile counseling, lectures, [and] fundraisers,” at both Villanova campuses. One student enthuses, “The networking opportunities that the program has provided me have far exceeded what I expected, especially in a part-time program. I have made a lot of friends who I expect will be lifelong contacts.”