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Academics

The Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona is “recognized as one of the nation’s leading business schools” in MIS and entrepreneurship, many students here report. And “the weather doesn’t hurt, either” adds one happy student.

Experiential learning plays an important part in the Eller curriculum; students identify this as “one of the greatest strengths” of the program. One MBA explains how it works: “In the spring semester, MBAs work in teams with local businesses to assess real-world problems, make strategic recommendations, and ultimately assist the businesses in solving those problems.” Another tells us, “The experiential learning is more than just a resume builder. It’s a very real, very challenging experience, designed to prepare students for future leadership positions.” The school’s strong “relationship with key businesses” in the area plays a key role in making the experiential learning component a success.

Students also appreciate that class sizes at Eller “are small enough that the students have easy access to professors
. Students are able to develop relationships and personal bonds with professors.” These personal touches permeate the program’s administration as well. One student reports, “The administrative staff adds great value to the student experience
[and] goes out of its way to help students find whatever they need. Crossdiscipline courses, job opportunities, highly tailored informational interviews—the administration works hard to provide students with any resources they need.” At the other end of the size spectrum is the university-at-large. It is huge, and this too is seen as an asset; “With a large campus, the business students can take advantage of wonderful resources for the entire school,” one student explains.

Eller professors “are very engaging and add significant value. The tenured staff places a strong emphasis on real-world experiences, ranging from case competitions judged by working professionals to company site visits.” Instructors “are also very available for office hours and discussion outside of class. This creates an atmosphere of ‘twenty-four-hour learning.’”