Academics
鈥淭he emphasis on [students] learning the basics rather than some predigested goo鈥 along with 鈥渁n unbeatable faculty鈥 are 鈥渨hat make The University of Chicago鈥檚 Booth School of Business one of the best, especially in hard-core areas such as finance and accounting,鈥 students tell us. A 鈥渞igorous quantitative program that compels students to think critically and analytically鈥 is the hallmark of a Chicago Booth MBA, although students hasten to add that Booth also 鈥渆mphasizes persuasion, communication, and negotiation skills.鈥
Chicago Booth offers a full-time, part-time evening, part-time weekend, and executive MBA program. All four tracks share 鈥渢op-notch鈥 faculty, wide-ranging academic options, and an approach that 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 chase new trends in business but instead relies on teaching sound fundamentals that can then be applied to any situation.鈥 The programs differ in some details; full-time students, for example, enjoy a student-enacted grade nondisclosure policy that creates a conducive environment for 鈥渢eamwork and sharing of ideas.鈥 Students must also complete the Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD) program, which 鈥減rovides analytic frameworks for leadership that are very helpful in determining the best way to use [one鈥檚] strengths and where to improve.鈥 Parttimers enjoy 鈥済reat flexibility,鈥 noting that 鈥渕ost classes have several sessions taught by the same professor during the same quarter, enabling students to make up class sessions if for some reason they cannot attend their normal session.鈥 Booth鈥檚 weekend MBA and Executive MBAs have 鈥渟tudents flying to Chicago from across the U.S. and world to attend classes,鈥 which 鈥渃onnects a much broader and more diverse group of people than other MBA programs can.鈥
Chicago Booth鈥檚 faculty includes Nobel laureates and cutting-edge researchers 鈥渨ho also excel in the classroom.鈥 One accounting student reports, 鈥淏oth my corporate tax strategy professor and my M&A accounting professor consult for corporate and government clients, so they have intimate knowledge of how to apply what they teach in the real world.鈥 Booth is best known for its faculty in finance, economics, and accounting, but students note that the school should work to 鈥渋ncrease awareness of its excellence in marketing, entrepreneurship, and general management disciplines.鈥 Many students also 鈥渄o a one-term or full-year exchange program at a foreign business school,鈥 and 鈥渢hese international career development opportunities are a big part of the experience for many Booth students.鈥