Pittsburgh Katz

History

The University of Pittsburgh was founded in 1787. It was earlier called as the Pittsburgh Academy and a log cabin on the American frontier was its first building. In 1830, the University shifted into a three-story building in downtown, Pittsburgh. In 1845, a fire broke out and destroyed the entire building, and classes were shifted to the basement of a local church. The University got set up in a new building in 1849, which got destroyed again due to fire, damaging the equipments. Another new building was constructed six years later in downtown, Pittsburgh. The Katz School of Business came into being around 50 years back.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration is to produce knowledge through research on issues relevant to business and society; prepare students to create business value through thought leadership and practice; and promote global dialogue on economic and entrepreneurial activities that improve society.

Core Strengths of the School

Globalism, collaboration and innovation are embedded in the Katz MBA program, as the School believes that students need to imbibe these values in order to evolve themselves into future business leaders. The curriculum focuses on molding the mindset of the students by encouraging them to think strategically about the consequences of their decisions. Students develop an analytical and strategic thought process due to the exposure to a number of real-world business challenges. The small class size ensures maximum utilization of the tools and resources by the students and fosters greater interaction with the learned faculty. Students can select the concentration of their choice and enhance their understanding on the business concepts of a particular field. The School aims at providing a strong foundation on business concepts to its students by exposing them to an array of experiential learning activities that would foster their innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.

Uniqueness in MBA Pedagogy

Learn by doing is the motto of the School. The Consulting Field Projects is one such initiative in this direction, where the students get the opportunity to work as management consultants for renowned organizations. Students learn to work in a team and implement their business knowledge to a real-world business situation. Students hone their presentation skills by presenting their suggestions and recommendations to the panel of judges for the McKinsey Cup Competition. This experience is an opportunity for the students to develop long term relationship with the sponsoring organization that might culminate into a full-time job opportunity.

The Global Research Practicum is a three credit course, which is an opportunity for the students to immerse themselves into the concepts of international businesses. Students travel to countries like China, Brazil, Germany, Russia and Bulgaria, where they make visits to the local and multi-national companies. This gives them insights into the economy and business of the visiting country and a holistic picture of the global business scenario. The research component of the course encourages students to delve into a research question and conduct field research during their overseas stay. Some of the Consulting Field Projects have overseas sponsors that add the international travel component to these projects. The International Business Center IBC additionally offers language courses to the students in order to overcome the language barriers that might cause hindrance to the learning experience for the students. IBC makes continuous efforts to design programs that would enhance the business expertise and build the international competence of its students. The International Business Association IBA is a platform for the students to interact with the business community and learn about international business practices.

The David Berg Center of Ethics and Leadership focuses on creating value for the organizations by ingraining ethical leadership qualities in its students who would be leading numerous such organizations. The Center has an array of programs and events that foster research in the areas of leadership, ethics, social responsibility and sustainability.

CONCENTRATIONS OFFERED

LOCATION ADVANTAGES

Pittsburgh city is known to have re-invented itself from its smoky past. Popularly known as the Steel City, the city has transformed itself with the changing times and is now a hub for the next generation companies like robotics, bio-tech, computer science and healthcare. The city houses the headquarters and regional offices of numerous Fortune-500 companies that offer internships and full-time job opportunities to the students. The Carnegie Museum of Arts and Natural History display exquisite collection of historical artifacts of ancient times. The steep hills, rivers and extensive greenery of the city provide a serene and peaceful environment.

CAREER SUPPORT

The Katz Career Management Center ensures that the students land at the right jobs post their MBA. The Center has an expert career advising team that delves into a student’s profile and studies his strengths and areas of interests. Career Advisors have discussions with students regarding the CareerLeader assessment and help them choose the right career path. Once a Career Plan is prepared for each student after thoroughly scanning his profile, career advisors concentrate on developing a job search plan. Professional Development Academies are organized every Wednesday and Friday with the intention to enhance the interpersonal skills of the students and transform them into business savvy individuals. The Center helps students with their resumes and creating their Personal Brand Statement. The Center facilitates networking opportunities for its students by organizing career fairs and leveraging their alumni network. Students get access to indispensable database of information and advice through resources like Vault.