University of Massachusetts (Isenberg)

History

The University was founded by the name of Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1863 with the intention to provide instructions to the Massachusetts citizens in the “agricultural, mechanical and military arts.” The College was renamed as Massachusetts State College in 1931 due to the rise in the number of enrolments and continuous expansions. The Isenberg School of Management started as the School of Business Administration in 1947. The first MBA degree was awarded in 1953. In 1964, the School moved to its current building in the heart of the UMass Amherst Campus.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Isenberg School of Management advances the reputation and mission of the University of Massachusetts’ flagship campus and land grant institution by 1) Making an impact on research in management, on the teaching of management, and the practice of management by creating and sharing new knowledge, 2) Preparing students for a rapidly changing business environment by providing high quality educational programs, and 3) Supporting organizations within the Commonwealth and other constituencies through outreach activities.

Core Strengths of the School

The challenging environment offered by the school will train students to become effective problem solvers and able decision makers in the future, which are desirable traits for any business leader. The collaborative work culture provided at the school gives the experience of real-world business setting and this experience will transition the students into exemplary team players. The small class size fosters individual attention from the faculty and ensures that students form a close-knit network of friendship. The school offers flexibility to choose elective courses to its students, so that they can customize their learning based on their interests. The program offers some of the best elective courses in the areas of Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing and Healthcare Administration, where hands-on opportunities are provided to the students, so that they can relate their concepts to the real world business issues. In the three-day Leadership Orientation program, students get insights into assessing their interests, widening their professional network, and developing their social networking and team building skills. The phenomenal alumni, industry experts and distinguished faculty alleviate the students’ learning by engaging the students in consulting projects, providing guest lectures and mentoring them for a remarkable academic career.

Uniqueness in MBA Pedagogy

Experiential learning is core to the School’s philosophy, as the School visualizes its students as future business leaders tackling real-world business problems. Independent Studies allows the students to explore their area of interests. Developing business plans, designing innovative financial models and real-world consulting projects are some of the range of independent studies that have been explored by students in the past. Students can also work on consulting projects with for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that would expose them to the real-world business challenges and enable them to apply their knowledge and skills in a real-world business setting.

The Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship provides experiential learning opportunities, where a student’s creative potential is tapped and nurtured. Here, students are encouraged to come up with business ideas, form their own team and work on their specific targets.

The Center for International Securities and Derivatives Market provides the school an edge over its academic counterparts. Participating in the ongoing research, the students get a holistic as well as deeper understanding of asset and risk management and other financial aspects of the business.

The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, which is the state headquarters of the Isenberg School, works extensively towards the growth of upcoming and emerging businesses. The training assistance provided by the MSBDC network has helped many small businesses flourish in addition to arranging financial assistance.

The UMass Board of Entrepreneurship assists students in transitioning their business ideas into relevant and successful business plans.

The Isenberg Management Association leaves no stone unturned in providing resources to students that would enable them to build their business acumen.

CONCENTRATIONS OFFERED

LOCATION ADVANTAGES

The School is located in the town of Amherst, Massachusetts in the Connecticut River Valley. The city provides easy access to the nation’s exciting cities- Boston and New York. The Calvin Theater, the UMass Fine Arts Center and Jacobs Pillow in the Berkshires are some of the entertainment venues that host top-notch performances by renowned artists. Amherst is home to some of the most amazing museums, including the Emily Dickinson Museum, Amherst College Museum of Natural History, Mead Art Museum and Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Students can relax and take a dip at the Puffer’s Pond to refresh themselves.

CAREER SUPPORT

The School offers a three-day Leadership Orientation Program better known as “MBA bootcamp” from the first day of the school. The Chase Career Center works extensively for the students, so that they land into the right job after the course. Students get trained to give interviews in a confident and interesting manner, face tough questions in interviews and gain tips from Chase experts on enhancing their LinkedIn professional network. The skill based workshops that are organized at regular intervals by the Chase Center equip the students with relevant and current skills required by the industry. The UMass CareerConnect tool provides further career assistance to students.