Ross School of Business – University of Michigan

Faculty

There are approximately 150 full-time faculty members at Ross, with an additional 60 or so adjunct or visiting professors, whose classes span 13 areas as well as the undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. programs.  Ross’s professors also contribute to the school’s 18 research centers and institutes, which range in focus from entrepreneurship to tax policy research.

Curriculum

Professors at Ross teach using a mix of case studies, classroom discussion and lectures with an emphasis on experiential learning.  This emphasis is particularly notable in the school’s Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP), in which teams of students spend a term completing consulting projects for real companies.  Ross also offers a variety of courses, extracurricular opportunities and competitions for students looking for further practical experience.  First-year students are typically divided into six sections of approximately 80 students each, and each section takes the same required first-year courses together.

The academic year for the full-time MBA program begins in early September and ends in late April.  The first year is divided into four seven-week terms, with students taking three to four classes for the first three terms and concluding with MAP for the last term in late spring.  Students at Ross may also pursue a term-long independent study project if they are in good academic standing.  In the second year, students take elective courses that last either seven or 14 weeks.  There are short breaks between the fall, winter and spring terms.

Ross requires each full-time student to complete 57 credits worth of classes in two years in order to graduate with an MBA degree.  A total of approximately 30 of those credits are completed through the 10 core courses first-year students take.  These courses span from accounting to marketing and are almost all eligible to be waived.  To waive core courses or other degree requirements, students may opt for an exam, demonstrate prior academic or professional experience in the material or cite a professional designation such as a CPA.  Along with the core courses, students must also complete the required course “Competing in the Global Business Environment” and fulfill requirements in communication and Law/Ethics by choosing from a list of eligible courses or securing a waiver.  Ross students are required to complete at least 25 credits worth of electives, 10 of which can be graduate coursework in other University of Michigan departments.  While Ross does not offer any majors, the school does break down its courses by department and offers career path guides to aid students in selecting elective courses.  Students looking to gain further exposure to international business may also spend a semester studying abroad at one of Ross’s 18 exchange partner schools.

Other MBA Degree Options

In addition to its two-year full-time MBA program, Ross offers evening and weekend part-time MBA programs, a 21-month Executive MBA program, and a 16-month Global MBA in which students spend three months abroad in Asia followed by thirteen months in Ann Arbor.  Ross has established more than 20 dual degrees with other University of Michigan – Ann Arbor departments in areas such as law, engineering, education and more regionally based studies. Students also have the option to create their own dual degree programs within the University.

Academic Departments at Ross

• Accounting
• Business Communication
• Business Economics and Public Policy
• Business Law
• Finance
• Management and Organizations
• Marketing
• Strategy
• Technology and Operations

Degree Offerings at Ross

Full-time MBA Program
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/full-time-mba

Evening/Weekend (Part-Time) MBA Program
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/evening-mba

Global MBA Education
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/global-mba

Executive MBA Education
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/executive-mba

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Clubs, Conferences & Competitions

Students at Ross contribute to an extensive range of clubs and other extracurricular activities.  Currently, there are over 70 clubs open to full-time MBA students, covering professional, community, diversity and social interests.  One popular club is the Community Consulting Club (CCC), through which undergraduate and graduate students perform nonprofit consulting projects for Southeastern Michigan organizations.  Members of the CCC complete 10 to 15 projects per year, such as designing a growth strategy for the Ann Arbor Hospice or creating a base of corporate sponsors for Habitat for Humanity.  Ross students may also participate in more traditional career-based clubs such as the Finance Club and the General Management Club or in more casual, socially oriented clubs like the Ice Hockey Club and Risky Business, the rock band at Ross.  Ross’s clubs and research centers work to host a number of conferences each year on topics including business in Asia, and energy-efficient markets, among others.

In line with its emphasis on experiential learning, Ross students are offered multiple opportunities to compete in business-related competitions.  For instance, the Leadership Crisis Challenge puts student teams in the position of senior executives facing a crisis scenario at a major company as they compete for a scholarship and other prizes.  Meanwhile, the Ross Energy Club offers an annual renewable energy case competition each February in which teams of MBA students from top business schools travel to Ross to present solutions to cases written by the club.

Campus Spaces

The Ross School of Business building lies at the southern end of the University of Michigan’s central campus and encompasses most of the business school’s classrooms, faculty offices and informal meeting areas.  The building also includes a large auditorium, a fitness center and a café, in addition to a reception hall and a full-service hotel.  Meanwhile, the Davidson Winter Garden—a glass-enclosed lounge area—serves as a common meeting place for students, faculty and guests.

Both on- and off-campus housing is available to full-time MBA students.  The Northwood Community Apartments is Michigan’s on-campus housing facility for graduate students, students with families and faculty, though demand for the apartments runs high.  Off campus, a majority of students rent apartments in such popular neighborhoods as South U, South of Hill and Southeast Side.

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Career Services

The Office of Career Development (OCD) takes a two-pronged approach to assisting students’ career search efforts.  The career counseling staff individually counsels students on their job searches and offers regular career workshops.  Meanwhile, the recruiter relations staff oversees the on-campus interview process, job postings and recruiter events. The OCD provides students with a variety of means to meet recruiters, including networking hours, on-campus presentations and off-campus site visits.  Interviewing for full-time positions begins the first week of October, and interviewing for internships begins in late January.

Career Statistics

Roughly 93% of the Ross Class of 2017 seeking employment had received a job offer at the time of graduation, and that number climbed to 97% within three months of graduation. The mean base salary for a Ross graduate was $124,702 with an average signing bonus of $30,866. Consulting was the most popular function post-graduation, claiming over 35% of the class; meanwhile, finance and marketing functions attracted roughly 18% and 20% of the class, respectively. About 11% of 2017 graduates found general management roles, while the rest took positions in strategic management, operations or other functions.

The most popular industry for the Class of 2017 was consulting, as over 32% of students entered that industry. Nearly 24% percent of the class entered the technology and telecom services industry, while financial services and investment banking combined accounted for 11% of the class and roughly 9% entered the consumer goods industry. Other industries of interest to Ross graduates included public healthcare and manufacturing, both receiving 7% or fewer of the class.

Following a common trend among business schools, Ross sent approximately 35% of its 2017 graduates to jobs located in the same region as the school: the Midwestern U.S. About 32% of the class went to the Western U.S., and 15% of the class headed to the Northeast. An additional 8% of the class took positions overseas, and the remainder opted to work in other regions of the U.S.

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The Class Profile

The average GMAT score among the 420 students in the Ross Class of 2020 was 720, with 80% of the class scoring between 680 and 760.  The average GPA was 3.5.

The majority of the Class of 2020 came from quantitatively focused academic backgrounds; 42% of students have undergraduate degrees in business or economics, while 30% entered with a degree in STEM fields (science, engineering, mathematics, or technology) and 28% in the humanities.  The class is comprised of 32% international citizens.  Women constitute 43% of the Class of 2020, and 23% of the class identify as a member of a minority ethnic group.

Application Procedures

Prospective students can apply to Ross in one of three admissions periods, which typically occur in October, early January and late March.  To be considered for admission to the MBA program, applicants must submit a current résumé, application form, essays, undergraduate and postgraduate transcripts, one letter of recommendation and a nonrefundable $200 application fee.  The admissions committee also requires that applicants submit GMAT or GRE scores and, if applicable, scores from the TOEFL or IELTS exams.  The school notes that participation in a “team exercise” held either on campus in Ann Arbor or at one of several international locations is highly recommended.  Interviews are required for admission to the program and are conducted on an invitation-only basis, typically by a member of the admissions staff or an alumnus.

Application Checklist

• Data Forms
• GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS Score(s)
• Résumé
• Application Fee
• Recommendation
• Academic transcripts
• Essays

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Tuition for the 2018-2019 academic year was $63,646 for Michigan residents and $68,646 for non-residents.  With the addition of textbooks, housing expenses and other personal expenditures, Ross estimates that the total cost of attending is $87,834 for in-state students and $92,834 for those from out of state.   To help finance their education, students are automatically considered for scholarships when they are granted admission, and no additional application is necessary.  These scholarships are awarded based on academic, professional and personal accomplishments and potential value to the community, with awards ranging from $10,000 to full tuition.  Ross also offers scholarships through the Tauber Institute for Global Operations and the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise.  In addition, students are encouraged to apply for other scholarships offered by the University of Michigan, as well as private scholarships .  Students seeking further financial support may apply for a federal loan through the Federal Direct Lending Program if they are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.   International students may secure loans through private lenders, although the school notes that these loans will require a U.S. co-signer.

Cost of Attendance (per year)

Tuition

• MI State Resident $63,646
• Non-MI State Resident $68,646

Food & Housing $15,570
Books, Course Packs and Supplies $1,716
Federal Loan Fees $222
Other/Personal (Healthcare) $6,352
Registration Fees $328

Total

• MI State Resident $87,834
• Non-MI State Resident $92,834

  Get all of this info to read on the go! Download the Ross School Snapshot PDF.