EMU Today

YPSILANTI – “An overall great atmosphere for learning.” “A dynamic class environment.” “Lots of diverse work experience among students.” Plus, “amazing” professors and small class sizes.

Based on such student assessments, Eastern Michigan University's College of Business has been ranked one of the nation’s best business schools, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features Eastern as one of the 267 schools featured in the new 2018 edition of its book, "The Best Business Schools 2018."

 “This recognition, awarded for the 14th consecutive year, illustrates that our faculty members are providing a distinct and exceptional, global-based education to our students, who are going on to highly successful and meaningful careers in a wide variety of realms," said Anne Balazs, interim dean of EMU's College of Business.

Student surveys play role in rankings

The Princeton Review bases its rankings of business schools on school-reported data along with feedback from students. The Review surveyed more than 23,000 students attending the 267 business schools in the book. The Review does not rank the business schools in the book on a single hierarchical list from 1 to 267. 

“We chose the 267 on campus MBA programs schools on this list based on our high regard for their academics and our assessment of institutional data we collect from the schools. said Robert Franek, Princeton Senior VP-Publisher. “We also solicited and greatly respect the opinions of 23,000 students attending these schools who reported on their experiences at their schools on our 80-question survey.”

The Princeton Review's survey asked students at the b-schools about their school's academics, student body, and campus life as well as about themselves and their career plans. The student surveys that were used for this edition were completed online and conducted in the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years.

Challenged to develop own opinions in EMU classes

Comments (with student remarks’ in quotes) about the EMU College of Business in the 2018 book’s profile on Eastern include:

• While balancing a career and an education can be tricky business, students say EMU "provides great support for students and overall great atmosphere of learning."

• At EMU, "most of the professors are amazing," with close to 100 percent of the school's faculty members holding the highest degree available in their field.

• Graduate class sizes average fewer than twenty, which gives students the opportunity to "work directly with professors who provide PhD-level class time, rather than having to work through a teaching assistant." The result is a dynamic classroom environment, in which discussion is encouraged and "professors challenge you to develop your own opinions regarding global business and economies."

• In addition to the professors, there is "lots of diverse work experience among the students," adding depth to the academic environment.

• Drawing from Southeast Michigan and internationally, EMU's College of Business is incredibly "multicultural," with students from a range of backgrounds and levels of experience.

Appealing to every career stage

EMU's College of Business offers graduate programs that are appropriate to students at every stage of their career, and classes may be taken full-time or part-time, and in some cases online or through a hybrid of online and in-class coursework.

The College of Business has more than 2,200 undergraduate students pursuing one of 12 majors and more than 640 graduate students pursuing either an MBA, Masters of Information Systems, Masters of Integrated Marketing Communications, Masters of Human Resources and Organizational Development, Masters of Accounting, Masters of Taxation or a graduate certificate.

The Princeton Review is also known for its many categories of college rankings, its classroom and online test-prep courses, tutoring and its other education services. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, the Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University and it is not a magazine.

To learn more about the College of Business, please visit the COB website.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.