We also encourage students to complete a directed study. If a student is interested in sports marketing, they need to make sure that they have some experience in that area. Through directed study, a student can conduct a field study with a local company that's related to sports marketing. It gives them invaluable real-world experience which ultimately helps them land the job that they want.
Through the flexible curriculum, students can also capitalize on Emory University's strengths and the benefits of being in a big city like Atlanta.
For example, we have students who are able to work with the mayor's office here in Atlanta trying to develop solutions to the homeless problem. In this instance, our students are evaluating ways that local corporations can partner with the mayor's office to help address this difficult problem. This is a great project for a student interested in working post-MBA in the nonprofit sector.
Our students can learn first-hand how the corporate world and government can work together to meet community needs.
Are there other innovative elements to Goizueta's approach?
There are so many innovative and unique elements in our MBA program.
One thing that makes Goizueta so attractive to students is that it's very easy to get an idea approved.
Faculty and staff have a very open and entrepreneurial approach. If a student comes up with an idea for a new initiative, it's readily accepted as long as the student is willing to help implement the change.
Last year a second-year MBA student wanted the school to host a
diversity conference.
She conceptualized the event, identified the speakers, and led the fundraising effort, with support across the school. The initial event was a big success.
In fact, we just hosted our second Diversity Conference at Goizueta.
Can you talk about LEAD week?
LEAD weeks take place at the beginning of each semester.
The fall LEAD week involves an intense analytical case. The entire student body is divided up into teams and they compete on a particular problem – for example, analyzing Delta Airlines' Annual Report.
(In 2005, the faculty had actually planned a similar
exercise for the fall. However, because of Hurricane Katrina, we had
students from Tulane that joined our community. So our students requested
that we have a business-focused fund-raising contest instead of the
traditional LEAD Week case analysis. With barely $2000 in seed money, our
students raised $75,000 in three days. This is a great example of servant
leadership being incorporated into LEAD Week.)
The LEAD week experiences in the spring involve international study modules.
Students can select between 4 to 5 destinations. A faculty member leads each study module group.
This January, our students will be traveling to China, India, South Africa, and Latin America.
The LEAD Week experience includes a pre-trip orientation,
including sightseeing and social activities. LEAD Week itself includes meetings with multinational companies
and government leaders, touring local businesses, and gaining exposure to the challenges and the opportunities of doing business in that particular country. Significant others can participate in the trip as well.
How does the One-Year Full-Time Program differ from the Two-Year program?
The vast majority of candidates enrolled in our One-Year MBA
Program have an undergraduate business background. A few candidates will have a
very quantitative background such as engineering, but they will also have taken
courses in microeconomics, corporate finance and accounting.
The One-Year MBA Program is designed so that students spend
the summer months, May through August, reviewing the business course work
they had as undergraduate students or have taken since their graduation.
That's why the One-Year Program starts in May each year, whereas the Two-Year
Program starts in August.
During these summer months, the One-Year Program is very intense.
'One-Years' are completing nine core business classes, including our Goizueta Plus communications class. One-Year MBA students begin preparing for their job search
at that time, too.
In September, the One-Year students join our second-year Two-Year MBA students who have just returned to school from their summer internships.
The One-Years take electives like the second-year students do.
Overall, the key differences between the two programs are the
One-Year Program's intense core summer coursework, and the fact that there is no internship opportunity.
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