The Master of Business Administration program at ASU has been ranked among some of the top programs in the nation and now the executive MBA program at ASU is ranked No. 30 in the world.
The business college rankings were done by Business Week. This is the first time the magazine has ranked MBA executive programs across the world.
Lee McPheters, associate dean of the MBA executive program, called the new rankings, "pleasing."
"There are not all that many universities that have a ranking in all three MBA programs," McPheters said. "Only 14 schools are nationally ranked in that way."
Last year, the ASU MBA day program was ranked as 30th in the nation, and more recently, the evening program was ranked 12th in the nation.
The day and evening program rankings were complied by U.S. News and World Report.
Schools were ranked on the basis of surveys of more than 3,000 MBA executive graduates from 82 business colleges, as well as the executive MBA directors at those colleges.
After looking at the 82 surveys, Business Week ranked the top 35.
Stephen Happel, executive MBA economics professor, said it was impressive to see the program ranked so high.
"We have many fine programs in the College of Business," Happel said. "In terms of overall satisfaction, alumni have come out extremely satisfied with their experience."
Happel added that students who typically make evaluations of the MBA executive program are some of the toughest evaluators in any of the colleges.
Out of the top 35 rankings, only one other Arizona business college, Thunderbird American Graduate School of International Management, ranked ahead of ASU at 21.
Neither UA nor NAU's programs were listed in the top 35.
The ASU MBA executive program differs from the day and evening programs because it is designed for senior managers.
Typically, these managers are defined as individuals who have already had responsibility over sizeable budgets and large staffs, but have been promoted from a technical or operations position and are now learning the basics of management.
McPheters added that the ASU MBA executive program is a "premium program," because of the services students are given, including a laptop, textbooks and parking.
The cost of attending the ASU MBA executive program is $24,486 for one year, and the average age of students attending the program ranges from 35 to 50. Fall enrollment for the program is 50 students.
Reach Tony Ku at thatsku@hotmail.com.
