"Quiet confidence" is a phrase that might be used to describe Indiana University's
Kelley School of Business. While bigger-name schools like Harvard,
Wharton, and Stanford have wrestled over the top few slots of the various
b-school rankings in recent years, Kelley has quietly and consistently made
it into the top 25 listings. With students giving the school and its faculty
'A' grades for teaching, and corporate recruiters giving its graduates 'A'
grades for teamwork, analytical skills, and communication, Kelley is well
worth a look by anyone seeking a quality graduate business education.
Here is our spring 2008 interview with Katherine O'Malley, Associate
Director of Marketing for the Kelley School of Business.
How do you see the MBA program at Kelley evolving?
The Kelley MBA Program at Indiana University maintains its elite status as
one of the world's top business programs by providing an
unparalleled classroom experience and real-world preparation in a collaborative
environment. We are consistently fine-tuning our programs and curriculum to
provide the absolute best experiences for our students, faculty, staff, and
partners.
Can you describe some of Kelley's innovative curriculum?
Sure!
Integrated Core Experience
A 15-week fully integrated, foundational Core comprises the initial fall
semester at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. We're proud
of our innovations and this is one of our most unique Program features - a
seamless curriculum integrating and coordinating every business discipline.
Students study problems from many functional perspectives in classroom
sessions led by faculty whose specialties converge to help them develop
skills and concepts for the real world. The academic content in one
component interlocks with the case materials students are learning in
another component. Positioned as one 18-credit hour course, the Integrated
Core is team taught by 8 Kelley MBA Program professors who are world-class
experts in the fields of strategy, operations, marketing, finance,
accounting, critical thinking, quantitative analysis, and economics.
Contrast this to a traditional MBA core, where a student is required to
fulfill a number of separate, specified courses. The Kelley MBA Integrated
Core vividly displays the interconnectedness of these 8 functional areas in
the marketplace and challenges students to respond to business issues from a
comprehensive viewpoint. Kelley MBA students, especially those who come from
a non-business background, find the Integrated Core extremely helpful in
preparing them to understand and respond to the everyday challenges in the
workplace.
Kelley Academies
The Academies are a cornerstone of the innovative Kelley MBA Program
curriculum. Academies provide yet another opportunity for students to gain
real-world preparation during their Kelley MBA experience. In addition to
each student’s choice of majors, minors, club participation, and elective
coursework, he or she is able to join one of eight distinct industry-focused
Academies creating a unique learning experience that caters to his or her
individual career objectives.
During the first few weeks of school, students are given the opportunity
to meet with Academy Directors and fully evaluate which Academy is the best
fit, thereby customizing their curricular experience.
Academies add important new dimensions to the academic component of the
Kelley MBA education by providing students rare access to top executives and
firms that are industry leaders. The Academies offer the opportunity to gain
in-depth, hands-on knowledge of a specific industry or functional area;
obtain industry-focused career guidance and interview preparation; and
broaden both personal and professional networks. In combination, this allows
students to learn more about industry trends and employment requirements,
form life-long relationships, and advance their careers.
Led by a team of faculty directors with significant industry experience
and vast professional networks, each Academy provides an intimate social
network and an unparalleled learning environment. Upon graduation, students
are not only Kelley alums but Academy alums as well. Many Academy
graduates return to campus to participate in annual Academy events and
recruiting.
Three Academy-intensive Weeks (AIWs) led by Kelley MBA faculty, career
specialists and alumni are designed to provide each student with an
opportunity to build career specific knowledge and skills. Each of these
intensive weeks is devoted solely to Academy activities and carries 1.5
academic credits toward the MBA degree. Students participate in one Academy
week each of their first three semesters. The first will establish the
foundation needed to land an internship in a chosen field. The second gives
students the tools to succeed in their internships. The third
Academy-intensive week provides Academy members with advanced tools for
long-term success.
Kelley Academy students have also been afforded once-in-a-lifetime
experiences like ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, riding in
the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile, and meeting face-to-face with Warren Buffett.
As such, Academy activities provide experiences that are designed to
reinforce coursework through real-world application and challenge students
to lead in a low-risk environment. These activities and related experiences
set Kelley students apart both in and out of the workplace.
Academy activities vary but often include:
- Executive judged case competitions.
- Full-immersion visits to companies in cities such as New York and
San Francisco.
- One-of-a-kind mini-internships commissioned by corporate partners.
- Student-led consulting projects that address real-world issues.
Major and Elective Coursework
Beginning in the spring semester of the first year at Kelley, students
enroll in major and elective coursework. To add further strength to what
they've learned during the Integrated Core, students are immediately able to
customize their curriculum in order to best prepare them to excel in their
internship experiences. Additionally, students are able to enroll in Indiana
University courses, outside of the School of Business, to supplement their
business curriculum. In the past, students have completed courses in foreign
language study, business law, and nonprofit management. Students have
constant access to faculty experts, peer mentors and career coaches in their
chosen areas of specialty during their studies.
Are students required to select a major?
Yes, students are required to select a major, but there is also a self-designed major option that allows students to design a unique curriculum, pulling
together courses that will best help them to meet their career goals. Those are easily approved.
What opportunities do you have for students interested in international business?
The Kelley School of Business offers a number of international immersion
opportunities to prepare students for a career in today's global business
environment. In addition to working with students from around the world,
Kelley students can gain international business exposure through a variety
of curricular and extracurricular activities. Whether a student is
interested in taking a more traditional classroom approach with an
international management major or interested in spending a semester abroad,
Kelley offers opportunities to meet a variety of needs.
Kelley International Perspectives (KIPs)
A focused, hands-on, global learning experience for MBA students, Kelley
International Perspectives offers MBA students a global opportunity to learn
about industries and business issues relevant to a specific country. KIPs is
a course designed for students who desire business knowledge that a focused,
hands-on learning experience can deliver.
Each seven-week KIPs course is student-organized and faculty led. The
course consists of directed readings, a speaker series, and a 10- to 12-day
field research trip to the country of study at the conclusion of the course.
This student-driven program, under the guidance of a faculty adviser, allows
students to research, prepare, and present all curriculum topics as well as
gain hands-on knowledge while visiting the countries of study.
The KIPs program complements all MBA degree tracks and is an additional
opportunity for students to have a meaningful international experience
without spending a quarter of the MBA experience abroad. Students are able
to participate in KIPs during both the first and second years of the Kelley
MBA Program.
The rewards of participation in this unique program are many:
- A comprehensive combination of in-class study with an international
hands-on research experience for any Kelley MBA student, regardless of
program track or major.
- Opportunities to develop networking, negotiating, and leadership
skills through student leader positions and committee participation.
- Fulfillment, in part, of the International Business major/minor
(pending departmental approval) and the Certificate of Global Business
Achievement requirements. The first KIPs experiences took place in spring
2000, with 50 students participating in trips to Brazil and Japan. Since
then, new groups have returned to Japan and Brazil and also focused on
Cuba, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Poland, Australia, Ireland,
China, Chile, Argentina, and India.
Overseas Study Programs
The Kelley School of Business MBA Program offers several quarter- and
semester-long opportunities to study abroad. The Kelley School of Business
is a proud member of PIM, Partnership in International Management, a
consortium of leading international business schools, founded in 1973.
Through PIM, the School provides full-time MBA students the opportunity
to study in top Business Schools in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, and
South America. See the
Kelley
MBA web site for more information.
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