USC's Marshall School of Business gives
students both the fundamentals needed for success in any
business career and opportunities to prepare themselves for
leadership in specialized fields. Students spend their first
year at Marshall on core business courses, and in their
second year branch out to electives suitable to their
particular career interests. Students have over 20 MBA
degree concentrations to choose from, including
entertainment, entrepreneurship, technology
commercialization, and e-business, as well as more
traditional disciplines such as marketing and finance,
operations management, and strategic management.
Students
can also pursue one of over a dozen dual degrees. Marshall
is especially noted for its innovative programs in
international business study. Its PRIME (Pacific Rim
Education) program takes classes to Asia and Latin America
for an on-the-ground orientation to the economic, social,
and cultural dynamics that impact business in those regions.
In addition, USC has agreements with over two dozen foreign
institutions that allow MBA students to study abroad or
pursue summer study and research. Aspiring MBAs who cannot
make the commitment to two years of full-time study can
still gain a business education at USC, through Marshall's
part-time, IBEAR (an accelerated one-year program), and executive MBA programs.
Below is the three-page transcript of our interview with
Keith Vaughn, Director of Admissions for the MBA Program.
What new changes are
occurring on campus and how is Marshall evolving?
Dean Yash Gupta began his
stewardship at the USC Marshall School of Business on July
1, 2004. Under his leadership the curriculum is being
reviewed, our relationships with corporations and alumni are
receiving a great deal of attention, and building facilities
are expected to expand and grow.
What general advice would
you like applicants considering the Marshall School of
Business's MBA to know?
Applicants should be assured
that the USC Marshall MBA program is committed to excellence
in research and teaching as well as continuing to seek
bright and ambitious students from around the globe to
expand its international alumni network.
When do you encourage applicants to apply?
We have four deadlines in our
admissions cycle: Dec 1, Jan 15, Feb 15, Apr 1. We encourage
applicants to apply when they are best prepared. There is a
recommended deadline, January 15th, for
international students and for fellowship consideration. Our
final deadline is April 1st.
What are the specific
characteristics you target in the applications to help you
identify 'best fit' candidates?
The "best fit"
characteristics in an application are derived from the
research and preparation that an applicant undergoes prior
to submitting his or her paperwork. The size and location of
our program allow us to send all of our MBA students abroad
for international exposure as a mandatory part of their
education in the PRIME class.
What should applicants
most heavily emphasize in their work experience?
Applicants should be aware
that the quality of their work experience is more important
than the length or duration in a particular career field.
They should also be able to bridge their past work history
to their future desired career goals. The ability to
demonstrate both teamwork and success in their past work
experience is also helpful.
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