According to Forbes Magazine, an increasing number of top business universities are mixing humanities with core business. Forbes reports that those executives who went through a well-rounded, humanities-infused business program found it highly beneficial in the workplace. Additionally, business programs that have a more global focus, produce graduates with an awareness and sensitivity to cultural influences on business are increasingly important in a global economy, especially one where the U.S. is no longer a lead player. While London Business School is rated No. 1 by the Financial Times in terms of its global curriculum, INSEAD in France and IE Business School in Spain, in the No. 5 and 6 positions, are world renowned. Students who graduate from these programs are better prepared to manage and lead in business in the global economy, and are less apt to cultivate an arrogance historically common among MBA graduates at top-echelon U.S. schools.
According to Business Insider, best-rated entrepreneurial business schools focused not just on academics; they incorporated experiential learning through internships, on-site consulting experiences, case studies and consulting for small businesses. Babson College, a smaller college located in the high-technology district outside of Boston, is top rated by Princeton Review and has maintained an entrepreneurial-directed business program for decades. University of Chicago took the No. 2 spot. While 63 percent of its faculty come from entrepreneurial backgrounds, it also offers seven mentoring programs, eight entrepreneurial clubs and partnerships with businesses. Internationally, the Executive MBA program at London Business School incorporates entrepreneurial themes and theories in its curriculum. In a down-turned economy, frequently it's the entrepreneurs who can raise a promising business model from nothing.
While an MBA isn't a "gold ticket" to a mega paycheck, especially in a down-turned economy, it can attract attention from potential recruiters. However, considering that the economy is more globalized and U.S. businesses and the dollar have lost appeal, some business universities are adopting a more global business curriculum. Global MBA's (GMBA's) are popular degrees that expose students to a global economy, the players and forces that influence and shape the global economy. Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, a non-U.S. MBA program, was ranked highly because of an approach that treats students like business employees. Another top-ranked GMBA program is offered through the Spain-based ESADE. Students in this program learn not just through curriculum; they learn about cultural influences and perceptions in business. Both programs are offered in residence or online.
According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, three undergraduate business universities have captured the top ratings. Despite dismal unemployment worldwide, students from Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce and Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management have maintained good to high employment rates for graduating seniors. "More than 90 percent of Sloan students had found summer internships (in 2009) and the median starting salary averaged $62,000." Students rated the programs highly based on the schools' multiple-disciplinary curriculum taught by faculty who had a wide range of business backgrounds. Additionally, the top three offered internships, partnerships with businesses, mentoring programs and lifetime job placement services.
In addition to global awareness, an increasing number of worldwide business universities, in the aftermath of the real estate disaster, are focusing on sustainability and corporate responsibility. For example, Desautel at McGill University in Canada sends groups of business students to India on field trips to get a first-hand experience with other world economies. Business students work with local grass-roots organizations and local businesses on business models and on projects that address urban deficiencies in the poverty-stricken neighborhoods. As another example of social responsibility, business students at Kenan-Flager Business School at University of North Carolina work with organizers for Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that raises funding for low-cost housing and then builds it with community participation.