According to a ranking by "U.S. News & World Report," Stanford University ties with Harvard as the top business school in the country. At Stanford, located in Palo Alto, California, students can specialize in accounting, e-commerce, international business, marketing and more. The university also recognizes the importance of leadership in the business world, which is a huge focus here. Students simulate situations in which they’re forced to make difficult decisions and take on other leadership roles.
The Haas School of Business on UC Berkeley’s campus offers an MBA in many different business concentrations. Whether you want to focus on public policy, statistics research or another specialty, Haas has a challenging program that also benefits from its location near many major corporations in San Francisco. This is ideal for students seeking internships at some of the world’s largest companies, or even the numerous smaller businesses that this sprawling metropolitan area has attracted.
UCLA’s Anderson School of Management offers another superior program for MBA seekers. First-year students take core courses in a sequence that you can customize to best suit your needs. Second-year students choose from four business tracks: marketing, finance, consulting or a custom track. There are numerous specializations that allow students to further explore their chosen area of emphasis, building their knowledge base and honing their skills for the real world.
Home to the Michael G. Foster School of Business, the University of Washington in Seattle provides another excellent business program for graduate students. With lots of concentrations to choose from, students have the option to select the area that is most interesting to them or best suited to their career. Teamwork is a vital component of the business program, and full-time MBA students are placed in small groups to complete projects and more.
At USC’s Marshall School of Business, leadership and teamwork are major focuses in the MBA program. Within their specialized areas, students are required to participate in case discussions, presentations and more. First-year, full-time MBA students are also enrolled in the Pacific Rim International Management Education program, which explores the business environment and ideals of Pacific Rim and Latin American countries, complete with a 10-day trip abroad, so that students gain a broader knowledge of global business workings.