The University of California, Irvine, is located in beautiful Southern California. UCI is ranked 9th among Public Universities by U.S. News and World Report. Additionally, The New York Times states UCI is #1 university doing the most for the American dream. The Paul Merage School of Business has also received many notable recognitions, including accreditation through the prestigious AACSB. The Full-time MBA program was recently ranked among the top 50 programs in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek, Financial Times, U.S. News and World Report, and Forbes Magazine. The undergraduate business program was ranked 20th among public schools by U.S. News and World Report as of 2018. The accounting program also received high marks by the Public Accounting Report in 2018, with the undergraduate program ranked 25th in the west and the Master of Accountancy program 18th in the west.
Education
Business leaders are created through the Bachelor in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Information Management degrees. Business Administration students can personalize their degree with a concentration in Accounting, Finance, Health Care Management, Information Systems, Marketing, Operations and Decision Technologies, and Organization and Management. All students in this program must either participate in the University’s Education Abroad Program or take an international business course. The BS in Information Management is a collaborative degree between the Bren School of Computer and Information Sciences and the Paul Merage S.o.B. This program consists of courses in Computing, Business Foundations, and Analytical Methods.
The Master of Business Administration program offers options catered to different career levels, with a Full-time MBA, Fully-Employed MBA, and MBA for Executives. Specialized master’s programs are also offered in Finance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Professional Accountancy, Business Analytics, Biotechnology Management, and Engineering Management. Students can apply the skills they learn and network with professionals through seven unique Centers of Excellence. Students will also form core groups, to promote team-work, and will engage in group projects, such as the Merage Consulting Projects course.
Student Life
Approximately 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students are annually enrolled in the Paul Merage S.o.B. There are opportunities for students to find their niche through business organizations, competitions, and study abroad programs. The New Venture Competition allows students to compete for $100,000 in cash prizes by creating a start-up. Students have the opportunity to hear from the best business leaders in the world through the Distinguished Speaker Series. Career Services helps students polish their professional skills through skill-building workshops, career advising, and land internships or full-time jobs through career fairs.
Online Programs
The Fully Employed MBA featured a hybrid option. Students in this program will complete 60% of coursework online, and attend four Saturday classes per quarter. This program also consists of three experiential residencies. Thinking Strategically in the Digital Age is a four-day kick-off experience, where students will meet their classmates and work on case studies, presentations, and projects. Global Business II is a week-long international residency, consisting of company tours and meeting with business officials. The final residency is a four-day Executive Leadership capstone, focusing on skills developed throughout the program and creating a long-term career plan.
Related Resources:
Best MBA Programs in California
Best EMBA Programs