|
The University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business is a traditional business school esteemed for high academic standards and rigor. Darden continues to puts its resources and academic emphasis on the creation of superb general managers.
Rigorous Academics
Some business schools try to be more responsive to diverse student backgrounds and give students a thorough but manageable workload. Darden sticks to principles of hard work and intensity. The Darden experience is highly interactive. Curriculum is 100% case method and class participation represents 40 to 50 percent of each course’s grade. Study is highly collaborative. Student and faculty relationships are also a cornerstone of the program. Darden focuses on ethics and leadership ? a core principle of the University of Virginia. The Darden experience is also intense ? students and faculty have deep intellectual commitment to the learning process.
Little free time - Darden students are given little time off (previously had exams on Saturday). Darden students have the reputation of being the hardest working in the MBA world.
Prerequisites - Students are expected to have a background in accounting, statistics and economics before arriving on campus, which ensures that all students can make meaningful and immediate contributions to classroom discussions.
Demanding curriculum - Based completely on the Case Method, students go through approximately 13 cases per week. The classroom also demands interaction and participation (40-50% of grade based on class participation).
Teamwork - Student teams meet nightly to discuss classes and cases.
Professors select students through cold calls to initiate case analysis and then invite the entire class to participate in discussions.
Students are placed in the role of decision maker and must have the ability to articulate and defend their positions in an insightful manner.
Students are required to take an ethics course and ethical challenges are often discussed in cases throughout the curriculum.
Key Statistics and Information
Small collegial environment, with 338 students per class
Highest alumni endowment (per alum) of any business school
Beautiful campus
Communal environment: all students, faculty and staff meet on Monday-Friday in the morning to discuss issues relevant to the school (called a “first coffee”).
For expert help with your application, check out our MBA Admissions Consulting.
|
