Brigham Young University's business school moved from 41st to 38th in The Wall Street Journal's 2002 ranking of top business schools worldwide. The BYU Marriott School also rose from fifth to third place in the newspaper's "hidden gems" category, a listing of "schools that produce excellent graduates but aren't typically considered top-tier business schools."
In addition to the overall rankings, Marriott School graduates received high ratings for communication and interpersonal skills — the attribute most often mentioned by recruiters as very important.
"We are doing some things here that other schools aren't," says Curtis LeBaron, assistant professor of Organizational Leadership and Strategy. "In addition to writing and presentation skills, we emphasize training in interpersonal communication and interpersonal influence."
The Wall Street Journal worked with market research firm Harris Interactive to survey 2,221 M.B.A. recruiters. Recruiters were asked to rate each school on 12 student, 12 school and two overall attributes. Recruiters evaluated attributes such as ability to work well within a team; analytical and problem solving skills; leadership potential; and strategic thinking.
Although more than 430 accredited business schools were considered, the final sample of business schools eligible and available for rating included 187 U.S. schools and 73 non-U.S. schools.
"The recruiters were very complimentary of our graduates," says Ned. C. Hill, dean of the Marriott School. "It is gratifying to see those who hire our students appreciate the skills and values acquired through missionary service as well as the professional training provided by the school."
The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally and internationally ranked programs in accountancy, business management, information systems, organization behavior and entrepreneurship. The mission of the Marriott School is to educate men and women of faith character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.
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Writer: Emily Smurthwaite