Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management

Willamette’s Early Career and Career Change full-time MBA is on a mission to foster experiential learning, teamwork, and, as their name suggests – prepare professionals for a career change.

The B-School is situated in Salem, Oregon, where students enjoy skiing the Cascade Mountains, visiting beautiful beaches along Oregon’s Pacific Coast, windsurfing in the picturesque Columbia River Gorge, and hiking in the many forested areas in and around Salem.

Oregon is home to a multitude of businesses including northwest legends such as Intel, Hewlett Packard, Columbia Sportswear, and Nike. Better yet, the state capitol is across the street from campus.

“Our Early Career/Career Change MBA program is the best of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the very best nationally, because it emphasizes applied, experiential, AND consequential learning. The consequential learning aspect is the most distinctive because very rarely do MBA students have an opportunity to immerse themselves in actually running an organization that can positively affect the community and bottom line. There’s no better way to learn to be a business professional!” says Örn B. Bodvarsson, Ph.D. and Dean of the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

Throughout the 21-month program, small cohorts of around 60 students build their resumes through hands-on experience such as internships, consulting projects, and experiential electives, including a student investment fund, a venture capital course, and a philanthropic investment course.

Willamette MBAs first master the fundamental principles of management through the core curriculum. A hallmark of the Willamette core curriculum is the PACE (Practical Application for Careers and Enterprises) course, a six-month consulting project with non-profit clients that begins with practical management concepts. Throughout the curriculum, students receive guidance, reflect on their knowledge, and define their steps toward the future.

MBAs can take electives in 10 functional areas, including Entrepreneurship, Management Science & Quantitative Methods, and Public & Not-for-profit Management, among others. MBAs can complete up to 3 semesters of internship, and nearly every student chooses to complete at least one.

Willamette MBAs can partake in MBA Exchange programs in France, Denmark and China and the school offers optional international trips twice a year. As for co-curricular activities, there are professional clubs, conferences, and case competitions.

Willamette’s MBA Rankings