Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management

Willamette’s Early Career and Career Change full-time MBA emphasizes experiential learning and teamwork, and prepares students for their first professional position and 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 Romana Autrey, Ph.D. and Dean of the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

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.

Throughout the 21-month program, small cohorts of around 50 students build their resumes through hands-on experience such as internships, consulting projects, and experiential electives, including a student investment fund, an angel venture capital investment fund, and a philanthropic investment course. Students can complete up to 3 semesters of internship. Other opportunities include exchange programs in France, Denmark and China.

Seven areas of concentration are available and include: Entrepreneurship, Management Science & Quantitative Methods, Accounting and Finance, Marketing, Human Resources & Organizational Management, Global Management, and Public & Not-for-profit Management.

Willamette MBAs partake in a full program of career management programming where they develop their strategic career management tools and build their professional network. Student professional organizations also offer leadership and networking opportunities.