Pace University Lubin School of Business

With downtown Manhattan serving as its backdrop, the MBA program at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business is one that’s particularly known for its accounting and finance offerings. While many schools can claim the coveted AACSB accreditation, only a few can claim bragging rights to being AACSB accredited for both business and accounting. Lubin holds a spot in this elite group.

Other differentiators for Pace’s program are its location and an emphasis on applied learning. “Classes are highly focused on experiential learning and led by faculty with substantial business experience,” Melissa Grant, assistant dean in Lubin’s Office of Graduate Academic Advisement and Student Development, tells Poets&Quants.

“Given our location in the heart of the financial district, students are regularly in contact with professionals from various business industries through their classes, internships, and a plethora of special events.”

Regardless of their choice, all MBA students are required to complete seven foundational courses covering topics such as business writing, macroeconomics, managerial finance, and accounting for decision making. The taxation MBA program requires these plus two additional courses at the outset. Total credits needed to achieve completion will vary from program to program with taxation and accounting, for instance, going as high as 62 and 72 credits, respectively, and other programs as many as 58 total credits.

“The number of credits required varies based upon the student’s business undergraduate background, which is evaluated by the graduate admissions team,” Grant says.

This also means the cost to obtain a Lubin MBA degree will vary according to how many credits a student needs. In general, the school’s MBA credits are $1,267 each, signaling a price range anywhere between $50,000 and $90,000 depending on which program a student takes and how many classes their undergraduate experience dictates they’ll need to satisfy. Merit-based scholarships are available as well as graduate assistantships that offer various levels of tuition reimbursement and stipends. Nevertheless, students complete the program at their own pace, typically taking three courses per semester and finishing in two to four years.

CULTURE AND DIVERSITY AT LUBIN

As far as the culture is concerned, the program — which has been around for more than four decades — is hands-on and highly sociable says the school. Class sizes typically hover around 22 students.

“Despite the image of formality that a business school in the financial district may have, the culture at Lubin is incredibly relaxed, closely connected, and supremely friendly,” says Grant. “There’s also an incredible amount of personal support and guidance. We have a team of graduate academic advisors that works with each student individually from the point of admission right through graduation. We also oversee our 10 graduate student organizations, which are highly active groups that organize an array of on and off campus events each semester.”

Not only this, but the MBA program is marked by an abundance of diversity. “We are extremely diverse,” Grant says, “particularly with a significant international population; definitely over 50%. I would also venture to say we have slightly more women than men. The concentrations pursued vary, but we do have highest enrollment in the finance and accounting areas.”

WHAT LUBIN LOOKS FOR IN PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Lubin seeks students who are motivated and interested in a practical-based curriculum along with the development of both fundamental business skills and professional skills such as leadership. Again, diversity is the hallmark of a Pace cohort.

“I would point out that our students do not all have business backgrounds in profession or education,” Grant says. “Our top student graduate last year — winner of our Outstanding Graduate Student award — came to us with a bachelor’s and master’s in classical piano from a music conservatory. The winner in the prior year had a degree in comparative religion. Both were women and graduated with the highest GPAs of their entire graduating class.”

There is no minimum work experience requirement, but students are expected to have taken either the GMAT or GRE exam and they must provide a resume, letters of recommendation, and undergraduate transcripts. GRE and GMAT exams can be waived if applicants earned a 3.5 GPA or higher from an accredited undergraduate program or if they already hold a business-related master’s or doctorate degree.