University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School

MBA Program Stats

Academics And Programs

Alongside a class of 250 students on average, students will take core foundational business courses their first semester to help them gain an understanding of business fundamentals, analytical expertise, leadership concepts, and decision-making frameworks. A substantial portion of the second half of the first year and the entire second year are devoted to elective courses, where students take courses that align with their career interests.

The breadth of electives allows students to tailor their education to focus on specific career goals. They can select from thirteen concentrations to customize their academic plans and deepen their expertise, for example Capital Markets and Investments, Consulting, Energy, Marketing, Sustainable Enterprise, and the ever-popular Healthcare concentration. Their Real Estate concentration is also one of the largest in the country, with on the ground experiences built in.

Students can benefit from UNC Kenan-Flagler’s STEM-designated program, which integrates data and analytical concepts into the flexible curriculum, preparing students with the modern decision-making skills employers seek. Additionally, students are exposed to hands-on experiences through opportunities such as Global Immersion Electives (GIEs) and the STAR (Student Teams Achieving Results) Consulting Program; an experiential consulting experience in a for-credit course where student teams work as consultants to solve real, complex business issues for companies, many of which recruit and employ UNC Kenan-Flagler students.

Students make the most of their MBA through co-curricular activities like Applied Investment Management; working with other students to manage investment funds, pitch competitions, venture capital investment competitions, and many student-led professional clubs and conferences.

“Almost everyone I’ve met at UNC Kenan-Flagler, from recently graduated alumni to our dean, talks about how their school experiences acted as a springboard to a more fulfilling life, both personally and professionally. When applying to UNC Kenan-Flagler, it’s important to think about how you want to use this springboard: Do you want to accelerate your current career trajectory or pivot to a new pursuit? How does a two-year full-time MBA align with your existing obligations to your family, your community, or your work? Does your life vision match with the Carolina Way culture? Once you answer these fundamentals, it will be much easier to craft a compelling application and identify how your MBA experience can leave positive impacts throughout your life journey,” says McConnell

Why Students Chose

“I was drawn to UNC Kenan-Flagler because of their healthcare concentration. The breadth of course choices enable students to explore various dimensions of healthcare ranging from medical entrepreneurship to international immersion electives.” Alexis Flen (‘24)

“The balance between academics and real-world experiences immediately attracted me to UNC Kenan-Flagler. I’m particularly excited to test my knowledge and skills during the STAR Program by providing innovative, effective, and sustainable recommendations for corporate partners in a real-world setting.” Carlos L. Pérez-De La Rosa (‘24)

“Personally, what I love the most about UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA program is their STEM-designated curriculum and its collaborative and diverse learning environment. There are over 125 electives and 12 concentrations that allow you to customize your education based on your career goals. This was so important to me since I am interested in a variety of subjects and having the flexibility to combine challenging courses and my passion all at once. Also, I was really impressed by their continued career support and faculty who are world-class researchers and expert teachers.” Irasema González-Gutiérrez (‘24) 

Career Stats

Compensation Of Kenan-Flagler’s Graduate MBAs

Industry Choices Of Kenan-Flagler’s Graduate MBAs

Employment Offers Of Kenan-Flagler Graduate MBA

Essay Questions For Kenan-Flagler

The B-School asks that prospective MBAs respond to two required essay questions and one optional question. Your responses should be concise, clear, and introspective as we’ll use them to learn more about you, your motivations, and your aspirations.

Essay 1 is required. Your response should be no longer than 500 words and should address the following questions:

• What are your immediate career goals and how will you benefit from earning an MBA at Kenan-Flagler Business School?
• As the business world continues to evolve, circumstances can change and guide you in a different direction. Should your goals that you provided above not transpire, what other opportunities would you explore?

Essay 2 is required. Your response should be no longer than 500 words and should address the following question:

Reflect on a project or initiative you were involved in that had a significant positive impact on a community, organization, or individual. How did this experience shape your sense of responsibility as a future leader dedicated to making a difference in the world?

Essay 3 is optional. They encourage you to tell them more about who you are so we can get to know you as a person and potential member of the Carolina community. Use this essay to convey information that you may not have otherwise been able to in the application. Your response should be no longer than 200 words.

Optional topics:

• Personal or professional accomplishments
• Interests and passions
• Gaps in work experience or inconsistent academic performance
• Context for recommender selection
• A fun fact about yourself

Essay 4 is required only for previous applicants to any UNC MBA program format. Your response should be no longer than 100 words and should address the following prompt:

If you are reapplying to the program, we appreciate your continued interest in UNC Kenan-Flagler. We require a complete application in addition to a brief essay that describes how your application differs from your previous submission and that alerts us to new test scores, a recent promotion, or other areas that demonstrate how you have strengthened your candidacy.

Rankings Data For Kenan-Flagler