BusinessWeek has ranked Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) number one in the nation for its part-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, and number one in the nation for student satisfaction in the program. The publication announced the honor on Nov. 5, 2009.
In its 2009 ratings of part-time MBA programs, BusinessWeek gave WPI's program an "A+" for its teaching quality, and stated that, "students laud the technology focus and use of experienced adjunct professors." BusinessWeek's rankings are based on student satisfaction, academic quality, and post-graduation outcomes. The student survey contributes 40 percent of the final ranking, with academic quality and post-MBA outcomes contributing 30 percent each.
"Because [WPI's] program is small – fewer than 200 students – and focused on innovation and technology, grads say they get more attention from [Career Development Center] staff, and experience greater success on the job front than peers at other top part-time programs," wrote BusinessWeek Staff Editor Geoff Gloeckler in an article on the rankings. "Through visits to local companies, alumni networking events, and workshops with industry leaders, students make contacts that can advance their careers."
"To be recognized as the best in a national ranking reinforces the high quality of the WPI education," explained McRae C. Banks, department head and professor of entrepreneurship and strategy within WPI's Department of Management (WPI's business school). "We don’t chase the rankings; we simply work hard to deliver an outstanding program. We jumped in the BusinessWeek rankings from number nine to one in two years simply because we have an excellent director and a superior faculty of renowned scholars who deliver a strong, relevant, and rigorous curriculum. Above all, we care deeply about our students. We engage them in challenging programs because we know they want to be pushed, and they continually rise to the level of our expectations."
WPI’s part-time MBA program has consistently earned high rankings among national schools. In 2007, BusinessWeek ranked it number one in the Northeast and number nine in the nation, as well as number five nationally in student satisfaction and number four nationally in academic quality. That same year, The Princeton Review also recognized WPI’s MBA program, placing it in the top eight in the nation for providing the greatest opportunity for women studying in business and management. Business 2.0 magazine has ranked the program number nine in the nation for offering students the "best career prospects."
