BYU MBA Continues Upward Climb in Financial Times Rankings

PROVO, Utah — Jan 30, 2006 — The Marriott School of Management jumped four spots in the 2006 Financial Times rankings of the top 100 global MBA programs. The London-based paper ranked Brigham Young University’s Marriott School in the top 50 for the second consecutive year.

The school, which ranked 45th overall and 27th in the United States, was also listed among the top ten programs for accountancy and the highest percentage salary increase of North American schools. The latter distinction is calculated by measuring the increase in salary from the beginning of the MBA to three years after graduation, computed as a weighted average of responses from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 surveys.

“This is a nice recognition of the progress we feel we’re making as an international management school,” says Ned C. Hill, Marriott School dean. “Our graduates have a growing reputation of hard-work, integrity and international experience.”

The Financial Times has ranked business schools for the past eight years. The Marriott School has been included in the last six. The paper’s criteria measure a school’s strength in three areas — purchasing power in the marketplace, diversity of experience and the school’s research qualities. The rankings are compiled from two questionnaires and an independent assessment of faculty research. One questionnaire was completed by alumni who graduated three years ago. A second questionnaire was completed by each school. The paper evaluated business schools on six continents for its 2006 MBA rankings published 30 January.

“I think we’re becoming much more visible,” explains Brooke Derr, director of the school’s Global Management Center. “Faculty members are participating in more international conferences and exchanges. Students are undertaking global field studies and entering more global competitions. More international scholars and executives are visiting the school.”

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, organizational behavior and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.