MBA applicants can get carried away with rankings. In this series, we profile amazing programs at business schools that are typically ranked outside the top 15.
Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal College of Business is known for balancing traditional coursework with immersive learning. Smeal’s modular curriculum structure includes four seven-week modules over the course of the two-year MBA program. Beginning with “Concentration Week,” students participate in various seminars to learn more about the program’s seven available concentrations. The third module, for example, focuses on such themes as “Leadership Communications” and “Strategy.” The first year culminates in a capstone case competition, in which students work in teams to present business strategies to a panel. Smeal’s curriculum also includes a required international experience component, the “Global Immersion,” which takes place in the second year. Students travel to such countries as Chile, India, and China to visit international organizations across various industries.