KNOXVILLE –- The University of Tennessee’s executive MBA programs are in the top 25 in the country, according to Financial Times, which annually ranks EMBA programs worldwide.
UT’s programs earned their strongest marks on having the most experienced students (6th domestically and 8th worldwide) and providing international course experience (7th domestically and 13th worldwide).
This is the fourth year in row that UT’s EMBA programs have been ranked by Financial Times.
Ranked 23rd among all U.S. schools with executive MBA programs, this ranking marks a significant increase over the past several years, up nine points from 2005 and 11 points from 2004.
Among all programs internationally, UT’s executive MBA programs are ranked 50th — up 14 spots from 2004 and six spots from 2005.
This year, 104 business schools took part in the survey compared with 95 in 2005. There are more than 350 executive MBA programs worldwide, 85 were ranked by the Financial Times.
A key component of the formula that Financial Times used to calculate the rankings was career progress of respondents -— an area in which UT’s programs continue to excel. Career progress compares the level of seniority of program alumni before earning their MBA and after completing their degree, with an adjustment made for company size. Forty-six percent of UT respondents reported receiving promotions within their companies since receiving their executive MBAs; 13 percent of UT respondents identified themselves as presidents or CEOs of their organizations.
Financial Times data showed that 83 percent of the UT executive MBA students surveyed have not changed employers within the three-year period since graduation. This reinforces UT’s commitment to return on investment for the companies who sponsor students in the executive MBA programs.
“Our programs were designed to address students’ needs in leadership training, career advancement and global knowledge and to ensure the highest quality education,” said Carolyn Cuddy, executive director of UT’s executive MBA programs. “We understand the time demands on our students and therefore have pioneered compressed-learning structures that combine on-campus and international residency periods, synchronous distance learning and organizationally driven projects to deliver extraordinary returns on investment for both the students and sponsoring organizations. Our cutting-edge curriculum also includes unique, industry-specific programs to fit the educational and time demands of physicians and aerospace executives.”
“We again are honored to be named to this prestigious list,” said Alex Miller, UT’s associate dean of executive education. “This ranking reflects years of committed work by our faculty, staff and partner companies.”
Financial Times is an international business publication whose annual ranking has become highly anticipated. Its annual ranking of executive MBA programs affirms the rapid rise of executive MBA courses being offered. Complete ranking information is available at http://rankings.ft.com.
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Contacts:
Cindy Raines, (865) 974-4359, craines1@utk.edu
Amy Blakely, (865) 974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu