Walker College of Business MBA Welcome
Dear Prospective MBA Student:
Thank you for considering Appalachian for your MBA degree. I believe there are many sound reasons for you to choose this MBA program. Let me summarize some of those reasons.
The Walker College of Business has programs that are well respected in North Carolina and its neighbor states. The College has been accredited by the AACSB since 1976. Walker graduates hold positions of responsibility in business, industry and the professions in the Carolinas and throughout the world. The Appalachian MBA carries that tradition. The MBA program was begun in 1977 and there are over 1,000 Walker MBA graduates.
Our MBA curriculum has recently been reviewed and updated. It is now a thirty-two hour program for students with a recent undergraduate in business degree. For students with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, there are up to thirty-one hours of prerequisites, depending on what courses you may have taken in your undergraduate program. This MBA can be taken in two modes. It can be taken as a full-time program on campus or as a part-time evening program on our satellite campus in Hickory, NC.
The Walker College of Business recognizes the importance of business in an international context. Because of that, the College has developed numerous international programs (including the International Business major and the Holland Fellows program) and many partner schools of business around the world. The MBA curriculum has adopted an international focus. The centerpiece of that focus is the International Seminar class in the final semester of the program, where each cohort travels to a foreign location. The most recent cohort group traveled to China. That experience included Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Many business and cultural visits were included. Much of the other coursework contributes to and supports that international focus.
Another characteristic that distinguishes the Appalachian MBA is the quality of instruction. Faculty who teach in the MBA program are carefully selected and share several traits. They are recognized as excellent teachers, they are well-published in their respective fields and they have a keen interest in MBA education (many have started their graduate education with an MBA). Another dimension of the quality of the instruction is the quality of the interaction between the students and faculty. To that end, we have committed to limiting each cohort group to no more than twenty-four students. That enables our students and faculty to have meaningful interaction and heightens the quality of the educational experience.
Appalachian has been recognized many times for the economic value of the education provided. That value is particularly true of the MBA education. For an in-state student, tuition for the entire program is less than $6,000. In addition, many sources of assistance are available. Graduate assistantships for all interested students are available. Various scholarships are awarded out of the College of Business on a competitive basis. Some of our MBA students have received awards from the graduate school as well.
Our recent MBA graduates have been very successful in landing that first job after graduate school. A growing number of firms are seeking our MBA graduates and actively recruit on campus. Our recent graduates have gone to work for a number of firms, including Wachovia, BB&T, Credit Suisse, Mesirow Financial Consulting and Chrysler.
Perhaps the greatest attraction to the Appalachian MBA program is the opportunity to live in Boone, NC. The High Country of North Carolina is one of the most popular vacation and retirement spots in the country. And for good reason! The list of activities available to balance out your study time is endless. Outdoor activities include hiking, fishing, skiing. Cultural events and fine restaurants are also available.
The facilities for our MBA students are phenomenal! We are housed in Raley Hall and the MBA students have their own classroom, which becomes their home away from home. The building has wireless internet access and there is a graduate student lounge, which includes quiet study areas, group study areas, a computer lab and storage lockers. In addition, the campus has a brand new Belk Library and Information Commons, which is a 165,000 square foot facility with over 850,000 books and bound periodicals and over 1,500,000 microforms.
Appalachian’s MBA program has so much to offer. Please take time to explore our web site at www.mba.appstate.edu and schedule a visit. Come meet us and talk to our faculty. I would be most happy to respond to any specific questions you might have.
Sincerely,
Philip R. Witmer
Assistant Dean
MBA Program Director
