Radford University - College of Business and Economics

Repeat business is one of the telltale signs of success in retail, and by that standard Radford University must be doing a pretty good job; a considerable number of students in our survey self-identified as former Radford undergrads, and nearly all cited their satisfaction during their first go-around as the reason for pursuing an MBA here. With an undergraduate population consisting of approximately 25 percent business majors, Radford has a large customer base from which to draw graduate students. You could say that business is booming at Radford’s College of Business and Economics.

Radford now offers the MBA program as a full-time, part-time, and online. offering Radford MBAs tell us that their program “is general in nature” and that “students wanting to specialize in a specific segment of business, e.g., marketing, may be well-served to look elsewhere.” They are quick to add, however, that the program “does prepare you for work in many areas of business and does not skimp on content or focus in doing so” and that “those who want the knowledge and skills to run an organization, even a global one, will be hard-pressed to find a better school, especially for the price.” Part-time students also appreciate the way the program is “geared toward people who work full-time jobs.” While describing the Radford MBA as “a challenging part-time program,” they note that convenient scheduling and professors who will “work with your work schedule to [help you] get through the MBA program” make it “easy for a working professional to get an MBA” here.

Radford’s thirty-six credit hour curriculum is divided in a two-thirds, one-third split between required courses and targeted electives in analytics and innovation (which constitute twelve hours). The program utilizes “a face-to-face presentation format” and includes a substantial writing component. “Small class sizes” and a faculty that “is very student-oriented (rather than concentrating on writing professional papers and books, they concentrate on teaching, which is a good thing)” make this a very student-friendly program. Professors “do an excellent job of tying in current events and international matters of interest,” although some “don’t seem to have much experience in the professional corporate world. Many seem to have spent most of their time in academia.” MBA courses are offered in two locations: the main campus in Radford, Virginia, and the Roanoke Higher Education Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The program is now also offered online.

The Career Services Office at Radford University offers a variety of resources to under- graduates, graduates, and alumni. These include a virtual resume, internship, and a jobs database “where students and employers come together to post and view resumes and position openings,” as well as workshops in resume and portfolio development, career fairs, and career-assessment tools. On-campus recruiters include Ameriprise Financial, DMG Securities, Ferguson Enterprises, Northwestern Mutual, State Farm, Wachovia, and the federal government.

The Radford University MBA program is “a mix of adult and young adult students.” The latter group includes nearly all of the full-time students, a combination of recently mint- ed American undergraduates and international students. The student body tends to be “young, eager to get into a professional setting, worried about the job market,” “friendly, hard-working, and intelligent.” Working professionals constitute a substantial minority whose experience and insights are welcomed by their younger peers.

Full-timers describe campus life as being “like any typical college student’s life,” with the “majority of time spent studying and preparing for class.” Part-time students typi- cally don’t have time for the “many activities, clubs, and organizations that are at this school.” Those who attend classes at the Roanoke Higher Education Center tell us that “the RHEC is a newly remodeled, high tech, and comfortable facility more suited to providing an appropriate atmosphere for educating older MBA students.”

Hometown Radford is a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains; Roanoke is about forty-five miles away. The area is most amenable to outdoor enthusiasts, as it provides easy access to the Appalachian Trail, the New River, and Claytor Lake. Shopping, restaurants, nightlife, and such are not in great supply, students warn, although the proximity of Roanoke helps to make up for this deficiency. Charleston, West Virginia, and Greensboro, North Carolina, are also within a reasonable driving distance.