Seton Hall University - W. Paul Stillman School of Business

Located just outside the hustle and bustle of New York City, Seton Hall University offers a convenient, suburban alternative for city professionals looking to pursue an MBA. At Seton Hall, “the MBA program is designed for students who work full time,” and features evening classes and a “convenient location” near major New Jersey roadways and rail system. Efficiency is a key advantage of the Seton Hall MBA, which offers “a streamlined program of forty-two credits, compared to other schools with sixty credits.” Even with lower credit requirements, the program can be “taxing” and students warn, “The commitment, perseverance, and dedication one has to make while working a demanding job in NYC or on the NJ business coastline across from NYC must not be underestimated.” Fortunately, Seton Hall makes every effort to accommodate busy professionals. Here, professors are highly accommodating and accessible, and “even if they can’t meet for special office hours, personal cell phone calls or emails are not uncommon.”

“Seton Hall University is one of the most prestigious universities in the area,” and the MBA program lives up to the school’s strong reputation. Throughout the MBA core curriculum, the “subject material is made very relevant to modern business,” with a focus on finance, economics, and behavioral and quantitative sciences. After the core, students can tailor their coursework through academic concentrations in fields like finance, marketing, information technology management, supply chain management, and sports management. The academic experience is hands-on, so be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get busy: “Presentations, in-class discussions, and group assignments are [a] vital part of every course.” In addition, every student must conceive and complete a service project before graduation. Students really appreciate the fact that Seton Hall “incorporates core values in its program: integrity, diversity, social responsibility.”

In the classroom, “professors can be hit or miss but, for the most part, they are good at what they do and teach well.” A current student enthuses, “I am very impressed with how lively my professors are...even the ones teaching stats and heavy quants.” In addition to tenured staff, Seton Hall can “attract excellent adjunct professors from nearby corporations in New York City and Northern New Jersey.” Most are “demonstrated leaders in the field,” ranging from the “CEO of a public company” to a “lawyer for the Vatican.” Things run smoothly at Seton Hall and, throughout the business school, “the offices are always well-staffed with knowledgeable employees.” An important compliment to the academic experience, students appreciate that “the facilities are modern and the use of technology aids with learning during a full-time work lifestyle.” For example, “the trading room is equipped with a Bloomberg terminal which is also a nice touch.”

The Seton Hall University Career Center assists graduate students with their job search through career assessment and career counseling, mock interviews, online job boards, and networking events. For MBA candidates, the Career Center maintains several counselors who are specially designated to help graduate business students find a job or internship. While many Seton Hall students are already working when they enter the program, they say, “The school has been working towards providing more support for career transition, such as networking events and career fairs.”

Seton Hall alumni work at a wide range of companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Merrill Lynch, New York Life Insurance Company, Booz Allen Hamilton, New Jersey Nets, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Madison Square Garden, Masterfoods USA, Mercedes-Benz, Prudential Financial, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Tiffany & Co.

Located on a “very safe and clean” campus “just ten miles from New York City,” Seton Hall University offers a pleasant environment with excellent facilities. The MBA program is largely part-time, so most students “drive in for class and leave” directly afterwards. However, others tell us that they “love spending time on the green terrace anytime between or after classes,” or often “grab food at the dining hall/food court, which has a diverse selection of restaurants.” Housed in Jubilee Hall—“the new business building with numerous resources inside it for class”—business students enjoy a comfortable and modern facility, with “state-of-the art” resources, wireless Internet, and web-based classroom technology.

The largely part-time student population can “create difficulties in creating and sus- taining clubs on the school campus”; however, the upshot is that you get a “great mix of industry experience among students” which contributes to class discussion and “cre- ates a stimulating learning environment.” Most students have work experience before entering the program, but “the age range and experience is dramatic—from fifth years to [those seeking] career transitions, as well as dual-degree students from the Whitehead School of Diplomacy.” the School of Law, and the College of Nursing. Despite their differences, “everyone is eager to learn and help out the others around them,” and, in general, group work goes smoothly and everyone pulls their weight.