Academics
Located in a gorgeous, unique region of the Mid-Atlantic, the College of Business at Western Carolina University has worked hard to distinguish itself from other MBA programs, and has built a “reputation for not being an ‘assembly-line’ program.” Students are encouraged to think for themselves and become effectively “better equipped to deal with future challenges.” The small size of the school means that each student “has good learning opportunities” and “gets a lot of attention” from the “excellent, accessible professors with relevant professional experience.” All in all, WCU offers a “quality MBA program with experienced, grounded faculty at a great price.”
Although the school is based in Cullowhee—“an exceptional environment”—almost all of the MBA courses are held in Asheville. The school is very “oriented towards face-toface classes” in Asheville and uses very little “new technology” (such as videoconferencing and electronic communications) for its courses. Professors and administrators “do a decent job of being available, considering that the main campus is over an hour away from our location.” Both are “eager to tailoring course material to how students actually learn,” and the professors “are very knowledgeable and have a lot of professional experience.” The program heads and assistants are also “readily available and helpful with any questions that may arise.”
The program’s core courses are about mastering management in applied settings; students form small work groups and are trained to deal with real-world problems. Through the school’s new MBA curriculum, developed in collaboration with faculty, recent graduates, and local employers, students learn and often perform the functions of chief officers in marketing, research and development, information technology, operations, legal affairs, finance, and the chief executive office.
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