The Carroll School of Management’s part-time MBA program now ranks 25th in the nation, and first among such programs in the Boston area, according to an annual survey by U.S. News & World Report.
The Boston College program climbed 21 spots from number 46 in last year’s “Best Part-Time MBA Programs” by U.S. News, which surveyed approximately 300 schools.
The publication based its rankings on several factors. Among these: “peer assessments,” primarily by deans at similar schools; scores on entrance exams along with the average undergraduate GPA of those enrolled; and the amount of work experience gained by students before entering the programs in Fall 2017. These programs are geared to students who continue to work full-time while making progress toward their advanced degrees.
The showing in the latest survey throws light on a number of developments in the Carroll School’s part-time MBA program, said Andy Boynton, the School’s John and Linda Powers Family Dean.
He pointed to an “increased intensity and focus on part-time MBA students.” That has led to substantial curricular changes, including a stronger emphasis on skills such as data analytics, which are heavily in demand by employers.
“We’re building a program around the needs of these students, with much greater flexibility in our offerings,” the dean added. He cited a new array of online courses and other changes that allow students to tailor their degrees to their specific goals and aspirations.
Other Boston-area peer schools with part-time MBA programs include Boston University (which placed 32nd in the tally), as well as Babson College and Northeastern (which tied at 66).
In the new survey, the Carroll School’s full-time MBA program also ranked number 48, maintaining its position in the top 50 of those programs in the United States.