Executive MBA program at U. ranks among top 100 worldwide

SALT LAKE CITY — Graduates of the University of Utah's executive master of business administration program are getting an average salary increase of 41 percent within three years of completing their degree.

That's according to new rankings released Monday by the Financial Times in London, which put the program at the university's David Eccles School of Business among the top 100 executive MBA programs worldwide and the top 25 in the country.

It's a ranking based mostly on the career progress of students after graduation.

"A big part of that is how well they're doing in terms of leadership and what they're doing at companies. Another big piece of that is the program delivery," said Taylor Randall, dean of the David Eccles School of Business. "These things don't happen all at once overnight. It's been a long-term investment by the university and the school to enhance those aspects of the program. We're excited about it."

Out of 129 programs ranked around the world, the Utah business school's executive MBA program placed 83rd, compared to last year's rank of 95. Among schools based solely in the U.S., the U. program ranked 22nd, compared to 30th on last year's Financial Times report.

Executive MBA programs differ from traditional MBAs because those who enroll usually come with years of business management and leadership experience in addition to an undergraduate degree. The 21-month program meets on campus Friday and Saturday every other week and produces about 60 graduates each year.

Roughly two-thirds of the students are permanent Utah residents, and the program has a 95 percent graduation rate, according to Brad Vierig, associate dean of MBA programs and executive education.

"Many of them don't have an undergraduate degree in business, so they're coming back, saying, 'I need to know the vocabulary of business. I need to understand how to make decisions and how to be a better leader,'" Vierig said. "What we find is it's a life-changing event for the students."

Graduates from the program on average earn $142,754 annually within three years of completing their degree — a 41 percent increase from their average salary when they start the program, according to the rankings. The average post-graduation earnings for U.S.-based programs in the report is $172,550 per year.

Thirty-three percent of the students in the U.'s executive MBA program and 31 percent of the faculty are women, compared to global averages of 27 percent for both groups. The program also ranked 45th overall in its international focus, taking students on two international trips to study about global business strategies.

"One of the things that the University of Utah prides itself on is diversity of thought and diversity of learning," Vierig said. "With ethnicity and the gender, I think that really helps create a different discussion. It's a very case-based program."

Keith Titus graduated from the program in 2012. Prior to enrolling, he was living in Utah and commuting to Chicago, where he worked for Motorola. The company wanted him to enroll in the executive MBA program at Northwestern University, but he said the U. gave him a chance to get rigorous training without having to travel across the country.

"For me personally, I wanted to be able to spend time with my wife and kids that were living here in Utah, so there was the family balance," Titus said. "I was really amazed with the quality of the faculty that was here."

Titus now works as chief operating officer for MarketStar Corp., an Ogden-based marketing company. He said being part of a study group with other experienced business leaders in the program was "really invigorating," and it helped him prepare for future career advancements.

"The EMBA really added to that work experience and hands-on experience with that foundational structured learning environment and application," he said. "The two combined have really accelerated my career. The prospects for me personally going forward have really been elevated as a result of my attending and graduating from the program."

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