Professional MBA program moves up in U.S. News & World Report rankings

The Professional MBA program at Mays Business School moved up among its peers in the 2017 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings.

Mays is ranked 30^th overall among part-time MBA programs and 18^th among public universities, up from 32^nd and 21^st in 2015.

The 22-month program is designed as a “working professional” program for people with at least two years of professional experience who want to expand their knowledge and advance their careers in business.

The Mays Professional MBA program launched in the fall of 2012 at Houston’s CityCentre and has made a mark in graduate business education in a short time. Former students report significant career impact as a result of their experience in the Professional MBA program – either new responsibilities, an internal or external job change, or promotion.

Michael Alexander, director of the Professional MBA program, said the reputation of Texas A&M and Mays Business School has helped created a virtuous cycle in the program. “Our program attracts highly competent and engaged professionals looking to grow their business acumen and grow their impact on their company,” he said. “Our current and former students then make a positive impact on their organizations, and on the world, through increased skills, broadened perspectives and more effective leadership.”

He said the competitive advantages of the Mays program are the Aggie Network and the Aggie culture. “Our students self-select into a powerful culture and extend that culture within their cohort, within themselves, and in their careers,” he said.

Since 2014, the Professional MBA program has consistently ranked in the top 25 public university “part-time MBA” rankings according to U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings.

“Our program is highly thought of by our peer universities as well as our students, graduates and their employers,” Alexander said. “Those opinions are our highest honor.”

To be eligible for the part-time ranking, a program needed to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International and have at least 20 students enrolled in fall 2015; 296 of the nation’s 344 part-time MBA programs met those criteria and were included in this ranking.

U.S. News & World Report is the only publication that ranks the Mays program. It is based on five factors:

• Average peer assessment score (50 percent of the school’s overall score)
• Average GMAT score and average GRE quantitative and verbal scores of part-time MBA students entering in fall 2015 (15 percent). At Mays, both GMAT and GRE scores are considered if an MBA program reports both, which allows consideration of the admissions test scores of the entire entering class.
• Average undergraduate GPA of part-time MBA students entering in fall 2015 (5 percent)
• Work experience of part-time MBA students entering in fall 2015 (15 percent)
• The percentage of the business school’s fall 2015 MBA enrollment that is part time (15 percent)

The statistical data were collected in fall 2015 and early 2016.