Go To Businessweek.com
Distance MBA Profile Publish Date 05/27/12

Penn State - World Campus

  • Program Basics

      • The Pennsylvania State University
      • Penn State iMBA
      • 222 Outreach Building
      • PA
      • University Park, 16802, Pennsylvania
      • United States
      • Status Other
      • Distance MBAs graduating since distance program's founding 606
      • Distance MBA students who enroll in the program who go on to graduate within six years 83 %
      • Average number of months to complete the distance MBA program 24
      • Maximum months permitted to complete the distance MBA program 84
      • If the distance MBA program has a set program length, how long is it, in months? 24
      • Do individual online courses have a time limit for completion? Yes
      • Does the school offer a separate on-campus, full-time MBA program? No
      • Can students transfer from distance program to full-time program? No
      • Are there specific locations from which students must attend the distance MBA program? No
      • Is the distance MBA program open to students from other states? Yes
      • Is the distance MBA program open to students from other countries? Yes
      • Students living more than 45 miles from school 97 %
      • Distance MBA students have full student privileges to use the following
        • School library
        • School gymnasium / athletic center
        • Student rates for tickets
        • School career office

  • School Basics

    • Graduate business school enrollment

      • Total: 202
      • Full-Time MBA: 0
      • Part-Time MBA: 202
      • Executive MBA: 0
      • PhD Program: 0
      • Undergraduate business school enrollment 0

  • PROGRAM COSTS

    • Total direct costs (tuition and required fees) of the entire program

      • Residents $52,000.00
      • Non-Resident $5,200.00

  • ADMISSIONS

    • Application fee for distance MBA program

      • Residents $65.00
      • Non-Resident $65.00
      • Applications (admitted and denied) to the newest distance MBA class 109
      • Applicants who were accepted to the most recent distance class 80 %
      • Admitted applicants who enrolled in the newest distance MBA class 69 %
      • Are applicant interviews required for the distance MBA program? Not required
      • Does the program offer rolling admissions? Yes

  • CLASS PROFILE

    • Students are from the following regions

      • North America 100 %

    • What percentage of U.S. citizens in the newest entering class are from the following regions?

      • West 15 %
      • Midwest 5 %
      • Southwest 6 %
      • South 13 %
      • Mid-Atlantic 45 %
      • Northeast 16 %
      • Possessions and territories 0 %

    • U.S. students in the newest entering class are from the following groups

      • African American 4 %
      • Asian American 4 %
      • Hispanic or Latino American 3 %
      • Multiethnic/Multiracial 0 %
      • Native American 3 %
      • White (Non-Hispanic) 84 %
      • Chose not to report 2 %
      • Other 0 %

    • Postgraduate work experience (months)

      • Mean 70
      • Median 60
      • One year or less 1 %

    • Middle 80% range

      • From 36
      • To 120

    • Age of new entrants to distance MBA program:

      • Mean 29
      • Median 28

    • Entering distance MBA students who work in the following industries

      • Government (Federal, State, Local, Military) 19 %
      • Consulting 6 %
      • Consumer Products 8 %
      • Financial Services 10 %
      • Manufacturing 18 %
      • Media/Entertainment 0 %
      • Non-Profit 0 %
      • Petroleum/Energy 11 %
      • Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology/Health care Products 5 %
      • Real Estate 0 %
      • Technology 8 %
      • Other 15 %

  • FINANCIAL AID

      • Distance MBAs apply for financial aid through Central financial aid office at the university

  • GMAT

      • Are applicants required to take the GMAT? Yes
      • Are applicants allowed to submit the GRE? Yes
      • Mean GMAT score of newest entering class 562
      • Median GMAT score of newest entering class: 560

    • Middle 80% range GMAT scores:

      • From 480
      • To 680
      • Is the TOEFL required for non-English speakers? Yes
      • Minimum TOEFL score required for MBAs: 600

  • CONTACT INFORMATION

  • FACULTY

      • Faculty employed by the B-school: 21

    • Full-time faculty:

      • Tenured: 13
      • Non-Tenured: 8

    • Adjunct/Visiting Faculty:

      • Tenured: 0
      • Non-Tenured: 0

    • Women on Faculty:

      • Tenured: 2
      • Non-Tenured: 4

    • Minority Faculty:

      • Tenured: 2
      • Non-Tenured: 2

    • International Faculty:

      • Tenured: 1
      • Non-Tenured: 1

    • Faculty with PhDs:

      • Tenured: 13
      • Non-Tenured: 8
      • Faculty who are also members of company boards of directors or advisors 5 %
      • Faculty who have owned their own business: 5 %

    • Distance program faculty who:

      • Have tenure: 95 %
      • Are adjuncts: 0 %
      • Have at least 5 years corporate experience: 57 %

  • STUDENT LIFE

      • The distance MBA program is delivered by:
        • Internet/Web-based delivery
        • Online forums
        • E-mail
        • Textbooks
        • Videoconferencing
        • CD-ROMs
      • Are faculty members required to travel to off-campus sites to meet with distance MBA students? No

    • Estimated number of hours a student will spend working in the class and outside the classroom:

      • Hours per week in class: 0
      • Hours per week outside of class: 24
      • Does the program offer 24-hour technical support? No
      • Classes meet:
        • Via the Internet (unscheduled)
      • Average number of students in a distance MBA core class: 30
      • Average number of students in a distance MBA elective class: 0
      • Requirements for graduation:
        • Students must have earned a pre-determined GPA/Letter grade average
        • Students must complete a company-specific project and present results to relevant parties
      • Other Requirements for graduation: Students must successfully complete two, one-week residencies.
      • Number of credits or credit hours required to complete distance MBA program: 48
      • If applicable, are distance MBA students invited to campus for graduation? Yes
      • Does the distance program diploma distinguish whether the student earned the degree on-campus or off? No

  • CAREER SERVICES

      • Do distance MBA students have access to a career development office? Yes
      • When in the degree process are they able to use the service? At any time
      • Do distance MBAs have access to an alumni database? Yes
      • Are distance MBAs permitted to interview on campus for summer internships? No
      • Are distance MBAs permitted to interview on campus for full-time jobs? No
      • Are distance MBAs included in resume drops for prescreening by recruiters? No

Getting In

B-School Life

Finding a Job

Paying the Bills