UNDERGRADUATE Profiles Publish Date 2/26/09

University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Isenberg School of Management

Getting In

PROGRAM BASICS

Isenberg School of Management

University of Massachusetts Amherst
121 President's Drive
Amherst , Massachusetts 01003

Public Institution

Web site

http://www.isenberg.umass.edu

Program e-mail address:

isenberg@som.umass.edu

Program telephone number:

(413) 545-5610

AACSB accredited:

Yes

Accreditation other than AACSB:

Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Ad

Year in which the undergraduate business program was founded:

1947

Length of entire institution:

Four Year

Business program length:

Four Year

Degrees offered:

Degree/Program Name:
BBA
BS/Sport Management
BS/Hospitality and Tourism Management

PROGRAM COSTS

Annual Tuition (Resident):

$ 1,714

Annual Tuition (Non-Resident)

$ 9,937

Cost per academic credit (resident)

$ 72

Cost per academic credit (non-resident)

$ 414

Required fees

$ 10,232

Books:

$ 1,000

Room and board:

$ 8,114

ENROLLMENT

Full-time undergraduate business student enrollment:

3,155

Part-time undergraduate business student enrollment:

Distance undergraduate business student enrollment:

174

Total College enrollment for 2008-09:

25,873

ADMISSIONS

Minimum high school GPA for entire college:

3.0

Interviews for entire college:

Not offered

Additional application requirements for entire college:

Verification of english language proficiency (for non-native speakers of english). High School transcript (including first term senior year grades).

Upcoming application deadlines for entire college:

Semester: Fall 2009
Deadline: 11-01-08 early actio
Semester: Fall 2009
Deadline: 01-15-09
Semester: Spring 2010
Deadline: 10-01-09

Freshmen admitted into business program:

Yes

Percentage of business students admitted as freshmen:

76 %

Are the freshman admits to the business program required to complete pre-business courses before beginning upper-lever courses in the junior year?

Freshmen admitted by:

Indicate interest on university application

Internal transfers handled by:

Separate application

Minimum requirements for business program:

Minimum SAT score: 1100
Minimum high school GPA : 3.5

Entrance exam requirement other than SAT/ACT for business program:

Interview to enter business program:

Not offered

Additional application requirements for freshman admits:

Students must have 4 math units: Algebra I & II, Geometry, and an advance math course such as Calculus; with a B or better in trig/precalc/functions, unless followed by a B in Calculus.

Minimum college GPA for internal business program transfers:

3.0

Additional requirements for internal transfers:

Students take Business School predictor courses and must achieve academic proficiency in these as well as their overall cumulative GPA (average GPA for accepted students is a 3.5 for both predictor courses and cumulative GPA).

Total number of full-time applications for entire college:

27,138

International applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

1 %

Female applicants, entire college, 2008-09:

52 %

Selectivity--applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

66 %

Yield -- applicants enrolled in undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

24 %

Relative Importance of Application Elements:

Secondary School Record:

Very Important

Class Rank:

Very Important

Talent/Ability:

Important

Interview:

Not Considered

Extracurricular Activities:

Very Important

Volunteer Work:

Very Important

Character/Personal Abilities:

Very Important

Application Essay:

Very Important

Work Experience:

Considered

SAT/ACT Scores:

Very Important

Recommendations:

Considered

High School GPA:

Very Important

Admissions program managed by:

The university admissions office

Total undergraduate business program applicants, 2008-09:

7,145

Applicants enrolled in undergrad business program 2008-2009:

34 %

Applicants admitted to undergraduate business program, 2008-09:

35 %

CLASS PROFILE

Class Profile:

Female: 45 %
International : 1 %

Entering students by age:

Mean: 18
Median: 18

Citizenship of Entering Students

U.S.: 94 %
Canada: 0 %
Other countries: 1 %
Unknown: 5 %

Percentage of US citizens in entering class who are:

African American: 3 %
Asian American: 9 %
Hispanic or Latino American: 5 %
White (Non-Hispanic): 71 %
Chose not to report: 12 %

Entering students from the following region:

Northeast: 96 %
Mid-Atlantic: 2 %
South: 0 %
Southwest: 0 %
Midwest : 1 %
West: 1 %
Possessions and territories: 0 %

SAT Scores for full-time entering business students on 1600 scale:

Mean: 1201
Median: 1190

SAT middle 50% range on 1600 scale:

From: 1,130
To: 1,260

Mean: N/A Median: N/A

From: N/A To: N/A

Percent of Students Who Were In:

Top 10% of high school class

31 %

Top 25% of high school class:

77 %

HS GPA of 3.75 or higher

47 %

HS GPA of 3.5 to 3.74:

31 %

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid handled by:

Central financial aid office at the university

Institutional scholarship money distributed to undergraduate business students in previous academic year:

$ 2,226,627

Institutional scholarship money to be distributed to undergraduate business students in current academic year:

$ 2,200,000

Scholarships awarded to students in the business program based on:

A combination of need and merit

Scholarship consideration process:

All candidates are considered for scholarships

Other scholarship considerations:

N/A

Students receiving institutional scholarships for 2008-09 academic year:

50 %

Undergraduate business students with full-tuition scholarships 2008-09:

15 %

Percentage of institutional scholarship money distributed to business students based on merit, 2008-09 year:

75 %

Percentage of institutional scholarship money distributed to business students based on need, 2008-09:

25 %

School offers guaranteed loans:

Financial aid web site

http://www.umass.edu/umfa/

Academics & Lifestyle

PROGRAM BASICS

Business students who graduate within four years:

66 %

Business students who graduate within 6 years:

80 %

Freshman retention rate:

91 %

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Credit hours required for graduation:

Degree: BBA
Hours: 120
Degree: BS
Hours: 120

Other degree requirements:

36 credit hours of University General Education requirements, 33 credit hours of BBA requirements, 21 credit hours of Breadth requirements, 30 credits remaining for major requirements and additional electives.

ACADEMICS

Average class size in required business courses:

Average class size in business electives:

Average class size in non-business electives required for admission to business program:

180

Class size:

Classes with fewer than 20 students: 40 %
Classes with 21 to 50 students: 48 %
Classes with more than 50 students: 12 %

Required business courses that reached maximum enrollment by the first day of class, previous academic year:

43 %

Required business courses that had waiting lists, 2007-08:

35 %

CURRICULUM

Number of elective courses available in business program:

Electives added current year:

Securities Analysis
Chinese Culture & Business
Sustainability and Social Responsibility
Euphoria & Panic: Collective Behavior in Business
Perspectives on Leadership

Year of the last major change to the business program's core curriculum:

2004

Leading areas of study:

Accounting

Finance

General Management

Marketing

Sports Business

Special programs for business students:

Real Fund Investment portfolio, Isenberg Fellows program (100 incoming freshmen selected), Global Business and Culture courses (international study courses and actual trips)

Business program offers work study or co-op opportunities:

Yes

Work study: within various offices throughout the School. Undergraduate teaching assistantships (paid). Co-op opportunities available through the Chase Career Center.

Business program offers study abroad opportunities:

Yes

Study abroad program description:

The Isenberg School offers international study options (courses held during the semester on campus with the students then travelling to the country and visiting businesses). Semester or year-abroad study opportunities available through affiliations with institutions world-wide.

Volunteer work and community service opportunities:

Yes

Volunteer opportunities description:

Alternative Spring Break (Habitat for Humanity), Relay for Life (raising funds for cancer research), Key Players (students work with inner city children on tutoring and after-school programs), student clubs work with local food shelters and Big Brothers Big Sisters, Accounting student clubs oversee a Toys for Tots program.

Business clubs and extracurricular activities:

Finance Society
Investment Club
Women in Business Society
EntreClub (Entrepreneurship Initiative)
Association for Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting
Marketing Club
Institute for Operations Management and the Management Sciences
Accounting Association

FACULTY

Faculty:

Full-time faculty : 99
Adjuncts and visiting faculty: 9
Permanent/tenured professors: 63
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are women: 18
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are underrepresented minorities: 5
Percentage of permanent/tenured professors who are also members of company boards of directors or of advisors: 8

Prominent faculty:

Anna Nagurney
Soren Bisgaard
Thomas Schneeweis

STUDENT LIFE

Largest on-campus organizations for business students:

Undergraduate Leadership Council
Honors Council
Finance Society
Marketing Club
Real Estate Society

Freshmen are required to live on campus:

Yes

Business students are grouped in learning communities:

Yes

TECHNOLOGY

Wireless network available:

Yes

Technological improvements made in the last three years:

Student computer labs have been updated with new computers/equipment. Classroom technology has been updated.

Trading laboratory available:

Yes

Alumni Affairs & Careers

ALUMNI

Total living alumni:

32,000

Percent of alumni who gave, 2007-08 academic year:

13 %

Mean alumni gift 2007-08:

$ 786

Single donation in excess of $10 million in 2007-08?

Prominent alumni:

Name: John (Jack) F. Smith, '60
Title: Chairman and CEO, General Motors Corp.
Name: Eugene M. Isenberg, '50
Title: Chairman & CEO, Nabors Industries
Name: Douglas A. Berthiaume, '71
Title: CEO & President, Waters Corporation

CAREER SERVICES

Percent of 2008 graduates who provided employment information:

57 %

Seeking full-time employment in business: 88 %
Not Seeking full-time employment in business: 12 %

Number of companies recruiting undergraduate students on campus in previous academic year:

126

Companies that posted full-time job offers/positions on school job boards, previous academic year:

310

Other activities and services provided for business majors:

Career Fair (103 participating companies), Internship/Co-Op programs and placement, Individual career sessions, Career Planning Workshops, Career "Tool Kit" resources, Parent Information webpage, Career resources database, Printed/online career resources, Alumni Mentor program.

Job offer results, 2008 graduates:

Accepted first job offer by graduation: 43 %
Accepted first job offer in three months following graduation: 26 %
Did not report having accepted a job offer: 31 %

Top hiring firms:

PricewaterhouseCoopers
KPMG LLP
Ernst & Young
Deloitte Touche Tomatsu
General Electric

Macy's
Liberty Mutual
EMC Corporation
Boston Beer Company
Huron Consulting
RSM McGladrey Inc.
TJX
Hanover Insurance
Raytheon Company
SS&C Technologies

Graduate compensation:

Mean base salary: $ 49,618
Median base salary: $ 50,000

Grads accepted jobs in following functional areas:

Consulting: 3 %
Finance/Accounting: 66 %
General Management: 2 %
Marketing/Sales: 26 %
Operations/Production: 3 %

Grads accepted jobs in following industries:

Accounting: 44 %
Consumer Products/Retail: 21 %
Consulting Services: 3 %
Financial Services: 14 %
Government/Education: 2 %
Pharma/Biotech/Health: 1 %
Manufacturing: 8 %
Petroleum/Energy: 1 %
Real Estate: 1 %
Sports/Leisure: 1 %
Technology/Science: 2 %
Non-Profit: 1 %
Transportation: 1 %

Percentage of job acceptances, US and Canada:

US: 100 %

Grads accepted jobs in the following US regions:

Northeast: 92 %
Mid-Atlantic: 4 %
Midwest: 2 %
South: 2 %

Number of companies recruiting interns on-campus, 2007-08 academic year:

Internship postings on job boards, previous academic year:

627

Top internship recruiters, 2007-08:

Ernst & Young
KPMG LLP
Deloitte Touche Tomatsu
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Walt Disney Co.
General Electric
Kraft
Target Corp.

State Street Bank
Smith Barney
Sabic Innovative Plastics
Vitale Caturano
Kohl's
Huron Consulting
Enterprise

Percentage of internships that were paid, previous academic year

62 %

Average internship, in weeks:

Graduate Comments

The opportunities are there, each student just has to reach out and take advantage of them.

For the price that we pay here at the University of Massachusetts, many of us end up with the same jobs as schools such as Boston College, Bentley, and Babson. We pay a third of what they pay each year.

Most professors are not there to teach, but rather to do research. Therefore, the teaching is not always there. It's up to the student to teach themselves a lot of the material.

The Isenberg School gave me the tools that I need to compete in the competitive business market. When speaking with the recruiter from the firm that I will be starting with in September '09, he commended UMass grads for being more gritty and willing to work than graduates of some other schools. We have an attitude that we will work harder to show that we possess the same skills as other top notch universities, and continue to improve upon our growing reputation.

As a Finance major interested in banking jobs, there were very few companies that recruit from the School of Management that I was interested in. Students in the Finance Society and my classes worked extremely hard to get internships and jobs.

When you look at the top students graduating from UMass and the Isenberg School of Management, not only are they talented, intelligent and well educated, there are incredibly motivated as well. It's not like many small private colleges where there's a lot of handholding and sole emphasis on academics. I think that the top students graduating from UMass can compete with those of any other college and that they bring intangibles and other skills not found at other schools.

I am majoring in finance and economics, and I am going to graduate cum laude. I am going to do all that in 3 and a half years. University of Massachusetts Amherst lets me create my own path. I get the feeling that you can do anything you want here because it is a big school with all types of wonderful resources.

I feel the advising aspect is a bit lacking and that would be my one main critique of the school. Sure, advisers are around and you can talk to them, but unless you make the first move to go to them, they will not make any effort to contact you.

It is incredible how small and close-knit the Isenberg school feels to me! Despite the large size of the university, we have a very small and welcoming community here at Isenberg. Throughout the past few years, I have built strong relationships with fellow students, advisors, and professors. My career counselors and professors have been extremely outgoing and helpful in my search for a full-time job. I will keep in touch with my professors for many years after I graduate.

Isenberg School of Management does an amazing job at helping students find jobs. However, it seems as though they favor accounting and finance majors a bit. This is most likely because those areas have more jobs to offer.

I am part of the Minuteman Equity Fund, we manage $25,000 of the UMass endowment fund (and we just pitched our fund to some alumni and they've agreed to donate another $26,000), this has given me hands on experience researching and analyzing stocks and has been a great tool to take what I have learned in the classroom to apply it to a real life situation. It's the new programs like this that we are using to rebuild our reputation from party school to a top tier school.

The Career Center needs improvement- they know very few students, and do not communicate with companies. In addition, they tell all students the same things (in terms of resumes and cover letters).

Unlike some colleges where kids are spoon fed everything, we have to work hard to get what we want. I have had some of the best internships in the country (GE, EMC) and it's because of the support of my professors and the career center. Currently, I have 5 job offers on the table, all of which I obtained through UMass career fairs.

Professors and administrators truly care about your well being, and are always willing to help you achieve your goals. When I was attempting to (and successfully did) an internship in Kuwait, the first from the School of Management, it seemed as if everyone at the school was rooting for me and tried to help me in any way they could.

On a campus full of old ugly buildings and facilities, the School of Management's buildings, labs and adjacent lecture halls are clean, modern and technologically state of the art.

Isenberg lets you decide what you want to do with your life. The business school here does not give free handouts. You have to earn it yourself through a lot of hard work, determination, and dedication. After the program, you will feel rewarded for everything you went through to get to the finish line.