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MBA Program
Flexible Curriculum for a New Era
In 2005, Notre Dame MBA launched a new curriculum designed to sharpen students’ analytical and problem-solving skills, enhance their leadership ability, provide off-shore learning opportunities, and increase emphasis on ethical decision making. The new curriculum was developed after a multi-year review involving students, faculty, alumni and corporate recruiters. The traditional semester construct has been replaced by two seven-week modules separated by a one week inter-term module and a break week to provide students with greater schedule flexibility and course selection. During the new inter-term week, students will choose from a number of intensive courses, such as an upcoming corporate case collaboration with a Hewlett Packard product development team. MBA students can also use the inter-term period to participate in international immersion programs offered in Suzhou and Shanghai, China and Brussels, Belgium.
Conlon Named Dean of Graduate Programs
Applying business skills to the challenge of peace
Photo at right, from left to right: Jason Johnson, his wife, Marcela, Christian Baird, April Cadiente, and Sebastian Burgman.
MBA's Excel in Case Competitions
A Notre Dame team took first place in the Fuqua Product Strategy Case Competition at Duke University in 2005, taking home a check for $12,000 and defeating teams from Emory, Cornell, and Harvard universities. Pictured at right, left to right: Jim Ham, David Paredes, Jordan Carlson, Maria Diaz, Kevin Wolf, (all MBA '05)
Sybil Carrade (MBA '05)
MBA students placed first in 2004 and second in 2005 in the Arthur W. Page Society Case Writing Competition in Corporate Communications. Rankings: Mendoza is a Program on the Rise The Mendoza MBA Program rose five places to 24th in BusinessWeek magazine’s 2004 survey of the top 30 business schools in the nation. Notre Dame’s five-place jump in the rankings tied with Purdue and Georgetown universities for the greatest improvement. Likewise, in the 2005 Financial Times survey, Notre Dame improved to 39th overall and 26th among U.S. programs. The survey stated, “The two biggest risers in the table this year were Esade Business School in Barcelona and the Mendoza school at the University of Notre Dame.” Dowd Directs MBA Career Development
Named Senior Director of MBA Career Development in January 2005, Karen Dowd (SMC ’71) draws on a distinguished background in career services. She has held directorships at several universities including the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business. Dowd taught in the College of Business of James Madison University and, most recently, served as practice leader with The Empower Group in New York City. Dowd is the co-author of the book “The Ultimate Guide to Getting the Career You Want” with Sherrie Gong Taguchi.
International MBA students hail from 28 countries and 6 continents.
These initiatives and increased support from the Notre Dame alumni network are paying off. At three months after graduation, a record 93% of those seeking employment in the class of 2005 had accepted offers. Meanwhile, 99% of first year students were successful in landing a summer internship.
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In August 2003, Edward J. Conlon, Sorin Society Professor, was named associate dean of graduate programs. A scholar of organizational behavior, he is the former editor of the Academy of Management Review. On his appointment, Conlon immediately took on the challenge of developing and implementing the new MBA curriculum launched in Fall 2005. “The curriculum is built around the idea of ethics and values, the idea of crisp problem solving, and the idea of generating and implementing solutions to real business problems,” said Conlon. He is also co-writing a book on strategic problem solving and consulting with Management Professor Viva Barkus to support their course in consulting—a core requirement for all MBAs.
Notre Dame MBA students traveled to the Holy Land in Spring 2005 to develop a business strategy for Tantur, a beautiful architecturally designed center sitting on 33 acres of rolling olive groves. With a library containing 70,000 volumes and located within minutes of nearby universities, Tantur is an ideal ecumenical study destination dedicated to peace. The center, which has long-standing ties to Notre Dame and is situated on Vatican land, lies on the border between Palestinian and Israeli areas. The MBA students hope Tantur may provide educational opportunities for graduate students, divinity students, peace institutions and others.
MBA students developed a business plan to provide same-day delivery for Internet purchases and finished in second place out of 250 teams in the 2005 Jungle Case Competition in April, organized by Jungle Media Group and Fenwick and West LLP. At the time of printing, the team was one of five finalists in the Fortune Small Business business plan competition.
To assist MBA students in their career planning and job search, the MBA Career Development team now offers a variety of tools including a self-assessment instrument provided by executive search firm Korn/Ferry, which enables students to understand their strengths, limitations and areas for future development. The team also offers professional development courses and workshops; alumni career panels; city treks to tour recruiting companies and network with ND alumni; mock interviews; resume critiques; and individual career strategy assistance. 
| Copyright © 2005 University of Notre Dame All Rights Reserved Last Updated on: October 27, 2005 |