Clemson University - Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

The College of Business & Behavioral Science at Clemson University offers a combination of daytime and evening classes to its full-time MBAs as well as a full slate of evening classes to part-timers at the school’s satellite campus in Greenville. Clemson MBAs tout the program’s “rigorous curriculum” and excellent value; “The value of this degree vs. the cost of the degree appears to be very high,” one student tells us.

Clemson’s MBA offers concentrations in innovation and entrepreneurship, services science, supply chain management, health services, and marketing analysis. Full-timers are enthusiastic about “the entrepreneurial focus of the program.” One writes, “It is rare to find relevant assistantships in an MBA program, and Clemson University provides some [of the] best opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn necessary business skills while working closely with start-up companies in South Carolina. They also do a marvelous job of bringing technologies developed by Clemson’s Research Institutes to a forefront and finding their commercial value.”

The program boasts “some very good professors and interesting class topics,” and students praise professors for “their willingness to help outside of class” and for being “generally reasonable when it comes to grades and making changes if the general class population is not grasping the material well.” Students also note that “the administration here at Clemson University is very helpful. Any time I have asked for help regarding admission, enrollment, or financial aid they have always been able to answer my questions.” Finally, they report that “Clemson’s study abroad programs are attractive and meaningful.”

Clemson University maintains an Office of MBA Career Development dedicated to its business graduates. For those who seek out the service, the Office of Career Development office offers career placement support including one-on-one professional coaching and personalized placement assistance as well as a range of self-assessment instruments, job-search counseling, interviewing and resume-writing workshops, and recruiting and networking events. Students also report that “the alumni base and networking oppor- tunities” here are “a great strength.” Companies hiring recent Clemson MBAs include Blackbaud, Bausch & Lomb, CapGemini, Colonial Life, Disney, GE, Home Depot, Lockheed Martin, Michelin, Milliken, Nestle, Northwestern Mutual, Resurgent Capital Service, Schneider, and Target. About one-third of Clemson MBAs wind up in marketing and sales; about as many find work in general management.

The full-time and part-time degree programs are now located in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, about forty-five minutes away from the main university campus. The Greenville campus, known as Clemson at the Falls, is located at Falls Park—an urban park featuring hiking and jogging paths, landscaped gardens, and an architecturally dis- tinctive suspension bridge linking the Clemson campus building to Main Street. Students tell us that life here involves “hectic course work with case studies, quizzes, midterms, discussions, presentations and projects. Apart from the course work, we have regular MBA Student association meetings . . . to discuss and organize events related to communi- ty work, organizing events with alumni, etc. Then we have regular discussions and talks by guest speakers, which are compulsory to attend as part of our course work. We have regular social gathering with MBA alumni and with faculty also.” Reflecting upon all this activity, one student observes that “Clemson has a great tradition of merging academia with life. You feel like you’re a part of the school and the community.”

Beyond the classroom, the new location strategically places college faculty and students at the center of the Greenville business community, allowing full-time students to attend classes and simultaneously hold internships or part-time positions in local businesses.

The Clemson MBA program attracts students who “are very competitive in most facets of life: sports, academics, job-search, etc. However, this competitive spirit does not manifest itself in pettiness, but rather in a collective effort to elevate the performances of both ourselves and our peers.”