Academics
The MBA program at the McCombs School of Business offers an academic experience that is âseamless and well-orchestrated.â Students are drawn to the program for its âreputation [for] recruiting into the technology industry.â The program has 20 optional concentrations, including 14 that are STEM certified. Students say the âcity of Austin complements the school well by having a landscape of tech, startup, venture, [and] consulting companies.â The program is both rigorous and enjoyable. As one student states, the academics are âchallenging and pushed me to be better.â McCombs features âvery thought-provoking classes on relevant issues.â Students appreciate that âall focus areas are equally valued and representedâ and say that âthere is so much diversity in the types of classes you can take taught by both working professionals and award-winning professors.â One highlight of the academic experience is the MBA Fellows Program. Students can join one of seven Fellows Programs that provide real-life work experience and a more tailored educational experience. As one student in the Venture Fellows program explains, âWe work for [more than] a year with a venture capital firm to get hands-on experience and have speakers come into our class like Bill Gurley and Michael Dell to personally talk with us.â Both the administration and the professors âhave high expectations and also provide all the necessary resources for us to succeed. They genuinely care about us as humans and professionals.â Professors here have âreal-world experience,â which helps âbring concepts to life.â One student describes the professors as âsome of the smartest and most well-connected people I have had the pleasure to know. They make classes enjoyable to attend.â