Columbia Business School, Columbia University

Columbia Business School gives graduates the edge in a rapidly changing world that demands smart, flexible, effective business leaders. The School's program bridges academic theory and practice, equipping students with the entrepreneurial mindset to think strategically and to recognize and capture opportunity in a competitive business environment.

Diversity and community are the hallmarks of the Columbia Business School experience. Approximately 30 percent of the student body is international, one-third of the students are women and more than a fifth are members of minority groups, making the School one of the most diverse of the nation's top business schools.

The School’s greatest strength is its distinguished and innovative faculty, whose cutting-edge research has application not only in the classroom but also within and across industries. The first two terms of study consist of the flexible core curriculum, which is taught in clusters of approximately 60 students. The core is designed to provide students with fundamental skills applicable to all disciplines and offers an additional elective in the first year to align the structure of the core with students’ interests and career paths. In their second year, students can choose among concentration areas, ranging from finance and marketing to healthcare management and entrepreneurship.

Besides academic rigor and teaching excellence, the School offers a depth and breadth of programs that are designed to give students practical experience making decisions in real-world environments. Programs such as the Entrepreneurial Greenhouse and the Social Enterprise program provide project-based experiential learning that requires students to do, decide and create. In addition, Master Classes, co-taught by a Business School faculty member and a business practitioner, integrate concepts learned across the School’s core curriculum to actual business problems. Topics include entrepreneurship in Africa and private equity.

Columbia Business School’s teaching methodologies are enhanced by its innovative Program on Social Intelligence (PSI). Drawing on the School’s expertise in psychology and related social sciences, PSI trains students in the softer side of management and interpersonal interaction – a critical indicator of leadership. The Program’s activities help students sharpen their self-awareness, judgment, and decision-making.

The School's location and relationships with New York's largest firms and industry leaders create unique opportunities for students. New York is also home to numerous Columbia Business School alumni, and thousands more span the globe, acting as resources for students in every career path.

Columbia Business School maintains one of the strongest corporate recruiting programs. The School's proximity to Wall Street and to leading firms in all industries provides unparalleled opportunities for students.

Applicants are evaluated in three categories: professional promise, personal characteristics, and academic credentials. The School looks for well-rounded people from diverse economic, social, ethnic, geographic, and professional backgrounds. Ideal applicants have demonstrated leadership and the ability to work as members of a team.