The University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce ranks third among the nation’s best undergraduate business programs, according to annual rankings posted today by business education website Poets&Quants. Surpassed only by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and Washington University in St. Louis’ Olin Business School, McIntire was the only public institution to rank in the top five. The School also garnered the highest alumni survey results, which asked recent graduates about the perceived quality and value of their academic experience. McIntire earned top marks on several survey questions, including how well the program prepared the graduates for work, whether they believe their degree was worth its cost in time and tuition, and how they would rate teaching quality.
In addition to its top alumni survey score, McIntire’s program ranked sixth in admissions standards and in employment.
“We are very pleased that our undergraduate program is recognized by Poets&Quants for providing students with an extraordinary business education,” said McIntire Dean Carl Zeithaml. “We also really appreciate that our terrific alumni responded so positively that the program was ranked best in the nation on the critical academic experience dimension.”
McIntire’s B.S. in Commerce, a 57-credit-hour upper-divisional school program, offers third- and fourth-year UVA students an immersive experience that provides them with a comprehensive business skillset, numerous global learning and study-abroad opportunities, and real-world experiences that empower them to meet the challenges of doing business in an increasingly complex world.
The centerpiece of McIntire’s undergraduate program is the Integrated Core Experience (ICE), an intense and demanding third-year curriculum that helps students learn to work in teams and develop their analytic, strategic, and behavioral business skills. Blending instruction and insights from teams of faculty and corporate leaders, ICE is carefully constructed to give students real-world exposure to the complexities of business. McIntire’s corporate partners play a critical role in ICE, challenging students to develop well-researched solutions to pressing business problems and to effectively communicate their findings and ideas during polished presentations to executives.
Beyond ICE, students complete up to two specialized concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Management, and Marketing. In recent years, the McIntire School added a portfolio of interdisciplinary tracks that augment students’ concentration coursework—Advertising and Digital Media, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Global Commerce, Quantitative Finance, and Real Estate.
“Although ongoing innovation is essential, the McIntire School consistently emphasizes creating the best end-to-end student experience,” Zeithaml said. “Our remarkable network of alumni and corporate partners constantly engage with our faculty, staff, and students both inside and outside the classroom, fostering a unique, dynamic learning environment and adding significant value to the educational process.”
Poets&Quants for Undergrads compiled the 2017 ranking based on a representative survey of 6,288 recent graduates and school-reported data from 82 schools. The ranking comprises three main categories: admissions standards (33.3 percent), academic experience (33.3 percent), and employment outcomes (33.3 percent).
See the full methodology here.
Find the complete rankings at Poets&Quants.
Poets&Quants for Undergrads Top 10 Undergraduate Business Schools
1. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
2. Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)
3. University of Virginia (McIntire)
4. University of Notre Dame (Mendoza)
5. Georgetown University (McDonough)
6. Indiana University (Kelley)
7. The University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
8. New York University (Stern)
9. Cornell University (Dyson)
10. University of California-Berkeley (Haas)
