Business Schools in Connecticut

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Syracuse University’s online MBA through the Whitman School of Management is designed to give students the analytical and decision-making skills they need to advance their careers in today’s business environment

[email protected], the online MBA from American University is designed for domestic and global business professionals who want to start or advance their career.

Students looking for a degree in business in Connecticut can choose from nearly 40 schools. Programs are varied and many graduate degrees are available including specialized MBAs in everything from entrepreneurship to accounting, finance, marketing and HRM.

Marketing Degree Programs in Connecticut

State of Connecticut’s Marketing Industry

As New York’s close neighbor, Connecticut has always had a heavy stake in the financial and insurance sector. The recession didn’t help matters, but the state is now recovering. Unemployment is going down and the market has corrected inflated conditions in the housing market.

Finance and insurance companies need marketers. According to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), the Constitution State had the most marketing managers per capita in 2011 (3.07 per thousand). The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area alone employed 2,290 managers.

Ad agencies are everywhere. Five Connecticut companies made Inc.’s Top 5000 list of America’s fastest growing private companies in the advertising and marketing sector in 2012, and Inspira Marketing Group recorded an eye-popping 4,980% jump in revenue between 2008 and 2011.

Job Prospects for Connecticut Marketing Graduates

Competition for marketing jobs on the East Coast is tough, especially in a state with excellent wages and schools. Connecticut’s Department of Labor is predicting that demand for PR specialists, marketing managers and market research analysts will grow only modestly from 2008-2018.

Pay scales vary. Find a job with a high-flying international firm and you may do very well indeed. When median annual salaries in 2011 were compared, Connecticut public relations specialists ($57,680) and advertising and promotions managers ($96,650) did much better than their national counterparts, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep your options open. Numerous Fortune 500 companies make their home in Connecticut, including General Electric, United Technologies, Aetna and Cigna.

If a job in the marketing department of an insurance company doesn’t thrill you, up-and-coming technology businesses may be hungry for new graduates. Specialized marketing firms – SmartRevenue, the M2 Media Group, Third Door Media – are another option.

Connecticut Schools for Marketing

There are twelve accredited marketing schools in Connecticut, and that doesn’t include Yale. If you’re aiming for top rankings, read up on:

1. University of Connecticut (UConn) (https://marketing.business.uconn.edu/)

The Marketing Department at UConn’s Business School offers an undergraduate major in marketing, a business minor in professional sales, an MBA with a marketing concentration, an advanced business certificate and a doctorate.

UConn was ranked #61 in “Best Business Schools” by U.S. News & World Report in 2013 and is one of 33 universities nationwide designated as a national resource center for international business, according to the university website.

2. Yale University (http://som.yale.edu/)

Though it will cost you a pretty penny, an MBA with a concentration in marketing or a PhD in marketing from the Yale School of Management is guaranteed to impress. (Yale College, however, does not offer a specific undergraduate major in marketing.)

Ranked #10 in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Business Schools”, Yale requires all first-year MBAs to complete a Leadership Development Program and an International Experience trip.

Professional Marketing Organizations in Connecticut

Connecticut is well-endowed with more than manicured lawns and miniature dogs – you’ll find plenty of active marketing organizations, too. Check out the education resources and networking opportunities available through:

Business Degree Programs in Connecticut

Finance, marketing, management, and HR are just a few examples of the concentrations available in specialized MBA programs available through Connecticut’s top business schools. The skills developed in these programs have helped business leaders make Connecticut-based corporations competitive on global scale. Connecticut’s small and medium sized businesses, along with multi-national corporations with operations in the state have contributed to a $259 billion Gross State Product (GSP) in 2015, coming in at 23rd in the nation for GSP while ranking 29th for population.

Connecticut is home to successful hedge fund managers, with figures like Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates and Steve Cohen of SAC Capital Advisors making the Forbes 400 list of richest people in America for 2015. While large companies often make headlines, Connecticut’s small businesses rely on educated and qualified leaders just as much as the state’s biggest corporations.

In fact, according to the Small Business Administration (SBA), 51 percent of the state’s total workforce is employed by large businesses, with the remainder working for small and medium-sized companies. Qualified business leaders are particularly important for the state’s smallest businesses, which are classified as having less than 20 employees. These small businesses employ a full 18 percent of Connecticut’s workforce.

Connecticut’s Competitive Business Marketplace

Having developed an essential foundation in business with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources, marketing, finance or a specialized MBA, you could go on to become the next Ursula Burns. As the current CEO of Xerox, Burns is the first African American woman to serve as CEO for a Fortune 500 company, and is also the first woman to become CEO of such a company by secceeding another woman. Additional local companies that have made it to the Fortune 500 list for 2015 include:

  • General Electric – headquartered in Fairfield and worth $249.78 billion
  • United Technologies – headquartered in Hartford and worth $106.5 billion
  • Aetna – headquartered in Hartford and worth $37.1 billion
  • Cigna – headquartered in Bloomfield and worth $33.5 billion
  • Xerox – headquartered in Norwalk and worth $14.3 billion
  • Stanley Black and Decker – headquartered in New Britain and worth $14.6 billion

Business schools in Connecticut turn out dozens of qualified graduates each year. You will compete with these professionals to join the ranks of the state’s most respected companies that offer attractive perks. 2015 figures from the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) show that Connecticut’s business professionals rank nationally in two important categories:

  • Chief Executives – Connecticut offers the highest average income for these professionals of all states in the nation
  • Financial Managers – Connecticut has the highest concentration of these professionals
  • Marketing Managers – Connecticut has the highest concentration of these professionals
  • Sales Managers – Connecticut has the second-highest concentration of these professionals
  • General and Operational Managers – Connecticut offers the third-highest average income for these professionals

The skills you learn as part of a relevant bachelor’s or MBA program will give you the qualifications necessary to be competitive in Connecticut’s business marketplace.

The state of Connecticut offers a variety of options for pursuing your Master of Business Administration (MBA), from public to private institutions:

Fairfield University

An MBA from Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business can be customized beyond core courses with what the school calls “breadth courses” that add detail to core course material, as well as a variety of concentration courses in your area of specialization to help you meet your career goals. Classes are held in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate the schedules of students, most of whom have full-time jobs. The Dolan School of Business is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

University of Hartford

The MBA program offered by the Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford is now available online as well as on campus, allowing students to opt for a traditional, entirely online or hybrid experience. The curriculum is designed for students with real-world work experience. The on-campus degree is primarily pursued via evening classes on a part-time basis by working students. The online option adds flexibility and can typically be completed in 36 months of part-time study. You also have the option of joining the One-Year Cohort program that meets on campus every Saturday; this program offers the advantages of interacting with other students and the ability to create a network of colleagues and friends who can enrich your career.

University of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut’s MBA is one of the top-ranked public programs in the Northeast, and has been consistently named as the number one public MBA program in New England. The school is known for experiential learning opportunities that get you out of the classroom and into the real world. The school’s location between New York and Boston puts it within driving distance of two of the most important financial and business centers in the world. The traditional full-time MBA is a 57-credit, two-year program. The part-time MBA is designed to accommodate students who are employed full time. The executive MBA is for students with significant work and management experience who want to add to their credentials; this 48-credit program can be completed within 19 months.

Post University

The new Malcolm Baldrige School of Business at Post University has designed its MBA programs around the philosophy of its namesake, a business and political leader. Innovation, excellence, integrity and leadership are taught by faculty with real-world experience to match their academic credentials. The development of foresight and the ability to respond accordingly are a key part of the curriculum. Post’s MBA program is offered 100 percent online. Core courses are supplemented by concentration courses in areas such as corporate innovation, entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, marketing and project management. Additional capstone courses at the end of the program allow you to put theory into practice.

Quinnipiac University

The School of Business and Engineering offers MBA options for full-time students and working professionals. The  program requires 34 hours of core courses and 12 of electives according to your area of specialization. You also have the option to take part in one of three specialized tracks in chartered financial analysis, health care management or supply chain management; these tracks require 22 hours of core courses and 24 of electives. You also have the option of combining your MBA with a Juris Doctor. The Quinnipiac MBA is offered on campus, online and in a hybrid format, and each approach is AACSB accredited.

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