Business Schools in Georgia

FEATURED ONLINE MBA PROGRAMS

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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

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

With nearly 90 Georgia schools offering business programs, it should be easy to find the program that’s right for you. Programs are varied and there is ample opportunity for graduate study, including at the doctoral level.

Marketing Degree Programs in Georgia

State of Georgia’s Marketing Industry

Georgia’s economy is the powerhouse of the south. Although overbuilding and risky real estate speculation tipped it into the great recession, the state has climbed out of its hole. Real GDP growth is up and unemployment is down. In 2011, CNBC rated Georgia #4 among “America’s Top States for Business.

If you’re looking for economic drivers, look to Atlanta. This bustling city has the third largest metropolitan concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the country – including Home Depot, UPS, Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines – and plays host to media giants such as CNN, Turner Broadcasting System and the Weather Channel. All of these companies have big marketing budgets.

Even better, over 200 Georgia businesses appeared on Inc.’s Top 5000 list of America’s fastest growing private companies in 2012. They included small but vibrant advertising and marketing agencies like Capitol Media Solutions and the Pedowitz Group.

Job Prospects for Georgia Marketing Graduates

Happy days are here again – Georgia’s Department of Labor has predicted Georgia will see a decent level of marketing job growth from 2008-2018. Openings for market research analysts are expected to increase by 20%; advertising and promotions managers by 12%; PR specialists by 25%; and marketing managers by 16%.

Recent graduates might want to investigate positions in the financial and insurance sector, in Fortune 500 companies like Aflac and SunTrust Banks, or among newer options springing up. By expanding their operations, Caterpillar, Baxter International and State Farm Insurance were all expected to add jobs in Georgia in 2013.

The international trade sector may also be looking for your help. Thanks to two deep-water ports and the most extensive surface transportation network in the country, Georgia is the 12th-largest export state and 9th-largest import state in the U.S. Billions of goods pass through the state each year.

Georgia Schools for Marketing

There are 28 accredited marketing schools scattered fairly evenly throughout the state of Georgia. If you’re just starting your search, here are two options:

1. University of Georgia (UGA) (https://www.terry.uga.edu/marketing)

UGA’s Terry College of Business was ranked #57 in “Best Business Schools” by U.S. News & World Report in 2013. It offers a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in marketing, a Master of Marketing Research (MMR), and a doctorate in marketing.

Undergraduates can apply for internships and seek membership in Pi Sigma Epsilon, the only national professional fraternity for marketing and sales. The college claims that its MMR graduates achieve 100% placement for competitive salaries averaging $70,000 since 2005.

2. Georgia State University (GSU) (http://robinson.gsu.edu)

GSU’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business did not make the overall “Best Business School” rankings in 2013, but its part-time MBA is rated #32. The undergraduate program is also in Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s top 100 programs in the nation. It provides a Bachelor of Business Administration, an MBA, a fast-track Master of Science, and a doctorate in marketing.

Home to three research centers, the Department of Marketing hosts the Marketing RoundTable, recognizes marketing innovations through the annual MAX Awards, and sponsors the Women’s Leadership Forum each spring.

Professional Marketing Organizations in Georgia

The Empire State of the South has a bustling marketing scene, especially in the Atlanta area. In return for membership, almost all of these Georgia marketing organizations organize social events and educational opportunities.

Business Degree Programs in Georgia

From executive leaders serving as CEOs and CFOs, to upper-to-mid-level managers specialized in marketing, finance and human resources, graduates of Georgia’s top business schools manage personnel, finances and operations for the companies responsible for generating much of the state’s Gross State Product (GSP). In 2015 alone, Georgia’s GSP was $472 billion – the 10th-highest in the nation. Taking your place with the next generation of business leaders means first developing a strong educational foundation by earning a bachelor’s degree in business or advancing to a specialized MBA.

According to the federal Small Business Administration (SBA), 56 percent of employees in Georgia work for larger companies with at least 500 employees – a higher proportion than in most states. A formal education in business is essential for gaining the business acumen you need to serve as a leader in one of the major corporations that call Georgia home.

In fact, The Home Depot, which was founded in Georgia in 1978, owes much of its success to founding member, Arthur Blank, who earned his BS in Business Administration and Accounting.

Still, small businesses are also vital to the state’s economy. The SBA reports that out of Georgia’s total workforce of around 5.5 million, 1.5 million work for small businesses. New South Construction based in Atlanta started out as a small business in 1990, and is now known around the nation, completing projects for companies like Delta Airlines, Emory University, and Coca-Cola.

Succeeding in Georgia’s Competitive Business Environment

The following companies headquartered in Georgia ranked on the 2015 Fortune 500 list and include many iconic American household names:

  • Home Depot – Headquartered in Atlanta with a valuation of $148.5 billion
  • UPS – Headquartered in Atlanta with a valuation of $87.5 billion
  • Coca-Cola – Headquartered in Atlanta with a valuation of $177.1 billion
  • Delta Air Lines – Headquartered in Atlanta with a valuation of $37.1 billion
  • Aflac – Headquartered in Columbus with a valuation of $28.1 billion

As a business school graduate in Georgia you can use the following information about the state’s economy to plan for your future career. These statistics are from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) for the year 2015, and show GSP by sector:

  • Retail trade – 592,124 professionals in this field; $30.6 billion in GSP
  • Accommodation and food services – 437,457 professionals in this field; $13.7 billion in GSP
  • Manufacturing – 400,457 professionals in this field; $54.6 billion in GSP
  • Finance and insurance – 271,160 professionals in this field; $38.6 billion in GSP
  • Construction – 296,387 professionals in this field; $19.2 billion in GSP
  • Real estate and rental/leasing – 250,137 professionals in this field; $59.5 billion in GSP
  • Wholesale trade – 246,381 professionals in this field; $39.5 billion in GSP
  • Transportation and warehousing – 245,557 professionals in this field; $20.1 billion in GSP
  • Management of companies and enterprises – 71,658 professionals in this field; $10.0 billion in GSP

Some examples of what you can do with your education are as follows, provided here for illustrative purposes only:

  • MBA – Customer lifecycle management analyst with UPS in Atlanta
  • MBA with a concentration in Finance – Finance manager with Delta Airlines in Atlanta
  • Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management – General manager with TMX Finance in Augusta
  • Bachelor’s of Science in Business with a concentration in Human Resources – HR lead with First Quality in Macon

Columbus State University

The Georgia WebMBA is an online MBA program that is offered through a consortium of schools in the university system of the state of Georgia. The degree and the schools, which include Columbus State University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, University of West Georgia and Valdosta State University, are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The degree puts an emphasis on teamwork, international business and the ethical aspects of management. The classes are offered online, but do require in-person orientation visits in Atlanta at the beginning of spring and fall semesters.

University of Georgia

The Terry College of Business and its MBA programs are consistently recognized for their quality: Businessweek, The Economist and The Financial Times all put the Terry MBA in the top 20 programs of its kind. Through this program, students not only earn an MBA from a top institution; they also enjoy the benefits of an effective recruitment program and access to a network of successful and well-placed alumni. The curriculum focuses on project-based learning, globalization and communication skills. The degree is only offered on campus, but you do have two alternatives to the full-time MBA. The Professional MBA allows you to work full-time while pursuing your degree; the Executive MBA also allows you to work and is designed for students with managerial experience.

Emory University

Emory University’s Goizueta Business School’s MBA program consistently ranks in or near the top 20 programs in the United States. In addition to a rigorous education, graduates enjoy high employment rates and a global network of high-achieving alumni. Getting your MBA from among the very best means embarking on an intensive program designed to challenge you, expose you to leading companies and prepare you for global leadership positions. The on-campus programs include both one-year and two-year MBAs. The school also offers two Executive MBAs: a modular program which utilizes both on-campus and distance learning, and a weekend on-campus program.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech’s Ernst Scheller Jr. College of Business has earned international recognition as a leader as it offers programs at the intersection of technology and globalization in business. Full-time, evening and Executive MBA programs are taught on campus in central Atlanta. From there, students enjoy courses that are highly integrated with the business community in the city and beyond. The full-time program is kept deliberately small (only 75 students are enrolled annually) which encourages closer relationships within cohorts, with faculty, with career services and with recruiters. In fact, students engage with career advisors at the Jones MBA Career Center before they begin the program.

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