BusinessWeek Magazine, the

dominant source of business school

rankings for over 20 years, has

ranked Villanova’s executive MBA

and part-time MBA programs in

their first year of eligibility.

In the inaugural ranking of

part-time MBA programs, Villanova

ranks No. 11 in the United States

and No. 3 among Mid-Atlantic programs.

The ranking is higher than

many top competitors, both regionally

and nationally. The program

was ranked No. 1 in the nation for

academic quality, thanks to small

class sizes, an accelerated format

and high completion rates. Students

also gave the caliber of their

classmates an “A” grade, which is

a testament to the success of the

program. Special recognition was

also accorded to the program for its

superb value for career switchers.

Assistant Dean Simone Pollard

described the new rankings as “a

confirmation that our part-time

MBA effectively meets the needs of

working professionals without compromising

academic quality.”

The part-time MBA program includes

students with an average five

years of work experience. Students

are encouraged to practice creative

problem solving, and they gain an

understanding of global business

through a combination of schoolwork

and international visits to sites such

as China and Italy.

The executive MBA program was

also recognized as one of the world’s

elite. With a global ranking of No.

25 out of more than 300 similar programs,

Villanova School of Business

is included with other top schools

such as the London Business School,

Columbia University, University of

Chicago, Kellogg (Northwestern)

and INSEAD (France).

Dean James Danko described the

program as one in which “effective

managers [are transformed] into executive leaders,” through a “smallgroup

dynamic [which extends] to

the connections between faculty and

students.”

The VSB executive MBA program

is a 21-month program that takes

place at the Villanova Conference

Center and is highlighted by a rigorous

international study trip.

Danko has made large strides toward

his main goal of gaining global

recognition as a “premier business

school,” a process that was enhanced

by the recent BusinessWeek Magazine

ranking of the undergraduate

program at No. 12 in the nation.

He counts relevant curricula and a

strong faculty among the ways that

he intends to keep VSB innovative

and “connected to the practice of

management.”

Danko describes the new rankings

as “phenomenal,” especially as

they occurred in the programs’ first

year of eligibility. He expects that

the rankings, from a distinguished

and unbiased source, will have a

positive influence on the applicant

pool for the coming academic year,

and he predicts the current trend of

growth will continue.

Despite the excitement of the new

rankings, Danko remains committed

to increasing the quality of the

educational experience provided to

every VSB student