MBA & Doctoral Programs
"HBS is a welcoming environment. There are lots of international students-more than thirty percent of our class-from all over Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Wherever they come from, they are interested in an enriching experience, so they are open to different cultures and attitudes."
Cynthia do Nascimento
São Paulo, Brazil
MBA '08"There are so many exciting student clubs at HBS that it is hard to choose what not to do. My participation has helped me to reach my career goals, provided an outlet for community service, and introduced me to lifelong friends."
Nate Boaz
Gainesville, FL, USA
MBA '06"Ordinarily, we tend to associate with people similar to ourselves. The HBS section immerses you in a diverse set of backgrounds and points of view, you get to know each other extremely well; it allows you to feel safe about taking intellectual risks that you wouldn't with strangers."
Ju-Hon Kwek
Singapore
MBA '08"The environment here at HBS is global because of the breadth of backgrounds-geographic, industry, religious, ethnic, racial, gender, and nationality-and in the way these backgrounds impact the interactions of the students."
Jonathan Kelly
Greensboro, NC, USA
MBA '08"HBS makes every effort to expose students to international opportunities. The HBS Job Bank is loaded with options in Asia, where I want to work. And my career coach has helped me with everything from assessing my goals to editing my resume and preparing for interviews."
Jia Chen
Shanghai, China
MBA '08"Diversity at HBS goes far beyond culture, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. Having a classroom full of people representing nearly every industry-from financial services to military to nonprofit-deeply enhances the section environment. In a model where students contribute so greatly to the learning of others, having such a diversity of origin, experience, and personality truly unlocks the power of the case method."
Chris Crawford
Houston, TX, USA
MBA '06"After experiencing the HBS case method, I do not know how I ever sat through a lecture. An HBS case discussion is to learning what a Picasso is to art. There are no right answers. You have to be prepared to think on your feet, question your own assumptions, and color outside the lines."
Bill Crawford
Sutherlin, OR, USA
MBA '08"It would be an understatement to characterize my section as "diverse." Participating in case discussions with 35 individuals representing 28 different nations, I have benefited from the firsthand insight they provide as we discuss issues faced by companies operating in global markets. "
Chris Crawford
Houston, TX, USA
MBA '06"I came to HBS because I thought it provided the right kind of preparation. Lectures give you information, but the case method develops the skills you need as a leader. ... I have found the experience incredibly rewarding, beyond my expectations. "
Geraldine Keefe
Madrid, Spain
MBA '08"HBS engenders a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend two years totally immersed in an MBA program analyzing global companies, while building lifelong ties with the global leaders of tomorrow. "
Arijit Roy
Bangalore, India
MBA '08"The resources on campus are simply amazing. You will have access to the finest professors and the most dedicated assistants and staff. In addition to your class and its amazing collection of experiences, you will get valuable help from second-year students who will share their knowledge about various industries and companies. "
Christine Deschemin
Paris, France
MBA '06
Harvard Business School's MBA Program and Doctoral Programs are reflective of an increasingly global world, with a diverse group of students bringing a variety of perspectives to the classroom.
Faculty bring important business issues and management problems from around the world into the classroom. One third of the approximately 350 cases developed each year are international in scope, and a variety of courses and cases in the MBA program address global business issues (see sidebar at right). This approach equips students to apply what they learn to multiple contexts, in meaningful ways.
MBA Program
International students from 70 countries comprise over one-third of the MBA student body. Such diversity is an integral part of the MBA learning experience, and greatly enriches the participant-centered approach to learning by bringing contrasting viewpoints to daily class discussions.
Immersion Experience Program (IXP)
To develop outstanding leaders who will make a difference in the world demands a business education that is both practical and far-reaching. The Immersion Experience Program (IXP) offers off-campus, faculty-led programs committed to the pedagogy of experiential learning. An IXP goes beyond creating educated tourists; it facilitates the transmission of key ideas in managerial practice through field-based applied management projects and active learning exercises. The IXP maximizes a student's academic experience by integrating the case method of teaching with active learning in the field. For 2010, we are pleased to offer 11 IXPs, including 8 international and 3 domestic programs. In each IXP, students and faculty engage with business leaders in the field.
Doctoral Programs
Doctoral Programs develop individuals for careers as professors at leading business schools and universities. Students in the Doctoral Programs come from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds and represent 27 countries. They may elect to pursue one of nine programs.
The academic job market for graduates of HBS Doctoral Programs is expanding. Recent graduates have been recruited from institutions such as Harvard Business School, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, London Business School, the University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, INSEAD, and Columbia University.
