Applying to the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst
The Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts is among the top business schools in the northeast region. It is home to many students who come with aspirations to study business and build their career. Isenberg provides its students with the best support from faculty to ensure the students are prepared for post graduate careers. Whether you are a high school student looking to apply to college, or a transfer applicant: keep reading to learn about Isenberg with a Q & A with Isenberg's Director of Enrollment Management, Meg Smith:
What majors and minors are amongst the most popular in Isenberg?
At the Isenberg School, undergraduate students are given the opportunity to earn a degree as a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Business Administration. The Bachelor of Science includes Sport Management and Hospitality & Tourism Management (HTM). The Bachelor of Business Administration includes Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Operations & Information Management (OIM). The most popular major right now is Finance. However, as a business student you can expect to be exposed to all sectors of the industry. With the opportunity to learn about sectors outside their majors, students are exposed to a vast array of business principles and thoughts. OIM has been growing along with Finance as students are exposed to this area and understand the industry, possibilities, and tracks. This year, Isenberg has opened up a business minor to students in other UMass Amherst schools and colleges as well. This offers an opportunity to gain expertise in business administration; including all sectors of the industry.
What are some benefits of being an Isenberg student?
There are many benefits of becoming a student at the Isenberg School. We have a strong focus around diversity, equity, and inclusion and are moving forward on initiatives and curriculum to prepare our students to enter the business world with an inclusive mindset. Isenberg prides itself on promoting a sense of community among our students, bringing together students, staff and faculty with the same goal in mind: create leaders who will make a positive impact in the business world and beyond. Isenberg students have access to incredible resources that will improve not only their professional skills, but their personal ones as well. Our students exclusively have access to a team of advisors and coaches solely for helping with career coaching, resume building, interview prep, and academic success. Students in the Isenberg School have three advising resources: Academic Advisor, Career Coach, and a faculty mentor. Isenberg also offers 40 business focused organizations that students can get involved in. These are a great way to grow students' thoughts and explore another area of business from their major. It also allows a close-knit community to be built within the Isenberg family. Isenberg also offers many faculty-led short-term programs abroad to South Africa, Europe, and Switzerland. Business is a competitive field in general, and at Isenberg students are given a branding that allows them to stand out when entering the workforce post graduation. Isenberg sets up three large career fairs that host hundreds of prominent employers from all business industries. Finally, and perhaps most important, the Isenberg School has a robust scholarship program that awards more than $450,000 each academic year.
What does Isenberg offer to their students to ensure they are set up for academic and career success?
At Isenberg, students are set up with many resources to help gain academic and career success. Students have access to academic advisors and career coaches who will help guide them through their college experience. Academic and career resources are designed to support each student with their individual academic and career goals. Students will be put in small seminars that are taught by advisors to get them set up for their undergraduate career and understand all of these resources as early as their first semester. Through the Office of Career Success, students have access to professional writing and speaking support from the faculty in the Business Communication Center, and access to career workshops and resume building from the Chase Career Center. By sophomore year many students begin internships, which allows them to be prepared for senior year and having a better understanding of what they are looking for in their major/industry. Isenberg has three large career fairs where many students seek internships and employment as well as IsenbergWorks, which is the primary job and internship platform and provides students easy access to search for jobs and internships with Isenberg employer partners. Isenberg students also have access to Big Interview which is another platform that gives students the skills and preparation they need for successful interviews. With all said Isenberg students are equipped with all of these resources to build a successful career and are encouraged to make full use of these opportunities.
How can a high school student who thinks they might want to major in business find out more about the field, and decide whether Isenberg is the right fit for them?
As a high school student whom may be interested in business, here is how you can find out more about the field, and decide if Isenberg is the right fit for you:
The Isenberg website is a great place to start exploring the program and its resources. Whether a student is interested in learning more about the Student Experience, Academics or all that Isenberg has to offer, the website has an unlimited amount of information to help a student learn about the Isenberg community.
Isenberg student ambassadors will also be available to chat with prospective students starting in late August. This is an excellent way to learn about the school from students who were in your shoes not too long ago!
Students can also contact the Undergraduate Programs Office at 413-545-5610 or undergrad@isenberg.umass.edu, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with any questions.
