Daniels’ online and on-campus programs are recognized in the latest rankings
The Daniels College of Business Online MBA has risen to the No. 6 spot on Princeton Review’s Top 50 Online MBA Programs for 2023—the only school in Colorado to make the list. The full-time Denver MBA is also one of the few schools in the country to make the publication’s lists of Best Green MBA programs and Greatest Resources for Women.
“We are honored to have our many MBA programs recognized as the best in Colorado and among the most prestigious in the country,” said Vivek Choudhury, dean of the Daniels College of Business. “The Princeton Review ranking reflects our continued commitment to the student experience: rigorous academics, meaningful connections, life-changing immersions and flexible options for attending classes.”
Online MBA program rises to No. 6
The Online MBA improved its ranking, which is determined through a formula that combines institutional data from business school administrators with student opinions, collected through an online survey. The survey allows students to rate their faculty, their fellow students, career preparation, academics, the technology platform and overall satisfaction with their programs. The survey for school administrators covers admissions selectivity, graduation and retention rates, faculty training and credentials, technological infrastructure, student indebtedness, and career outcomes, among other items. Survey questions are developed by an advisory board that includes faculty and administrators from top online MBA programs.
Themes for student and faculty survey questions are detailed on Princeton Review’s methodology page.
Read: What students have to say about Daniels MBA programs
Students surveyed touted the online program’s flexible schedule, reasonable price and GMAT waiver as a way for working professionals to earn a degree in as little as 21 months. Plus, students can begin the program at one of four start dates every year.
The curriculum is the right balance of independent study, interpersonal connection and interactive experiences, students said, including two in-person domestic or global immersions. The technology platforms they use are reliable, user-friendly and make it easy to engage in networking and dialogue, they added. And they say their faculty are very engaged and well-connected to synchronous and asynchronous coursework.
“These synchronous sessions and small class sizes allow our students to network and build close relationships with their faculty, and with one another,” said Carol Johnson, assistant dean of MBA programs. “The format makes the Online MBA a very interactive and engaging student experience.”
Unlike many other online MBA programs, the courses at Daniels all have a required 90-minute synchronous session each week, affording students the opportunity to interact in a live setting, discuss the asynchronous content, and exchange ideas and perspectives with each other, and with a faculty member. Class sizes are usually around 15 students, further facilitating relationships and shared learning experiences.
Green MBA ranking shows commitment to social good
The Daniels Denver MBA ranked 10th on Princeton Review’s list of Best Green MBA programs. The DMBA’s placement is based on student assessments of how well their school is preparing them to face environmental, sustainability and social responsibility issues, and for a career in a green job market.
“The Daniels vision is to pioneer business for the public good,” Dean Choudhury said. “Once again making the list of top green MBAs reflects our core values. The College is internationally recognized for integrating social, environmental and ethical issues into our innovative curricula. Addressing sustainability issues is a core part of our programming across the College, but especially with our Denver MBAs.”
The center of gravity in the Denver MBA is a set of four core business challenges, in tandem with rigorous, integrated learning modules that allow them to test and refine their skills in real business settings. As part of the program’s social good challenge, students work with a local nonprofit to hone their social responsibility skills. In every challenge, students are looking at sustainability concerns.
Denver MBA students can also pursue a concentration in sustainability or a graduate certificate in global business and corporate social responsibility.
Daniels programs recognized for serving women in business
Princeton Review also ranked Daniels’ MBA programs No. 7 on its list of Greatest Resources for Women. The category reflects institutional demographic data on the percent of students and faculty who are female. An institution’s score also incorporates student assessments of resources for female students, whether a school offers coursework for women entrepreneurs and whether case study materials for classes proportionately reflect women in business.
On-campus programs ranked too
The Princeton Review Best Business Schools for 2023 project also features an unranked list of the best on-campus MBA programs. Daniels makes the list, thanks to its flexibility for both full-time and part-time students, its tight-knit cohort system, and its passionate, friendly faculty and staff. Only one other school in the state of Colorado appears on the Princeton Review’s list. Daniels’ programs also are one of Princeton Review’s 62 best business schools in the west.
A full description of Princeton Review’s methodology can be found on its website.
