Executive Summary
The Carlson School of Management is recognized as a global leader in business education. We leverage the intellectual capital, skills, and talents of our faculty and staff, and our deep partnerships with our business community and alumni to help individuals and organizations create a brighter future for Minnesota and beyond.
Founded in 1919, we offer 13 degree programs through seven academic departments. Our 60,000+ alumni live and work in more than 100 countries and all 50 states. We are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Dean Prenkert started July 3, 2023, following 20 years at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Anchored by Fortune 500 companies, alongside some of the largest private corporations in the world and a growing population of flourishing entrepreneurial enterprises, engagement with this extraordinarily strong business community is central to what differentiates the Carlson School. Experiential learning is a signature element of all of our programs, through our Enterprises (Brand, Consulting, Funds, and Ventures), Analytics Lab, the new Impact Lab in the Undergraduate program, and our required international experience.
Our faculty are among the world’s best, ranking 11th in Management and 19th in Business Administration in the Shanghai rankings (Academic Rankings of World Universities, 2023).
Enrollment: Fall 2023
| Undergrad | Graduate and Professional | Non-Degree | Total | %BIPOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,206 | 1,278 | 52 | 4,536 | 22.9% |
Headcounts: Fall 2023
Top 5 Rankings and Recognition
- #8 Undergraduate Program among U.S. Public Business Schools, Poets & Quants
- #12 Full-Time MBA Program among U.S. Public Business Schools, U.S. News & World Report
- #14 Part-Time MBA Program in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report
- 3 MS Programs ranked in Top 10 in U.S., QS World Rankings
- #1 Military-Friendly Graduate School of Business
Degrees, Retention & Graduation Rates
2022-2023 Degrees & Certificates Granted
| Undergrad Degrees | Masters Degrees | Doctoral Degrees | Certificates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 893 | 799 | 31 | 18 |
* Excludes $0.7M in sponsored expenditures
Expenditures may exceed revenue when carryforward is used.
Key Areas of Strength & Strategic Opportunities
Strength: Locational Advantage of the Minnesota Business Ecosystem
The Twin Cities business ecosystem — 15 Fortune 500 companies, numerous headquartered private firms, various industry verticals (e.g. retail, financial services, consumer packaged good, healthcare, etc.) — provides a unique opportunity to the school. This translates into research opportunities for faculty, career service opportunities for students, unique experiential learning in the classroom, and much more.
Strength: World‐Class Research and Teaching
The Carlson School tenured and tenure-track faculty are highly ranked in terms of research productivity on a global scale. This yields innovative and forward-thinking curriculum and classroom practices across our mix of undergraduate and graduate programs. Importantly, this strength brings along with it retention risk in a dynamic market for top business faculty, which challenges us to keep pace with prevailing salaries and other benefits.
Strategic Opportunity: Capitalizing on Opportunities for Innovation in a Shifting Marketplace
At the Carlson School, we thoughtfully assess and adapt our programs, curricula, and instructional methods to constantly evolve and adapt to shifting market dynamics. Over the last eight years, we have launched six new degree programs. On an ongoing basis we evaluate the health of newly launched and existing programs, and we modify or shut down the programs that do not meet strategic, educational, and financial goals. Lastly, we invest in innovative delivery mechanisms.
Strategic Opportunity: Thoughtfully Grow the Undergraduate Program
Featuring a top-ten ranking among public universities and an innovative and award-winning curriculum, as well as enrolling more than 700 new students on an annual basis, the Carlson School undergraduate degree is a highly popular and accomplished program. While there is a desire to accommodate more students and grow the size of the program, there are multiple constraints that must be considered before pursuing this, including a commitment not to dilute a premium student experience and an increasingly strengthening brand.