Florida International University’s College of Business held strong in this year’s 2023 rankings — remaining at No. 86, same as last year. Of the three methodological categories, the B-School scored highest in Admissions, where they placed 72nd.
The B-school had an average acceptance rate of 44.63% for the Class of 2023, slightly less selective than last year’s 41.17%, and they reported an average SAT score of 1287 – a huge jump from last year’s average of 1204. Employment outcomes have shot up since the Class of 2020 reported a 78.76% rate – at a high 90.43% for the Class of 2023 securing full-time employment within three months of graduation. Internship rates dropped from 29.00% to only 3.00%.
Located in Miami, the Florida International College of Business takes advantage of the dynamic business environment. The undergraduate business program emphasizes hands-on learning, community involvement, and a global perspective.
HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Florida International offers 10 undergraduate business majors including Accounting, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, Management, Management Information Systems, Real Estate, Marketing, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and Business Analytics.
Hands-on learning is at the core of Florida International’s education. Each major’s curriculum often includes some element of experiential learning whether through project work or simulations.
Florida International alumni tend to view these opportunities relatively well with surveyed 2018 alumni rating the opportunities in the business program to nurture and improve their soft skills in business at an 8.2 average rating. Extra-curricular opportunities in the business program that nurture and improve hard skills in business received an 8.3 average rating.
“Each course had project work, case studies, and a global perspective on business and helped develop each student as a leader in their field,” one 2018 alum told us.
“The capstone project for my program BBA (Finance) was a financial analysis of a Fortune 500 company,” another 2018 alum said. “It was unique in that I never had done such an analysis before, and it was a great introduction towards understanding how analysts use information to plot useful information for other managers/decision-makers.”
Hands-on learning not only provides students with strong skill development but also a realistic understanding of what potential careers or industries are like. A number of surveyed 2018 alumni highlighted how the hands-on learning opportunities at Florida International gave them valuable insight and experience in their chosen field.
“During my time at FIU I had the wonderful opportunity to be part of the Executive Board of their collegiate American Marketing Association chapter,” one 2018 alum reported. “I also served as Director of Roaring Concepts Marketing agency, an on-campus agency which assisted both local business and national organizations with their marketing needs. This gave me vital experience in managing projects, team members, budgets which later on contributed to my management skills in my current role.”
“I had simulations for logistics and supply chain,” another 2018 recalled. “It was a learning experience with programs such as SAP to see how the program works in real life.”
TIES TO LOCAL COMMUNITY
Florida International actively works to maintain close ties with the local Miami community. Home to over 1,000 multinational companies including American Airlines, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Office Depot, Miami is a thriving business hub. The prime location offers students a direct connection to many internship and job opportunities. Surveyed 2018 alumni rated the B-school’s efforts to bring them into contact with practicing professionals in the business community at an 8.0 average rating.
But outside of the business community, Florida International students also have opportunities to actively volunteer in civic engagement and utilize their business skills to address community issues and challenges. Through the Miami Benefit Club, students connect with local business professionals to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity.
While many B-schools offer similar volunteer opportunities, at Florida International, service is directly implemented as a component of the curriculum. The B-school’s “Service Learning: Social Change and Contemporary Social Issues” is a unique course that examines volunteerism from historical and contemporary perspectives and includes a required community-based service-learning project.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Florida International business students have a number of opportunities to travel abroad and broaden their global perspective. The university, as a whole, offers a total of 68 semester abroad opportunities. Some 22 are business-specific with locations ranging from China to Costa Rica.
The experience of studying abroad not only allows students to gain international expertise in aspects of business but also provides a valuable experience that shifts their perspective long after they graduate. A number of surveyed 2018 alumni highlighted the impact that international experiences had on them.
“Diversity and inclusion are big at where I work,” one 2018 alum told us. “Having traveled to India and Costa Rica with my university has provided me with a different perspective and appreciation of what I have. I also appreciate others customs and culture and understand it more now having visited their countries.”
Overall, Florida International’s emphasis on hands-on learning, community involvement, and global perspective all contribute to the quality of its undergraduate business education. With these three major components, students are given a strong opportunity to become well-rounded business leaders.
Alumni say:
“I was the co-founder of the student advisory board for the college of business. It provided me with crucial connections and opportunities that helped me establish my career.”
“The internship class I was a part of allowed me to land my first job out of college.”
“We were part of a Model United Nations at the university level. It pushed us to develop diplomacy and communication skills.”
Where the Class of 2020 went to work:
Amazon – 6
Citi – 4
Wells Fargo – 4
Ryder System – 4
EY – 3
Bank of America – 3
Deloitte – 2
Accenture – 2
Microsoft – 2
Goldman Sachs – 2
