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How to choose your business school

"Research is the key."

When you’ve made the decision to pursue a postgraduate degree, you want to be sure of a good return on your investment. This means choosing a business school that meets your high expectations.

Research is the key. Does the school you’re looking at boast an expansive range of disciplines, exceptional graduate outcomes and strong industry links, for example?

Here are five points you should consider when looking for the perfect fit.

Breadth of disciplines to choose from

An exceptional business school is one that supports a wide array of disciplines under the business studies umbrella. When it comes to postgraduate studies, in particular, a dynamic school facilitates both broad-spectrum business skills development and niche specialisations within many fields.

Deakin Business School (DBS) offers degrees across several key departments: management, marketing, economics, accounting, finance and information systems and business analytics.

Within these departments sit key discipline areas, including sport management and development, financial planning and property and real estate. Whether you’re looking to excel in your current field or seeking to upskill or change careers, a business school with a variety of expert teaching areas will get you where you want to be.

Accreditation

Just like in any industry, a business school’s accreditations show a commitment to best practice. Accreditation brings respect and prestige, acknowledging the quality of the educational experience on offer. Employers look favourably upon degrees earned at accredited business schools.

DBS is AACSB accredited. Only five per cent of business schools worldwide hold this prestigious international accreditation, which signifies exceptional standards in management education.

Similarly, Deakin’s MBA is not only EPAS accredited, but also Australia’s number one online MBA and the DBS Master of Business Analytics is Australia’s only program to be accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS), confirming its position at the cutting edge of higher education in this field.   

Flexible learning

A pioneering business school respects the varied needs and competing commitments of today’s learners. Postgraduate students may be completing their degree while working full time or managing a family; they might be tapping into study from a remote area or looking for an Australian qualification while based overseas. Postgraduate business study can – and should – look vastly different from the traditional image of students sitting in lecture theatres.

Deakin University is a world leader in online learning, with personalised programs and 24/7 access to resources. Students follow the same curriculum as their colleagues on campus, but with the flexibility to study at a time and place that suits them. Learners communicate with staff, share with peers and access research tools via sophisticated cloud technology, allowing them to continue with work or other commitments whilst they study. You can also manage the pace of your degree by taking as many or as few consecutive units as you choose, or by participating in an accelerated learning residential, completing a unit in a compressed period of time.  

Deakin’s innovative Start Anytime program means that MBA students for example, can commence a unit of study at any time in the year – no need to wait for the next semester to start.

Industry links

A well-connected business school provides opportunities for networking, onsite training and expert mentoring. By coming face to face with industry leaders, students forge pathways for career development beyond completion of their degrees.

Working directly with industry also adds value to the study experience by ensuring learning is grounded in ‘real world’ applications. A relevant and respected curriculum will be one that’s developed in consultation with industry.

Graduate outcomes and student satisfaction

At the end of the day, the proof of an exceptional business school lies in the success of its graduates. Spend some time on the website of your chosen school and you’re likely to find graduate testimonials, which can be a solid starting point for researching student satisfaction.

If you’re looking for hard data on the student experience, look for external reviews of your business school’s achievements. A confident business school will proudly display such accolades.

Deakin University achieved five out of five stars for student retention and five out of five for overall student satisfaction in the Good Universities Guide 2015.  Deakin is also in the top three per cent of universities across all three of the major international university ranking systems, including the QS World University Rankings.

Deakin Business School is as highly respected by industry connections as it is by the many successful graduates who go on to take the business world by storm. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence when you’re investing in your future.  

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