The 1st Year Fall Quarter Mix
The selection or mix of classes for Rady’s 1st year fall quarter is by no accident. These are the core disciplines pivotal to any business school program. The full-time sample curriculum is posted on Rady’s information site, but I want to give my perspective on each.
Managerial Economics or “Econ” – As an economics major, I enjoy this class. It is a great refresher for all of the microeconomics classes I took. There is definitely some math in it, but the concepts are almost intuitive in nature. I especially like the class’s focus on real-world situations which were often missing in all of the calculus during undergrad.
Accounting – This class is focused on financial accounting, dollars, and the magical equation, Assets = Liabilities + Equity. If you can accept the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, you’re in good shape. There isn’t much math here, just memorization of accounting terms, rules and processes.
Quantitative Analysis or “Quant” – For all that love number crunching this class is for you. Excel skills will really come in handy also. Although some of the class’s exercises seem highly academic, I’m starting to see how “data as an asset” can really take firms to the next competitive level. Now, if I can get my Crystal Ball to work.
Leadership, Values, and Team Management or “Leadership Class” – Were you starting to think it was all about numbers? Business management skills are about both “quantitative” and “qualitative” decision making. This class focuses on the latter and on being an effective leader. Leadership class seems to go by the fastest, but maybe that’s because the class’s discussions are the most heated!
Overall, I think the fall quarter mix does a great job of exercising the brain in all different directions. I’m looking forward to the Winter quarter.
Meeting People is Easy – B-School Style Networking
As an undergrad, my life was dedicated to what I called “the triangle.” I was a full-time student in Davis and a full-time employee in Sacramento. I was constantly commuting between three points: home, work, and school. I didn’t have much time for extracurricular activities and unfortunately after graduation I hadn’t expanded my network. Classes were really my only opportunity to meet people, but in a lecture hall of 100+ students, and only ten weeks in a quarter, good luck remembering a face let alone a name. Flash forward a few years and here I am at Rady with a whole new opportunity…
My primary goal in attending b-school is to meet new people and to expand my professional network. At Rady, meeting people is easy. The structure of the program is designed to mix and match individuals of varying backgrounds and to build relationships. Within the first few days of pre-term activities, I got to know more people at Rady than in my entire undergraduate experience. Team building exercises, group projects (from day one), and social activities really help create connections very quickly. By the time classes officially started, the room of 60 students felt like homeroom in high school. Everyone just seemed to know everyone.
But it doesn’t stop there. Over the next two years, a stream of activities and events with second-year students, flex-program students, alumni, corporate recruiters, and the area’s business leaders will help build the network even quicker. I look forward to future and all of the great people I will meet!
Welcome!
We want to share our experiences in business school and, on the way, shed some light on social involvement and academic life at the Rady School of Management. To that end, the MBA Student Ambassadors are starting this blog!
Our goal is to have a few regular contributors provide their different perspectives over the course of their stay here, along with a few guest authors to write on special topics. We hope to provide a rich, relevant picture of life here and are delighted to hear what you’re curious about!
Rady's Otterson Hall