Brandeis University, Graduate School of International Economics and Finance Admission
Brandeis University, Graduate School of International Economics and Finance Undergraduate Program
Brandeis University, Graduate School of International Economics and Finance Application

The Facts

Brandeis University is a rather small, private institution located in the town of Waltham, Massachusetts, and is has a combined graduate and undergraduate population of over 5,000 students. The university's Graduate School of International Economics and Finance, however, is significantly smaller, and is home to about 130 graduate business students. Approximately 70% of the currently enrolled students have had an average of 3 years of full-time professional experience, a factor taken into serious consideration by the admissions committee when reviewing applications. Perhaps as a result of this fact, the average age of enrollment is around 26, however, ages range from 21 to 31. Approximately 30% of the currently enrolled students entered directly from undergraduate school, while about 22% of students already have a graduate degree of some sort. The Graduate School of International Economics and Finance is perhaps best known for its emphasis on global business and economics, with a blend of lecture and group case studies. The school offers graduate business degrees in the Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance (MAIEF), Master of Business Administration International (MBAI), Master of Science in Finance (MSF), as well as a doctoral program in international economics and finance. Some of the most popular programs of study include courses in the areas of international business, economics, as well as finance.

Admission to the university's Graduate School of International Economics and Finance is extremely competitive among those who apply; last year, over 515 students applied for admission to the school, and approximately 244 of those students were accepted. Eventually however, only about 118 of the admitted students actually enrolled for the coming semester. The admitted students had an average undergraduate GPA of about a 3.4, as well as an average GMAT score of about 600. The admissions committee requires all applicants to have a minimum undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.0, as well as a minimum GMAT score of at least a 500. Students are able to begin graduate course work in either the fall or summer, and are given notification of their admissions status on a rolling basis.

The Graduate School of International Economics and Finance has 16 full-time faculty members, all of whom hold a doctorate degree. The school is also home to 19 part-time faculty members, of whom 81% hold a doctorate. The average graduate business class numbers around 18 students, and most faculty members teach an average of 4 courses at any given time.

Placement Services

The school has rather extensive placement services that are available to current students as well as alumni for an unlimited amount of time after receiving their degrees. These services include one on one counseling, networking events, referral programs, career workshops and regional events for alumni. Last year, 15 companies were actively recruiting on campus, 33% of which were national corporations. The majors most in demand by these companies included international finance and marketing. The average starting salary of the most recent graduating class was around $60,000, however, it ranged from $36,000 to $102,500. About 65% of this class were able to find jobs within three months of obtaining their degree.

What's Good

"The classes are really small, and it gives you plenty of opportunities to bounce ideas off of your peers."

"There are so many career development services available to you here; they can be like a class within themselves."

"I find the faculty to be admirably dedicated to their positions at this school; they're always around to answer questions and give advice."

What's Bad

"Even though the placement services are generally excellent here, I wish there were more national corporations coming to recruit."

"There tends to be some unhealthy competition among students, particularly because a lot of us are looking for jobs."

"There are a ton of required courses to complete before you can really dive in to your specialty."

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