Friday’s Headlines: An Argument for the Two-Year MBA Program

Why spend the time and money to get a business degree in two years when you can nail it in one? Well, argues a Wharton dean in a Businessweek op-ed, there are lots of reasons. Thomas Robertson argues:

While the one-year model [growing in popularity around the world] is certainly a viable option for some students, it cannot replace the traditional two-year model. The two-year flagship MBA program delivers what we at the Wharton School call a “total experience.” The course structure is, of course, indispensable, but so are the co-curricular activities, the international and social impact experiences, the network effect and the learning teams.

The second year is when students dig into career-specific coursework, participate in student activities and groups, study abroad, attend conferences and take internships. “The MBA is not about the first job or even the next job. It is about students’ whole careers,” Robertson writes. “We owe it to the next generation to prepare them fully for the challenges that will ensue.”

He doesn’t mention the fact that cutting coursework in half also means half the tuition and fees paid to the school.

 

Other News:

JPMorgan Chase reported Q1 earnings were up on improved capital markets and recovery in consumer credit and business lending. [DealBook]

Wells Fargo posted a 13 percent Q1 profit gain on mortgage banking. [WSJ]

Private equity turns to emerging markets. [Financial Times]

Capula, in which Goldman has a 20 percent stake, is planning to expand into Hong Kong later this year. [Reuters]

Deutsche’s incoming co-chief plans to make the bank’s wealth and asset management units work more closely with investment banking. [Financial Times]

As Oaktree goes public, Goldman’s stock exchange officially closed. [DealBook]

China Construction Bank is rolling out a major expansion of its domestic branch network. [WSJ]

Private equity firm Hellman & Friedman may sell its restructuring and bankruptcy advisor worth $1 billion. [Reuters]

Mitsubishi is looking to do a deal with an American fund management firm. [Bloomberg]

Cambodia’s new stock exchange is expected to attract IPOs. [Bloomberg]

The SEC charges “the youngest-ever black CEO of a publicly traded company” with running a Ponzi scheme. [CNN Money]

A former currency options trader with Citigroup sued the bank for prematurely selling his assets. [Bloomberg]

Britain's shareholder group says its top concern is the “immoral” senior banker pay. [Telegraph]

Occupy Wall Street has moved to the sidewalks near the NYSE. [NY Times]