What Are MU's Top Programs?

[WI inferiority Complexes]

I graduated double majoring in English and secondary education.  I teach at a Catholic high school 1.5 miles away which I ride my bicycle to everyday.  I'm not young and I make under 50K a year, but have an absolutely off-the-charts quality of life.  I'm very proud of the program for which I graduated, and consider it a "top program."

[77ncaachamps]

sopabah

[TomW1365]

100% placement in real estate?  Isn't that like being a "financial advisor" for NML or Mass mutual straight out of school?

Ziggy... What you might think is a jab or low blow is ignorant.  12 years at Northwestern Mutual right out of college has been the best accident of my career.  All the "advisors" I know started somewhere, and the two companies you mentioned are two great ones for the right people.  It's a tough road at the brokerage houses, insurance companies, banks, independent groups regardless of where one starts out of college... But extremely rewarding for those who stick.

[WarriorInNYC]

I have no idea how they would determine this stat. I don't remember anywhere on the CPA app saying who you had for auditing and a lot of students have up to 3 audit teachers. My guess this is a someone's opinion that turned into a ranking?

Yeah, that was my thought exactly.  The person who told I know pretty well, and doesn't like to BS around, so I took it somewhat seriously, but not quite sure how that would be backed up.

Though I do think Akers, at least while I was enrolling in that class, was the only professor teaching audit at MU.

[Newsdreams]

Nothing against newsdrms's son, as that is fantastic (both the job and the salary), but if that's typical, EE's aren't coming close to the AIM students. Depends on the type of finance, but it's not uncommon for AIM grads to have a 6 figure starting salary.

Just brought it up as an example since engineering was being discussed. That salary is about average for a starting EE. Tops is about 60K to 65K. The point really was that he got a job offer two months prior to graduation. Even after he took the offer other companies where calling to interview him so I guess engineering graduates from Marquette are in high demand. Comparing AIM students salaries to other "normal" graduates seems like would be a bit of the charts since it is a very selective program for top notch students. In that case companies are expecting top talent. Guess they figure they are minimizing risk, so probably more demand than supply, and a premium is paid.    

[dgies9156]

Engineering and business always have been pretty good. Marquette's reputation in both, particularly civil engineering as a previous poster noted, is very good. The AIM program is outstanding and has a wonderful reputation. Given the large amount of money management that historically has occurred in Milwaukee, this makes sense.

I'll call out the "old" College of Journalism as a better program than it is often credited as being. My undergraduate degree in the late 1970s was in Journalism. Nine years later, I was awarded an MBA from Loyola in Chicago (even though I never had a mathematics, statistics or quant class at Marquette) and have been working in corporate finance and analysis ever since. What the old Journalism school provided was an excellent education and a practical approach to what we now call "due diligence." People like John Vivian and even ole Luke Staudaucher taught you to think about what was important in an issue/story and how to communicate it.

When you see the number of Marquette Journalists from my era in prominent positions nationally, the old guys we sometimes thought weren't relevant were doing something right!

I'm afraid the current College of Communications, with the rumored "reporting optional" classes and emphasis on blogging, social media and technology is becoming a very expensive trade school.

[southpaw9984]

I'm a 2007 AIM alum. The salaries and bonus packages are extremely variable for AIM graduates. It depends on the position you accept but there is the possibility to be in or near the six figure range shortly after graduation. Additionally, the career options are vast. I can't imagine too many other programs (at MU or elsewhere) that have maintained a near 100% job placement rate over this five year recession.

That being said, I know a lot of PT and nursing grads. that do very well too.

In general, I think the college rating systems are arbitrary. Many of them are based on research publications made by the professors which could have no correlation to actual job options. Talk to many alumni if you want a true evaluation of a school or program.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Glad you guys are doing well and these majors are well recognized.  Pilarz needs about $700 mil, so get ready to open up your wallets.

[blaster]

I'll call out the "old" College of Journalism as a better program than it is often credited as being. My undergraduate degree in the late 1970s was in Journalism. Nine years later, I was awarded an MBA from Loyola in Chicago (even though I never had a mathematics, statistics or quant class at Marquette) and have been working in corporate finance and analysis ever since. What the old Journalism school provided was an excellent education and a practical approach to what we now call "due diligence." People like John Vivian and even ole Luke Staudaucher taught you to think about what was important in an issue/story and how to communicate it.

When you see the number of Marquette Journalists from my era in prominent positions nationally, the old guys we sometimes thought weren't relevant were doing something right!

I'm afraid the current College of Communications, with the rumored "reporting optional" classes and emphasis on blogging, social media and technology is becoming a very expensive trade school.

+1 Journ '83 grad here. I really appreciate guys like Staudaucher more as the years go by.  Guys like James Arnold, Warren Bovee, George Reedy, really added a lot to the experience.

[Stronghold]

The dental school is an excellent program.  It has modern, high-quality facilities with a current $16 million expansion taking place.  It is also the only dental school in the state.  Very diverse patient base in Milwaukee with incredibly high and sometimes complicated treatment needs.

[dgies9156]

I really appreciate guys like Staudaucher more as the years go by. 

So do I and if you'd asked me in 1975 or 1976 if I thought Luke Staudaucher would be one of the better influences on my ability to understand "how" and "why," I'd would have laughed you right off the planet. So much for immaturity!

Staudaucher taught an often dry topic (copy editing and production), but his focus on "what is news" and "news judgment" was lasting. His thought provoking questioning is something that's more relevant than ever today when the blogosphere is becoming our chosen choice for news media.

Now, did anyone ever get anything other than a "C" in J-2?

[blaster]

So do I and if you'd asked me in 1975 or 1976 if I thought Luke Staudaucher would be one of the better influences on my ability to understand "how" and "why," I'd would have laughed you right off the planet. So much for immaturity!

Staudaucher taught an often dry topic (copy editing and production), but his focus on "what is news" and "news judgment" was lasting. His thought provoking questioning is something that's more relevant than ever today when the blogosphere is becoming our chosen choice for news media.

Now, did anyone ever get anything other than a "C" in J-2?

I would have said the same thing if someone told me that back in '83.

Seeing what is passing for Journalism out there now makes me wonder what is being taught currently in the Communications school. I see the College just received some big funding to look into 'social justice' aspects of Journalism. Yeah, maybe they should stick with 'what is news' and 'news judgement' and work up from there.

[blaster]

Now, did anyone ever get anything other than a "C" in J-2?

That was the best you could get!

[chapman]

I heard a stat from an accounting alum the other day that Dr. Akers was a top 6 professor in terms of student's scores on the Audit section of the CPA exam.  This is the first I've heard this and I've tried searching for it on the internet and hadn't found anything, but doesn't surprise me.

Don't have sources, but I've heard it mentioned several times that MU accounting alums had some of the top performances on various parts of the CPA exam.  I remember hearing one year they were number one overall, must've been about 8-10 years ago?

[mu-rara]

Yes - Jimmy's paltry $1m salary is below what most CFAs would want to attract as their clients.

CFAs don't advise clients, generally.  They analyze (emphasis on anal) companies, and make larger portfolio decisions, usually for larger institutions.

[martyconlonontherun]

Don't have sources, but I've heard it mentioned several times that MU accounting alums had some of the top performances on various parts of the CPA exam.  I remember hearing one year they were number one overall, must've been about 8-10 years ago?

That makes more sense, though it doesn't look like they were number 1 for the last decade. WF had that the past decade. http://www.accountingtoday.com/acto_blog/wake-forest-university-cpa-exam-pass-rate-record-64902-1.html

I think it was last year that they had one student not pass. Would suck to be that person.

[LAZER]

The supply chain management program is indeed pretty good.

I've long thought that Milwaukee should be a (the?) manufacturing hub for the 21st century (e.g., making high-end medical equipment), focusing especially on supply chain management and engineering (and quality engineering).

I hope MU continues to invest in the SCM program.  It's a growing industry and salaries and opportunities are on the rise.  It seems like MU already has a leg up on a lot of leading schools, hopefully they continue it.

[slingkong]

The biomedical engineering program was one of the first around, at least from what I could find when I was looking at college (started at MU in 1995). Even Purdue didn't have one at the time, which, for a guy from Indiana, was a huge surprise - we'd heard time and time again how great Purdue's engineering college was. I believe Purdue does have a biomed program now, and I'm sure it is just as good as the rest of its programs.

And any engineering major that doesn't try to take advantage of the co-op program is insane. It got me my first job out of college (hired before I even started my last year at MU), which helped me move to the legal field after law school (night school) almost entirely because of my history at my first employer. I can't say enough positive things about having done the co-op program. An added bonus is that you have more disposable income than your friends!

[WarriorInNYC]

That makes more sense, though it doesn't look like they were number 1 for the last decade. WF had that the past decade. http://www.accountingtoday.com/acto_blog/wake-forest-university-cpa-exam-pass-rate-record-64902-1.html

I think it was last year that they had one student not pass. Would suck to be that person.

That's an interesting statistic though there because those are from students earning an MSA at Wake Forest instead of an undergraduate degree and then sitting for the CPA exam.  I know many MU students just obtain an undergraduate degree, get 150 hours, then sit.  Several others may obtain an MBA, but hardly an MSA (I really see no need for an MSA if you're getting your CPA). 

I know BYU is year-in and year-out one of the top accounting schools in the country.

[warriorchick]

Don't have sources, but I've heard it mentioned several times that MU accounting alums had some of the top performances on various parts of the CPA exam.  I remember hearing one year they were number one overall, must've been about 8-10 years ago?

I don't know if it's still the case, but part of the credit for the high pass rate in my year (1984) had to go to an amazing independent prep course that was put on by three professors, one of whom was a Business Law Prof at Marquette (can't think of his name right now) and two others that I believe were from UWM.  They would teach it on Saturdays in the auditorium of the old Concordia College. My entire incoming "class" at Arthur Young took it, no matter what school they graduated from.  Out of the 19 of us, 17 passed the whole thing on the first try (including 3 who were in the top 100 nationally in terms of their scores).

Those guys probably raised the CPA pass rate of every Accounting program in Wisconsin.

[mu-rara]

I don't know if it's still the case, but part of the credit for the high pass rate in my year (1984) had to go to an amazing independent prep course that was put on by three professors, one of whom was a Business Law Prof at Marquette (can't think of his name right now) and two others that I believe were from UWM.  They would teach it on Saturdays in the auditorium of the old Concordia College. My entire incoming "class" at Arthur Young took it, no matter what school they graduated from.  Out of the 19 of us, 17 passed the whole thing on the first try (including 3 who were in the top 100 nationally in terms of their scores).

Those guys probably raised the CPA pass rate of every Accounting program in Wisconsin.

Tim Rueth?  Paul Fisher?

[warriorchick]

Tim Rueth?  Paul Fisher?

Pretty sure it was Rueth.  Glasses, big shaggy hair, hysterically funny?

[Goose]

It was Tim Rueth and he was the best. One of the biggest friends of the program for many years. Has a son at MU currently.

[Benny B]

100% placement in real estate?  Isn't that like being a "financial advisor" for NML or Mass mutual straight out of school?

AFAIK, NML doesn't do anything on the consulting side; everything is on their own balance sheet, so they'd probably be analysts rather than advisors.

[Jay Bee]

Only thing I remember about the CPA exam is dashing out of the MECCA and running straight to Major Goolsby's.

MU has a bit of an advantage IMO in that they are near the (now) Big Four offices. For those who were "matched" for an internship you didn't have to move/rent some other place for a semester while working (whereas a uw-madison often would look to find an apt in Milwaukee)... this is probably an advantage for many Jesuits schools.