DePaul University’s master of business administration (MBA) degree program was ranked No. 3 again in the third annual local MBA rankings issued by Crain’s Chicago Business Oct. 20.  Recruiters surveyed by the weekly magazine rated DePaul’s real estate and accountancy MBA tracks No. 1 in the Chicago area. Alumni chose real estate and entrepreneurship as the best such programs locally.

The top seven MBA programs ranked by Crain’s were: 1. Northwestern University; 2. University of Chicago; 3. DePaul University; 4. University of Illinois at Chicago; 5. Loyola University; 6. Northern Illinois University 7. Illinois Institute of Technology.

“Chicago’s MBA market is very competitive—with more than 25 programs—and the top programs have different strengths,” said Ray Whittington, dean of the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul. “This ranking underscores Kellstadt’s position as the city’s business school for working professionals who want to earn high quality, practical MBA degrees in a flexible format.  It also recognizes the value of our career-oriented real estate, accountancy and entrepreneurship programs.”

Kellstadt has built strong relationships with alumni and recruiters to provide graduates with a network of contacts for career advancement, Whittington noted.

As David Perry, a recruiter and partner at Friedman & Huey Associates LLP, told Crain’s: “The job placement people (from DePaul) that I work with have a personal relationship with me and understand what I'm looking for and try to help me.”

In a video interview posted on Crain’s Web site, chicagobusiness.com, 2005 DePaul MBA alumna Ina Gosling, a consultant with A.T. Kearney, explained why she chose to earn her degree from Kellstadt’s Weekend MBA program. “DePaul has a good reputation here in Chicago and what I really liked was the fact that people working in the field were coming in and teaching the classes,” she said. “That brought a lot of real-world experience to the classroom.”  Gosling said the flexibility of DePaul’s program and its affordability also influenced her choice.

The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business enrolls more than 2,000 students and offers 28 MBA concentrations taught by faculty members who bring both scholarly achievement and business experience to the classroom. Its part-time MBA program is ranked sixth in the country by U.S.News & World Report, and the entrepreneur concentration is rated No. 2 in Entrepreneur magazine’s national rankings.

Students in the MBA program are required to take 14 to 18 courses, depending on their level of undergraduate business education. Graduates benefit from the College of Commerce’s 50,000-strong alumni network. Day, evening and weekend formats are available to part-time MBA students.  The weekend MBA program meets on DePaul’s Rolling Meadows Campus in a blended schedule of face-to-face class meetings on alternate Saturdays and online learning experiences.