FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2020
Communications and Marketing Manager
Public Affairs Council
202.787.5955
New Report: Public Affairs Council Identifies
Leading MBA Programs for Public Affairs
Half of top 100 MBA programs include public affairs management coursework
Washington, D.C. – The Public Affairs Council released a new report today that provides an analysis of top business schools integrating public affairs into their curricula. “Leading MBA Programs with Coursework in Public Affairs” is a guide to business schools with programs that go beyond teaching finance, accounting, marketing, operations and similar subjects, and recognize the value of “non-market strategies.”
Through an assessment of U.S. News and World Report’s Top 100 Business Schools, the study identifies which programs offer coursework in subjects such as business-government relations, public policy development, shared-value creation, corporate responsibility and stakeholder engagement. Roughly half of the leading 100 MBA programs met these criteria.
The report comes at a time when corporate leaders are facing a shifting political landscape, regulatory uncertainty and employees who expect them to be more engaged in social issues. The public affairs profession’s roles in managing political risk and creating market opportunities make its presence in MBA programs increasingly important.
“Public affairs professionals need a thorough understanding of business practices to do their jobs well, but not every MBA program recognizes the value of their function,” says Council President Doug Pinkham. “At the same time, the corporate world is full of financial wizards who don’t understand political strategy. We want to encourage top business schools to help both types of people become more knowledgeable and effective leaders.”
In addition to the full assessment, the Council has also identified schools with notable programs in the following categories:
Top Business-Government Relations Programs
Georgetown University
Rice University
Stanford University
University of Texas at Austin
Top Shared-Value or Corporate Responsibility Programs
Babson College
Dartmouth College
Harvard University
Ohio State University
University of Miami
Most Innovative Public Affairs Curricula
Northeastern University
Stanford University
University of Miami
View the full report here.
About the Public Affairs Council
Both nonpartisan and nonpolitical, the Public Affairs Council is the leading association for public affairs professionals worldwide. The Council’s mission is to advance the field of public affairs and to provide its 700 member companies, nonprofits and universities with the executive education and expertise they need to succeed while maintaining the highest ethical standards. Learn more about the Council at pac.org.