mba Experience

Syndicates

Postgraduate study is intensive and requires rigorous application from all students. By working in syndicates, students undertake their assignments by drawing on the varied skills and expertise of people in their group. A syndicate is a group of students from diverse backgrounds, who are assigned to work together on material covered in a particular subject. Syndicates work on tasks such as preparing cases for discussion in class, or completing assignments based on current issues in real organisations, which could range from small businesses to multinational corporations.

Case studies

Melbourne Business School programs strive to be current and relevant. The curriculum draws upon the experiences of Australian and other companies operating internationally, including in the Asia-Pacific region. To support this approach, teaching staff have access to over 350 case studies which have been developed at Melbourne Business School. The number of cases is continually growing, most often through faculty members’ interest in a particular industry. The School’s Case Study Library also holds cases produced by other leading business schools, including a very large collection of Harvard Business School cases and other teaching materials, for which it is the sole distributor in Australia.

Assessment

Subjects are assessed through a combination of individual and group assignments, examinations, contribution to class discussion and presentations. Students are notified at the beginning of term as to how each subject will be assessed.

Student life

Outside the classroom, many students form groups to organise a wide range of activities. These may include assistance with orientation for new students, participation in a Guest Speakers’ Program (which brings business and political leaders to the School for seminars) or involvement in a variety of social events. In addition, there are numerous student clubs and societies ranging from Women and Management, Finance, Management Consulting, Entrepreneurial Challenge, Community Action and Debating through to recreational activities such as golf, skiing and wine appreciation. In 2002, students founded a "Rainmakers Club" for those interested in marketing.
Although they often have less time than full-time students to devote to extra-curricular activities, there is a strong presence of part-time students throughout the School’s clubs and societies. This interaction between classes benefits everyone, the time devoted by the full-time students supports the breadth of activities while the longevity of part-time students in the School provides valuable continuity over time.