Berry College - Campbell School of Business

Berry College is a small private school, located on a beautiful and expansive wooded campus in Rome, Georgia. This setting provides a unique backdrop for the Campbell School of Business, which unites a savvy MBA curriculum with a friendly and intimate atmosphere. Within the greater Rome area, Berry College is a “convenient and reputable” choice for an MBA, with all classes offered in the evenings (classes meet one night per week throughout the fall, spring, and summer terms). Located fewer than 100 miles from Atlanta and Chattanooga, the program is designed for working professionals, as well as early-career students. For full-time students, the school offers the opportunity to take on a graduate assistantship position, which offsets the cost of tuition in exchange for hours worked on campus.

Along with the master of education, the MBA is one of two graduate programs offered at Berry, and the atmosphere reflects the intimate atmosphere of the undergraduate college. With a low enrollment, the “small class sizes and the relationships students have with professors” are the best parts of the educational experience. Here, professors “are always willing to help and seem happy to be there, teaching the courses.” Bringing strong educational and professional backgrounds to the program, “the faculty at Berry [is] surprisingly accomplished,” and students note a “professional commitment to academic excellence” throughout the faculty and staff. Berry is an interactive environment where students are encouraged to participate in class discussions, and those who have already entered the workforce often “have interesting stories and work experience to contribute to class.” While the benefits are manifold, the low enrollment also has some drawbacks. For example, course scheduling can be difficult because “the school does not offer all required classes at all times. Just once every two years.” In addition, the elective offerings are more limited at Berry than at larger institutions; some feel it would be a benefit to have “more classes, more options” within the MBA curriculum.

Overseen by a competent administration, “the school is run well,” and the curriculum is well-designed, emphasizing a holistic approach to business. The MBA begins with a series of proficiency requirements in accounting, marketing, statistics, economics, finance, and management—but these can be waived for students who have an undergraduate degree in business. Thereafter, all students must complete twenty-one credit hours of core courses and nine credit hours of business electives (students may also earn course credit for internships), which cover a range of topics including written and oral communication skills, leadership, and ethics. Typically, students complete the program in two years, though the college allows up to six years of study.

The Berry College Career Center offers career counseling, resume and cover letter assis- tance, online job boards, and an online database of job tips and resources. These services are open to all undergraduates and graduate students, as well as alumni (alumni may even request login information to access online job boards); however, the Career Center ’s efforts are principally aimed at the undergraduate community.

Graduates of the Campbell School of Business, students have taken jobs with companies including CFA, Georgia Pacific, Walton Communications, Industrial Developments International, Wiser Wealth Management, and Anheuser Busch. While the school has a strong reputation in the region, students admit that, “Berry College could improve in connecting its grad students with jobs outside of the Rome metropolitan and Atlanta areas.”

Taking a cue from Berry’s pastoral campus environment, Berry students are “friendly and down-to-earth,” yet also take their studies seriously. At Berry, students “work hard all day and work hard during their classes,” and many are “goal-oriented” and “driven.” A tribute to the Berry College’s pleasant atmosphere and academic excellence, many MBA candidates are returning Berry students who also received their undergrad- uate degree from the school. In fact, many come to the graduate program directly after college. Therefore, “the majority of students are fairly young and inexperienced,” with limited experience in the real world. As a result, the older, working students who “come from outside of the school add a great deal of value” to the program.

Berry is located on an enormous wooded campus (one of the world’s biggest) on the outskirts of Rome, Georgia. If you would like to get involved in extracurricular pursuits, “the school has a great campus with many activities to participate in,” and “there is always an activity or cultural event” at school. At the same time, students observe, “The graduate program isn’t as active in the school community but the opportunity is there if the student wanted to be involved.” Even so, “gym and library facility access is fully granted” to graduate students, and many take advantage of these resources.