Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington

The Michael G. Foster School of Business is part of the University of Washington, a Seattle-based university that hosts one of the most respected medical schools in the world. Foster School of Business is a public business school that is the second oldest institution of management education on the West Coast. It is well-known for being consistently ranking among the best undergraduate and graduate business schools in the world. The school, which includes a number of newly constructed facilities, is housed on the main University of Washington campus.

• Address: PACCAR Hall, Seattle, WA 98195
• Phone: 206-685-3400
• Website: foster.uw.edu

What puts Foster above competing business schools is its world-class faculty and robust student experiences. Students can expect a quality business education and excellent preparation in areas like accounting, entrepreneurship, international business, and management. Traditional classroom studies are supplemented by structured student experiences like case competitions, consulting projects, international experiences, independent study, and internships. The career placement rate is also exceptional (nearly 100%), especially among MBA students.

Foster School of Business prides itself on diversity, and this dedication to inclusiveness can be seen in the school's academic programs, student experiences, and relationships with area businesses and the community.

The undergraduate program at Foster School of Business awards a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (BABA). Students take a combination of general education, non-business, and business courses throughout the 180-credit program. Formal areas of study include accounting, finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, information systems, and operations and supply chain management. Students can also customize their education by designing their own program. Undergraduate students can even earn certificates outside of the BABA program in areas like sales and international studies in business.

Foster offers a range of MBA program options for students with every type of schedule and career goal:

• Full-time MBA - Two-year full-time program
• Evening MBA - Three-year part-time program
• Executive MBA - 21-month program with two schedule options
• Global Executive MBA - 12-month full-time program
• Technology Management MBA - 18-month work-compatible program

For a student who would prefer a specialized master's to an MBA, Forster offers the following programs:

• Master of Professional Accounting - A three-quarter-long (September-June) professional program that prepares students to sit for the CPA exam 
• Master of Science in Information Systems - A one-year master's program with a focus on the role of information technology and IT solutions
• Master of Supply Chain Management - A one year master's program with a focus on global sourcing of goods and local distribution and fulfillment

Foster School of Business also offers executive education programs and a Ph.D. Program in Business Administration with specializations in accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing, operations management, and technology entrepreneurship. Graduate-level students who don't want to earn a degree can complete certificate courses in entrepreneurship and global business.

Paths to admission to Foster vary depending on the program you are applying to. Applications are competitive at every level of education (undergraduate and graduate), but competition is especially fierce for the MBA program, which has a small entering class size (just over 100 students). Entering MBA students at Foster have an average of 5 years of work experience and an average GPA of 3.35. Read more about Foster admission requirements and application deadlines.