The Duke MBA Early Action option is ideal for applicants who have completed their MBA research and have decided that The Duke MBA is the best program for them. Applicants admitted in the Early Action round must submit the non-refundable $3,000 tuition deposit along with official transcript(s) by December 20, 2011. In addition, any applications submitted to other schools must be withdrawn upon an offer of admission from The Duke MBA.

You may qualify for a reduced application fee of $125 if you have registered for AND have attended a qualifying event hosted by The Fuqua School of Business between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012. Click here for more details.

Required Short Answer Questions: Answer all 3 questions
Respond in 250 characters only (the equivalent of about 50 words).

1. What are your short-term goals, post-MBA?
2. What are your long-term goals?
3. Life is full of uncertainties, and plans and circumstances can change. As a result, navigating a career requires you to be adaptable. Should the short-term goals that you provided above not materialize what alternative directions have you considered?

Required Essays: Answer both essay questions

1. The "Team Fuqua" spirit and community is one of the things that sets The Duke MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. When a new person joins the Admissions Team, we ask that person to share with everyone in the office a list of "25 Random Things About Yourself." As an Admissions team, we already know the new hire's professional and academic background, so learning these "25 Random Things" helps us get to know someone's personality, background, special talents, and more.

In this spirit, the Admissions Committee also wants to get to know you - beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. You can share with us important life experiences, your likes/dislikes, hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. Share with us your list of "25 Random Things" about YOU.

Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be only a few words, while others may be longer. Your complete list should not exceed 2 pages.

2. When asked by your family, friends, and colleagues why you want to go to Duke, what do you tell them? Share the reasons that are most meaningful to you.

Your response to this essay question should be no more than 2 pages in length. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing.

Recommendation Questions (2 recommenders)

• Comment on the applicant's interpersonal skills (effectiveness in establishing and maintaining relationships; working with supervisors, peers, and subordinates; willingness to work in a team environment).
• Description of applicant's peer group.
• What do you consider the applicant's primary talents or strengths?
• In what areas does the applicant need improvement or growth? If you have had the opportunity to provide the applicant with constructive feedback, please provide specific examples of the feedback and the applicant's response to it.

Essay Analysis

• Clear Admit 2011-12 Essay Analysis
• mbaMission 2011-12 Essay Analysis
• Veritas Prep 2011-12 Essay Analysis

The Duke MBA program begins with a three-week Global Institute held in August. The institute features two core courses: Leadership, Ethics and Organizations; and Global Institutions and Environments. The Global Institute begins the process of helping you become a collaborative leader with a deep understanding of the multifaceted global business environment.

You will also have multiple opportunities to experience business and cultural practices in other countries through Global Academic Travel Experience (GATE) courses and exchange programs.

Global Academic Travel Experience (GATE) courses are three credit elective courses. Students study the business, culture, economy, and politics of a country or region for 6 weeks before traveling to the area studied. The travel portion of the course is typically about 12 days in length.

Students gain exposure to international businesses through visits to multinational corporations, local enterprises, government agencies, exchange program partner schools, alumni and others in the region.

Daytime Health Sector Management (HSM) certificate: *Click for detailed curriculum, extracurriculum, and career opportunities.

• Immerses students in leading-edge health care education as part of Fuqua's Daytime MBA core curriculum.
• Offers insight into the interaction and interdependencies of health-related industries and organizations.
• Hones functional skills and the ability to think strategically in a global business environment, allowing the immediate application of new-won knowledge and skills.
• Prepares students for management and/or leadership roles in a variety of health arenas, including pharmaceutical; medical device; consulting; banking; venture capital; entrepreneurial; biotechnology, research and development; and payor and health systems.
• Builds and/or enhances a network of contacts worldwide.

Design
As part of this two-year, fulltime program, HSM students fulfill all regular Daytime MBA requirements; HSM courses count toward the required MBA elective credits. The HSM curriculum is flexible, allowing students to combine their interest in health care with additional concentrations of interest within The Duke MBA program. Concurrently, HSM cultivates collaborative learning opportunities with other noted Duke programs, including engineering, basic science, public policy and medicine, as well as with leading healthcare companies and organizations across the globe.

Class profile
HSM is suited for students seeking to enhance their functional skills and overall understanding of the health care industry. Enrolled students come from a wide variety of professional, academic, and cultural backgrounds. In general:

• Students have an average of five years of professional experience.
• Approximately half have worked in health care.
• Approximately 25 percent have advanced degrees.
• One quarter to one third are international students.

The Certificate of Academic Excellence in Finance distinguishes Duke MBA–Daytime students who focus in the discipline and attain excellent grades in finance courses. To earn the certificate, you must take at least twelve finance-related electives beyond core finance courses--and six credits beyond those required to receive the MBA. This corresponds to a dual finance concentration in corporate finance and investments plus an extra finance and non-finance elective.