Penn (Wharton)

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

FT 2005 ranks Penn as tied for #1 in the world with Harvard.

EIU places Penn #8 worldwide and #7 in the US - just above IESE and just below Chicago GSB.

Penn's best showing on BW has been #1 (four times) and the worst showing was #5. Only Northwestern has enjoyed more #1 rankings by BW.

Penn/Wharton started in 1881. However, Wharton's offerings in the early years barely resembled a modern program. Indeed, most of the early students at the Wharton school were non-degree seeking students. It is intriguing that J. Wharton himself was a protectionist who worried about the spread of free trade ideas and credited the rise of the US steel industry in part to protectionist actions by the US govt. (contrast this view with that espoused at most business schools today). Courses in history, politics, and business law were all important in the early years of the school. In 1904 an evening division was started, although it was initially separate from the Wharton School. In contrast with the stress on personality at Harvard (est. 1908) Penn emphasized the functional areas. Accounting in particular was viewed in high regard at Penn since it was both professional and rigorous. c. 1921 Penn started offering a 2 year graduate level degree from students without training in business at the undergrad level that was far more specialized than the Harvard's graduate degree.

The social sciences/policy sciences continued to play an important role at Penn in the 20th century. In the early part of the century sociology influenced the school and then in the 1920's free trade economics become more prominent. The post WWII era introduced even more of the policy sciences into the Wharton curriculum and even had the danger of causing too much overlap with the social sciences at Penn. A masters in government was offered in the post war period as well.

https://mba.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/

https://mba.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/action/apply.php